by Emma Glass
“Lord Elliott, you almost look disappointed,” Sabine observed cryptically. “Perhaps this might be more to your liking…”
The sorceress drew her hands closer, and the green ring of fire shrunk with her motions. With a steady flick of her hands, it rapidly spun in place in a dazzling display. With a few more whispered words, Sabine planted her palms against the ring, dispersing the fire up her arms and engulfing herself in green flames.
The guards all shared curious, concerned glances as I leaned forward in the throne.
Before she could burn alive before me, she thrust down her palms towards the ground. The flames instantly extinguished in a gust of wind that surged across the throne room, billowing the loose clothing of everyone here.
“Much better,” I noted confidently.
Sabine took another small bow, a small smile on her lips. “I am here only to serve, my Lord,” she purred seductively.
“Good, because I have an important mission for you. I will escort you to the library, because there is no time to waste. This evening, I need you to perform a very difficult spell.”
“Curious. What is the nature of this spell?”
I bit my tongue. “It will hide something of great value to me. That is all you need to know for the time being.” When she grinned knowingly, it annoyed me that being coy apparently meant nearly nothing now.
“Ah yes, it makes total sense now,” Sabine smirked. “I wondered how you meant to protect that new human of yours, Lord Elliott…”
I groaned.
Isn’t there anybody in this bloody kingdom that doesn’t already know about Clara?
28
Elliott
When night fell, we congregated in the courtyard for the evening that would change our lives.
Underneath the open pavilion and gathered over the sprawling tile, I finally realized just how many people had come into my life lately. Before all the chaos of Clara’s arrival, the only one with any real significance in my life was my mother; now, as I gazed around the group, it dawned on me how much my circle had grown so quickly.
The only one missing was Sebastian. My sage was putting the finishing touches on the ritual, and we expected him back outside shortly.
Lorelei and Nikki stood together to the side; our mother was apathetic as always, but my sister had her eyes glued to the crisp, majestic night sky.
Meanwhile, Sabine was meditating calmly to the side. Perched on the ground in a place of complete calm, she was silently preparing herself for the coming ordeal.
Wilhelm, Viktor, and Asarra stood nearby as well, all fairly cheerful and optimistic. The former were quietly bickering between themselves, and the latter looked exasperated at them. But they all stayed dutifully close to their charge…
Clara Blackwell.
Suddenly looking rather quiet and fearful, the human was standing at my side and very quietly taking in sight of them all alongside me. She had barely said a word since we began gathering here, and I leant my ear towards her.
“You seem quiet,” I noted.
“It’s just hard to believe that all of this is here for me,” she whispered. “I mean… I know that I’m the first human here in forever and all, but it’s still hard for me to grasp how I’m this important.”
“It’s not just that,” I reminded her calmly. “You are the first of your race in my world. For the last week, you’ve been coming to understand how this place works… and you’ve done a remarkable job so far. But we have to keep you safe. It’s high time that you were finally able to move across my castle without fear of attack. After we cross this first major milestone, we can start thinking about how you can leave the castle in my company…”
“Be that as it may, it’s just…” Clara paused mid-sentence. “Wait a minute. Elliott, did you just say what I think you did?”
I hid a smile. “You’re right. This castle’s rather claustrophobic at times. Once we make this place safe for you, we can start thinking about how you can join me in the hold. Hell, Clara, you’re already becoming common knowledge in my kingdom. Especially now that the other vampire lords are faintly aware of you, perhaps the safest place for you is to keep you at my side…”
With the impulsive nature that only a human has, Clara swiftly threw her arms around my neck and planted a kiss on my cheek. Her words came on a husky breath: “Thank you, Elliott.”
Her reaction stunned me. As she released me from her grip and gazed searchingly into my eyes, I found myself utterly endeared to her; I feared what that meant, but I found that it didn’t quite matter to me anymore.
I enjoyed her.
And I wanted her by my side.
Before either of us could say anything, sounds of approaching footsteps hit our ears. I turned to face Sebastian, who was stepping onto the tiled pavilion with a heavy tome under his arm.
“Apologies, my Lord. The spell is ready.”
He paused to look at Clara, and I realized that they were meeting for the first time. The sage was frozen on the spot, and I wondered why he was taking so long to figure how to address her when–
Wilhelm was against him in an instant. Hand at the ready, he held the scabbard of his sword. “Control yourself. Don’t make me do anything I don’t want to, my friend,” he growled to the sage.
Sebastian’s bared fangs told me the full story. I realized just how close he’d been to losing his restraint with human blood nearby. After all the time he spent buried in the castle library, it was no wonder that he’d lost his grip on self-control when it came to finally encountering the human face-to-face.
I stepped forward. “You’ve been of incredible use to me, Sebastian. Don’t throw it all away now. Fight the bloodlust. Be who we need you to be.”
With a burning, furious stare, the sage made eye contact with me and gradually calmed down. When he finally nodded to Wilhelm, he refused to meet Clara’s hurt gaze. “I am so sorry, my Lord. I don’t know what came over me.” Horror crossed his face. “My gods… Lord Elliott, is this what happened to Jerald?”
“It isn’t your fault. Come. Tell our sorceress what she needs to know, and let us rid ourselves of this danger once and for all.”
In deep humility, Sebastian silently nodded. As he clutched the tome close to his chest, the sage wandered over to the oblivious, meditating Sabine. I felt that I’d done him a tremendous disservice by not preparing him for meeting a human, and felt shame as I watched him gently stir the sorceress from her trance.
“I’m so sorry,” Clara whispered.
I shook my head quietly. It always confused me that she took the blame for everything, even simple things she had nothing to do with. “It’s not your fault. But we are about to fix this.”
“God, I hope so.”
My hand reacted without me. As I felt the warmth of her soft skin, I realized I had aloofly taken her hand in mine. The sensation filled me with a joy I barely understood, especially when I felt her hand squeeze my own.
Nikki irritably crossed her arms. “Is this going to take all night?” She wasn’t even eying Clara like a future wine glass of blood this time. “Should I go inside for sandwiches or something?”
“Quiet.” Lorelei scolded her. “You are about to witness history. I’d like to think you’re capable of taking it a little more seriously.”
“But I’ve been out here for half an–”
“Silence,” I ordered her. “We’ll start shortly.”
As if listening for a cue, Sabine and Sebastian strolled towards us. The sorceress had the book in her hands, studying one particular page as they joined us.
“Do you understand the ritual?” I asked her.
She nodded absentmindedly. “Yes. I’ll admit that this is rather old and complicated magic. In all my years, I’ve never seen anything remotely like it….”
“But you’re confident you can cast it.”
Sabine glanced up at the two of us. “Indeed, Lord Elliott. You’ve got nothing to worry about.” Despite her assurances, I
felt that I had plenty to worry about, but I held my tongue.
“Now then… Clara, was it?”
My human visitor nodded quietly.
“Come with me,” the sorceress calmly smiled. “If you’re ready… it’s time to begin.”
29
Elliott
With the lightest touch, Clara’s hand slipped out of mine. I felt a fleeting moment of panic as my hand gripped nothing but air; as she stepped from my side, she turned back with a reassuring grin, as if silently reminding me that everything would be fine.
I should be the one reassuring you, Clara…
Clenching, worrisome knots filled my gut as they walked into the pavilion’s open center. The stars beamed down on all of us gathered: an aloof former ruler, the sitting lord, a deranged lunatic, a trio of guardians, an elderly sage, a distant sorceress, and a displaced human being. Lorelei was right: this unlikely group was all about to witness history in the making.
“Clara, stand over here and face me…” Sabine pointed to the direct center of the tiled platform. The human did as she was instructed, meeting my eyes hesitantly before focusing on the caster. “All you have to do is keep still, Clara. The spell will do the rest…”
As all the others spread out among the sides, the sorceress took her position near me. I kept my arms crossed as she focused on the text, briefly illuminating the pages with a simple spell.
“Alright, Clara… are you ready?”
The human locked eyes with me one last time and nodded. “Yes. I’m ready.”
Sabine released the tome. It began to hover in front of her, held aloft with unwavering magical power. “Horrudus verzoni kast! Pavik katro deisto!” The sorceress’s hands began to glow with that same bluish-white light that I had seen Sebastian wield. Across the small pavilion under those stars, I briefly met his knowing gaze. “Vile hayvor kon pellek du vong!”
The white glow completely engulfed Sabine, emanating powerfully from her robes. Fascinated with the energy, the sorceress waved her hands through the air and watched how it crackled with her movements. The opened spell-book trembled in front of her, drawing her attention back to the matter at hand. In a powerful voice, she held her palms up towards the human and boomed: “Kraket nestro lon passeck satchee kahn dellis!”
In a whirlwind, the magical aura burst off of Sabine and immediately enveloped Clara. Dread welled up inside as I watched it lift her a few feet up off the ground, slowly spinning her in its great and powerful grasp.
“Is this supposed to happen?” I called out.
Sabine looked startled. “I… I’m not sure!”
The last thing I wanted to do was interfere with arcane magic that I didn’t comprehend, but my dread was deepening too much to ignore.
“Clara? Are you okay?” I called to her.
“This feels weird!” She shouted back, but the wind kicked up. I couldn’t make out the rest.
Nor could I stand by and watch this happen. Before I knew what I was doing, my boots were marching me several steps forward to put an end to this… somehow. This is starting to look like it was a mistake all along…
“Clara!” I called out over the swirling, magical wind. It was close enough that I could feel loose flaps of my clothes wildly whip against my body. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”
Gazing at her hands as she slowly rose, she flexed her fingers and studied her palms. The rest of the assembled group were stunned, their eyes all glued to her. Even carefree Wilhelm was silent and utterly mesmerized by what we were seeing.
“It’s incredible, Elliot!” She blurted out loudly. “This is the best I’ve felt since I can remember!”
Something felt wrong. This didn’t sound like her at all. As I pushed closer and shoved my way against the wind, I felt it resisting my presence. My boot slipped, and I almost dove to the floor as I held my ground.
“Sabine!” I turned over my shoulder, shouting as the swirling light brightened. Enraptured by the experience, Clara was now levitating in place with her hair floating in the air around her. “Call this off! There’s something wrong with the spell!”
The sorceress snapped out of her trance and swiped her fingers continuously, flicking through page after page of the floating tome.
“I don’t see any way to stop it!” She glanced up frightfully. My fear only escalated when I saw the terror in her eyes. “The spell can’t be broken!”
It was as if everyone but Sabine and I were utterly dumbfounded. Even the sage couldn’t peel his gaze away from the blinding, incredible sight as I turned back towards Clara.
“Fight it!” I called out to her. “Resist the spell! We can’t stop it from out here, maybe you can!”
“Stop it? Why would I stop it?” She laughed loudly. “Do you have any idea how awesome this feels? How powerful I feel right now? I don’t want this to ever end, Elliott!”
That does it, I thought to myself.
One step at a time, I pushed my way forward. The wind was a vortex now, tugging even at the clothes of those along the edges of the platform. No matter the pressure, I was determined to reach her, driven by a determined need to pull this girl into my arms.
“Lord Elliott!” Sabine called out to me. “What are you trying to do? You can’t reach her!”
That’s where you’re wrong, I thought.
The wind was too sharp; I could barely budge a centimeter forward. “Clara!” I desperately called out to her again. “What words did I tell you the day I met? Do you remember?”
Holding an arm up to keep the vortex from buffeting my face, I closed my eyes against the blinding light. The intensity was rising by the second, and I called out to her:
“By my side, you stay under my protection!”
For a moment, I thought that the vortex was slowly starting to subside. Over the whipping wind came her fearful, trembling voice: “Elliott?”
I wasn’t crazy, I realized.
The wind’s strength had lessened, even if just for a moment. I took advantage of the brief lapse in the swirling vacuum. Diving forward, I threw my arms around her quiet, floating body.
My heels hit tile, and I realized that I had her crumpled form in my arms. The human was limp within my embrace with closed, lifeless eyes.
“Clara?” She didn’t respond.
Panic clutched at my chest as the others all stirred from their stupors. Suddenly, I felt myself surrounded with concern and horror as I lifted her head and tried to stir her back away.
“Clara…? Clara, wake up! Wake up now!”
30
Clara
At first, the light engulfed me. I felt the wind roar around me, and Elliott’s voice became so distant. He looked so pained as I tried to reach him, but I felt a force pulling me away, dragging me down…
And, just like that, everything faded away.
Peaceful darkness swept in after the light. But I wasn’t afraid. It bathed me in a calm serenity, as if shielding me from the world. I felt it wash over me in a tranquil swell, wiping away my thoughts until I hovered in a quiet, endless abyss. It was all so dark, so restful, that I distractedly lost track of where I ended and it began.
When I realized that I was awake, I listened to the subtle crashing of waves. The rolling sound soothed me. I opened my eyes to realize that I was left on my back on a peaceful beach, on the edge of the wide and expansive sea.
Slowly, I pulled myself to a sitting position, rubbing the blurriness out of my eyes.
The moon hung high in the sky, bathing the beach in a mysteriously dark light. Everything that I saw was filtered in black and white, and it all distantly reminded me of the recurring dream.
“Oh good. You’re up.”
I quickly climbed to my feet and turned to the source of the voice. An old woman beamed kindly, walking towards me across the sand. As she drew closer, I noticed she was wrapped in majestic, flowing bohemian rags and jewelry. “I see that you made the trip alright. Welcome, young one.”
“The trip?”
“My… body?”
The woman laughed. The sound was familiar somehow, tucked away in the back of my mind, but I couldn’t place it.
“That’s right, my child. Whatever you choose to call it – Your mind, your spirit, your soul? – It remembers your shape. That’s why you still look the way that you do. But rest assured, your real body is safe and sound. Elsewhere.”
“Elsewhere?” My jaw dropped. “Am I dead?”
“Dead? No, of course not!” the old woman cheerily smiled. “You are very much alive. But you are in two places at once, so it would seem.”
“I don’t think I understand.”
“Naturally. But that is to be expected.” The old woman smiled caringly. “You do not know what you truly are, not yet. There is so very much to learn. You understand so little…”
What I truly am?
Something curious occurred to me. I glanced down at my hands, sensing nothing out of the ordinary. They looked fine. They felt fine. But I remembered something faintly in the back of my head, like a message to myself.
Following the advice of someone I could barely remember, I ran my finger along the inside of my palm. I felt nothing.
“So you’ve figured it out, then.”
I did it again, just to be sure.
“My body’s elsewhere…” It finally dawned on me. “I’m asleep, aren’t I?” When I looked up at her, I felt triumphant for finally noticing it from the inside, after all this time. “This is a dream?”
“Clever girl,” she nodded approvingly. “You’re partly right. Yes, you are asleep, but no, you aren’t quite dreaming. I assure you that I am very real.”
“How is that possible?”
