Thankfully our guests vacated our room and we were left alone, with Natalie the most confused. “I’ll tell you later,” I promised her and she took the cue and left to go for a walk. I’m so sorry,” I said, pulling Ulric into a hug when we were actually alone but for Valenthia across the room, tucked up in her bed.
“It’s all so weird,” said Ulric, sniffing, “I didn’t know she was even here.”
“I know,” I said and the memory of Safi telling me that the Black Banes had suddenly gone missing from pursuing students at Superno flashed before me. I pushed it away. It wouldn’t help Ulric now.
“I can’t believe she went on what was basically a suicide mission,” he whispered.
“It’s like you said right, the brainwashing that’s done from childhood. That kind of stuff makes it hard to see the forest from the trees,” I soothed.
“And the worst part is, I can’t even say goodbye to her properly – honour her memory,” Ulric stopped and looked at me, “I feel guilty for even saying that to you. Your mom was good. She never harmed anyone and yet you haven’t been able to say goodbye properly either. Who am I to complain when my sister was obviously rotten to the core?” A fresh stream of tears made their way down his face and a drop fell onto the rough grey carpet that covered the floor.
“You shouldn’t feel guilty,” I said letting my own tears fall freely as I thought about my mother and how the grief that I’d been shaping into molten anger, was being unlocked as I watched it reflected in Ulric’s loss. In the teardrops that fell from him, to be absorbed into the indifferent ground like they had never been there but for the permanently changed person they left behind. “It doesn’t matter who she was in the end or what she did, she was still your sister, you have every right to feel her loss.”
Ulric was silent for a while and we held each other like we were both afraid to let go. I felt a warmth through my body. It was the feeling of being understood. It was our collective grief at the loss of family who had complicated our lives to no end and yet, nonetheless they’d left a lasting impression. But my mom had tried her best to help me whereas Ulric’s sister had done the opposite for him. None of that made any difference now.
“I love you,” said Ulric into my hair as he held me. He’d never said that before but I knew and had done for a while, that he felt it. For some reason, unlike so many other girls I’d never pictured what the first time a guy said that to me would be like. Maybe I’d assumed no one ever would – at least not in the foreseeable future. But when he said it, it was the most natural thing ever.
“I love you too,” my lips responded and my heart felt it right back, enlivened and pounding vigorously in my chest. My blooming quickly produced a bunch of swirls that enclosed us in their protective magic.
“I kind of wish we could have said it in better circumstances,” said Ulric, his voice a warming purr in my ear as he looked over at Valenthia lying on the bed.
“I know,” I said finding myself hard-pressed to think of any time since we’d met, that things had been much better.
“Do you think she’ll be okay?” asked Ulric.
“I think the Dark Legion vamps want something from me. I should have realized this all along. And if I can give it to them, I will make sure that in the bargain, they help me reverse whatever it is they’ve done to her,” I replied. Of course, Kellum Bathory was still on my hitlist and I had no idea whether Valenthia would be alright. I wished Professor Frewin was here. I felt that if anyone knew what to do, it would have been him.
“I want to come with you,” said Ulric.
“Okay,” I said. I was lying but this wasn’t the time or place to argue with someone freshly shouldering their own burden of grief. I wouldn’t even take Natalie with me. Even for her as a vampire, it was too risky. Valenthia was proof of that.
“I wonder if Kane, wherever he is, would like to know about Winnie?” Ulric said and my body stiffened before I had the chance to reign in my reaction. “What?” he asked picking up on it in a split-second as I stood there, wrapped in his arms.
“Nothing,” I replied, willing myself to relax as a tear stung my eye.
“No, you flinched, what is it?”
“Nothing, I think it just sank in that she’s gone,” I said unfurling my body from his, feeling completely crappy. You weren’t meant to lie to the one you loved but sometimes it was the difference between protecting them and destroying them. Ulric couldn’t bear any more pain right now and if I was in his position, I wouldn’t have wanted to know at a time like this either.
***
I slept uneasily, waking every hour to check on Valenthia. She looked peaceful each time but the feeling completely eluded me. I checked the alarm clock on my nightstand as I heard the door knob turn and the door slowly swung open as Natalie surfaced. It was five in the morning.
“You were away a long time,” I yawned, sitting up in bed.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” asked Natalie, appearing a mix of apologetic, tired and was that a look of sheepishness?
“No, I wasn’t really sleeping,” I said pulling myself to the edge of the bed and patting the empty space beside me.
“She’ll be okay,” said Natalie sitting down next to me, “she’ll stay like this until we find the cure.”
“Will she need blood?” I asked.
“She’s in a kind of stasis now,” replied Natalie, “so she won’t need anything. Apart from a quiet and safe place to rest. My dad only ever told me about two vampires this happened to. They both woke up in the end when the spell was reversed.” She smiled and while I wanted to interpret it as a reassuring smile, I also picked up something else.
“What?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Nothing!” protested Natalie, breaking into a fully beaming smile and burying her face in her hands.
“It’s definitely something!” I announced, as she giggled and nodded.
“Rhonen!” I said as it clicked and Natalie continued to nod. “I want details, no – I need details!”
“After I went for a walk to give you guys space,” she stopped, remembering Ulric’s distress.
“Carry on, I’ll fill you in in a moment.”
“Okay,” Natalie straightened up, “I bumped into Rhonen in the common room outside our dorm,” she smirked. “He asked if I could do with some company and told me he was in a quandary. Can you believe it, Kat – he was all serious and soulful and actually used the word quandary?” She grabbed my hands excitedly.
“And what was this quandary about?” I humoured.
“He said he liked someone and wanted to ask them out on a date but didn’t know if it was appropriate considering the circumstances but that life is too short not to!” shrieked Natalie, grinning from ear to ear as her loose sandy waves escaped their ponytail and fell over her shoulder.
“Finally! So, when’s the date?” I asked revelling in and wanting to cling to the tiny piece of light-heartedness between us.
“Tomorrow night,” shone Natalie.
“Wait, you’re not going outside the academy, are you?” I asked. Not that there were any coffee shops or bars in the forest. From streaming with Moldark, I’d only spotted any signs of civilization in the towns below and those were too far to get to and stay safe in anytime, let alone when trying to go on a first date.
“No, I said the same thing myself,” said Natalie, “so he told me where he’s taking me – we’re going to go on a midnight picnic in Silver Scape!”
“That sounds amazing!” I said – and it actually did.
***
Natalie spent the whole of the next day asleep, looking as restful as Valenthia. I’d dozed on and off for most of the morning but my body was too alert with thoughts that I had to go see Moldark, which I’d planned to do at night. When Natalie was out on her date.
I’d replayed the moment with Ulric, where we’d said we loved each other. But every time I’d thought about how great it had been to admit it and to hear it said to me, an unexplainable
thought tugged at the recesses of my mind. It pulled me to think about Moldark and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why. I didn’t have any such feelings for him and yet he kept propping up. I reasoned it was because I knew I needed his help whether it was the blood or making contact with the Sanguine Guild.
I’d told Natalie what had happened to Winnie when she’d broached the topic of a double-date with me and Ulric. She’d been shocked but had agreed that it made no sense to disclose who had attacked Valenthia, given the outcome for her attacker.
I sat on my bed and reached for the quartz crystal that had been presented to me by my mom. It had belonged to my late father, Cassander Quartz, and since arriving at the academy, I hadn’t thought of it. I held it in my hand and concentrated on the smooth, polished stone that felt cool to my touch, activating my blooming. For the first time I found myself wondering what he’d been like. My dad. I felt an angry lump in my throat as it came to the fore that Kellum Bathory had murdered both my parents, albeit almost two decades apart.
Going to the bathroom, I cracked open a bottle of blood that was floating in a bowl I’d taken from the food hall, to free up our bathtub and sink as our supply dwindled down. Natalie had already had a bottle before she’d gone to bed for the day.
I dressed and as I opened the door to leave, I decided to send Safi a message to fill her in on the night’s events that she didn’t know about. I also wanted to talk about Professor Frewin so I could get a feel for where things were at in Superno. Closing the door, I sat back on the bed and got out the quartz crystal as I felt drawn to using it as a way of connecting beside our mind-meld. She instantly picked up on my message sending an enthusiastic ‘hi’ right back. “How’s it going?” I asked.
“It’s going!” said Safi, “But you never got back to me.”
“Sorry, it’s been crazy,” I said letting her know all that had happened.
“Woah! Ulric’s sister is dead?”
“Yep,” I said frowning. The crystal had helped strengthen our connection and I could feel a mixture of surprise but also something akin to relief coming from Safi.
“She was one vicious piece of work,” said Safi.
“She was still Ulric’s sister. It’s complicated,” I agreed. “I have other news too but if I tell you, unless you or someone at Superno can help, you have to keep this to yourself. It’s really important.”
“Of course, lady!” said Safi, “You know we’re on the same page, shoot.”
“It’s about Professor Frewin,” I squeezed the crystal a bit harder and the coolness turned to warmth, wrapped in my palm.
“Poor guy,” interjected Safi, “Aviar’s friend’s brother works in the supernatural prison wing where he’s being held, he’s not in great shape.”
“I need you to level with me,” I said, trying to make sure my thoughts came out the way I wanted and not in an uncontrolled stream, “is there a chance you can find out if there’s a weak link somewhere in the prison where he’s being held?”
“I’m sure but please tell me you or Ulric aren’t going to try anything?” asked Safi. I knew it was the crystal that was intensifying what I picked up on and I felt the fear within her.
“No, of course not,” I assured her, “it’s actually the professors here. Principal Silverstone has instructed them to help break Professor Frewin out. She actually wanted me to let you know because…” I wasn’t sure how to put it as it sounded ridiculous to ask Safi or her brother to help in a situation where she felt it was too dangerous for Ulric and I to place ourselves in.
“Because she’s wondering if there is anything I can do to help,” said Safi. There was an awkward pause between us and I could have sworn I felt Safi sigh in my minds eye. “I think it would be too risky for any of your professors to try and access where Professor Frewin is being kept,” she finally said.
“What are you saying?” I asked, my heart beginning to drum out a beat that was faster and louder than was comfortable.
“My brother and I have been doing some research. I think my mom’s power tripping or something.”
“Why?” I asked as I thought to myself, “you don’t say.”
“I heard that,” Safi reminded me and I felt like a total jerk.
“Sorry!”
“No, you don’t have to be,” said Safi genuinely, “I always thought that everything my mom did was out of love for me and Aviar. For light magic.”
“And isn’t it?” I asked when she paused again.
“No, it’s for the love of power. She thinks that our bloodline is superior. When I asked her about Esmeralda Quartz, she went nuts. She said the reason no one knows about Esmeralda Quartz is because she was a nobody. She actually called her an inferior witch. But I know my mom and her rant made me realize that if there had been nothing to hide, she wouldn’t have reacted like that.”
“Esmeralda Quartz saved the Grey Guild from extinction,” I interrupted, “she’s the whole reason that the Silver Shadows exist – and Safi, they’re a magical pack.” I wished Safi could come to the academy, I could show her exactly who Esmeralda Quartz had been. Then again, she’d already seen her face in mine – she just had no idea.
“I know. Aviar knows someone who’s close to Samantha Silverstone – another original Silver Shadow, way more powerful one than the ones at Superno.”
“I bet,” I replied.
“Getting back to Frewin though, tell your principal not to send in the troops quite yet. Let me and Aviar try something.”
“Are you sure? And what do you mean?” the last thing I wanted was for Safi and her brother to get into trouble.
“Yes, I’m sure and I’ll get back to you very soon,” said Safi taking that as her cue to end the conversation.
I got some breakfast and sat down on a vacant table in the food-hall hoping for some peace and quiet while I ate my scrambled eggs, toast and sausages. A quick skim of the room showed me that Ulric wasn’t there. I expected he was either training in the academy’s gym or running laps in Silver Scape as these were the only things that seemed to help him decompress – something he severely needed to process his grief. A quick dip into his mind confirmed that he was at the gym. I half-smiled to myself that I knew him well enough to get it right.
“Hi,” said a husky voice, bringing me back to my own space. It was Sibel and she looked as rough as she sounded, like she’d been crying the entire time since I’d last seen her. “Do you mind if I sit down?”
“No?” It came out more like a question because it was. It wasn’t personal I just really couldn’t deal with anyone right now but didn’t want to appear completely rude.
“Err, thanks,” said Sibel pulling back the chair next to me and taking a seat. With her gaze averted at the table top in front of her, she sighed. “How is she?”
“The same,” I replied through a mouthful of toast, “she’s in a kind of sleep.”
“A coma?” asked Sibel, dismayed her bright hair looked wilted and her eyes were dull.
“Vampires don’t really go into comas. She’s stable and when I find out what kind of spell she’s under and how to reverse it, she’s going to be fine,” I smiled. I wanted to ask her exactly what had happened that night but knew she must have been drilled about it by Principal Silverstone, professors and even her friends. Instead I said something that perhaps none of them had said: “It wasn’t not your fault.”
“Funny how it feels like it,” scoffed Sibel.
“You need to get over that,” I said firmly. “I watched my mom die in front of my eyes right before we came here. And while the reason I’m here is to get justice for her, I needed to get over the fact that I couldn’t save her.”
“I’m really sorry,” said Sibel shaking her head and for the first time, meeting my eyes. “I’ve never seen someone get so injured before.”
“It was a horrible thing that happened but you’re the last person who should be blaming herself.” I felt the sentiment. If anyone at all was responsible for the
pain and suffering it was me. It was because of me that my friends were here and it was because of my big mouth that Valenthia had been forbidden to enter Silver Scape and had ended up having a lesson in Unterlicht Forest instead.
“You’re brave. Braver than I could ever be,” said Sibel.
“I’m not. But thanks,” I smiled and so did she.
“If you need my help with anything, please let me know,” said Sibel, eyeing up my breakfast. I passed her a fresh piece of toast which she took gratefully.
“Actually, there is something you can help me with,” I replied getting an idea.
Chapter 17
I followed Sibel through a sun-soaked hallway where the day was very apparent. It was a wing of the academy I’d never seen before and I was starting to get the impression that much like Superno, the place was more enchanted than I’d first realized. I’d asked her where I could learn more about Esmeralda Quartz so I could share with Safi as much as to find out for myself. “Is this real?” I asked Sibel, pointing to the light playing off of a marbled statue of a man who was in the middle of his shift into a wolf.
“Everything is real if it means something to you,” replied Sibel with a cheeky smile. She seemed much better than before and completely different to how she’d first received our presence.
“I thought the academy was underground,” I tried again, thinking I hadn’t been clear enough with my question, which was, how was the sun coming in so strongly if we were far below ground level?
“It is,” replied Sibel. “As you can see, this part of the school isn’t very traffic heavy,” she replied moving on, leaving me to assume that the light was an enchantment of some kind as the skies I’d seen on the outside had been mostly grey or black depending upon the time of day.
“Are students allowed here?” I asked, hoping she wouldn’t get into trouble.
“Not normally but Rhonen and I have certain privileges,” said Sibel as I recalled that had been the reason they’d come and fetch us along with Professor Norden, when Professor Frewin had smuggled us to Europe. “We are amongst the strongest performing students across all subjects, including physical vitality and combat…” she trailed off, “or at least I was.”
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