“You are right and I apologize for losing my patience,” the Lord of Nyte says with a small smile. He gazes out the window and squints at how the sky seems bluer than normal, the realization causing his heart to beat faster. “It appears I am getting anxious, but I cannot figure out what has caused this reaction. Perhaps reading about the massacre has me worried. What if we have dinner with Kai and Stephanie tonight? See if the four of us can figure out our next move. I heard General Decker might be returning from Canst’s Fields too. It would be nice to hear what my loyal son has discovered in the Land of Ruins.”
“Place the tray here and have a seat on the dais steps, Lou,” Nadia orders the ogre, who immediately does as he is told. Getting to her bare feet, the beautiful orc walks around the table to give her husband a gentle shoulder massage. “Stephanie does this for me once a week and it is always enjoyable. More so since I became an abomination, so I recommend you getting the same treatment. This will relax you for the dinner you’re planning. It can be simple and short to allow us to claim our own time. I’ve been so busy on researching a cure and you’ve been toiling with your military plans that I fear we’ve lost our spark.”
“I take full responsibility, my dear.”
“We are equals in every way, my love, so I am to blame as well.”
“Let’s make it a few days of privacy for us.”
“What about your war and my work?”
“Both can wait for us to recover our strength together.”
“I know you hate what we are, but maybe we can do something outside?”
“As if I can say no to you.”
Being taller than her husband, Nadia easily leans around Xavier and is about to kiss him when a heavy impact shakes the entire room. The couple remain perfectly still while the guards draw their spears and Lou sniffs at the air. With a snort, the ogre gets the nobles’ attention and points to a large crack in the top of the dais. Stepping onto the flat stage, the old-world vampire growls when another blow echoes from beneath his feet. He looks to Nadia for orders since he fears putting a giant hole in the floor will get him in trouble. When the elegant woman waves for him to continue, Lou rears back and slams his fist into the stone. At the same time, whoever is on the other side delivers another punch that meets his knuckles. Having only the natural strength of an ogre, the bodyguard is unable to push against the opposing fist and is sent hurtling across the throne room. With a growl, he sails through one window while his severed arm gets tangled in the curtains. Xavier and Nadia are oblivious to their servant’s lingering voice and the sound of him landing in a nearby tree, their attention locked on Lost as she clambers out of the secret passage.
“I think I hurt somebody,” the Dawn Fang announces while wiping cobwebs and dust off her pajamas. Turning in a circle, she takes in the beautiful room and freezes at the sight of Lord Tempest. “You do have silver hair like I do! That means you really are my father. My name is Lost and I’m the daughter you never knew you had. I blame mom for that since she’s the one who abandoned me in the first place. Is this another of your children? You’re a very pretty woman, big sister.”
“What is this child babbling about, dear?” Nadia asks, her fangs gradually extending out of her mouth. Receiving a shrug from her stunned husband, the red-haired orc approaches the grinning intruder and looms over her. “I am Lady Sylvan of Nyte, which makes me the wife of Xavier Tempest. He would never turn someone like you, so you are gravely mistaken about your lineage. Isn’t that right, my love?”
“I certainly don’t remember creating another Dawn Fang,” Xavier replies, his attention more on his memory than the conversation. Meeting Lost’s wide-eyed gaze, he considers prying open her mind for information, but shivers at the way she grins at him. “Probably a sloppy assassin created by Clyde. We have more important things to deal with than this child. Still, it does not hurt to put her in the dungeon for later interrogation. I’m very curious how she got through the wards . . . Those are gone. Did you tear down my wards?”
“Yes, and I already apologized to the kitty woman before she went for a swim,” the half-elf states, her excitement making it difficult to stand still. Darting around Nadia, she leaps onto Xavier’s throne and leans close enough to sniff at his breath. “You don’t smell like much, but that might be a good thing. Nobles shouldn’t be stinky. So, does this make me a princess? Do I have to be nice to my step-mommy? Can I have a unicorn for my birthday? I promise not to eat it in one sitting. When is my birthday? Are you not happy to see me? What’s an assassin? Am I asking too many questions? Should I let you answer before I keep talking? Where’s the big guy with the horns?”
“Guards!” the Lord of Nyte shouts before jumping away.
Donning their night cloaks, the spear-wielding vampires rush at Lost and try to surround her, but she nimbly leaps to the ceiling. Plunging her toes into the stone, she hangs next to the chandelier, which she yanks out of its base. With a laugh, she drops it on two of the guards and jumps for a set of curtains that she gleefully rides down to the floor. She points at one of the armored vampires, which causes the man to stop his charge, but she attacks another enemy instead. Grabbing the woman’s spear, Lost spins her around and kicks her in the lower back to send her careening into another enemy’s weapon. Flipping over the stuck pair, the Dawn Fang gives a little shove to the second warrior to impale them on the other polearm. Darting between the struggling guards, she grips the two spears and lifts the two women over her head. Hurling them out the window, the playful half-elf hurries to see if they land in a moat like Stephanie. She pouts at how the warriors slam into the courtyard below, their crumpled bodies twitching from the severe injuries.
Stepping aside to let a charging warrior miss and plummet, Lost takes a seat on the sill and watches the five remaining enemies. Crossing her arms, she has one of them strip down to their underwear and begin crab-walking from one side of the room to another. Two more are made to act as a rider and his horse, the pair galloping through the locked door, which clatters to the floor with a loud crash. Fascinated by the large puff of dust, the Dawn Fang forgets about the last two guards until their spears hit her in the shoulders. They push hard enough to dangle her out of the open window, but she continues watching the sparkling motes drift through the sunlight. A violent shake snaps Lost out of her trance and she cocks her head to the side, the wide smile on her face making the vampires’ innards twist. Her attackers carefully pull her back in and put themselves on the sill while tightly clinging to their spears. Gripping her side of the weapons, the Dawn Fang gradually pushes the two men until they are hanging over the courtyard. Instead of dropping them, she gets the helpless guards to whistle a spell that transforms them into sparrows that fly away.
“I think they’ll be happier as birds,” Lost declares as she removes the spears. Turning back to Xavier and Nadia, she pauses at the sight of a cloaked figure in the broken doorway. “One, two, five, carry the eight, and . . . You’re new to the fight. My name is Lost and I’m the daughter of Xavier Tempest. Nadia Sylvan is my step-mommy, but I thought she was my sister. Are you here to fight me like the others?”
The burly stranger’s eyes can be seen in the shadows of his night cloak, the gray orbs glinting as he casts a spell. Mesmerized by the baritone voice whispering a melodic incantation, Lost is unable to fight back in time to avoid the paralysis spell. Her body stiffens and she falls to the floor like a plank of wood, the thud causing her to psychically take over Nadia for an instant in order to grunt in pain on her behalf. Pushing back his cowl and rubbing his bald head, Kenneth Decker cautiously approaches the captured Dawn Fang and holds his rusty axe over the back of her neck. The black-bearded dwarf has the weapon burst into lightning and is about to kill what he thinks is an assassin when a whistle causes him to stop.
“Don’t do that just yet,” Xavier calmly says. His next thought is cut off by Nadia turning into a swarm of screeching bats and rushing out of the window. “You returned to Nyte just in time, my son.
I will have Kai bring this girl to the dungeon for questioning. This one is too strange to kill outright, especially if she is not connected to Clyde. Please come with me to help smooth things over with my wife. I know it has been a long journey for you, General Decker, but I would appreciate it.”
The dwarf puts his magical axe away and takes off a flap on his armor that had been covering a shield-shaped medal. “I admit that I’m a little confused here. I will do as you ask, Lord Tempest, but I don’t see how I can be of any help. Never being married myself, this type of situation is beyond my expertise. Perhaps Stephanie would be a better choice. I can fish her out of the moat if you wish.”
“No, I know you are the man for the job.”
“Which is?”
“Making sure my wife doesn’t take my head before I can talk.”
*****
Having lost his night cloak to Nadia’s initial charge, Decker is forced to lurk under the solitary window and repeatedly fires ice blasts at whatever she throws at Xavier. The nobles remain on opposite sides of the small room, which has been used for pottery storage in recent years. Every time the Lord of Nyte tries to talk, he only gets out a few words before his wife hurls a clay vase at his head. Decker’s attacks are enough to freeze and knock the projectiles away from his maker, but the angry orc’s power remains on full display. The wall behind Xavier is peppered with holes that are rimmed with icy vapor and give those inside the chamber a clear view of the hallway. An hour passes before Nadia calms down and unceremoniously sits in the only chair, a puff of dust rising up and settling on her flowing dress. Nobody moves until she beckons for her husband to get closer, but he stays slightly out of reach in case it is a trap. The dwarf clears his throat and taps his knee to give his maker an idea of what the noblewoman really wants. With a sigh and scowl, the silver-haired Dawn Fang kneels before his wife and bows his head in apology.
“I hope you understand why I’m so angry,” Nadia hisses like a serpent. Stretching her foot, she pats her husband on the shoulder to get him to rise. “Even before getting infected, we agreed to never create a child without the other’s knowledge. That way it would be as if the child was both of ours. To think that you went off to make a daughter is infuriating, especially considering how much you despise being a Dawn Fang. The shock of hearing her call you father and seeing the resemblance made me lose my mind.”
“It did very little good for my sanity as well,” Xavier admits, his hands moving to create a shadowy web between his fingers. He throws it at the window to block the sunlight, which allows Decker to move freely. “Please believe that I have never seen that half-elf before. She is a stranger who is either confused or playing a trick. I would never turn someone so immature and uncultured. At the very least, I would have brought her back to Nyte for training. To create and unleash such a bizarre creature on Windemere is irresponsible. Although, did you see the type of power she wielded?”
“It reminded me of Clyde, but more mental than physical,” the vampiric orc says as she stands to embrace her husband. Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she snaps her fingers to create a mud golem from the pots and orders it to repair the broken wall. “This Lost seems rather unruly and chaotic, so I don’t think we should consider using her against our enemies. One would think we learned our lesson after trusting Clyde and manipulating him. Perhaps Kai can turn her into a slave, but her psychic powers may make her a dangerous candidate. Honestly, my love, I think it is best for us to destroy this pawn and move on.”
Effortlessly changing into Lost’s form, Xavier pulls a small mirror out of his pocket and examines himself. “You are right, but I do have a plan. Although her psychic powers are formidable, I believe I can overcome them with Stephanie’s help. This girl was sent to Nyte for a reason, which I want to discover. It could be Clyde or another Dawn Fang who thinks eliminating me will make them the new vampire ruler. Regardless, I can steal her thoughts, take her form, and return to kill the one who tried to assassinate me. Getting an opportunity like this is rare, especially with our enemies refusing to attempt a foolhardy frontal assault.”
“That is a possibility, dear.”
“You do not sound convinced.”
“Well, you know that I don’t like you going into danger.”
“You could follow as a swarm.”
“My worry is more about you taking on the thoughts of that child.”
“She did seem a little unhinged.”
Returning to his original form, Xavier takes the chair and smiles when Nadia makes herself comfortable on his lap. The couple stare into each other’s eyes, but a cough from Decker stops them from going further. Letting the silence linger, the vampires try to come up with plans to handle their unexpected guest. Distant shouts gradually become louder as a squad of guards rush down the hallway, their booted feet thudding off the stones. Xavier is about to wave for the yawning dwarf to investigate the noise, but the sound repeats and the same warriors come running from the other direction. A whistle cuts through the air and is followed by faint voices, one of them slightly louder and more pompous than the others. Relaxing in the chair, the Lord of Nyte casts a silence spell as another race begins. He makes a mental note to reprimand the guards later, but finds that his mind is too focused on Lost to take immediate action or send Decker to do the same.
“It is fairly ridiculous that they sent her in claiming to be your daughter,” Nadia softly mentions with a chuckle. Sliding off her husband’s lap, she takes a crimson vase off a shelf and gently wipes the dust off its wide handles. “Clyde is aware of our agreement when it comes to turning others. If he was behind this then Lost would have claimed the two of us were her parents instead of you alone. It is still a ridiculous plan doomed to fail. One of us forgetting that we turned the girl is possible, but both of us forgetting is impossible. This must be the work of someone who does not know us at all.”
“One thing still doesn’t make sense to me,” Decker interrupts before his dry throat causes a coughing fit. No longer able to ignore his thirst, he takes a swig of whiskey-infused blood and smacks his cracked lips. “Lady Sylvan, for a moment you believed that this Lost was Lord Tempest’s child. Yet, both of you have only strayed from each other’s side for maybe a day ever since this war started. Even then, you remained in Nyte. There’s no way this girl could have been made, but you still jumped to that conclusion. Is it because of her silver hair and you forgot that vampires don’t take on the attributes of their maker? No offense, but if that is the case then it means becoming a Dawn Fang can have mental repercussions. Personally, I think it is easier to believe that she manipulated your minds the instant you made contact. Given her strange reaction to my arrival, it could have been accidental. I simply can’t see how a vampire as powerful as you fell for this trick unless there is something beneath her surface.”
“The hair is an odd choice if she was going to alter our minds anyway,” Xavier whispers to himself. Plucking a single strand from his head, he tears down his spell that covers the window and examines the silver hair in the light. “It shimmers the same as hers did, which could mean nothing. I never put much thought into my physical features before. Could someone have found a descendant of mine and turned them? It is always possible that we have mortal relatives in the world. Her being a half-elf doesn’t make that any less likely. Perhaps it is time for us to interrogate this Lost and find out exactly where she came from.”
With a crash, the door is kicked up and Kai stumbles inside with his ebony eyes bugging out of his head. “We have a problem with the girl you sent to me. She woke up and escaped the dungeon about fifteen minutes ago. Instead of running away like we expected, she claimed one of the guest rooms and has been rearranging things. There are two squads of guards helping her take furniture from around the castle. We can’t break her control or talk any sense into her since she claims to be home.”
“Has anyone tried to kill her?” Decker asks before a blood-curdling scream erupts from the far side of the castle. A seve
red head crashes through the wall above the dwarf’s head and he catches the part, which is still in its helmet. “Talking might be best here. For no other reason than she is demonstrating incredible power and my instincts are telling me to not face what could be a superior enemy. At least, she isn’t doing more than making herself at home. It isn’t like she came with a lot of luggage or a pet, so space isn’t an issue.”
“That’s the other problem I want to mention,” the spymaster awkwardly mentions. “It seems she has taken a liking to Lou and . . . Might be best for you to see for yourself.”
*****
“I need more ribbons!” Lost shouts from behind Lou. Covered in colorful bows, the grumbling ogre is about to move when his legs lock. “You can’t get them, so I’ll send those tiny guards. They look fast. Can you bring me some paint too? Pink and yellow would be good for these horns. Need to make them look nice and pretty to match the rest of my room. We’re going to make you look very colorful. Oh, I can put a powderpuff tail on the back of your pants. Why would I want that?”
“Excuse me, but can I have my bodyguard back?” Nadia asks from the doorway. Receiving nothing more than a blank stare, she marches over to the bed and leans over the girl. “If you are to be a guest here then you must ask permission to take other people’s things. No offense, Lou, but you know what I mean. Now, please return his dignity and clean him off, so he can return to his post. I can’t believe the one who turned you never taught you to be more mature. You appear old enough to understand how an adult should act.”
With a pout, Lost takes off all of the bows and hands the ogre his shirt, which no longer has its sleeves. Seeing Xavier enter the room, the girl gently shoves Lou aside with one hand and jumps to land on the noble’s shoulders. She is immediately yanked to the floor by Kai, who keeps a tight hold on the collar of her shirt. Unable to slip out of his grasp, Lost casually punches the spymaster in the shoulder to sever his arm. She frees herself from the dangling limb and is about to throw it to the ground when she sees that Xavier is glaring at her. Muttering an apology, she gives the body part back to Kai and goes to sit on the edge of her stolen bed looking like she has been thoroughly scolded. She only looks up to wiggle her fingers at a guard, who stacks two dressers on top of each other and pushes them into the corner.
Lost (War of Nytefall Book 2) Page 8
