Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl and the Dungeon of Despair (9780989878531)
Page 14
“Me?” Key had no idea what Miss Broomble meant and she pleaded with her old friend, “Please, explain this to me. How could I have stopped you? You know how I’ve been in prison in Despair. You know that I have not liked my life. Why didn’t you help me change that? Why didn’t you change me back into a mortal if you had the power to do so?”
Miss Broomble leaned close and kissed Key’s forehead. “I love you,” the witch said kindly, “and I will protect you in whatever way I can. But right now I cannot give you any more answers. I can only say that you would not let me do anything other than what I did. Now, come on. We must go. Follow me, and you’ll soon know everything.”
Key looked helplessly into Miss Broomble’s eyes. She didn’t understand – she wanted answers now – she didn’t want to wait. But if waiting was what she had to do to know the truth, then she would. She was very good at waiting by now; living for so long in Despair had certainly taught her that much.
Key nodded at Miss Broomble. “Let’s go,” she agreed quietly and with firm resolution.
Miss Broomble put her hand on Key’s shoulder. “Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?” Key asked.
Pega had been there the whole time, listening and hoping for the best for Key. Now she could not contain her excitement any longer. Still very invisible, she leaned close to Key and broke the castle rules again to whisper in Key’s ear, “Are you ready for freedom, Mistress?”
Key looked nervously into Miss Broomble’s large dark eyes. “Will the other vampires put me back down here again?”
Miss Broomble smiled reassuringly. “The suffering you’ve endured is nothing compared to the good things awaiting you now. Come on. Let’s go help Mr. Fuddlebee stop the Old Queen from escaping.”
Miss Broomble then turned and hurried up the stone stairwell toward the exit.
Key set Tudwal down at her feet. She looked back at the dungeon one last time. It was almost completely flooded, deep underwater. There was no sign of her old shackles. There was no sign of her used coffin. There was no sign of the glowing flowers she had planted; their comforting lights had been snuffed out.
Key was not sure if she felt nervous about freedom, or if she felt nervous about changing her life. She had lived mostly in darkness and emptiness, in rejection and loneliness. She did not know if she could remember being as free as she had been before her ninth birthday. She did not know if she could live life without Despair. Change like that was scary, and Key had to be brave.
So, now, she turned away from what she knew and she turned toward what she did not know. She placed one foot in front of the other and she took her first steps away from fear. She took a few more steps toward freedom, one step at a time; that’s all it took. She didn’t say goodbye. She didn’t look back anymore. She left the dungeon.
Key the Steampunk Vampire Girl stopped living in Despair.
End of Book One
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the guidance, dedication, and love of certain people.
Christina – for reading and rereading, and for listening to me read and reread several drafts; and for being a constant source of support and encouragement.
Raven Quinn – for drawing Key, her friends, her foes, and her magic to life with your amazing artistry.
Ashley Little – for your great thoughts and ideas.
Todd Barselow – for your great work as an editor.
Anne – for your friendship, support, and guidance; and for pioneering a way to tell vampire stories differently.
God – for filling my life with love and innumerable blessings.
You – for reading this book.
Credits
Cover design by Becket
www.facebook.com/iBecket
Illustrations by Raven Quinn
https://www.facebook.com/officialravenquinn
Images
istockphoto | chronicler101 | keys | File #27475620
istockphoto | venimo | blue seamless pattern with cogs and gears | File #20156005
vectorstock | scivias | Steampunk frame made of cogs vector | File ID: 1195560
About Becket
Becket has a BA in music composition, an MA in Systematic Theology, and an MS in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. He was a diocesan seminarian for 3 years. He was a Benedictine monk for 5 years. For the last 8 years, he has worked as Anne Rice’s assistant, and has spent that time learning from her.
You can find Becket here
www.facebook.com/iBecket
About Raven Quinn
Raven Quinn is a Los Angeles based singer/songwriter, recording artist and illustrator. Although Raven is primarily recognized for her work in music, she has also revealed herself to be a passionate visual artist with a unique and whimsical style that is all her own. Her artistic tools of choice are usually simple: a BIC pen, watercolor pencils, and her expansive imagination. Drawing has always been a creative outlet for Raven, but it was only in 2012 that she began making her original artwork available to the public through online auctions. Due to increasing demand, she eventually began taking commission requests as her schedule allowed in 2013. Raven's artistic contribution to KEY THE STEAMPUNK VAMPIRE GIRL marks her debut as an illustrator for a children's book, and is the realization of a life-long dream to help visually bring to life fantastical worlds and characters for young readers. When she is not writing or in the studio recording new music, Raven can inevitably be found working on her latest illustration.
You can find Raven Quinn here
https://www.facebook.com/officialravenquinn