by Simone Pond
The survivors were gracious—way too gracious—as they showered me with thanks and food and coffee. I accepted the coffee without any complaints. The rich, bitter flavor brought my taste buds and energy levels back to life. A maudlin moment rushed over me, remembering how Matthias would restore my energy after a battle. I missed him. But it was too difficult to think about Matthias and Shteim'esrei. Not when I had so much farther to go on this journey.
A hand rested on my shoulder, giving me a start and making me spill some of my coffee.
“Easy there, jumpy bones.” Nils grinned like he had a hundred secrets bottled up inside.
I hid my face behind the mug of coffee so he couldn’t detect any rosiness in my cheeks. “How’s it going, partner?”
“It’s going quite fine, Jordan Temple,” he said in a mocking professional manner.
He sat on the bench next to me so our legs touched, and I wanted to scoot over a bit because I was starting to feel guilty for enjoying being close to him. But I remained as rigid as a stone. Apparently, I wasn’t good at masking my discomfort or awkwardness.
Nils elbow-bumped me. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Just mentally gearing up for our next city.” I sounded so lame I wanted to find the rewind button and start over. What had gotten into me?
He shrugged it off and stretched out his legs, massaging the bad one. “Pyre … You know how I loathe bloodsuckers.”
“Yeah, they’re the worst.” I sounded like a thirteen-year-old.
“It’s gonna be a helluva trek through the mountains.”
“Can’t one of these healers do something for you?” I asked.
He shook his head, his clear blue eyes squinting to something in the distance. “Nah. This is my burden to carry.”
I laughed lightly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Nils was quiet for a moment, then got up. “Sometimes we need to keep our battle wounds so we can remember what we’re fighting for.”
He limped off toward where Claudius and his team of warriors had congregated. His words weighed down my heart, and I couldn’t make sense of them, nor did I want to pry. If he wanted to tell me what happened on that bridge back in Mysterium, he’d come to it in his own time. We needed to start our journey south to the next city. I gulped back the rest of my coffee and ambled over to Claudius and the others to start discussing a plan.
***
We divided everyone into groups to keep things orderly and organized. Every group was assigned their own leader and healers. This way everyone would be protected. The elite team—which included me, Nils, Benjamin, Isabella, and CeeCee—would be at the head of the pack. We’d be the only ones going into the Sanctuary in Pyre to meet with Empress Peninnah. Everyone else would be led by Claudius and continue south, where they’d set up camp near the docks bordering Pyre and Mysterium. It’d be impossible to get over the silver walls that protected the right bank of Mysterium from the vampires of Pyre. Claudius and the others would wait for us to finish our business in Pyre, and then we’d find a ship to take us down the river and into Mysterium to gather up more people for our pilgrimage. That was our plan and it was time to get moving. We gathered up our troops and headed out of Alexandria, leaving behind the now vacant city.
***
It took two days to reach the border of Alexandria and Pyre. We rested one more night and at dawn, it was time for the elite group to split off from the others and head into the city, which was still about ten miles away.
“If I don’t return, you must continue to lead them,” I told Claudius and my mother in private.
“You’ll return.” My mother clenched my hands in hers. “Please tell me you’ll return.”
Claudius held my mother. “I have faith in your daughter.”
“And I have faith in the Ancient One. So, I should be fine,” I said.
It had been much easier saying those words with confidence when we were ten miles away from Pyre. But now that the five of us “elites” were perched on a hilltop scoping out the Sanctuary less than a mile away, my faith wavered. About the only thing working in our favor was the sunlight. My magic shield was still working on a sporadic and inconsistent basis. Nils was in dire pain with his bad leg. Isabella wasn’t accustomed to such strenuous activity. And CeeCee was still in shock over what had gone down in Alexandria. Even Benjamin seemed worn down.
But the sunlight … In Pyre the vampires stayed indoors during daylight hours. It’s not that they couldn’t be touched by the sunlight, they merely despised it. And in some cases it made them stark raving mad, according to the rumors. Judging from the desolate city streets and not a single vampire in sight, I figured the rumors were valid.
Pyre was the polar opposite of Alexandria with its dark and dreary medieval facade. The gray stone buildings were gloomy and somber. The brick streets were old and crumbling, and the city’s exterior looked like it was covered in cobwebs and dust and mold. A perfect place for a race of bloodsucking opportunists. I wasn’t holding out much hope for the residents of Pyre. But there were regular people trapped inside the city—innocent people like little Abe and his family who I’d met while I was on the run with Matthias—and I did have hope for their future.
“Before we waste the rest of the day weighing possible scenarios, I’m thinking I should just go down and request a meeting with the empress,” I said. “Who’s coming?”
All at once everyone said another person’s name.
I laughed. “When did you all turn into such wimps?”
“We’re exhausted, Jordan. Not everyone has your stamina,” said Isabella.
“I’m only pushing us because we’re on the clock. And honestly, I’d like to get this over with.”
Nils stared at me.
“What?”
“Get this over with probably isn’t the attitude the Ancient One is hoping for,” he said.
He was right. My attitude had soured since the Colosseum mass execution. I was having trouble getting back on track. The ways of the Ancient One were mind boggling and I was getting annoyed with all the guesswork. Like, why would so many people choose death over life? A false god over a true one? And why would they keep getting more and more chances to be redeemed?
Nils snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Hello?”
“Sorry, just thinking.”
Benjamin stretched out his muscular arms and looked up to the sky. “I know you like to do things on your own, boss. But I’m getting a feeling we need to stick together. Empress Peninnah is a real … well, she can be …”
“An utter and complete bitch,” said Isabella.
“I’m just worried about some of you. I can’t protect everyone with my shield being so temperamental.”
“If you’re alluding to me, don’t worry your pretty little head. I’ll be fine,” said Nils.
“But you don’t have any magic abilities,” I argued.
He grinned. “That you know of.”
I punched his arm. “You’ve been holding out on me?”
“I think he’s referring to his charm,” said Isabella.
“Oh.”
“If anything goes wrong, Benjamin can carry me off. Isabella can use her magic, and CeeCee,” Nils paused and we all looked at CeeCee, “she’s got this.”
CeeCee looked over at me. “I’m good, CO. If the empress crosses any lines, I’ll rip off her head.”
“See?” Nils slapped my back and pulled himself up.
“What about the slave encampments? I’m not leaving Pyre without freeing all of those innocent people first,” I said.
“Nobody knows where the encampments are located and even if we did, you’d never in a million years get anywhere near them,” said Nils. “Not without getting locked up yourself.”
“He’s right, boss. We should start with the empress,” added Benjamin.
I nodded, contemplating strategies in concentric loops until I settled on something that felt right. “Okay. But if anything goes wrong—
I mean anything—Benjamin, you must promise you’ll get Nils out of there and you two ladies will protect yourselves.”
Everyone nodded.
“And we need a meeting place. Because you know something will go wrong and we’ll get split up.”
Nils pointed to a crumbling tower on a hilltop at the south end of the main hub. “We’ll meet there.”
I stood up. “And we only wait one night. Meaning, whoever is at the tower by tomorrow morning, leaves tomorrow morning and continues to the border where you’ll meet up with Claudius and the others.”
It sounded harsh, but we had to keep moving if we were going to get back to the Madlands within the time frame.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Pyre was even more depressing up close. The city smelled like fetid water and old things. Very old dying things. We stuck in our formation as we meandered through the empty streets, eyeing the shop signs and peeking into the windows of places. Most of the shops had the curtains drawn, making it impossible to see what was inside. The signs were in some foreign calligraphy that had a romantic, yet haunting allure. They had a strange mix of hover craft sedans and hearses, with a bunch of old-fashioned electric-engine carriages with no horses attached. Probably because the residents had a bad habit of draining the life from any living thing that had stepped foot inside their city walls.
Our boots crunched over the loose chunks of brick and cement as we made our way down the main road toward the gargantuan castle known as the Sanctuary. This was where Empress Peninnah and her band of vampires conducted business and where she resided. The fortress looked to be made of nightmares with its dark, narrow windows and high-reaching turrets. A moat surrounded the enormous structure and was filled with what looked horribly like blood.
“Pleasant,” said Nils.
“A real inviting place,” I added.
All of us stood on the other side of the moat and stared at the hideous building. There was no way to get across and none of us were up for a swim. I patted Benjamin on the shoulder.
“Looks like it’s just me and you,” I said.
“He can take two of us,” argued Nils.
This was true, but I didn’t want Nils coming over there with me. I had a plan of my own that didn’t involve endangering any of my friends’ lives. But I could tell by the way he kept his eyes boring into mine that he wasn’t backing down.
“Benjamin can take us both.” I looked at CeeCee and Isabella. “You two should get to the tower.”
“What if you need us?” asked Isabella.
“Oh, we’ll definitely need you, but later. So stay alive for now.”
“You sure you know what you’re doing, CO?” asked CeeCee.
“Have I let you down yet?”
She smiled and gave me her usual nod of approval, then skirted off with Isabella toward the crumbling tower in the distance. Benjamin shifted into his eagle form and flew down the street, then swept back around to pick up Nils and me. We soared over the moat of blood and across a dead vineyard toward Empress Pininnah’s Sanctuary. Benjamin released us at the bottom of the steps, then flew off to a nearby tower where he stayed perched, keeping watch.
“Couldn’t he have dropped us at the top?” asked Nils as he started up the steep stone steps.
“I told you to stay behind. I’m worried about your leg.”
“Well, I’m worried about your mouth. The empress is sensitive. You say one wrong thing and that’s it.”
I kept my mouth shut as we ascended the stairs; any word from me would give Nils more ammo. Besides, he was right. I tended to lose my temper around deplorable monsters. I suspected Peninnah would be right at the top with Magnus and Glendora.
At the top of the hundreds of stairs, the platform opened to a long wrap-around porch with several arched doorways. All of them were bolted closed except for the main entrance. The double doors were open wide, as though someone had been expecting us. I took Nils’s hand and held the rod out before us.
“How about your shield?” he whispered.
I closed my eyes and reached within to call on my magic. A tiny flicker of violet sparkled to life and my shield shot up around both of us. That was a relief, because the Sanctuary was right up there with the High Tower of Endor in creepiness. We stepped into the foyer and bats came flying out of the corners and crevices, darting across the air and upward toward the dome ceiling high above. I jumped closer to Nils and he chuckled softly. We reached the middle of the vast foyer and stopped. Not because we wanted to, but because all around us iron bars shot up from the floor, caging us in.
From somewhere—it was difficult to tell from all the echoes—came the sound of shoes clapping on the hard stone floors. Women’s shoes. Nils and I stood close together, waiting patiently, with my shield still up around us. I wasn’t worried in that moment. I also knew the rod could blast down those iron bars in a heartbeat.
“And so the rumors are true.” A sultry voice as smooth as silk came from behind us.
We turned around to see a striking woman in a simple empire-waist gown of red; her long raven hair flowed in soft waves around her shoulders and almost reached the floor. She moved forward with precise and calculated steps, each one seeming to reverberate throughout the entire castle. As she got closer, I could see her eyes better. They were the color of garnets, and glittered. Her flawless skin was as white as milk and her smile like a long nap calling your name.
“Empress Peninnah.” She smiled at Nils.
“Pleased to meet you, Nils Fox.” He bowed.
Was I supposed to curtsey? Screw that. “I’m Jordan Temple.”
She let out a soft roll of laughter. “I know who you are, my lovely creature. The Chosen One. I’m honored you’ve come to see me.”
I smiled politely; it was hard not to. She was so elegant and proper. “We’re sorry about showing up uninvited, but we have some important business to discuss.”
“No need for apologies, darlings. Everyone is always invited into the Sanctuary.” She smiled and lowered the iron bars around us, moving in closer. Her scent wafted all around the air like delicious clouds. Though she was a vampire and not to be trusted, I didn’t feel the slightest bit threatened in her presence. I found Empress Peninnah pleasant.
“So you’re willing to hear what we have to say?” I asked.
“Of course. I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to have a chat with the Chosen One and her handsome fellow.”
My body flushed from head to toe. “Oh, he’s not my fellow.”
“No, we’re partners,” said Nils. His voice sounded strange and echoey, like he was far away, even though his hand was still in mine. Almost like we were slipping into a dream …
“How are you able to penetrate my shield?” I asked. My own voice seemed to be drifting farther away from me, like a kite in the wind.
Empress Peninnah wedged her way in between us and took both of our hands, then began escorting us toward a staircase. Neither of us put up a fight; we were under her powerful allure and would do anything she asked of us. “Now, come. Let’s go to my chambers and discuss this business of yours.”
***
Inside the empress’s chambers, the floors were covered wall to wall with lavish and colorful pillows. Sprawled across the array of cushions were males sleeping with smiles curled on their boyish faces. I wanted to be disgusted, but I couldn’t find my rage. It was blanketed by whatever Peninnah was using to intoxicate my mind. We walked over the pillows as though on clouds, through waterfalls of diaphanous chiffon in every color draped from high ceilings. In the middle of this harem sat giant fountains spewing red liquid in mesmerizing arcs.
“The fountain of youth,” she purred into my ear, sending a tickle down my neck. “Drink from it.”
The clank of my iron rod dropping against the stone fountain woke me up from my hypnotic state. I reached for the rod and aimed it at the vampire.
“Stay back,” I warned. “Nils, come here.”
Nils stared at me, glassy-e
yed, like he was fighting to say something, but he remained next to Peninnah. He was still under her control.
“He won’t come to you, darling. He belongs to me now.” She kissed his mouth, and he dropped onto the pillows and fell into a deep sleep.
“What are you doing? We came here to discuss business!” I yelled.
“Our business is over,” she said. “You may leave now.”
I kept the rod aimed right at her head. “If you think I’m leaving my partner to be drained by your bloodsucking ass, you’re insane! I came here to make an offer to you and your people. Something that will change everything. If you want it.”
“Well, that does sound intriguing.” She raised her sharp eyebrows and motioned for me to follow her into another room.
We entered into an office and the empress sat behind her desk of obsidian, gesturing for me to take a seat in the stone chair across from her. I shook my head and remained standing.
“Carry on, darling. Let’s hear about this life-changing offer you have for me and my people.”
I blew out a whoosh of air. Where to start with this one? I decided to keep it simple. “The Ancient One has asked me to gather his scattered people throughout the Confederated Six. Those who want to come with us will be redeemed and taken to Shteim'esrei … after the Final Battle.”
Empress Peninnah studied me carefully, licking her dark red lips and slowly blinking her long eyelashes. She was trying to lure me back in, but I held firmly on to the rod and kept my focus.
She rose from her chair and glided across the room to the window and stared toward the Green Mountains in the territory of Mysterium far off in the distance. I hadn’t expected her to actually consider the offer. I was just buying time to figure out how to wake up Nils and find the slave encampments. Perhaps I had pegged the vampire wrong.
“There was a time when I adored the Ancient One,” said the empress in a dreamy, faraway voice. “It’s true. I was a resident of Mysterium—right bank, of course. My family had strong ties to the ancient ways and refused to bow down to Ashtar. They married me off to a fellow with similar values and we lived happily together in a beautiful high-rise. He worked for a tech company and I was a stay-at-home wife, soon-to-be mother. We were expecting our little bundle of joy in the spring, but one morning I woke up in a lake of blood … I’d lost the baby.”
