William looked stricken. "What are you talking about? What do you mean I left you? I told you where I was going."
"You didn't," I said. Why would William say something so obviously untrue? "You never told me anything."
"I left you a letter," William said haltingly. "On your dresser, in your room. I thought if I left it there that there was no way you would miss it."
"I never received a letter," I said angrily.
"Even if you never received the letter, Katie," William said, agitated, "all you had to do was use the call. You know that. I gave you the words. I would have come to you from anywhere in the world."
"I did call for you," I cried. "When Anton attacked me. I called and you didn't come."
"Anton attacked you?" William asked in horror. He turned on Innokenti. "Was this your doing? Did you send him after her?"
"I can assure you I did no such thing," Innokenti replied. "Anton and I were under strict orders not to harm the human girl."
William didn't seem to have heard Innokenti. He turned back to me. I could see pain and fear in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Katie," William said. "I never heard your call. I would never ignore it. I will always come for you—you know that."
"Just out of curiosity," Innokenti interjected, "if Anton did indeed attack you, how did you get away? I hope you'll forgive me for being indelicate, but you are no match for him, or for any other vampire for that matter."
"Someone else came when I called for William," I replied. "He said his name was Cormac. I think he was one of the Sìdh."
A look of genuine surprise spread over Innokenti's features. "Interesting. That's very suggestive."
"Do you recognize that name?" William asked.
"I do." Innokenti addressed me. "Little one, may I ask you—this 'dresser' where William claims to have left his letter—is it near a mirror?"
"Yes, it is," I said. "And I remember now—I found a tiny pile of ash on it that I could not explain. Is that significant?"
"Perhaps," said Innokenti.
He lapsed into silence.
"I called again after that," I said to William—the words just tumbled out. "But neither you nor Cormac appeared. And then Anton came back. He told me that the Sìdh had a way to remove the vampire aspect of your nature. He said that they would cure you and give you back your memories if you agreed to give me up and never see me again. Anton said that you had accepted their offer."
William turned on Innokenti furiously. "Did you send Anton to harass her?"
"No, William. I did not," Innokenti replied calmly. "Do not distress yourself."
"You didn't send Anton to attack her?" William demanded.
"No."
"You didn't send him to tell her a lot of lies?"
"No."
"And I suppose you're going to tell me that you had nothing to do with the fact that I couldn't hear Katie calling to me, aren't you? You're going to tell me that you weren't blocking me from hearing her."
"No, William, I was not blocking you."
William's voice suddenly rang out angrily in the vast room.
"Then why couldn't she hear me?"
"William, I can't tell you."
"Can't or won't?" William demanded.
"I have been instructed to remain silent on this topic. My orders were simply to convince you and the human girl to return to Russia. And in a roundabout way, it appears that I succeeded in getting both of you here. My orders do not allow for explanations of a sensitive nature."
"Your orders," William said bitterly.
"Yes, my orders, William. You know I exist only to serve others."
William seemed to swell up to twice his normal size. His voice rang out again.
"I want to see them!"
His anger seemed to fill the room, like a living thing, and even though it was all directed at Innokenti, I found myself taking a step back.
"William, please contain yourself." Innokenti's voice was steady, but I could see that he was eyeing William warily. "Be reasonable."
But William was in no mood to be reasonable.
"I want to see them!" he thundered. "Now!"
Innokenti held up his hands pacifically. "Very well—I'll take you to them. But you should know that they will be none too pleased to be disturbed. They will just be waking up. And they are not accustomed to having an interview forced upon them. You risk kindling their ire. Even you are not so special."
William simply stared at Innokenti, and a tense silence ensued.
Eventually, Innokenti bowed his head.
"It will do as you ask," he said. "But remember that I tried to warn you. You may follow me. The girl will be safe enough here."
"Katie will come with me," William said sternly.
Innokenti's eyebrows rose. "You want the girl to see—them?"
"I'm not leaving her alone in this place."
Innokenti gave William a sardonic smile. "There's a phrase in English—'it's your funeral?' If you wish to take Katie along, then who am I to stop you? If you will both follow me, then."
Innokenti crossed the room and stepped over the broken door.
William placed his hand on my back and guided me toward the doorway.
"William, where are we going?" I asked.
"You'll understand very soon. Stay close to me," he said.
Out in the hall, we were plunged back into the strange, silver gloom that seemed to pervade the castle.
Innokenti led us to a tower and then up a staircase that closely hugged the wide, curving wall. He stopped before a large iron door that was embellished with gold.
"Wait here," Innokenti said. "I will do what I can to smooth your way."
"Wait just a minute," William said. "It occurs to me that you didn't seem very surprised to see Katie show up here at the castle. Did you know she was in Krov?"
"Yes," Innokenti said.
"And you didn't tell me?"
"It was for the best," Innokenti replied. There was a hint of a challenge in his light eyes. "Now, as I said, I will try to smooth your way. One does not interrupt royalty lightly."
Innokenti disappeared through the gold door, which slammed closed behind him.
"What does he mean by 'royalty'?" I whispered.
William said nothing, but he reached out and gripped my hand. I was still wearing my gloves, but even so, his touch was reassuring.
I looked up at him. William's face was set into harsh lines. It was an expression I had seen him wear before—when he had first met me, and when he had faced the kost Gleb Mstislav.
It was a face he wore when he met an enemy.
We waited in tense silence.
Eventually, the iron door swung open, and Innokenti reappeared.
"They have agreed to see you," he said.
Innokenti did not seem entirely pleased about the fact that we had been granted an audience—nevertheless, he ushered us in.
William and I entered a vast, ornate chamber—it was clearly a throne room. A long strip of thick blue carpet ran the length of the room, leading up to a set of short steps. The steps led up to a platform, and on the platform sat two intricately carved chairs. An elaborate tapestry with graceful, stylized trees, slender human figures, and a bright, flame-red bird in the center hung behind the thrones.
I wondered if the human figures in the tapestry were actually supposed to be vampires.
The chamber itself was brighter than the halls, but it was still lit solely by the odd silver light that illuminated most of the castle. In the throne room, however, the light had even more sheen—it was as if someone had captured moonlight and trapped it within the walls.
I took a second look around the chamber. The room was large, but it was clearly empty of living—or nearly living—creatures apart from the three of us. No one else was present.
"Where are they?" William asked impatiently.
"They will emerge in their own time," Innokenti said evenly. "You should be grateful that they have condescended
to see you at all. I would advice you to be respectful when they make their appearance."
William made a noise that sounded decidedly derisive.
I heard a door slam shut heavily somewhere close by, and then I heard the sound of footsteps.
William gripped my hand more tightly, and I felt a stab of fear despite his presence.
"Don't speak until you are spoken to," Innokenti said softly.
A corner of the great tapestry behind the thrones lifted—seemingly of its own volition—to reveal a dark doorway. A man and a woman emerged from the darkness and walked to the center of the platform, their hands clasped high in a ceremonial fashion.
They stopped and gazed at us.
The man was tall and lean and dressed in a modern, dark gray suit. His skin was violently pale, and his hair and trim beard were a sooty black. The woman was also pale-skinned and black-haired. She wore a wine-colored gown of a severe but modern design.
They both wore an aura of power.
As if on a signal, the man and the woman looked at each other and dropped their hands. Then, they seated themselves on the thrones.
The man spoke in a strong, authoritative voice.
"Innokenti, you may approach the throne."
Innokenti started forward and indicated with an elegant gesture that we should follow. He stopped at a respectful distance from the platform.
"You may introduce the petitioners," the man said.
"We are not petitioners," William said sharply.
Innokenti ignored William's outburst and bowed low.
"Your majesties, may I present to you William Sursur and Katie Wickliff? They have come to petition you for the answer to a question."
Innokenti straightened and stared at us significantly, as if he expected a sign of obeisance from us. But William just stared at the two vampires on the thrones stonily, and I was frozen by fear, completely unable to move.
Both the man and the woman had turned their glittering eyes on me, and I felt like a small animal being calmly surveyed by two great predators.
When neither William nor I reacted, Innokenti continued, addressing us.
"May I present his majesty, King Hieronymous."
The king continued to stare at me and did not acknowledge Innokenti's introduction.
"And may I present her majesty, Queen Sabine," Innokenti said.
The queen continued to stare at me also.
I began to feel distinctly uncomfortable.
"So, this is the Little Sun that we have heard so much about," the queen said. Her voice had a breathy, sibilant quality that was oddly charming and inviting.
"Yes, your majesty," Innokenti said.
"Do step a little closer, Katie Wickliff," the queen said. She smiled as if she were looking at something she wanted to eat.
"You don't have to do what she says," William said quickly.
William's counsel was unnecessary—I was still frozen with fear. I couldn't have taken a single step closer to the fearsome couple on the platform—even if I had wanted to.
"Are you afraid, Katie Wickliff?" the queen asked. She smiled even more broadly. "You need not be."
The queen shifted her gaze to Innokenti. "She's a pretty, isn't she, Innokenti? She's absolutely perfect."
Innokenti bowed his head in agreement. "Your majesty is quite right. One shade the more, one ray the less, as the poet said."
Mercifully, the king, at least, ceased staring at me and turned his attention to William. His voice rang out with wintry approval.
"William, we have heard excellent reports of your progress on the new projectile for the crossbows. We have heard also that you are searching for a new item that will aid us in our fight."
"William was actually out looking for that item this very evening, your majesty," Innokenti said with an edge of malice in his voice. "He did not locate it, but we continue to be hopeful."
Innokenti seemed to be hinting at something, but whatever it was, was lost on me.
"I didn't come here to talk about the crossbows," William said shortly.
Amusement flickered in the king's eyes. "We are aware of the fact that you have a question, William." The king's tone was tolerant and condescending. "We were going to get to that in due course. But if your question is urgent, you may ask it now."
"Who has blocked my ability to hear Katie call for me," William said without preamble. "Was it you?"
The queen leaned forward eagerly. "What is it that you say, William? Your question is puzzling. Is it a call for a victim?"
"William began life as a member of the Sìdh, my love," the king said, his voice still tolerant. "After his conversion to the noble life of the vampire, I understand that he retained many of the powers that were granted to him by his heritage—one of those is his ability to grant a summoning power known as a 'call' to those he loves. Apparently, he has granted this power to Katie Wickliff, and it is no longer working. Is that the case, William?"
"Yes," William said.
The king glanced at Innokenti. "You could not answer this question of William's?"
Innokenti bowed his head. "I am capable of answering the question, your majesty. However, I was forbidden by your majesty from discussing any matter pertaining to this topic. Your majesty's reasons for imposing a moratorium, were as always, very wise. Most in our community know about the looming threat of the hybrids. Only your majesties and I have knowledge of the situation behind that threat. Your majesty, I believe, wanted to prevent panic."
"I believe in this case that I will make an exception," the king said. "William is a skilled engineer and warrior, and his work is important to us. We may take him into our confidence. Innokenti, answer William's question and any others he may have."
Something like anger flickered in Innokenti's eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.
Innokenti bowed his head. "As your majesty wishes."
"Who has been blocking me?" William said curtly.
"The Sìdh are blocking you," Innokenti replied.
"The Sìdh?" William said, his brow furrowing. "And why didn't Katie get my letter?"
"I imagine that the Sìdh destroyed it," Innokenti said. "According to you, it was placed near a mirror. And according to Katie, she found a small pile of ash. I would guess that they set the letter alight—they probably couldn't bring into their world. The ability of the Sìdh to act in this world is limited, but they can reach into it through mirrors."
"Who is Cormac?" I asked. "Why did he appear to help me?"
All eyes in the room turned to me.
I hadn't intended to speak, and I was as surprised as anyone that I had—the words had just slipped out.
Innokenti politely ignored the question.
"You may answer the human girl's questions also," the king said. "We know she is important to William."
A flash of dissatisfaction crossed Innokenti's face, but his voice when he answered was composed.
"Yes, your majesty."
Innokenti addressed me. "Cormac is a prince of the Sìdh people. He came to your aid because you are the Little Sun. As you no doubt know, it is an infusion of the Sìdh bloodline that gives you your unique abilities. The Sìdh wish to protect you."
"Are they blocking me, too?" I asked.
"In what way, little one?" Innokenti asked.
"I used to have visions," I said. "I didn't have many of them, and I couldn't really control them, but I did have them. And except for one brief vision I had about Anton, they're gone now. And I can no longer summon the clear fire."
Innokenti nodded. "I'm not surprised to hear that. Yes, I would imagine the Sìdh are blocking your abilities too."
"Why would they do that?" William demanded.
"William, I did warn you—both of you. The Sìdh believe it is best if you are separated, but their ability to oppose you in this world is limited. So they have brought what pressure they can to bear on you and the young lady. They have taken away powers that derive from them—and it ap
pears that their efforts to keep you apart worked—for a time."
"And their efforts put Katie in danger," William said angrily. "I wasn't able to get to her when she was in trouble."
"And yet here she stands," Innokenti said mildly.
"How do you know all of this?" William demanded. "How much do you know about the Sìdh and what they want?"
"I have had no communication with the Sìdh directly," Innokenti said. "I am not working with them against you, if that is what concerns you. But I am the first minister of this community, and as such, it falls to me to watch, to observe—to discern patterns and anticipate developments. And there have been whispers out in the Pure Woods. I hear a little here and there, and I extrapolate. I knew of your relationship with Katie, and I knew the Sìdh would work to separate you from the girl. The Sìdh will not allow their Little Sun to fall in love with a vampire."
"And what does this have to do with the hybrids?" William asked. "Are the Sìdh behind that, too?"
"No, the Sìdh are not behind the hybrids," Innokenti said. "In fact, the hybrids are a threat to them as well as to us. The problem the Sìdh have with you is connected to a larger issue."
Innokenti's tone became discouraging. "It's all very complex. You are out of your depth here, William."
"Explain it to me," William said. "I think I can handle it."
"William—"
"Answer him," the king commanded.
Innokenti bowed his head. "As you wish, your majesty."
Innokenti began, and I had an uneasy feeling that I knew where his story was headed.
"Long ago, when the world was young," Innokenti said, "a young man who lived in Russia crossed the Black Sea, looking for great power. He found it, but it changed him fundamentally, and a great darkness was born in his heart—the young man had become a vampire. He sailed back across the Black Sea and returned to Russia. He converted his entire family, and then he and his family converted others. He became the father of all vampires in Russia. That young man is known as the Werdulac."
I felt a chill spread through my body. Suddenly, I didn't want to know what was going on. I didn't want to know that Odette had been right. I didn't want to be stalked by ancient vampires, or the Sìdh, or anyone else.
Ignis (Book 2, Pure Series) Page 30
