“You too,” I said then moved away quickly, not wanting to hear more. I slipped inside, locking the door to the sleeping quarters behind me, then headed toward my bed. My other sisters were already sleeping.
I slipped off my boots, muddy once more, but this time, for a different man. I hung my robe on its peg and pulled on my chemise. Lying down, I pulled my blankets over my head and closed my eyes. Erlik filled my senses. My very essence yearned for the most dangerous man in Nazar.
“Goodnight, sweet Pelin, last full-blooded witch in Nazar. Sleep well.”
His voice echoed in my mind. “Erlik?”
There was no answer, but whatever bond the sharing of magic had formed between us must have been strong, because through it, I could feel his smile. And then I remembered a fragment of his memories. He was sitting on the veranda near the dark blue waters of the Bosphorus drinking tea. I remembered through his memories the taste of the tea, sweetened with too much sugar, and the aroma of freshly baked bread. His mouth was filled with the taste of pastry. On a plate before him sat a half-eaten piece of baklava. The memory was so fond to him. Through his memory, I felt him close his eyes and lean back, felling the sun beat down, warming his skin. The memory inside him was so strong, and then I realized why. It was the last time he’d felt the sun on his skin. It was the last day of his human life. After this memory, there was only darkness.
The vampire’s memories were part of me now. And nothing in my life had ever felt so right before.
Chapter 19
Guilt is a terrible thing. When I opened my eyes the next morning, the first thought that entered my head was of Aydin. I rolled over and looked out the window. How in the name of Umay had Erlik gotten under my skin like that? I had almost risked everything for a man I’d just met. Impossible. And yet…I retraced every inch of Erlik’s face in my mind, every inch of his muscular body, the feel of his lips on my mine, his touch. I shuddered with pleasure of the memory. I was drawn to him in a way I could not explain. I cared for Aydin, believed it possible we had a future together, and had wanted him, but not in the same way I had reacted to Erlik. I…I needed Erlik. Was it because he was Berkano? Was he able to overwhelm my senses and enchant me? His wild energy still pulsed through my veins.
I rose and went to the bath. The massive ornate room was empty. I slipped into the hot water and slid underwater. As soon as my head was submerged, strange visions blasted across my mind. I saw the world as it was. I saw busy streets choked with people and boats crossing the Bosphorus. The images twisted and changed from automobiles to horses and carriages. In the visions, I stood watching Dolmabahçe Palace, another magnificent structure which was said to have been destroyed during the Rift, under construction. Had Erlik really lived so long?
The water stirred as someone joined me.
I sat up to find Meryem sitting across from me. She grinned. “Ah, Miss Muddy Boots has returned.”
Wiping the water from my face, I smiled. Debating for a moment, I asked, “When you’ve taken energy from another person, have you ever taken more than energy? Have you ever had visions come along, memories belonging to that person?”
Meryem shook her head. “No, but in the days before the Rift, it was a kind of magic many of our kind used. They could extract people’s memory to get information. That misuse is, in part, why it is now forbidden. Pelin, whose energy have you taken? You know that Emine discourages us—”
“I know…I…” I began then sighed. I wasn’t ready to tell Meryem yet, but I needed advice. Turning, I picked up my towel. I got out of the bath.
“Pelin? What is it?”
“I need to see Emine.”
“I…I want to help. Have you learned something?”
“I don’t know what to think. Please, be watchful. Especially of Baran and the Order of Tengri. We must watch them.”
Meryem’s brow furrowed. “Why?”
I could sense her emotions darkening as the suspicions that lay secret within her began to bubble up.
“Just…just watch.”
I turned and headed back to the chamber. On the word of a vampire, I was about to cast doubt on my own people, but sometimes, the heart speaks loud and clear about what is true. We only need to be brave enough to listen.
Chapter 20
At the top of the tower, Isla held the barrier in place—her pink and golden magic waving from her fingertips—while Merel slept. Emine stood, her hands folded behind her back, as she stared out the window.
I was surprised to find the room otherwise empty. No men from the Order of Tengri, no first order acolytes. Only Emine and my sisters were present.
“Pelin, I was waiting for you,” Emine said, turning when I entered.
My stomach trembled nervously. Did she know about my late night meeting with Erlik? Should I tell her? What should I tell her?
“I have spoken to Baran. He said your conversation with Erlik yesterday was…difficult.”
“It was difficult for Baran.”
Emine chuckled.
“I found him amiable.”
Emine cocked her head. “Interesting. I have only met him once before. He is a powerful creature. Baran tells me he has agreed to take care of the issue with the Rift cursed.”
“Yes, as well as he can,” I said. Suddenly, I worried about telling Emine what I knew. Would she believe me? “I…I believe…No. I know. Emine, other forces are conspiring against us.”
“What do you mean?”
“Erlik told me that the vampires breaking the law are following the lead of his former consort, Nadjla.”
“Former consort?”
“Yes.”
“Baran said nothing of this matter.”
“Erlik did not tell Baran. He believes Baran is in league with Nadjla.”
“That’s impossible,” Emine said then turned and looked back out the window. As her posture shifted, I knew she doubted her own words, considering my accusation. “When did Erlik share accusation this with you? Baran did not—”
“Through telepathy,” I lied, grateful Emine was not facing me. “Nazar is falling apart, Emine. Yesterday, the dome cracked. How did that happen?”
Emine stiffened. “The blast.”
“But why was it so powerful? Rift magic bumps off the barrier all the time. Why was yesterday different?”
A pregnant pause hung in the air. “The fracture was not caused by a storm. Someone inside Nazar attacked the dome.”
I remembered Erlik’s words. His people too had seen the same thing. “Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
“Who did it? The Order of Tengri?”
Emine shook her head then turned back to me. “No. It was a witch. Whoever she is, her magic is powerful enough to crack the dome and attack me…but no more.”
“No more is needed. We must find this witch. Who is she? Where is she?”
Emine shook her head. “I don’t know for sure, but the source of the magic came from a place supposed to be uninhabited.”
“Taksim,” I said.
Emine turned and stared at me. “How did you know that?”
“Because that is where Nadjla is hiding.”
Emine looked back out the window. She laced her hands behind her back and stood rigid, staring in the direction of Taksim. She truly didn’t know about Nadjla or the human survivors. Only recently had she started to suspect. No doubt the presence of a magic user had tripped her senses.
“I need to return to the human zone today,” I told her. “And I may need to travel tonight as well.”
“Very well,” Emine said. “You and the others saved us yesterday. I will speak to the acolytes. I must share the last of my knowledge with them. We are running out of time.”
“Don’t say that. We’ll sort out the root of this evil and end it.”
Emine laughed softly. “Even then, my girl, I am not long for this world. The attack yesterday weakened me.”
I crossed the room toward her. “The Rift,” I began caref
ully. “They say it was caused by a tryst between a witch and vampire. What if they were wrong? What if that is not what created the Rift? Not the reason why our barrier is so unstable?”
She looked at me. “Then what did?”
“Erlik has…other ideas.”
“He shared this with you? Seems he was able to communicate quite a lot—at least telepathically—during your brief meeting.”
She already suspected. And now, standing face to face with her, I knew there was no way I could hide my deception.
“Ah. So that is why you were out last night. Pelin, Erlik is a very old, very powerful, and very dangerous creature. You are young and beautiful, and you are the last full-blooded witch in Nazar. I’m sure he finds you…interesting. You must not trust him. The Berkano lie. The law is in place to protect the humans from vampires. We stand in the middle. It is up to us to keep the balance. You must always remember this. Be it Nadjla or Erlik, I am sure the vampires are at the heart of this matter.”
“Why? Because they are different from us?”
“Because they rely on destroying life to survive.”
“That's not really true. They do not need to kill to live, just as we do not. Our own attitude of superiority prevents us from seeing the truth. We are much like them.”
Emine frowned. “Be careful what you believe. Be careful who you trust. The future of Nazar is in your hands, and everyone knows it. Many will try to use you. You must always question their motives.”
“And so should you. Baran—”
“Is tiresome and difficult, but I do not think he would betray us, aligning with some rogue vampiress.”
I sighed. Seeing there was no use trying to convince her otherwise, I nodded then bowed. “Of course.”
Emine sighed heavily. “I simply want you to be safe. You are not just another witch. You are my granddaughter.”
“I want you to be safe too. Now, for the good of us all, I will return to the human zone and speak once again to Mehmet.”
Emine nodded. “May Umay watch over you.”
“And you.”
Without another word, I turned to go. I loved Emine but her ways were old and short-sighted. She placed her trust in people based on how things used to be, not as they were now. If there was trouble in Nazar, it stemmed from Taksim. I needed to know what was happening there. I needed to figure out who to trust. I would speak to Mehmet, ask him for an audience for Erlik, but also dig further. The human leader knew more than he was saying. I was sure of it. Now I needed to get him to tell me the truth. No doubt, far easier said than done.
Chapter 21
Slowly, all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. It was mid-morning when I headed toward the exit of the palace. When I reached the first courtyard, however, I paused. The two guards stationed at the entryway were under the control of the Order of Tengri. If I left, they would report back to Baran whom I no longer had any trust.
Turning, I passed down an unused side corridor. Twitching my hands, I masked myself into the figure of Asla, the hearth witch who lived in the first courtyard. In her guise, I turned once more and headed toward the exit.
The guards lifted their eyes, but only gave me the briefest of glances as I exited. Our community did not often roam into the ruins of Istanbul, but to do so did not require permission. And Asla was not a magic user of any consequence. They probably assumed she was out hunting for wild herbs.
I rushed out of view then twisted my hands once more to take on the guise of the red-haired human woman. I moved down the city streets toward Yedikule. Today as I passed through the streets, the fallen world took on a new sheen.
Through Erlik’s eyes, I saw the rusted out bus as sleek and new with its blue and yellow paint. I remember the sound of horns honking and the flow of quick, congested traffic. As I eyed the empty parks, I remembered his view of them at night, filled with people spending time with their families under the stars. Now everything was barren and lifeless.
Nazar was a corpse.
The eyes of the empty buildings, ruins of mosques, rusted cars, and empty streets spoke of a life I had missed. In the days before the Rift, witches had lived freely among humans. I would have had a normal life if the Rift had not occurred. I would have gone to a university, had a job, visited cafes, fell in love…with a human or a witch. The Rift—and the barrier needed to protect us from the result—had cast a literal pall over the world.
My whole body tensed when I approached the human zone. Everything felt wrong these days. Everything felt like it was about to be undone. Without Aydin at my side, I felt less than confident about entering the zone through the formal entrance.
But I was no vampire.
I did not need an invitation to pass through the gate.
Yet with the curfew in place, it did not pay to be seen on this side of the wall. I slipped down the street to the ruined building I’d used to take the baby into the human zone. Once more, I slipped through the fence and entered the human zone.
Stepping carefully onto the street, I exhaled deeply. No one had seen me.
I moved with purpose. The humans were already busy. Children raced down the streets, women hung clothes outside to dry, men worked together repairing an old building. Everywhere I looked, I saw signs of life.
No one paid me any heed.
As I reached the street that would lead to Aydin’s apartment, I paused.
My fingertips touched my lips as I thought of Erlik’s kisses and how they had made me feel…and how Aydin’s kiss had never provoked such intense sensations.
Guilt swept over me.
I turned toward Yedikule.
Once more, the fortress hummed like a busy hive, people moving everywhere. I passed through the narrow fortress entrance into the courtyard. Glancing around, I looked for the human elder. He was nowhere to be seen.
I reached out with my senses and let my magic search for him. He was close by, but not in the citadel. I turned and went back outside. Following the feel of him, I turned into one of the neighborhoods.
Mehmet’s energy was like a glowing white and golden beacon. It pulsed with such radiance and goodness that I questioned myself. This was not the energy of a liar.
I traced him to a small house. There was a small garden in the front yard. I opened the gate and passed through the green space. Chimes hanging in the trees jingled in a soft breeze. Potted plants with red flowers sat near the door. Flowered gowns and children’s clothes hanging on a line swayed in the breeze. I caught the scent of soap from the fresh-washed linens and the perfume of the flowers.
I touched the amulet at my neck, calling up my courage, and went to the door. From inside, I heard the voices of Mehmet and a woman. I knocked gently on the door.
The voices grew silent.
A moment later, the door opened. Mehmet stood in the doorway.
He smiled. “Come inside, Pelin.”
“Sir,” I said.
He smiled then beckoned for me to follow him.
The small house was modest but tidy. Mehmet led me down a hallway to a sitting room there a woman sat holding a tiny baby while another child lay sleeping on a small cot nearby.
“Please, sit,” the woman said in a soft voice.
I stared at her.
She was a witch. The energy pulsing off her held the trademark of our kind. There was no mistaking it.
“I…” I began, turning to Mehmet who laughed softly. He motioned for me to take a seat.
I stared at the woman then at the baby. I realized then it was the baby I had saved from the vampires.
“Is that…is that the baby?” I asked Mehmet.
The witch looked down at the child. “This is Nyla, my sister’s daughter.”
“But you are a witch.”
The woman smiled. “Yes, Priestess, I am. My name is Eslem. My parents were both human. My sister Melek and I were both born with the gift. Nyla…well, we are not sure if she is touched yet, but something inspired you to try to save
my sister and her little one.”
“But if you and you sister are witches, why didn’t you come to the order to be trained?” As was tradition, all those born with the gift were to come to the order.
“Because my parents did not wish it nor did we want to leave,” the woman said matter-of-factly.
“But the future of Nazar depends upon us. Those with the gift must learn, must be ready to help protect us from the storms,” I said, aghast at the idea that I was sitting in front of another witch who was no older than myself, a witch who had defied the law, a witch who had a life, unlike me, simply because she’d wanted one.
“Eslem is not alone in her choice, nor was her sister,” Mehmet said. “Many of my people who are born with the gift do not wish to give up their religions or family and join the worship of Umay or Tengri.”
I stared at Mehmet. “There are others here with the gift of magic?”
“How do you think our plants grow so well?” he replied with a chuckle.
Eslem smiled softly but then a sad look stole over her features. “You would be more accurate to say there were many among us.” She gave Mehmet a long look, and I could tell that glance was speaking volumes I did not understand.
Mehmet sighed then nodded. “Nyla is alive because of Pelin. I believe we can trust her.”
The woman turned to me. “Show me your true self. I am not strong enough to undo your enchantment.”
With a twist of my fingers, I let the mask drop. The red-haired human disappeared, my regular black hair and blue eyes coming back into focus.
Eslem smiled then nodded in thanks.
“Those among my people who are gifted with magic are disappearing,” Mehmet said.
“Disappearing?”
“They are the ones being taken. The Berkano are abducting them,” Eslem said.
“Which is why I have closed the zone. Any human with the magical gift who has walked beyond the walls has disappeared. I told you there have been many abductions. What I did not tell you is who they were taking. I am sorry that I did not speak that truth when we first met. I wanted to take your measure,” Mehmet said.
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