A SHADE OF VAMPIRE 78: AN ORIGIN OFVAMPIRES

BELLA FORREST

C O NT E NT S

Also by Bella ForrestProblems reading?Family tree

Prologue: Derek1. Sofia2. Esme3. Nethissis4. Seeley5. Kelara6. Derek7. Esme8. Tristan9. Derek10. Esme11. Sofia12. Tristan13. Esme14. Esme15. Tristan16. Seeley17. Tristan18. Kelara19. Esme20. Esme21. Tristan22. Esme23. Esme24. Esme25. Tristan26. Seeley27. Sofia28. Tristan29. Esme30. Nethissis31. Esme32. Nethissis33. Derek

Ready for the next part of the journey?Read more by Bella Forrest

A L S O B Y B E L L A F O R R E S T

HARLEY MERLIN

(Fantasy/romance/adventure series)

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)

Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)

Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)

Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)

Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)

Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)

Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)

Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)

Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)

Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)

HOTBLOODS

(Supernatural romance. Completed series.)

Hotbloods (Book 1)

Coldbloods (Book 2)

Renegades (Book 3)

Venturers (Book 4)

Traitors (Book 5)

Allies (Book 6)

Invaders (Book 7)

Stargazers (Book 8)

THE CHILD THIEF

(Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

The Child Thief (Book 1)

Deep Shadows (Book 2)

Thin Lines (Book 3)

Little Lies (Book 4)

Ghost Towns (Book 5)

Zero Hour (Book 6)

THE GENDER GAME

(Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

The Gender Game (Book 1)

The Gender Secret (Book 2)

The Gender Lie (Book 3)

The Gender War (Book 4)

The Gender Fall (Book 5)

The Gender Plan (Book 6)

The Gender End (Book 7)

THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK

(Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)

The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)

The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)

The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)

The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)

The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6)

The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)

A SHADE OF VAMPIRE SERIES

(Supernatural romance)

Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story

A Shade of Vampire (Book 1)

A Shade of Blood (Book 2)

A Castle of Sand (Book 3)

A Shadow of Light (Book 4)

A Blaze of Sun (Book 5)

A Gate of Night (Book 6)

A Break of Day (Book 7)

Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story

A Shade of Novak (Book 8)

A Bond of Blood (Book 9)

A Spell of Time (Book 10)

A Chase of Prey (Book 11)

A Shade of Doubt (Book 12)

A Turn of Tides (Book 13)

A Dawn of Strength (Book 14)

A Fall of Secrets (Book 15)

An End of Night (Book 16)

Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero…

A Wind of Change (Book 17)

A Trail of Echoes (Book 18)

A Soldier of Shadows (Book 19)

A Hero of Realms (Book 20)

A Vial of Life (Book 21)

A Fork of Paths (Book 22)

A Flight of Souls (Book 23)

A Bridge of Stars (Book 24)

Season 4: A Clan of Novaks

A Clan of Novaks (Book 25)

A World of New (Book 26)

A Web of Lies (Book 27)

A Touch of Truth (Book 28)

An Hour of Need (Book 29)

A Game of Risk (Book 30)

A Twist of Fates (Book 31)

A Day of Glory (Book 32)

Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians

A Dawn of Guardians (Book 33)

A Sword of Chance (Book 34)

A Race of Trials (Book 35)

A King of Shadow (Book 36)

An Empire of Stones (Book 37)

A Power of Old (Book 38)

A Rip of Realms (Book 39)

A Throne of Fire (Book 40)

A Tide of War (Book 41)

Season 6: A Gift of Three

A Gift of Three (Book 42)

A House of Mysteries (Book 43)

A Tangle of Hearts (Book 44)

A Meet of Tribes (Book 45)

A Ride of Peril (Book 46)

A Passage of Threats (Book 47)

A Tip of Balance (Book 48)

A Shield of Glass (Book 49)

A Clash of Storms (Book 50)

Season 7: A Call of Vampires

A Call of Vampires (Book 51)

A Valley of Darkness (Book 52)

A Hunt of Fiends (Book 53)

A Den of Tricks (Book 54)

A City of Lies (Book 55)

A League of Exiles (Book 56)

A Charge of Allies (Book 57)

A Snare of Vengeance (Book 58)

A Battle of Souls (Book 59)

Season 8: A Voyage of Founders

A Voyage of Founders (Book 60)

A Land of Perfects (Book 61)

A Citadel of Captives (Book 62)

A Jungle of Rogues (Book 63)

A Camp of Savages (Book 64)

A Plague of Deceit (Book 65)

An Edge of Malice (Book 66)

A Dome of Blood (Book 67)

A Purge of Nature (Book 68)

Season 9: A Birth of Fire

A Birth of Fire (Book 69)

A Breed of Elements (Book 70)

A Sacrifice of Flames (Book 71)

A Conspiracy of Realms (Book 72)

A Search for Death (Book 73)

A Piece of Scythe (Book 74)

A Blade of Thieron (Book 75)

A Phantom of Truth (Book 76)

A Fate of Time (Book 77)

Season 10: An Origin of Vampires

An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)

A Game of Death (Book 79)

A SHADE OF DRAGON TRILOGY

A Shade of Dragon 1

A Shade of Dragon 2

A Shade of Dragon 3

A SHADE OF KIEV TRILOGY

A Shade of Kiev 1

A Shade of Kiev 2

A Shade of Kiev 3

A LOVE THAT ENDURES TRILOGY

(New contemporary romance)

A Love that Endures

A Love that Endures 2

A Love that Endures 3

THE SECRET OF SPELLSHADOW MANOR

(Supernatural/Magic YA. Completed series)

The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (Book 1)

The Breaker (Book 2)

The Chain (Book 3)

The Keep (Book 4)

The Test (Book 5)

The Spell (Book 6)

BEAUTIFUL MONSTER DUOLOGY

(Supernatural romance)

Beautiful Monster 1

Beautiful Monster 2

DETECTIVE ERIN BOND

(Adult thriller/mystery)

Lights, Camera, GONE

Write, Edit, KILL

For an updated list of Bella’s books, please visit her website: www.bellaforrest.net

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Copyright © 2019

Nightlight Press

Cover design inspired by Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations LLC

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including informationstorage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a bookreview.

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F A M I L Y T R E E

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O

P R O L O G U E : D E R E K

ur lives had changed upon learning about the day-walking protein’s origins. Twomonths had passed since Amal and Amane had pulled Sofia and me aside to tellus about their discovery. They’d managed to use the protein from my blood in a

fused tracking and interplanetary spell, which, in turn, had led them to a solar system inthe Earthly Dimension, not that far from our home. We’d called it Trexus, with threeplanets known to be inhabited.

We’d spent the last few fortnights studying Trexus-2 in particular, which had beenidentified as the protein’s origin. The modified telescopes had not been enough to give usa detailed image of the planet. A peculiar haze surrounding the planets made it difficultfor our lenses to zoom in, but we’d gathered enough data to get a general idea. Theimages we’d collected had revealed cities on Trexus-1, the closest to the giant sun of thatgalaxy, as well as Trexus-2 and 3. We’d recognized the structures of advancedcivilizations, wondering whether they were in contact with one another, and whether theywere aware of other worlds just on the other side of the Milky Way galaxy.

How ironic, I’d thought, that the answer to my day-walking wishes was hidden soclose to Earth. We didn’t have sufficient magic and technology available to see past thathaze and get more information about Trexus-2, so our only other choice had been toorganize an exploratory mission.

The Faulty twins had both assured me that they needed the original protein, from theoriginal carriers, in order to replicate and synthesize it into a cure that would make allvampires into day-walkers. That was the epitome of a dream come true for Sofia and me,not to mention the rest of The Shade. They’d all yearned to be in the sun again withoutburning to a crisp.

We had no idea what sort of creatures lived on Trexus-2, but we knew we couldn’t letthat get in our way. We’d been to hell and back more than once over the past fewdecades. Visiting a previously unknown civilization was an interesting challenge, at best.I’d been out of the game for months now, focusing mostly on local work—much like mostof the senior officers in GASP. The Hermessi ritual had drained us all of both physical andmental energy.

The end of the world had been averted, once more, but it had cost us. The pain it hadcaused would take time to heal. Sofia and I were still reeling from having lost a good

chunk of our family during the ritual. We’d gotten Ben, Grace, Caia, Vita, Lucas, andKailyn back, but still… their simultaneous deaths, no matter how short, had taken theirtoll.

The Supernatural Dimension and the In-Between were still recovering, as well. TheHermessi’s existence had thrown billions of people across the two dimensions for oneheck of a loop. Fortunately for all of us, time had a way of healing us, even when wedidn’t think it was possible.

Death and the Reapers had gone back to their affairs, away from the eyes of theliving. The Spirit Bender was dead, and the natural order had been restored across theuniverse. With Brendel gone and the ritual forever stopped, the Hermessi had slippedback into their roles as elementals, dedicated solely to growth and life. They were notguardians, they were not gods, and they certainly weren’t fit to decide whether entirespecies deserved to live or die. Everything had begun to make sense again, now thatpeace and prosperity had returned to the lands.

GASP had grown stronger, with agents and bases set up on Yahwen, Aledras, andCerix, among other newly discovered worlds. Families had been reunited. Friends hadbeen brought back together. Life had been able to continue, no longer fearing an earlydemise at the hands of indoctrinated Hermessi or psychotic Reapers. We’d had enough ofthose.

The ghouls had vanished, too, after showing us a side of their nature we’d never seenbefore. I had to admit, I was intrigued. Regardless of my age and experience, I could stillfind myself surprised and learning new things. I’d thought I knew enough about theghouls, but Herbert and his horde had proven me wrong.

Sherus and Nuriya had rebuilt their lives, with Taeral by their side, and I was thankfulthat my fae friend had made it back among the living. It would’ve broken my heart to seehim lost to the underworld, his fate snapped by the whims of Brendel. Taeral still hadThieron in his possession at all times. He’d had no contact with Death and the Reaperssince he’d last seen them on Aledras, but he’d been respectful of Thieron’s purpose. Henever lost sight of it, but he didn’t use it. Personally, I was still grappling with the conceptthat he would become a Reaper upon his death, but Taeral seemed pretty comfortablewith the idea.

Maybe Eira had played a part in that, as well. Still going strong together, the two hadbecome quite the power couple among the fae. A Hermessi child and a Hermessigrandchild of water and fire, respectively, had captured the attention and fascination ofmost of the Supernatural Dimension’s fae. No one loathed the Hermessi after whathappened. There was still reverence and awe toward the elementals. But they all knewto keep a certain distance. To not disturb the balance that Taeral and his crew had foughtso hard to restore.

I lay back on our treehouse terrace, where I’d set up a lounger for my late-nightpondering sessions. There had been a lot of those going on recently, as the departureday for our exploratory mission drew closer. Sofia joined me, wearing a white silkbathrobe. Her legs stretched out of it, the skin pale and milky under the moonlight.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asked, smiling softly.

“Where would I start? There are so many,” I replied, putting my arm around her.She nodded. “I know. A lot has happened since the Hermessi were defeated.”“Any word from Harper and Caspian?” I asked, remembering that I hadn’t seen them

at our last GASP meeting in The Shade’s grand hall.“They moved back to Calliope, to White City,” Sofia said. “They’re taking a break from

the federation for a couple of months. I get it. They’re exhausted. They need some timeoff, for themselves.”

I sighed. “Fiona and Zane are in a similar situation. They’re holed up in their Infernispalace, with baby Sophia and Zane’s mother.”

“Well, that’s understandable, honey. Their world was nearly wiped out. They had topart with their own child, hoping Sophia might live for a little while longer, in case theHermessi completed the ritual,” Sofia said. She had a point. Taken on an individual level,the ritual had devastated a lot of people. Fiona and Zane were still recovering.

“You know, I’ve noticed how different our people are at coping with this kind of stuff,”I replied, remembering Taeral’s crew, in particular. “I mean, look at Riza and Herakles.How relentless they are, even after everything they went through.”

The two had moved together to The Shade, building their own treehouse not far fromours. They were happy, thankful to have survived the nightmare and always willing totake on new missions. Amelia and Raphael, on the other hand, were more into relaxingand spending as much time together as they could—not that anyone could blame them.Their bravery and resilience had helped save us all.

“They’re strong and young,” Sofia said. She laughed lightly. “Side note, you knowRaphael has been making inquiries about proposal options, right?”

I stifled a chuckle of my own, remembering how he’d pulled me aside after a briefingto ask whether a romantic dinner was enough, or if he’d need something more elaborateto propose to Amelia. “Well, he’s studied our culture. He’s seen the extremes that someof us are willing to go to in order to get a yes out of our significant other.”

“I find it adorable. He thinks he’s being discreet about it, but obviously Amelia alreadyknows he’s planning to pop the question,” Sofia added, leaning back into the lounger nextto mine. “He’s so determined to make it right, when all she really wants is for him to askher already, so she can just say yes.”

“Varga was quite simple in his proposal to Eva, if you remember,” I said. “Shortly afterbreakfast, less than two months after the ritual, he was already asking her to be hiswife.”

Eva had moved to Nevertide to be with him, and Tamara visited often. The Lady ofthe Lamias had also gotten more involved in our GASP operations, and I, for one,welcomed her input. She’d shed much of her reserve since Eva had come back in onepiece from Aledras. I remembered their engagement party as if it had been yesterday, forit was then that we’d learned about Trexus-2.

“I suppose a shared trauma such as the ritual does tend to bring people closertogether. Remember us, Derek, in the beginning? What was it that made us bond, if notfor the darkness of The Shade and its heritage?”

“A lot has changed since then. For the better, thank God.”

Indeed, things were significantly different now than they had been during The Shade’searlier days. We’d discovered a cure to vampirism, that blood derived from an immunecombined with intense exposure to sunlight could make us human again—a practiceScarlett had engaged in, now pregnant with Patrik’s first child. Our family had grown alot. Our friends came in greater numbers, as did our alliances.

Everything was better, bigger, and stronger. And we, the elders of GASP and TheShade, were the only constant. We’d seen the worst of days and ourselves, and we werenow witnessing the best.

The Shade was a haven, always at peace and protected by its inhabitants. Nevertidewas ruled by Ash and Ruby, the traces of its murkier days all but gone. Eritopia was underthe Daughters’ protection, once again on a path toward regrowth. There had been anuptick in the Druid and Lamia populations. Babies were born almost every day now,giving hope and proving that all the damage that Azazel had done could still be repaired.

The same could be said for Neraka, where the Imen lived peacefully alongside thedaemons, Manticores, Dhaxanians and Adlets. Strava’s Draenir population was alsogrowing after Ta’Zan had nearly wiped them out of existence. The Faulties and thePerfects were starting families of their own. Everything was, quite literally, fine.

Sometimes, as I looked out into the distance, I thought of my beginnings. Iremembered my parents and what life had been like with them. Lucas, who had beensuch a handful, such a terrible and hateful creature, was now fully transformed. Adifferent person altogether, thanks to the power of love. It sounded rather cheesy, but itwas true. Love had changed many people around me over the years.

In some cases, love had achieved incredible shifts overnight, as well. It was apowerful thing, a fearsome weapon we’d chosen to wield in the face of adversity. We’dcome a long way since The Shade’s beginning, and it had only been thanks to love—lovefor one another, love for our friends and families, love for living. If there was one thing I’dlearned from all our trials and tribulations, it was that love was a sharper blade thanhate.

Hate consumed its bearer from the inside. Hate had driven the likes of the Elders,Azazel, Shaytan, Ta’Zan… Not to mention Brendel and, most importantly, the SpiritBender. It wasn’t productive. It was poison. It might’ve seemed powerful and capable ofgreat things at first, but nothing built on hate would ever last.

Love, on the other hand… well, love was about to take us across the Milky Way, insearch for the cure that would make all vampires into day-walkers. Who didn’t love thesweet morning sunlight, after all? Or the crimson-orange sunsets over the horizon? It wasa far more powerful motivator than hate.

“Do you think we’ll be okay out there?” Sofia asked me, her voice low. She couldalmost tell that I was thinking about our upcoming trip. It had been part of nearly everyconversation since we’d decided to move forward with the exploratory mission.

“As long as we set a clear objective, I guess so,” I said. “We don’t know what we’rewalking into, exactly, but I figure we’ve been through enough to hardly be surprised bywhatever Trexus-2 might throw at us.”

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Here we are, ready to go on another

adventure. I just hope it doesn’t turn out like Strava.”“Heavens, no!” I replied. “I’ve had enough of these end-of-days scenarios, Sofia. For

once, I’d like to simply go to a place, say hello to some new people, get some of theirblood, and come back to The Shade, thankful to have what we need for the day-walkingcure.”

She glanced at me, mischief flickering in her eyes. “When was anythingstraightforward about our endeavors, babe?”

Blowing raspberries, I shook my head, making her laugh. “You’re jinxing it, my love.”“I’m just being realistic.”I took her hand and brought it up to my lips. Her skin felt cold, but soft and smooth,

like the finest of silks. All I could think of was Sofia in the sunlight, smiling at me.Whatever came next, it was bound to carry a certain set of risks… but, to me, it wasworth it. Sofia walking in the day again, at my side, was worth whatever fate had in storefor us.

A

S O F I A

shuttle had been prepared for us to travel to Trexus-2. It was to be engulfed inan interplanetary-and-tracking-spell fusion, and additionally equipped withserium batteries for us to use outside the magic bubble.

It had been set up on the beach, close to the glass house extensions, and it was nowwaiting for the final checks before boarding. Most of our senior officers were busy onvarious GASP assignments, but Ben and Rose had managed to take some time off so theycould see us off on this journey. They were understandably worried, but Derek and Iweren’t a helpless elderly couple. I could still slit a throat or two, if it came down to that.

Dmitri, Douma, Amal, Amane, and Lumi took their time with the shuttle and the finalpreparations for takeoff. Dmitri and Douma checked all the cables and serium batteries,making sure everything would work seamlessly on our expedition. The Faulty twinshandled our equipment and resources, including food rations and their storage conditions.Lumi was preoccupied with designing the spell’s pentagram, upon which the shuttlewould be placed before it ignited.

Derek and I stood beneath the sprawling fan of an old palm tree. It had beensurprisingly hot during the day, despite the constant nighttime that reigned over TheShade. Ben and Rose stayed with us, along with Ariana, Anna and Kyle’s daughter, andJulian, her husband. The six of us watched quietly as the prep crew did their work aroundthe shuttle.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to bring Tristan and Esme along?” Julian asked me.He was concerned, as a father should’ve been, especially since we were taking both

his children out of The Shade and all the way to the other side of our galaxy. However,Tristan and Esme were valuable to our mission, not only because of their anthropologicalexpertise, but also because of their heritage.

“Kyle and Anna, may their souls rest in peace, would’ve wanted this,” I said. “It’s notjust Tristan and Esme’s qualifications, but their interest in our mission, as well. They wereadamant about coming with us, Julian. And they’re both old enough to join.”

“It doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with it,” Julian grumbled, crossing his arms.Derek smiled. “Your children want to help us. Think about it, Julian. If we find a cure

that allows us to be in the sunlight without it debilitating us, it’ll be a gamechanger forour species.”

“Just make sure they don’t get hurt out there,” Ariana replied, her shoulders droppingslowly.

She understood this better than Julian. Her mother had given us the vampire cure,thanks to her immunity. Unlike Anna, however, neither Ariana, Esme or Tristan had beenborn immunes. Immunity tended to skip a generation or two, so there was a chance thatthe next generation would be immune, and we’d often wondered how it might impacttheir lives, as a family. After all, it wasn’t like we could just ship an immune back to Cruorto get rid of this condition—as had happened to me, long ago. Amal and Amane had beenstudying Tristan and Esme’s blood for this, hoping to learn more about the dormantimmune gene they carried, but they had yet to come up with a way to completely disableit. The twins were relentless, though, and I suspected they would get to the bottom of iteventually.

“They’re both more than capable,” I said. “They passed their qualifications. They’reagents of GASP now. I trust that Tristan and Esme will be instrumental to our mission.”

“Speaking of, where are they?” Rose asked, glancing around.We saw Nethissis coming in, joined by Kailani. Nethissis had insisted on coming with

us, and I didn’t see any reason as to why she shouldn’t. A swamp witch would alwayscome in handy, especially in situations such as ours. She looked nervous, her gazewandering across the beach until it met Lumi’s, close to the shuttle.

There was tension there. I could almost feel it. Lumi had objected to Nethissis’sdecision to join us, but she hadn’t insisted on changing the young Lamia’s mind. Therehad been some mention of Nethissis needing some more time to recover from theHermessi incident, but that had not been enough to keep her out of the crew. On thecontrary, it had made Nethissis want to go out with us even more.

As the night cast its pearlescent moon rays over the sandy beach, I found myselfentranced, watching Nethissis and Kailani practically glide toward the shuttle. There wassomething about the swamp witches that made them seem almost otherworldly. Theirmovements were delicate, barely noticeable. Their white eyes scanned everything,including my soul it seemed, whenever they looked at me. Their voices were soft andlow… and they knew things. Secrets of the Word, magic that could make the differencebetween life and death in any circumstance. I had great respect for their kind.

“Tristan and Esme are late, as usual.” Julian rolled his eyes. “They might not be twins,but, by the stars, they’re cut from the same cloth.”

Esme was a year older than Tristan, and she never let him forget it. Theirpersonalities were remarkably different, as well, but there were other aspects that madethem resemble one another more than anything else. Among them was this ability to runlate to pretty much anything—even basic training. Time simply wasn’t their friend, for avariety of reasons.

“How much do you want to bet they didn’t hear the alarm this time?” Ariana giggled.Looking at her now, I could see a piece of Anna in the way she crinkled her eyes whenshe laughed. The shape of her lips, however, reminded me of Kyle. No wonder Julian hadfallen in love with her. Ariana was the best of both her parents.

Sadness nudged me discreetly, as I regretted not being able to see Kyle and Anna

again. As an immune, Anna could never become a vampire. While my circumstances hadled to my abduction to Cruor and the removal of my immunity, the same could not bedone with Anna. Kyle had had the option to become a vampire, but his love for her hadheld him back. They’d both lived full and beautiful lives as humans, and I missed themdearly.

Seeing Ariana here, however, had made me smile more. Most of her family had stayedaway from GASP action. Tristan and Esme had spent the majority of their formative yearson Earth, studying anthropology and various cultures across the globe.

The siblings came out of the dark forest, carrying their backpacks, weapons, andinstruments, cool as cucumbers and not at all fazed when their father cajoled them.“You’re late! Again!” he said.

Tristan and Esme glanced at one another and chuckled as they approached us. “Hisalarm didn’t go off,” Esme said, nodding at her brother.

“And yours?” Julian asked, one eyebrow raised.“I spent the night in his room,” Esme replied. “I didn’t think I’d need my alarm

working, too.”“Way to blame me,” Tristan muttered. “Miss I-Sleep-At-Least-Nine-Hours-To-Feel-

Normal. And that’s a direct quote.”Esme shushed him, then shot us a grin. “We’re not actually late, are we?”I shook my head, trying not to laugh. “Not at all. The shuttle is still being checked.”“Still, you said you’d be here at eight,” Julian insisted.Tristan checked his watch. “It’s eight fifteen. You can’t possibly be miffed about a

fifteen-minute delay, Dad. West Point isn’t as strict as you.”“Actually, they kind of are,” Esme whispered, eyeing her father’s satisfied grin. “My

two years there did not fix my tardiness problem, though not for lack of trying.”Esme had become a vampire at the age of twenty-one, the same day as Tristan,

who’d been twenty at the time. With Earth now fully aware of supernaturals’ existence,they’d spent the past decade earning Harvard and West Point degrees, before theymoved on to study various tribes of Earth. After that, they’d even done several trips tothe In-Between and the Supernatural Dimension during periods of peace—specifically,after Azazel had been defeated, and after we’d gotten rid of Ta’Zan.

Ariana and Julian had occasionally entertained us with stories from their trips, oftenaided by photos and videos sent via satellite and email servers. Most recently, Tristanand Esme had been living with the Amazonian tribes, including the one discovered byTaeral and his crew—the strange combination of humans and werewolves, not far fromEarth’s pink water cave.

“Do you need us to do anything?” Tristan asked, looking at Derek and me. We bothshook our heads.

“Nethissis is doing her thing. So is Amal. We’re just patiently waiting,” I replied.Esme smirked. There was a devilishness about her, an aura she’d inherited from

Ariana, whenever she smiled. It reminded me of Kyle. Esme’s hair was long, dark, andcurly, much like her mother’s. Tristan fell within the same physiognomy, his shorter curlsoccasionally falling over his forehead. They both had deep green eyes. Sometimes, I felt

as though I was looking into Anna’s eyes, not theirs.Character-wise, however, Tristan and Esme were polar opposites.“Okay, so, it’s you and Derek, Tristan and me, Amal and Nethissis, right?” Esme said,

recapping yesterday’s discussion. During that GASP meeting, we’d made our selection,insisting that the team be kept small. As expected, most of the officers present, includingmy father, had not been too happy about it.

“Yes. Few but mighty.” Derek chuckled.“I still think you should at least take a dragon with you.” Julian sighed. “And a sentry.”“And a white witch. And a werewolf. And a Perfect. And I could keep going,” Derek

shot back, slightly irritated. It was nothing against Julian, but rather against the mindset.“We’re going to visit a new world. We’re not going to invade it.”

“They might mean you harm,” Julian insisted.“Dad, not everyone is out to get us,” Esme replied. “Besides, Nethissis is more than

capable of holding them off, should things get rough. But we’re not giving them anyreason to behave aggressively toward us.”

“Ta’Zan got the day-walking protein from them somehow. I don’t think we’ll haveissues communicating with them,” I said. Julian looked at me, his brow furrowed.

“You don’t even know what they are. What species. What kind of people. What culturethey have.”

“But that’s the beauty of it!” Tristan replied, smiling. “We’re exploring. We’re goingover there to meet them. We’re making contact with a new civilization, and the last thingwe want is to appear threatening. We want them to consider us benign, perhaps evenfriendly.”

Derek cleared his throat, his attention briefly drawn by Lumi, Nethissis, and Kailanitalking, somewhere at the back of the shuttle. “Julian, I don’t want us to go there, gunsblazing, demanding their blood. The Hermessi ritual has taught me a valuable lessonabout the universe and its natural balance. I don’t want GASP to become some kind ofworld police, where we consider ourselves entitled enough to just walk into a newcivilization and ask them to give us things—especially blood, the very life force thatallows us to exist.”

“As we explained yesterday, we’re going for a more cultural and diplomatic approach.We want to meet them,” I said. “We want to get to know them, to understand them, andmost importantly, to figure out what made their day-walking protein stick so well toDerek’s DNA.”

“You think they might be some kind of vampire,” Ariana replied, reminding me of atheory we’d floated during yesterday’s meeting.

I nodded briefly. “It’s a possibility, yes. Either way, we want them to give us what weneed, willingly. Unless there’s a direct threat to our planet, we’ve decided not to considerany kind of armed or supernatural interference.”

“That means your asses are on the line,” Julian said, scowling at Tristan and Esme.“Did you both get that part during yesterday’s briefing?”

The siblings nodded in perfect unison. “It means that, should one or more of us gethurt, no one else from GASP is to engage these people,” Tristan said. “It’s a risk that

Esme and I are both willing to take, especially if it gets us closer to a day-walking cure. Idon’t know about you, Dad, but I’m kind of tired of hiding from the sun and living indarkness. I think I speak for the entire species, at this point.”

Ben shook his head. “Dad, if you and Mom get hurt out there, we won’t just sit backand do nothing. You know that, right?”

“I need you to at least consider it,” Derek replied. “Haven’t our worlds been throughenough, already? If the worst-case scenario comes to happen, and we find ourselves indanger on Trexus-2, then so be it. We can’t start a war with another civilization over theday-walking protein. It’s ridiculous. I will not have the blood of any other Shadian or GASPagent on my hands for this, okay?”

Esme smiled. “Besides. We’re assuming the terrible version of possible events, and wehaven’t even left Earth yet.”

“That being said, it’s why Sofia and I are leading the mission,” Derek said. “Should webe successful, we’ll return with enough blood samples for Amal and Amane to synthesizea cure for our sensitivity to sunlight. If we fail, then that’ll be it. I have faith that ourchildren, our grandchildren… our family and friends will be able to take over.”

“God, Dad, stop being a drama queen,” Rose muttered.I had to laugh, just to defuse the swelling tension that threatened to cloud an

otherwise beautiful, moonlit morning. “You’re right, it’s not going to get to that. We justwanted to make the protocol clear, that’s all. We’ll know when to leave and what to doonce we get there. It’s truly unhealthy to start speculating now,” I said, looking at Julianand Ariana. “Tristan and Esme will be fine. At the first sign of trouble, we’ll reassess oursituation.”

“But the data we’ve gathered so far did not yield any information about them being ahostile nation,” Tristan replied. “The few images we got from the telescopes did notreveal any conflict zones or other indicators of violence. That says a lot.”

Things didn’t look grim at all, from my perspective. We were leading a small team intoa new world, hoping we wouldn’t have to steal the blood we needed for the day-walkingcure. Naturally, resorting to such methods was still an option, in case the creatures didn’twant to give it willingly, but this, too, required that we make ourselves look friendly andtrustworthy in order to get away with it.

Frankly, I was looking forward to putting this mission behind us. Achieving a cure forthe sun would make our lives incredibly easier. Getting this out of the way would thenallow Derek and me to go back to our plan for another child. We hadn’t abandoned theidea at all, but we’d agreed to put it on hold, at least until after the trip to Trexus-2.

We’d been through so much that we needed to take our time, going forward,regarding our decision to adopt. The universe felt different, after we’d almost losteverything in our dealings with the Hermessi.

But if we got through this mission without a hitch, then I knew we’d be in a goodposition to finally raise another Novak in The Shade. A clear sign from the universe thatwe could truly move on.

I

E S M E

didn’t want to be afraid of what we’d find upon reaching Trexus-2. Comparedto what our people had been through in the past, I was really happy with aplain exploration mission. To be fair, after GASP’s dealings with the Hermessi

and Ta’Zan’s programmed Perfects, I had a feeling we wouldn’t be dealing with suchextremes.

This was important for Tristan and me. Our grandmother had been a revered andbeloved immune. The gene had skipped over our mom, as well as my brother and me.But if there was anyone who understood the value of blood as life force, it was us. Thiswas our opportunity to make vampirism more comfortable. For too long our kind had livedin the shadow of night, slaves to darkness and fearful of the sun.

Personally, I didn’t care that much for the day-walking protein itself. I’d becomeaccustomed to my nature. I’d grown fond of the night and the moon. But my brotherlonged to walk in the daylight again, and so did my parents. I was doing this for them. Iwanted to see them happy.

Besides, from a tactical perspective, the fewer weaknesses that our species had, thebetter positioned we’d be in the future. Vampires could live forever, if they were careful,and being able to live in both daylight and darkness would be an extraordinaryadvantage. In my family, I was the only one who applied a military approach to prettymuch everything. Unlike Tristan, I’d loved my time at West Point, and I’d enjoyed everysecond of GASP training as well.

Not that my brother couldn’t hold his own—on the contrary, Tristan could be a fiercefighter when he wanted to. But he never exhibited my passion for combat. No, I was thesoldier among the Vaughns. I took after Great Uncle Xavier.

“How long till we take off?” I asked, glancing back at the shuttle. Douma and Dmitriwere both inside. I could see their figures through the smoky windshield, fiddling with thecontrol panel. Lumi, Nethissis, and Kailani were preparing the spell paraphernalia, theirproprietary blend of herbs, minerals, and powders, which they would place in ceremonialbowls at different points across the pentagram. The symbol was to be drawn in the sand,around the shuttle.

“I’m not sure. Maybe an hour or two, tops,” Sofia replied. “I’d rather we take our timewith this and make it to our destination safely.”

“No, I agree,” I said. “Sorry, I’m just anxious.”Tristan shot me a grin. “Relax, sis, we’ll get there.”I probably wouldn’t have done this without Tristan by my side. My brother and I

shared a deep, unbreakable bond. He was my courage, and I was his comfort. We’dalways been like this—to the outside world, I was the warrior and he was the scholar. Butthere was more to us. Tristan had a tendency toward violence when it came to protectingthe people he loved, so having me around tempered that part of him, because I wasmore than ready to kick and claw at anyone who dared to try and hurt us.

At the same time, I drew my strength from him, especially in new situations such asthis. We were going to another world, a foreign place about which we knew little tonothing. All I needed was to look my brother in the eyes to know that I could pullthrough, no matter what. Derek seemed to understand the dynamic between Tristan andme, perhaps better than most people outside our family.

“You two are so tight,” he said, smiling. “You remind me of Ben and Rose.”The vampire twins chuckled softly, giving each other loving grins. I could only imagine

what they’d been through, especially after the Hermessi incident. Ben had returned fromthe beyond twice, now. I was in awe of the guy, all starry-eyed whenever I looked at him.

“I’m serious,” Derek added. “Not all siblings I’ve come across are so close to eachother. Ben and Rose have a good reason, being twins, but you two… I’m a littlestumped.”

Dad laughed. “They’ve been like this from the moment Tristan was born. Only a yearin this world, and Esme already knew that she’d be looking after him for the rest of herlife.”

“As they both grew up together, the feeling became mutual,” Mom said. “The smalldifference in age must’ve played a part, but Julian and I think it’s mostly due to theircharacters. Tristan and Esme simply love each other beyond everything else.”

Sofia smiled at us, and I felt like one of the tribespeople my brother and I used tostudy in the Amazon jungle. Like we were the ones being observed, in our naturalhabitat, with our bonds and habits and such. “That will get you both a long way,” shereplied. “A good brother or sister can make all the difference in the world, when it trulymatters. I mean, look at Lucas, Derek, and Vivienne.”

The reminder prompted Derek to stifle a chuckle of his own. Sofia gave him aninnocent smile, though we all knew where she was going with this.

“It’s true,” she continued. “Lucas was a difficult vampire in his heyday, but after hedied and came back, he changed, deep in his core. Derek and Vivienne have a betterbrother now than they did before. And my husband is absolutely fair in his assessment ofyou two, as well,” Sofia said, looking at us. “Your strong bond is something worthy ofadmiration.”

“Now we’re both blushing,” Tristan muttered.“Oh, if you want, we can start telling them about all the times you two were absolute

handfuls,” Mom shot back. “All the trouble you got yourselves into.”“No need,” I replied dryly.Dad scrunched his nose in his typical “If I had a penny for all the times they’ve given

me white hairs” fashion. “I’m just glad you two stayed on Earth, where you weresupposed to be, during the Hermessi episode.” He sighed, surprising both Tristan and me.I’d expected a different remark from him.

I gave Sofia and Derek an apologetic smile. “We wanted to help, you know.”“You couldn’t have done anything. Don’t worry about it,” Derek said. “It was out of our

hands from the very beginning. Honestly, I only hope that we never have to deal withthat kind of enemy ever again.”

“Speaking of which, how is River feeling these days?” I asked Ben.I knew the entire affair had taken its toll on her. She’d practically lost her entire family

in the blink of an eye. Even though she’d been happy upon their return, I knew it couldn’thave been easy for her to cope with the flurry of emotions that came afterward, when allthe dust had settled.

Tristan and I had been far from the conflict, focused on our tribal studies. Of course,we’d both been ready to return to The Shade at a moment’s notice, if needed. But Derekhad made a good point just now. We wouldn’t have been able to help. Not against theHermessi. But as soon as the fae had been resurrected, we’d come back to check oneveryone. Needless to say the scene we’d returned to had been quite the shaker,emotionally speaking.

I’d never seen so many people laughing and crying at the same time, on that fatefulday…

“She’s doing much better,” Ben replied. “She still has nightmares sometimes, youknow. Waking up in the middle of the night, terrified that we’re all gone.”

“Hasn’t Corrine been able to help in any way?” Tristan asked. “Some potion or herbalremedy, perhaps?”

“She did offer her assistance,” Ben explained, a smile testing his lips. “But River wantsthe recovery to be as organic as possible.”

Rose sighed deeply. “She’s incredibly strong.”“I, for one, can’t believe how she pulled through,” Sofia replied.“The same could be said for you, actually,” I said. “I mean, you suffered quite the loss

yourselves.”Sofia and Derek exchanged glances before looking back at me. “I think we were too

busy worrying about everyone, including the rest of our surviving family, to fullycomprehend what we were dealing with in that moment. By the time Seeley revived allthe fae, our mindsets changed, completely.”

“But enough about that nasty day,” Rose interjected. “Tell us, how was your Amazontrip? I heard you did another short one last month.”

I nodded enthusiastically, my brother already lighting up like a Fourth of July fireworksshow. “We spent some time with the hybrid tribe. It was impressive,” I said.

“Oh, right, the human and werewolf tribe, near the pink water cave,” Derek said, afascinated smile spreading across his face.

Somewhere to our right, Amane and Ridan had shown up, watching Amal as shefinished checking the supply bags, before handing them over to Dmitri and Douma, whothen carried them into the shuttle.

“Yes. The synergy there is unbelievable,” Tristan said. “The humans have not had anycontact with civilization as we know it. They’re extremely isolated and reclusive. In someinstances, they’ve been known to be quite hostile to outsiders. But it wasn’t the case withthe werewolves. It took a few years for the whole pack to settle there, though.”

“How so?” Derek replied, genuinely intrigued.“From what the werewolves told us, it started with one of their younglings. The pack

had chosen a campsite of their own, a few miles north of the tribe. They didn’t want to bearound cities and other settlements, preferring wilderness instead. So, one day, the cubswere out with an elder wolf, learning how to hunt. One thing led to another, a doe wentdeep into the jungle, and, before they knew it, the cub got lost.”

“Didn’t they track him?” Dad asked.“They did, but they lost his trail at the river. The cub wandered for a while, too young

and feeble to hunt or survive on his own. He was only six at the time, and he’d neverbeen out on his own like that,” Tristan continued. “Eventually, he stumbled upon thehuman tribe. At first, the kid was understandably worried, so he kept his wolf form tohimself. The tribespeople took him in, fed him, cared for him.”

“Until the next evening,” I added, “when the boy shifted into his wolf form.”“That was the biggest surprise,” Tristan said, smiling as we both remembered the

werewolf’s account of that experience. By the time we’d met him, he’d turned sixteen.“He’d worried the people might want to hunt him or kill him, but they didn’t. They kind ofworshipped him, actually.”

He went on to tell them about how the pack eventually found the cub after a fewmore days, having been held back by some serious rainfall. The Amazonian tribespeoplehad welcomed them all with arms wide open, and they’d reached an incrediblerelationship, which, in turn, had led to a more complex society. With the wolves doingmost of the hunting, the humans could focus more on gardening and crafts, upgradingtheir homes and establishing a small but still isolated settlement at the river’s bend.

“What are they like?” Derek asked. “The humans and the werewolves, now livingtogether.”

“Peaceful, but definitely protective of their haven,” I said. “Tristan and I spent daysstudying them from afar, understanding their social relationships and customs before weengaged them; and even then, they were quite thorny at first. They cherish their littlespace, and they don’t want anyone disturbing it.”

“Speaking of pink water… Are there still unhatched eggs in there? You know, Shillsand whatever else the Hermessi had planned to use against our people?” Derek asked.

“No. I mean, the eggs are there, but they’re covered in a thick layer of crystal,” Ireplied. “I reckon they’ve gone dormant since the ritual was stopped—the Hermessi nolonger have the power to use them, so whatever is in them is harmless.”

“That aside, I’m not sure I asked, but why don’t you use Earth’s pink water to take youstraight to Trexus-2?” Rose said, occasionally looking back at the shuttle.

I shook my head. “Not a good idea. We’ve already discussed this among ourselves,actually. We want to make our presence seen and heard from the very beginning with anew civilization. We can’t just show up there out of the blue. I mean, we could, but it

would just scare the crap out of them.”“Or worse, trigger a violent defensive reaction,” Tristan agreed. “If we go in via a

more traditional route, they’ll have time to see us, to understand where we come from, ina way… to understand we’re foreigners.”

Derek nodded. “From there, we’ll have to rely on diplomacy in order to investigate andfind the source of the day-walking protein. We’re assuming that the civilization on Trexus-2 represents the original carrier.”

“So you’ll definitely need to handle them with kid gloves,” Mom concluded, giving meanother concerned look.

“We’ll be fine, mom,” I said.Personally, I was itching to get on that shuttle already. My brother had packed a

tablet and a couple of notebooks, just in case the tech failed. He was eager to take notesand draw sketches of the people there—to understand what they were like and what weshared in common as species.

In that sense, the two of us were incredibly alike. We were both adventurers, alwaysopen to see new places, to discover new worlds, especially in the Earthly Dimension. Iwas the Indiana Jones-type, though, while my brother was more of an observer.

But we all had the same objective in this small team, and the same respect towardblood—the very life force that kept us alive and strong. It was with this in mind that wewere embarking on this voyage, aiming to convince the people of Trexus-2 to give it tous. The correct approach was crucial here, because we weren’t yet sure how much bloodwe’d need for Amal and Amane to develop a day-walking cure.

Much like GASP had done with our grandmother’s blood to revert vampires to humans,chances were we’d need enough to cover a few generations—or even a steady supply.The witches had found a way to duplicate our grandmother’s blood, ensuring that thevampire cure would never run out. We weren’t yet sure whether the witches could do thesame with these strangers’ blood—a different species could entail a different method ofduplicating the protein we needed. Either way, we wanted to make sure we’d never runlow on it, so that no vampire would ever have to suffer in the sunlight again.

D

N E T H I S S I S

espite what I’d told Lumi, I was nervous about this trip. Not because I hadsomething in particular to fear, especially after what we’d been through, butbecause I had yet to fully recover from the Hermessi incident. I was still on

edge most of the time, though I’d learned to keep my reactions in check.Nightmares of Shills had been haunting me. Sometimes Titans and Hermibugs would

join the mix, forcing me to wake up drenched in a cold sweat, my muscles crippled withsheer terror. The Hermibugs, in particular, made me squirm—swarms of poisonousinsects created by the Hermessi through the pink waters just to come after us.Sometimes I worried that the Hermessi might make a comeback. That Brendel’s friendsmight find another loophole in the laws of the universe. The thought alone was enough tomake me shiver.

I wasn’t scared of what we’d find on Trexus-2. I was scared of my ability to keep ittogether, even though I knew I was nowhere near the possibility of having some sort ofbreakdown. I’d spoken to Kailani about it, and she’d brought up the concept of post-traumatic stress disorder, which was something that mostly humans had dealt with, oftenafter fighting in wars. Technically speaking, it did seem like an accurate assessment ofmy state—and not just mine.

Our entire Death crew was still reeling from everything we’d done and dealt with.But this mission was important to Derek and Sofia, not to mention all the other

vampires. It was also a good opportunity for me to dig into something, to keep my mindbusy. To heal from what I’d endured. Being a servant of the Word, I’d found comfort inmy craft. Even though the entity didn’t communicate with us directly, I could feel itsessence flowing through me, nurturing my emotions and strengthening me on the inside.

I had faith in myself. Despite the hesitation, I trusted myself to push through.“Did you pack enough healing potions?” Lumi asked as she drew lines in the sand with

a gnarly old stick. She’d already started working on the pentagram, while Kailani and Ihad been filling the ceremonial bowls with the appropriate powders, herbs, and minerals.

“Enough to cure a small army twice over,” I replied, smiling.“You look tired,” she said quietly, eyeing me carefully.I offered a shrug in return. “I was excited about the trip and didn’t get much sleep last

night. Mom.”

“My oh my, Lumi, you’re incorrigible.” Kailani giggled. “Give the girl a break already.She said she’s up for it. Just trust her on this!” She gave me a discreet wink, and I wasthankful for her support. Kailani knew about my nocturnal struggles, and yet she trustedme to go ahead with this. Part of my own resolve had stemmed from her encouragement,actually.

“You didn’t tell me why you don’t want me to go, exactly,” I said, switching focus backto Lumi. “I mean, you were quite adamant that I should stay here, but I have to admit,your reasoning about me being tired felt insufficient. Is there something you’re not tellingus?”

Lumi blushed, her white eyes wide, the blue contours glimmering. “No, it’s not that.Just my instinct, Nethi. You know, that irksome feeling in the back of your head?”

I stilled, giving her a sly grin. “You’re going to have to do better than that. I’m notbuying it.”

“I agree. Give us the deets!” Kailani chimed in.“Is the Word trying to tell you something, perhaps?” I asked. The thought had crossed

my mind more than once, since she’d first objected to my joining Derek and Sofia’smission. But it had seemed odd. The Word could’ve easily inspired doubt in me regardingthis, as I was the one leaving, not Lumi.

Lumi shook her head. “I doubt it,” she said. “I suppose you can call it motherlyconcern. Nethi, you’ve been through enough. I know I’m still recovering from what wewent through, and I spent thousands of years locked inside the Exiled Maras’ basement,for heaven’s sake! I’m guessing you’re not in better shape, given your young age.”

“I’m fine. I really am. Of course, I’m not peachy,” I replied. “But I’m not mangled onthe inside. It’ll be okay. It’s just an exploratory mission.”

“Maybe you’re right, Lumi,” Kailani interjected. “Maybe you’re just being a mom.”“I’ll be honest, my views on life have changed since the Hermessi ritual.” I sighed. “I

don’t want to waste another day. If I have a chance to explore and discover new worlds,I’ll take it. Hell, it was my favorite part of our Death Squad mission, you know? All theplaces we went to, the people we met… I loved it!”

Lumi stared at me, pain flashing in her eyes. “I just don’t want to lose you.”“Like you lost Acantha?” I replied, knowing that this was what had truly been

bothering her. Witnessing the death of one of her apprentices had hurt Lumi worse thananything else. As a seasoned swamp witch, she was deeply fond of her students. Wewere like children to her, regardless of our age or origins. Lumi nodded slowly, her gazedropping. “I didn’t have time to think about this during our race to find Thieron, but I’vehad nothing but time since it all went back to normal,” I said. “And I know now, betterthan ever, that this is something I have to do.”

Kailani shot me a grin. “Is that your instinct talking?”I rolled my eyes. Lumi, on the other hand, smiled gently. “I get it,” she murmured.

“You want to go out there. To see the world. To do something other than staying here oron Calliope, recovering. I suppose there’s only so much of that you can do, in the end.”

I had discovered a new side of myself over the past few months. Wanderlust hadtaken over my mind, beckoning me to leave, to dive into something headfirst, to take the

plunge and see what I’d find at the very end of the journey. It had made me eager tohelp Derek and Sofia, understanding that it would be my first time out of my comfortzone since we’d defeated Brendel and the Spirit Bender.

Kailani giggled, watching me intently. I must’ve dropped out of the conversation,somehow, because she wasn’t the only one with eyes on me. Lumi was just as interested.“Are you okay?” she asked.

“All good,” I said.We continued our work on the pentagram, while Lumi did her part as my mentor. I

caught glimpses of Tristan and Esme as they talked to their parents, Derek and Sofia, andBen and Rose, wondering what sort of advice they were getting on their end.

“I need you to be careful,” Lumi continued. “While I do encourage you to go out asmuch as you can—ignoring my earlier resistance, of course—I want you to remembersomething, Nethi.”

The moon shone down upon her in rays of pearly shimmer, making her look like acreature not from this world, but rather a dream. That was the feeling I usually got withLumi. We’d known each other for less than two years, and still, she’d become incrediblyimportant in my life.

“What is it?” I asked, placing a ceremonial bowl at one of the pentagram’s corners.“That there’s danger everywhere,” Lumi replied. “The world is vast and full of

wondrous things, but one must always be cautious, especially when there’s a newcivilization involved.”

“You don’t know what kind of people they are,” Kailani added, nodding at me. “Youdon’t know their culture or their habits. Remember when Tristan and Esme came backfrom the dark jungles of Central Africa, all ruffled and shaken because they’d stumbledupon a small cannibalistic tribe?”

I chuckled softly. “I doubt we’re running into cannibals on Trexus-2.”“It doesn’t matter. You don’t know what you’re going to run into there,” Lumi insisted.

“On top of that, there is a balance in the universe, my darling. You understand that nowbetter than ever, especially after our dealings with Death and the Word. The last thingany of us wants is another conflict with another species.”

“Speaking of, it would’ve been nice to have a Reaper to talk to about this stuff,” I said,kneeling next to another pentagram corner, ready to deposit a ceremonial bowl filled withsmelly herbs. “They’d be able to tell us what kind of people live on Trexus-2.”

Kailani let out a cackle, making me regret I’d brought this up. “You miss Seeley, don’tyou?”

“Kind of hard to miss someone like that,” I replied, pursing my lips. “It’s not that, Kale.It’s just… You know, he would’ve come in handy, right about now.”

“Right. His usefulness is what makes you look all doe-eyed, as we speak,” Kailanisaid.

“You’re sounding like a thirteen-year-old again,” I grumbled.“We cannot have contact with the Reapers anymore,” Lumi replied, taking the

conversation back into a more serious tone. It was her way of interfering wheneverKailani was in the mood to tease me about Seeley. I’d made the mistake of telling her I’d

found him rather interesting during our Death Squad days, and she’d refused to cut meany slack since. “They belong between worlds, while we’re of the living. The next time wesee a Reaper will be the day we die. This is part of the universal balance I was telling youabout earlier.”

“Yeah, I get it. Just… the intel would’ve been nice,” I whispered.“You don’t have that. So, for the thousandth time, just be careful, Nethi,” Lumi

replied.She had a point, in the end. I would’ve liked to tell her and Kailani about the odd

sensations I’d been having recently, but I didn’t want more Seeley jokes hurled at me.Kailani had been on a roll for months, regarding this.

It sounded strange to even say it out loud, but I’d felt it more than once—enough towarrant some suspicions that I was, in fact, being watched from between worlds. It neverfelt like a foreign presence, but rather a familiar one. As if an old friend had been keepingan eye on me, even though I could not see him… or her. Seeley and Kelara’s names hadpopped into my head several times, but I’d never been able to follow up or investigate inany way.

I’d been left with this sensation that, somehow, sometimes… someone was watchingme.

I didn’t want to tell Kailani about the fact that I did actually sort of miss Seeley. I’dthought about him frequently. While I understood Death’s rules about contact with theliving, it would’ve been nice if he’d at least said hi once or twice. I doubted he would’vebeen punished for it. To be honest, I missed all the Reapers we’d dealt with. Even theSoul Crusher, ever the functioning psychopath.

On some nights, when I lay awake, staring at the moon outside my window, I thoughtof them. Of what they could be doing. Of where they might be. The Reapers were apeculiar breed, but fascinating, nonetheless. Just knowing that their kind existed hadflipped my worldly concepts upside down.

Even now, as I put the ceremonial bowl down, I wondered… What were they up to?

I

S E E L E Y

felt like the ultimate stalker, and yet I couldn’t stay away.Fortunately, I’d been on an assignment from Death. She’d tasked me with

keeping an eye on GASP—not necessarily on Taeral, whom she’d trusted withThieron until she was free again. No, she’d wanted me to stay close to Derek and Sofia,mostly because she’d learned about the day-walking protein.

I would’ve preferred being out there with Soul and the others, looking for theremaining First Ten, and I’d voiced my concerns to Death. She’d insisted that I do this forher, stating that it would make sense later. Just because she was still under 999 seals didnot mean I could question her. Not at all. Her wrath, post-liberation, would’ve beenmemorable.

However, my presence here had its silver lining, since it meant I could be aroundNethissis more often. At times, I could’ve sworn she’d sensed me, but she hadn’t said aword—not a single peep. There was just something about her that kept me hangingaround, making it impossible for me to take my eyes off her.

Nethissis was a special creature. I still felt bad for convincing Acantha to sacrificeherself to Eirexis, but I’d done it to save Nethissis from certain death. The decision wouldhaunt me forever, but I did find comfort in knowing that I’d given her a chance to live, tofully explore her marvelous existence.

Even now, as she helped Lumi and Kailani prepare their interplanetary spell, I foughtthe urge to reveal myself, wondering what her reaction would be if she saw me again—especially after the conversation she’d just had, where my name had been unexpectedlydropped. That had been a pleasant surprise. Copper scales covered the back of her neck,reddish hair flowing loosely over her bare shoulder. Her skin looked soft, glistening likesilk in the moonlight. Her voice had the sweetness of honey, and I needed to get a grip,already!

“I think we’ll be ready to leave in a couple of hours, tops,” Lumi said. “We’re waitingfor one last shipment of serium batteries for the shuttle, if I’m not mistaken.”

Kailani nodded, glancing at the small ship. “Dmitri!” she shouted. “How long till thebatteries get here?”

Dmitri’s head popped up behind the windshield, his black hair ruffled. “An hour, maybetwo!”

“Told ya.” Lumi chuckled.“We already have batteries on board,” Nethissis replied, her brow furrowed. Even

when she pouted, she was gorgeous. I worried I might’ve fallen for her. It would’ve beena tragedy, if that was the case. A Reaper and a living creature could never be together.Not only was it impossible to sway Death on the topic, but it didn’t feel right, either, nomatter what my feelings for Nethissis were—though, frankly, I wasn’t sure what it was,exactly, that I felt for her; I only knew I wanted to see her again, that I could not getenough of her, and that I’d sort of traded another life for hers... But our worlds wereapart, and that was to be the end of it. “What do we need more for?”

“Backup,” Lumi said. “I ordered them last night, after the GASP meeting. I’m puttingour past experiences to good use, honey. Don’t worry.”

I finally found the strength to move away from this conversation, focusing on thevampires instead. I’d only seen Tristan and Esme in passing since I’d been assigned toshadow Derek and Sofia, but last night had been a good opportunity to get to know thembetter. They hadn’t been involved with GASP as much as their peers, but they certainlyseemed to have potential.

As they stood to the side, talking to their parents, Derek, Sofia, Rose, and Ben, Inoticed their body language. It told me more than their words ever would. Esme, forexample, was a fierce creature. Only a few inches shorter than her brother, she knewhow to appear imposing, keeping her back straight and chin up at all times, in a militaryfashion. Her athletic figure helped, as well.

She was the fighter of the two. Tristan was the studious type, but there was a wildside to him, as well. I could see it in his deep green eyes, and I wondered what it wouldtake to bring out the beast in him. Given the protective look he sometimes gave hissister, I figured a threat to Esme might do the trick.

They’d called the planet they were about to visit Trexus-2, but it was better known toits people as Visio. I’d made inquiries about the place, but I hadn’t had a chance to see itfor myself. No one had been able to tell me much about it, other than the fact that it hadnot had a war in over three million years, which was rather impressive. I’d asked thehigher circle Reapers to put me in touch with others who’d been there, since I couldn’tleave Derek and Sofia’s side for too long, but I’d yet to hear from them. Understandably, Iwas curious, as well. Chances were Death would command me to go with them, so I wasbound to learn more, soon enough.

All the vampires I’d seen so far were excited about this mission. Most of them yearnedto be in the sun again. Even talking about the protein would draw smiles upon their palefaces. From a biological perspective, I could certainly see why they wanted to be able towithstand being in the daylight. The vampires were exquisite predators, held back only bytheir sun sensitivity.

If that weakness was to be removed, then it would benefit the entire species. Icouldn’t even imagine what life would’ve been like had I not been able to enjoy the warmsunlight on my skin, and therefore I couldn’t help but sympathize with their kind.

Derek was lucky, despite his traumatic experience with Ta’Zan. If he hadn’t beenabducted and experimented on, he never would’ve learned that there was a way to cure

this unpleasant side of vampirism, without losing all the powers and immortality. Hecould now research this further and bring his dream of day-walking vampirism toeveryone else.

I checked my watch, aware that I’d need to report back to Death soon. The remainingseals had rendered her unable to reach me through our telepathic connection, and I’dmade a habit of relaying information back to her myself, and not through other Reapers.Allowing myself to slip away from this dimension, I watched space and matter warpthemselves around me in colorful swirls, as I set my mind to Aledras, in the In-Between.

Walking between worlds, I couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated. I understood thatmy existence could no longer bump into that of the living—there was a balance requiredin the universe, overlooked by more than just Death, and there had already been one bigmess with the Hermessi, not that long ago. People were still dying, and Reapers wereneeded to guide them into the world of the dead. That had not changed, and neither hadmost of our rules.

Of course, some of the tight and, frankly, unnecessary regulations had been scrappedamong us agents of Death, but there was still no contact allowed with the living, underany circumstances. As much as I would’ve liked to see Nethissis, Taeral, and the rest ofthe crew again, to talk to them, to hang out with them… I couldn’t. My tasks kept mebusy, more often than not, but I would’ve liked to have this option. I had enjoyed thelittle time I’d spent with these people.

The Aledrasians were still recovering from what had happened during the ritual.Thousands of them had perished, many of their souls claimed and forced by the SpiritBender to turn into ravaged and furious specters. I would’ve wanted Death to restorethem, much like she’d had me do with the five million fae. I’d asked her about it, andshe’d said there was not much she could do for Aledras. Giving life back to the fae hadalready been quite a stretch, regardless of the way in which they’d died. She couldn’thave done the same for the Aledrasians—not without stirring the wrath of her brethren,other forces of the universe I’d not had the misfortune to meet. I didn’t include the Wordhere because the Word wouldn’t have given a damn. It was the others that Death hadworried about… entities I hoped to never come across.

But the planet looked good. Thieron’s restoring blow had stopped its physicaldestruction, at least, restoring the lands and the forests, the rivers and the mountains.The Aledrasians had to rebuild some of their cities, and I’d found a sliver of comfort inknowing that they would never suffer like that again. There would be no other Hermessiritual. Taeral’s unique hybrid nature and ability to wield Thieron had made that possible.

I reached the frozen lake within seconds of my arrival, thankful for my ability to movethrough space without being subject to its physical rules. Death lounged on the thick ice,looking bored and drawing stickman figures in the thin layer of snow that had settled.Chains still linked her to the bottom—part of the 999 remaining seals. Runes coveredevery visible part of her skin, going beneath the silken white robe, as well. All of themseals, too.

Dream, Nightmare, and Kelara looked pretty tired, their legs crossed as they sataround the ice hole into which the chains went. They’d been at the second seal for about

eight months, give or take, and they had not managed to crack it yet. The irony did notescape us—it had taken the Spirit Bender mere days to trap Death, but it would takeyears, at this rate, to free her again.

“Seeley, darling. Give me some good news, please,” Death said, giving me a broadbut cold smile as she got up and brushed the snow from her silken robe. “I’m dying ofboredom here.”

Not that I could blame her. Her telepathy was under seal, as well. She relied on usReapers to bring her up to speed, to tell her stories, to entertain her in any way possible.She’d been bound to this place, unable to do anything. It was a miracle she hadn’t gonestir crazy yet—captivity was not something that Death could easily tolerate.

“What’s going on here? Any progress?” I asked, knowing what the answer would be.I earned myself a trio of scowls from Kelara, Dream, and Nightmare. They were

positively drained. “I might’ve figured out the second seal,” Kelara replied. “But I need tobe careful as I apply the spell. That’s mainly because my hands are shaking. I’m friggin’exhausted!”

“No need to get cranky, Kelara, I was merely asking,” I said, raising my hands in adefensive gesture. Dream and Nightmare giggled at one another.

“We’ve been at this for a while.” Dream sighed. “Give the girl a break.”“What part of ‘I was merely asking’ did you not understand?” I retorted.Kelara cursed under her breath and pulled herself up. She took out her scythe and

kneeled before Death. “Would you be so kind as to hold out your left arm, please?”Kelara asked.

Death raised her eyebrows, genuinely curious. “What are you up to?”“I think I’m dealing with a scythe seal, this time,” she said. “It will take all the energy

I’ve got left, both mine and borrowed, to put into my blade, and I’ll probably sleep for therest of the year afterward, but it’s worth a shot.”

Death nodded slowly, stretching out her left arm. Kelara used the scythe’s sharp tip totrace around one of the black runes, whispering an ancient Reaper spell. The outline litup white, and Death hissed from what sounded like pain.

“We’ve tried several spells, so far,” Dream said, her gaze fixed on Death and Kelara.“This is pretty much the last resort. Nightmare and I had to give her some of our energyto do it.”

“That’s why you were sitting by the water hole together, like besties?” I asked.Kelara continued to fill the rune with light from her spell, sweat beads already

glistening on her forehead. Death cringed, closing her eyes. She was uncomfortable, toput it mildly. I’d never seen her like this. So… vulnerable.

“Kelara needed some First Tenner juice for this,” Nightmare replied with a shrug.“Why couldn’t one of you do it?” I asked.“It’s a spell I made up myself,” Kelara gritted out, still focused on her work.The revelation hit me in the chest like a sledgehammer. “Whoa. What?!”“It’s a spell I made up my—”I cut her off. “Yeah, I got that part, Kelara. How is that even possible?”Death smiled. “She didn’t know she had it in her. You’d be surprised by how many of

you have this potential, if you only gave yourselves to it.”“I’m confused.”“You and me both,” Dream replied. “But our momma’s kind of right. No one ever said

we couldn’t make death spells of our own. And the death spells we know didn’t all comefrom her.”

Nightmare chuckled. “Fun fact, right?”Suddenly, I was the one on the outside, looking in and feeling like a complete stooge.

“I’m sorry, when did this become common knowledge? Because I certainly wasn’t in theloop. I thought you were the one who gave us all these spells,” I said, scowling at Death.Maybe I wouldn’t have had the same courage, had she not been trapped under the seals.

Death shook her head. “I never said that.”“You never not said that,” Dream retorted.“Listen, you’re Reapers. That means you’ve got threads of my power inside you. Most

of your kind have very little, like, say, the lower circles. Kelara, Seeley, and others fromthe fourth circle and above, well… you got a bit more. Enough to work with and makeyour own spell. You’d need a lot of spare time for that, though, which Kelara has had,since she’s been here with me,” Death explained. “She’s had time to push herself andexplore.”

“We didn’t tell you because we weren’t sure it would work,” Kelara said, finishing herlight-coloring work on the rune seal. “This is my first attempt, mind you.”

“I still don’t understand how the seals work, exactly,” I replied.“No one really does.” Death sighed. “They are modified versions, made by the Spirit

Bender. He took his time and learned some new tricks while he was plotting myprofessional demise.”

“Oh, so we’re not even dealing with the classic Thousand Seals,” I concluded.“Bingo,” Nightmare said, grinning. “How’s it going, Kelara? Think we can drop it down

to 998 seals before the turn of this century?”Kelara was shaking, the spell draining her of every wisp of energy left in her Reaper

body, but she didn’t give up. I had to admit, I respected her even more for what she wasdoing. She grunted as she scratched through the glowing rune with the tip of her scythe.As soon as the blade found clean skin again, a faint pulse erupted from Death—faint, yetpowerful enough to knock Kelara back.

She landed on her hind, gritting her teeth. “Damn.”“You did it!” Death exclaimed, breathing deeply. “I feel a tad lighter already!”“Wow, you make it sound like the Atkins diet,” Dream muttered.“I did it!” Kelara gasped. “Finally!”“Yay! 998 to go! Pop the champagne, will ya?!” Nightmare sneered.Death laughed lightly, shifting her attention to me. “Good. Now that that’s out of the

way, tell me, Seeley, what news do you bring from The Shade?”She sounded as though she’d just finished a waxing session at the local spa. Death

baffled me beyond belief sometimes, but I’d learned not to dwell much on her moods andtemperament. She was an entity beyond my full understanding, and I’d had to get usedto it.

“Derek and Sofia have put together a small mission for Visio,” I said.Kelara was still in awe of what she’d just accomplished, her smile bursting with sheer

satisfaction. “I totally did it,” she mumbled, mostly to herself.“They’re going after the source for the day-walking protein,” I added, noticing Death’s

expression light up. I was giving her excellent news, it seemed, though I wasn’t yet surewhat it all meant, in the grand scheme of things.

“Oh, Seeley, this is great,” Death replied, glancing to the side for a moment.The wheels in her cosmic head were turning, and I would’ve given anything to be able

to hear her thoughts. What drove her? What did she want from these people? Whatpurpose did that protein serve for Death, and why did she need me out there, shadowingNethissis and her team?

Whatever her next directive would be, I was determined not to go until she answeredmy questions. I deserved that much, after all the errands I’d run for her thus far.

T

K E L A R A

his was going to take forever.I’d spent the past month tapping into potential I hadn’t even known I

had, thanks to Death shedding some light on several aspects of Reaperhood, includingthe one she’d just explained to Seeley, about her energy being in all of us. It had notbeen easy, but once I’d become aware of it, I’d actually been able to harness this power,to create this new spell.

She’d said that I was quite proficient, since I’d been able to concoct something socomplicated on my very first try. Naturally, I felt encouraged to do more, to try more, togo all the way to my limit, wherever that was.

At first, I’d started out with some brief meditation exercises, just something to put mein touch with my inner self. It had sounded like a yoga session, until I’d felt it snap insideme… the power surging, itching to be let out. From there to crafting a spell that wouldbreak one of Spirit’s seals had only been one additional step. I’d let my hand and myscythe do most of the work, focusing on the seal’s structure.

Reaper magic was funny that way, keeping its secrets close until one of us poked ithard enough to make it react. Nevertheless, it was better than nothing. I’d accomplishedsomething incredible today, after months of trying all sorts of previously made deathspells, courtesy of Dream and Nightmare, all of which had failed. I’d have thought theReaper twins would’ve brought some big-league mojo into the game, but nothing they’dconjured had managed to resolve our problem.

We’d finally broken the first seal since Silence, and we had 998 more to go. My onlyhope was that they wouldn’t all be as iffy as this one. Seeing Seeley back had done adecent job of upping my morale, though. Not that he was very good at beingencouraging, but I did get a kick out of impressing one of my peers.

“You must stay with them,” Death said to him, referring to Derek and Sofia. “Go withthem to Visio and tell me what you find there.”

“Okay, I’m going to need a little bit more to go on,” Seeley replied.It didn’t sit well with Death. “Are you questioning me?”“Uh-oh,” Nightmare mumbled. Dream nudged him in the ribs, hard enough to shut him

up.“No. I simply want to know what it is I’m doing chasing these people around,” Seeley

said. “I could be here with you, helping the seal-breaking operation move faster. Or outwith Soul and the others, looking for the remaining First Tenners. It feels like I’m missingimportant information, and I’d very much appreciate it if you could enlighten me. That’sall.”

Death thought about it for a moment. She certainly didn’t like anyone doubting her.However, given her current condition, maybe it was time she put more trust in Reaperslike Seeley. He’d served her, flawlessly, for more than a thousand years. I would’vetrusted him with my life and my afterlife.

“Seeley, I wouldn’t send you out with them if it wasn’t important,” Death finally said.“Chances are their trip for this protein will yield more than just the possibility to walk inthe sun again. It could very well get us closer to breaking these seals within days, ratherthan centuries or millennia.”

Dream and Nightmare’s heads twisted so fast, I worried they might’ve snapped theirnecks as they turned to gawk at her in disbelief. “What in the world are you talkingabout?!” Nightmare croaked.

“I only have more questions now,” Seeley said, unwilling to let go. Death wasdefinitely holding back. Even I could tell.

”I need you to trust me. I would tell you more, but I’m not sure whether I’m right orwrong on this, which is why you must stay close to them and report back to me as oftenas you can,” Death explained, sounding rather frustrated. “Please, Seeley. Just trust me.I’m asking you to do this for all of us, not just for me.”

Seeley exhaled, understandably exasperated. “I have never doubted you. Never. And Ihave always done what you asked of me, without hesitation or opposition. But I’ve goneout on a limb one too many times, and I’m honestly tired of getting myself in troublewithout knowing why. Because, let’s face it, we all know this isn’t going to be a tameride. Nothing that involves GASP or the Shadians is without unexpected twists. That muchwe’ve learned, just from the Hermessi incident—not to mention their previousexpeditions.”

“Like I said, your mission might get us closer to breaking the seals faster,” Death said.“It’s only a hunch. And I will get into the specifics of it all once you tell me what you findthere… wherever ‘there’ is.”

“You know, we actually share Seeley’s frustration here,” Dream replied. “It wouldn’tkill you to tell us more.”

“You might find that telling the whole truth for once is actually quite liberating,”Nightmare added.

“I’m not telling you more until I understand what is at the source of that day-walkingprotein. Period,” Death replied dryly.

Seeley nodded once. “Okay. But I promise you, this is the last time I’m going in blind.I’ll stay close to Derek and Sofia. I’ll investigate and let you know what I find. But whenthis is all over, if you still keep secrets from me, secrets that might get me or others hurtin the process, I swear I’m done with all of this. I’ll go back to reaping people and notgiving a crap about what you or the upper circles are up to.”

“So, you’re leaving the search for the First Tenners to Soul and his crew, then?” I

asked, changing the subject. “The Unending, the Night Bringer and the Morning Star arestill out there, and we’ve yet to learn anything new about them.”

“Also, why won’t you tell us the reason for wanting us all back here together again?”Dream asked. We’d tried asking before, but Death had kept quiet about it. Whatever themotive, it had to be big enough to warrant all the remaining First Tenners.

Death nodded, her galaxy eyes twinkling a little brighter. “Soul is due to return withupdates soon. He promised he’d have something for me by the third full moon. We’rereaching it shortly on Aledras, aren’t we?”

We all gazed up at the twilight sky, a white pearl rising in the growing darkness.“Indeed, we are,” Dream said.

“As for the reason why, I doubt you need it right now. I’d rather keep you all on yourtoes. Your curiosity is rather irksome.” Death sighed, then glanced up. That was the endof this particular conversation again. She definitely wasn’t ready to talk just yet.

“I cannot wait to see Unending again,” she murmured, appearing to almost forget thatwe could hear her as she stared at the night above.

“Can I say something?” I interjected, my legs still too weak for me to get up. It wasimpressive that I was still conscious, though my eyelids were getting droopy. Death gaveme a curious glance. “You speak of Unending with… love, if I’m not mistaken. I mean,don’t get me wrong, I know you love us all and so on, but I’ve noticed you tend to lightup whenever you hear her name, in particular. Why is that? What makes her special?”

Death let a deep sigh roll out of her chest, as if eons of solitude and sadness weretumbling out. I’d clearly struck a chord. “She was my first. My very first,” Death said. “In away, she’s like my first child. You never forget or stop loving your first, do you?”

“It’s always been like this,” Dream replied, staring at the water in the ice hole. Therewas a tinge of jealousy in her voice. I figured they were more like siblings, after all. Theyall yearned for their mother’s full and undivided attention. “I often resented Unending forit. She was the coldest to Death, yet she’s the one Death loves most.”

“I love you all,” Death said, looking somewhat guilty, even pained to have to defendherself like this. I kind of felt sorry for her.

“No need to go there,” Nightmare replied, smiling. “It’s okay. We didn’t like it at first,but we got used to it. We love you nonetheless, and we’ll never hold it against you.”

Dream mirrored her brother’s expression. “To be fair, I miss that stuck-up bitch, too.”“Lots of love in this family,” Seeley replied, heavily amused.“Yeah, they’re complicated,” I said, rubbing my face.“I’m being gratuitously mean, and I don’t regret it,” Dream confessed. “Unending is a

lot like us, but there’s also a goodness inside her. Something none of us ever had.”“I doubt it had anything to do with how Death made us,” Nightmare mused.Dream shook her head. “No. It was strictly character. Thing is, Unending’s powers

made it difficult for her to settle anywhere after we were released from our duties. Itmade her often sullen.”

“Yeah, she had her dark days,” Nightmare replied.“What powers are we talking about?” I asked, drawing scowls from the nightmarish

twins.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” Dream retorted. It wasn’t an answer, but Idoubted I’d get more out of them, anytime soon.

Love glimmered in the cosmic darkness of Death’s eyes as her lips stretched into awarm smile. “Yes. She is gifted, and she is powerful. She knows more than most of theReapers put together, including her siblings.” Her demeanor turned back to businessmode as she resumed her focus on Seeley. “Anyway… Don’t forget, Seeley. I need all thedetails you can spare about Visio. What kind of people live there, what they’re like.Everything.”

Seeley nodded once. “I’ll tell you everything I see and learn there. But keep in mindthat I expect more information from you the next time we speak.”

“Hold on,” I said, frowning at Death. “How come you don’t already know anythingabout Visio and its people?”

“Last time I was out there, humanoid-like creatures inhabited that world. This wasmore than five million years ago. Not sure you remember, but Thieron’s absence sort ofmessed with my omniscience.” Death’s tone was dry.

My cheeks were hot. I’d learned a lot since I’d been around Death—about her quirksand limitations. About the entire hierarchy of the Reaper circles, particularly the FirstTenners. But I was still eager to learn more about their respective powers, and how theyall fit into the grand plan of creation and existence, across its many planes anddimensions.

For now, however, it seemed like it was back to work. I would’ve loved to get outthere with Seeley for a change of scenery. But I also looked forward to freeing Deathfrom these seals. She looked so weak, so not herself. I wanted her free, back at fullstrength, wielding Thieron once more and restoring the order which Spirit and Brendelhad so recklessly disturbed.

T

D E R E K

he shuttle was just about ready to leave, with Dmitri doing one last sweepand check of its systems and our supplies. I appreciated his thoroughness.

He and Douma had wanted to come along, but they’d understood that we wanted tokeep this mission small and effective.

I could not contain my smile anymore. This was an adventure we were embarking on,and however it would turn out, it would be a step farther away from our Hermessi horror.And that, I found exciting.

It was a little before noon, though we could only tell by our watches and not by thesky. The moon shone beautifully over The Shade, the wind rushing through the treecrowns. The scent of acacias blooming traveled toward the beach, filling my lungs withdelicate sweetness. Even if we did find a day-walking cure for all vampires, I was surewe’d all feel conflicted about doing away with The Shade’s night. It was such an integralpart of the place, threaded through the very heart of its history and our memories. Maybewe’d keep half of the island permanently in shade, just for nostalgia.

Either way, first things first. Don’t count your chickens, and all…Esme and Tristan carried their backpacks inside the shuttle, then came back out and

hugged their parents. Amal spent a few more minutes with Amane and Ridan. I could tellthat Amane was on edge about this. Sisterly love was a wonderful thing to witness.Vivienne and Xavier had visited us the night before, and Vivienne had given me plenty ofhugs and words of wisdom—not that I’d needed any, in particular, but what kind ofbrother would I have been, had I not let her tell me what was on her mind or in herheart?

“Will you two promise not to get into trouble?” Rose asked.I could feel her and Ben’s eyes on us, even when we weren’t looking. I grinned.

“That’s the whole purpose of this mission. We keep our heads low, and we focus on theday-walking protein. Nothing more, nothing less,” I said.

“I’ve had enough wars to last me a lifetime,” Sofia grumbled.Nethissis hugged Lumi and Kailani one last time, then made her way toward the

shuttle, her knee-high boots sinking into the golden sand. She carried a satchel over hershoulder and an additional bag with what I assumed would be extra spell paraphernalia.Out of the entire group, Nethissis had the responsibility of keeping us healthy and safe if

we couldn’t do it ourselves. I admired her greatly for her involvement in the Death Squad,and I trusted her to have our backs during this mission.

“It’s going to be okay,” I reiterated to Ben and Rose. “We’ll check in every twenty-fourhours. If we come upon something we cannot handle by ourselves, we’ll let you know. Ijust want you both to keep a tight rein on things while we’re gone.”

“Don’t worry about GASP, Dad,” Ben replied. “It’s grown so big and sturdy, it’s prettymuch running itself these days…”

The ocean lapped at our shore, white foam glistening as the tide withdrew lazily.Beyond, the starry night sky stretched on forever, the celestial bodies twinkling across therippling water. It was quiet and cool, and the breeze sent delicate shivers down my spine.Many thoughts crossed my mind, though I did my best to steer them away from anyworst-case scenario. There was no reason to invite the universe to spoil a potentiallygreat thing.

“You know what’s been on my mind lately?” Ben said after a while, prompting us tolook at him, as Amal carried her bags into the shuttle and settled inside. “Death. Iwonder what she’s been up to. I know Taeral hasn’t had any contact with the Reapers,but I’m still curious about her, about her world, about what’s there beyond our lastbreath.”

“The Reapers did often mention the world of the living and that of the dead,” Rosereplied, nodding slowly. “It does make you wonder, huh? What’s next, after we die? Notthat it’s the first time we’ve asked the question, but it’s definitely the first time we havesome sort of clue as to what exists beyond our realm.”

“Vampirism brings immortality.” I sighed. “It’s part of the reason why I love my natureso much. The uncertainty of what awaits after we die is not something I wish to explore.I’m too keen on living, perhaps.”

Rose grinned. “But you’ve never thought about it?”“Of course I have. More than once. I just have no intention of dying anytime soon.

Therefore, I’d rather not give it much thought.”“Well, me neither, but I’m still curious,” Sofia said. “I mean, who wouldn’t be? It’s the

one thing we have no answers for. The closest we ever got to whatever exists after deathwere the ghostly forms of Sherus, Ben, Lucas, and Kailyn. That’s it.”

Ben shrugged. “And that technically qualifies as between the realms. So, not enough,if you ask me.”

“Unfortunately, we don’t have any Reapers to talk to about this,” I replied, feeling thetension gathering between my shoulder blades. I didn’t like talking about death. Itreminded me of losing our son. Our family. My brother. It was too painful. I’d gone togreat efforts to heal after the Hermessi incident. Digging it all back up was not how Iplanned to spend my last minutes with Ben and Rose before takeoff.

“Yeah, they’ve really held onto their no-contact policy,” Sofia muttered, lookingdownright disappointed.

Our brush with the ritual had broken her, too, in ways we’d never thought possible,but she’d retained this fearlessness that allowed her to question things, to wonder aboutdeath even after she watched half of her family die. I had to admit, I did not have her

strength, and for that, I admired Sofia even more.She wanted to learn everything she could about the Reapers, about Death, about the

spirits and the ghouls. Most importantly, I knew she wanted to know what the world ofthe dead truly entailed, and what it was like. Alas, our knowledge remained flimsy.

I chose to focus on the day-walking protein instead. That was now within our reach.Palpable. Achievable. Something we could all strive toward. I wanted to make it happen,so I could see Sofia smiling in the sunlight again. So every vampire on Earth and beyondcould live in the day as well as they did in the night.

T

E S M E

ristan and I hugged our parents one last time, as Lumi and Kailani preparedthe last details for the interplanetary spell. It had been set up with Derek’s

day-walking protein for tracking, so it would take us straight to Trexus-2. Our parentstightened their grip, seeking to pour all the love they had for us into one embrace.

“You two had better be on your best behavior while we’re gone,” I said, grinning atour parents. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Dad chuckled reluctantly. “The second part of your request directly contradicts thefirst. You’re aware of that, right?”

“I so am.”Giving them a goodbye wink, I turned around and headed straight for the shuttle.

Tristan was right behind me, occasionally glancing back to smile at Mom and Dad. He didit more for them than for himself. My brother was as independent as me, and just aseager to go on this trip.

Derek and Sofia joined us, having bid their own share of farewells to the rest of theirfamily, and Nethissis greeted us by the boarding ramp, beaming like the Northern Star.

“Everyone ready?” she asked, albeit rhetorically.“As we’ll ever be,” I replied.We waved goodbye to Dmitri and the others as we made our way up the ramp. Derek

was the last to board, setting the shuttle’s closing mechanism in motion. The ramp shuttight, and the wide cabin was pressurized, the fresh air hissing as it was pumped inside.

The shuttle itself was a marvelous combination of magi-tech, with biological systemsembedded into the walls to create a continuous flow of clean and highly oxygenated air,even when there was none on the outside. Greenery sprawled around and above, pastthe solid glass walls and ceiling, primarily responsible for our ability to breathe.

Sofia and Derek then took their seats in front of the control panel, strappingthemselves in. Tristan, Amal, Nethissis, and I occupied the lateral seats, with a good viewof what would soon be revealed through the massive windshield.

“My heart is thumping,” Amal murmured, clicking her safety straps in place. I could tellshe was nervously excited. Her pulse drummed in my ears.

“Enjoy the cruise!” I said, offering her a broad, stewardess-like smile.Derek glanced out through the windshield as the light bubble swallowed our shuttle.

The interplanetary spell was activated. Nethissis’s eyes darted around the ship. She wasas skittish as Amal, and it was downright adorable. Behold, the swamp witch who faceddozens of roiled-up Hermessi and an evil Reaper and lived to tell the tale.

Naturally, I was poking fun because I needed to take my mind off my own sharp edge.Deep down, I was nervous too, but I’d made a name for myself as the brave andcomposed one of the Vaughns. Tristan’s hand covered mine on the armrest. He knew.When no one else could figure me out, he read me like an open book.

I gave him a half-smile, and he paid me back with a wink, as if to say, “Chill, sis.We’ve got this.”

The takeoff startled us, as the spell bubble lifted the shuttle off the ground and dartedupward through The Shade’s protective layer of eternal night. My stomach was tiny,reduced to the size of a pea, but I soaked it all in. The humming of the interplanetaryspell. The rumbling of air brushing against it as our speed increased through the sky.

“We’ll be breaching the atmosphere soon,” Derek announced, kicking back in his seat.He didn’t need to take hold of the shuttle until we reached Trexus-2.

Light was filtered through the smoky windshield, but we could still see the sparklingsun as it hugged the world below. The dark blue ocean unraveled beneath, meeting theclear blue sky on the arching horizon. My heart soared along with our shuttle beforeeverything shook to the core. Friction with our planet’s atmosphere was always thebumpy part of the ride, but we moved through, eventually, and the cosmos openedbefore us.

I found myself in awe of the view. Billions of stars exploded across the pitch-blackcanvas. The neighboring planets turned slowly under the sun’s amber eye. Mars, withswirls of red and orange. Our moon, a giant pearl on the dark side of Earth, casting itslight through the night. Beyond, I could see Jupiter and Neptune rising, titans that hadbeen given the names of ancient gods.

This was the next step in my development, as a vampire and as an explorer.Memories of my brother and me begging our parents to take us on safari trips in WestAfrica emerged. I could almost see myself back home, in the mirror, scabs still healing onmy bony knees, as I put on my Indiana Jones style hat and brown leather satchel,grinning and looking forward to finding ancient artifacts somewhere in the heart of theold continent.

Of course, all I got at the time was a jeep ride through the local plains and jungles,observing lions lounging in the sun, giraffes meandering toward the watering holes,elephants nudging their little ones across the golden fields, and cheetahs racing to catchantelopes that ran like the wind. Years would pass before I’d get my chance atexplorations of my own, so I’d had to make do with what my parents had given Tristanand me.

“What’s on your mind?” my brother asked, as the spell bubble shot through space at agazillion miles per hour.

Inside the shuttle, the temperature and pressure were perfect, and we did not feel thediscomfort of being hurled through the galaxy at light-speed. It didn’t seem to make Amallook any better, though. The poor soul was as pale as a sheet of paper, occasionally

sipping from a water bottle to keep herself hydrated. I realized then that it wasn’t theactual mission that had made her somewhat skittish. She just really hated flying.

“Our first safari trip.” I chuckled. “Remember that one?”“Oh… yeah. You were so disappointed,” he replied, the memory glinting in his green

eyes. “I loved it, but you were all pouty because we weren’t going to visit anyarcheological sites or ruins.”

I shrugged. “Meh. There wasn’t that much in those parts of Africa, anyway. Once wegot to Egypt when we were fifteen, I got my full dose of archeology.”

“Hey, you were partial to the safari, too. Admit it.”“I was. Especially when the chimpanzee family stumbled upon our jeep. I have no

idea how they found the snack bag as fast as they did.”Tristan laughed lightly. “Oh, yeah. You were all smiles, fumbling for your phone to

snap pictures, while Mom and Dad were shrieking, worried there would be no energy barsleft for later.”

“Hey, not my fault I get hangry,” I replied. “But no, you’re right. It was cool. Heck, itwas an amazing experience.”

“To be honest, I appreciated our trips together later. With Mom and Dad we were stillhuman, and they were constantly worried about us. Worried that the lions might eat us.That a hyena might steal you in the middle of the night.”

“Good grief, that was funny,” I blurted, doubling over. “Mom used that as a threat,more than once, whenever I wandered off.”

Tristan did a shrill imitation of Mom. It didn’t flatter her, but it was still funny as hell.“Esme Cherie Vaughn! Get your hind back here before the hyenas steal you and eat you!”

It got him a giggle from Nethissis and Amal as well. Sofia and Derek were pretty goodat keeping their straight faces, until I thickened my voice and did my dad, next. “Esme,listen to your mother! She knows the hyenas’ diet better than you ever will!”

Now the whole team was laughing. Our parents had always meant well, but they wereoften overprotective and hilarious in their attempts to shield us from the horrors anddangers of the world.

Derek and Sofia had played a solid part in lowering their resistance to the project. Wecouldn’t be kept inside the family cocoon anymore. Though we both looked like we wereonly in our early twenties, Tristan and I had explored almost every corner of the Earth—not to mention several remote locations in the In-Between and the SupernaturalDimension.

We were more than ready for this.“I understand what your father meant by white hairs,” Sofia said once the laughter

died down.Our families had not been as close as I would’ve liked, but the Novaks had had

nothing but love for Tristan and me whenever we arranged visits. We’d visit every otherweek or so, since our families lived on opposite sides of the redwood forest, and ourparents had several educational projects that often took them to the Vale.

That gave us the opportunity to hang out with humans a lot, and not just our vampirerelatives and friends. I had always loved the Vale, but I’d loved the outside world even

more, and so had Tristan.“We were quite a handful, yes,” Tristan replied. “But not separately, mind you. Esme

was a little soldier, and I was the straight-A tyke. It was when we were together thattrouble started brewing.”

Derek chuckled. “You coaxed each other into doing stupid things, huh?”“Well, we considered them to be the brave actions of enterprising young explorers,

but yeah, you could say that,” I said, my cheeks hurting already.“They got used to it eventually.” Tristan leaned back into his chair. “Mom and Dad

both realized they couldn’t contain us. So instead, they focused on whatever damage wemight cause.”

“Damage? Were you destructive as children?” Amal asked, curiosity painting a faintsmile on her face, her white hair braided neatly down her back. Luscious orange scalescovered her neck and shoulders, matching her big, round eyes. I remembered then thatshe’d never had a childhood of her own. Both she and her twin, Amane, had beendesigned in artificial wombs by Ta’Zan, emerging as full-grown specimens.

I shook my head. “Not really. I mean, it wasn’t that bad.“We had a habit of wandering off and not telling anyone where we were going,”

Tristan explained. “It’s why we were given cellphones at the age of five.”Sofia lit up, remembering something. “Oh dear. I remember the time you both made it

all the way to Sun Beach!”“And when we found them sleeping outside our treehouse,” Derek added. “They were

eight and nine, respectively, wearing their shorts and explorer hats.”“Those cute little binoculars.” Sofia giggled.More than once, my brother and I had gotten ourselves lost in The Shade, for it was a

giant place for children like us. It had once felt like the entire world to me. We’d neverbeen unsafe or in any kind of danger, though. The people had always found us andbrought us back home, to a trembling mother and a white-faced father. After a while, ourparents had adjusted, learning not to panic anymore when they didn’t see us around thehouse.

“Mom had made a list of people to call in case they couldn’t find us,” I said.Tristan smiled. “She had … what, two hundred names in there?”I nodded proudly. “One time, she went through all of them before she found us.”“You were devils. Absolute devils,” Nethissis replied, a grin stretching her lips. “I like

you now, more than ever.”“I’ll be honest. It’s their thirst for adventure that really sealed the deal for me

regarding this mission,” Derek said, looking at us. “I know you’ll take it as a greatchallenge, given your expertise.”

“You’re both anthropologists, right?” Amal asked. “You study history, cultures, ingeneral. Different civilizations.”

“Yes. Though to be honest we learned more from our travels than we did from ourstudies,” Tristan said.

“Being here is an honor,” I added, smiling at Derek and Sofia. “We’re both grateful toyou. Extending this invitation was like making a wild dream come true. I’ve always

wondered what else we’d find in the Earthly Dimension. I guess we’re getting ouranswers, soon enough.”

“I know your heritage plays a part in this as well,” Derek replied, sadness brieflyshadowing his blue eyes. “Anna and Kyle were amazing people. I know she would’vewanted to become a vampire as well, so she could enjoy you both for as long as shecould.”

“Not to mention your cousins, your parents and uncles,” Sofia added. “They left awonderful family behind.”

I sighed deeply, having wished for the same more than once while growing up. “Iguess, in a way, we’re honoring them like this.”

“They’d be proud of you,” Derek replied.All Tristan and I had to do was rise to the occasion. The challenge had been laid out

before us. We were headed toward an unknown civilization, who had something we badlywanted. Like Derek had said, it put all of our skills into play, including diplomacy andresourcefulness. We just needed to gear up and give it our best.

T

T R I S T A N

he voyage was extraordinary. The trips Esme and I had taken into theSupernatural Dimension and the In-Between had mostly been done through

the portals or the interplanetary travel spell, so this was our first time literally out inspace.

My blood rushed frantically as I soaked in every minute of the ride, trying toremember as much as I could from what I was seeing. I felt tiny. Like a minuscule blip inthe universe.

The Earthly Dimension was truly astonishing, and I couldn’t take my eyes off the viewthrough the windshield. Thousands of planets and stars lingered against the blackness.Comets and asteroids wandered across the empty space. I remembered photos I’d seenfrom interplanetary travels through the In-Between and the Supernatural Dimension. I’dbeen dazed by the swirling streams of pink and orange stardust, the spectacular purpleasteroid fields, the amber and yellow and bright orange planets that circled massive,reddish stars…

By comparison, the Earthly Dimension was less dazzling and sparkling, but it wasgorgeous in its brutal simplicity. From where we were, it all looked suspended in the voidof time and space—perfectly polished marbles with white streaks, revealing a multitudeof muted greens and blues as they turned; twinkling stars that grew into blazing whitesuns as we approached them; asteroid clusters that were dark gray and lumpy, weird anddangerous and extraordinary at the same time.

No, this was truly a sight to behold.These were planets hurled through space at ridiculous speeds, wandering comets with

fiery green tails, stars imploding and collapsing in on themselves… black holes poweringentire galaxies! The universe here was wild and untamed, subject to violence, clashes,and explosions the likes of which many people wouldn’t even see in their lifetimes.

Compared to the ethereal colors of Eritopia, for example, our Milky Way was savage.Like a lioness prowling in the darkness, roaring and slashing at everything within itsreach. I was floored and speechless, having completely tuned out of the conversation. Ididn’t even hear my sister calling out to me.

“Tristan. Tristan!”Finally, I reacted, my head snapping back to her. “Yes. Sorry. This is all just…

mesmerizing.”“I know. You’re entranced.” She giggled. “We’re getting close.”“Close to where?”My mind was a hilarious blank. I’d basically forgotten where we were going. It made

her laugh. “Trexus-2, nimrod. Look over there!”She pointed at a solar system not far from our position. It had a big sun, perhaps

larger than our own. Fifteen planets spun around it, small marbles in soft shades of gray,blue, and orange. It didn’t take long to identify the three we knew were inhabited.

The strange haze that had prevented us from getting more detailed views of the threeTrexus planets was more visible, as well. It only spanned around them, without affectingthe others in the system.

“That mist thing is weird,” I said. “What is that, exactly?”“We were never able to figure it out from afar,” Derek replied. “Hopefully we’ll

understand it better once we get there. It’s like a shapeless filter of sorts, blurring ourtelescope imagery.”

By now, our necks were stretching as we leaned closer to Derek and Sofia so we couldget a better view. It looked so quiet. So peaceful. Filled with secrets waiting to bediscovered. Threads to be pulled. Curtains to be drawn. My limbs tingled with excitement.If there was one thing my sister and I would never tire of, it was this feeling, right here—the thrill of discovery, the bewilderment, the thousands of questions that filled my head,beckoning me to answer each and every one of them, making sure I’d leave no stoneunturned.

Esme and I looked at each other for a brief moment. As if reading each other’s minds,we both smiled. It wasn’t a grin. It was a hopeful, timid curve of the lips. It was a thoughtthat we dared not put into words, for it might crumble and vanish before we could makeit into a reality.

“That’s Trexus-1, closer to the sun,” Derek said, drawing our attention.The three Trexus planets were right next to each other, easily within reach if there

were methods of space flight readily available for their people. The one we’d called 1 wasreddish in color, and it was the smallest. “It’s mostly deserts and rocks, isn’t it?” I asked,remembering some of the data we’d skimmed through from the telescopic observations.The haze wasn’t as obstructive from this distance, as opposed to what we’d seen throughthe telescopes.

“Yes. And quarries. We noticed a lot of settlements around them. My guess is they’reexploiting the resources. But the oceans are small and few,” Derek replied. “Chances arethere’s not a big population.”

“Look at Trexus-3,” Sofia added, moving our focus to the slightly bigger, blue-and-white planet on the other side of 2. “Given its distance from the sun, it’s mostly ice andsnow. There’s plenty of water, but it’s permanent winter out there.”

“That would probably mean even fewer people. We did find structures andsettlements there, though, didn’t we?” Esme asked, her brow furrowed. I knew she wasalready digging through the memory of what she’d read from Dmitri and Phoenix’sobservations on the topic.

“Exactly. It’s inhabited, we just don’t know how many of them are there, given thehaze,” Derek replied. “But it’s Trexus-2, our destination, that is the most fascinating.”

Indeed, the closer we got to it, the more beautiful it seemed. Its patches of green andblue reminded me of Earth. It had the perfect conditions for life. The atmosphere, theright distance from the sun to allow for a healthy climate and changing seasons… Myheart was already racing as I wondered what kind of people lived there. I’d beenwondering from the moment we’d first been told about the mission.

It was also the biggest of the three, though still slightly smaller than Earth. It had twomoons, to my surprise. One was almost half its size, a monstrous white marble, while theother was merely a pebble, crimson in color. They seemed close to one another, andperhaps someday they might even collide. I knew the white one would win that battlerather quickly.

“Imagine what that big-ass moon looks like at night!” Esme exclaimed, her eyes wideand twinkling. “It’s got to cover half the sky…”

“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” Sofia replied, smiling broadly as ourinterplanetary spell began its descent toward Trexus-2.

We finally passed through the thin layer of mist, and we were now able to see muchmore. My breath left me as I stared through the windshield.

If the journey itself had been full of wonder and awe, our approach was loaded withadrenaline—not because of the ride, but because of the anticipation that was building upin each of us. Our destination was truly the crown jewel of this solar system.

Its waters were deep and blue, tourmaline velvet stretching for thousands of miles,and filled with who-knew-what kind of marine creatures. The continents were wide stripsthat had broken off from the whole a long time ago, scattered across the planet, withoceans swelling between them. I could see the green patches of woods, the rockymountain clusters, the deserts. White clouds threaded above. The eye of a storm lookedright at us from the dark side. I did not want us to be down there, only imagining whatsorts of calamities it might let loose.

“Preparing for atmospheric entry,” Derek said, flipping various switches on.The control panel blinked in a plethora of colorful lights as the shuttle responded to

his commands. Sofia pulled one of the levers to her right, and the entire vessel roared tolife. Behind us, neatly tucked against the wall, the serium batteries’ blue glow intensifiedas the engines were kicked into motion.

“As soon as we reach it, the interplanetary spell will likely disintegrate,” Nethissiswarned us. “It’s one of the risks we calculated from using just a handful of proteins in ablood droplet from you, Derek. Had we had a pebble, at least, from Trexus-2, wewouldn’t have had an issue.”

“That’s okay, Nethi. We prepared for this,” Derek replied.“One minute,” Sofia warned us.The world ahead expanded, and we could see the mountain ranges better, snaking

through fields of emerald green. We were away from the storm, thank heavens. We hadclear skies, and we’d agreed on a certain set of coordinates, using the shuttle’s navigationsystem. They were supposed to lead us straight to the largest settlement we’d observed

through the modified telescopes.Esme took my hand, squeezing gently. I gave her a reassuring smile. “We’re okay. It’ll

be okay,” I whispered, knowing she sometimes needed my support. She was one of thebravest creatures I knew, but even Esme had her weak spot. She was a walkingcontradiction, my sister. Thrilled and scared of new adventures, at the same time. Itmade everything more exciting.

“Twenty seconds,” Sofia said.I counted the rest in the back of my head as the interplanetary spell bubble began to

shake, forcing its way through what seemed like a sturdy, dense atmosphere. The magicbuzzed around us, the sound nearly scratching my brain with its sharpness.

“Five, four… three, two… one!” Sofia breathed as we went in.My heart stopped for a moment, everything else shaking around us. The entry was

surprisingly smooth and short, though, prompting me to open my eyes so I wouldn’t missa thing.

“There she is,” Derek breathed.We were headed for one of the biggest of the five continents, an S-shaped piece of

dry land covered in lush forests, rich fields of wheat, and broad mountain ranges. Riversstreamed across from north to south, and there were cities built along them. Dozens!Dozens of cities, many of which we hadn’t been able to properly observe through thelenses.

“Holy crap,” Esme managed, her jaw dropping.“We’re headed for the southwestern shore,” Derek said.“That’s where the coordinates take us, right?” Nethissis asked.The interplanetary spell bubble began to fade, like a pretty summer’s dream, golden

flakes flying away as the shuttle became active and subject to gravity. The enginesgrumbled softly, the batteries zinging behind us, as Derek and Sofia piloted us to ourpreset destination.

They checked the computer board occasionally, following its screen compass in orderto guide us in the right direction. The shuttle made a sharp left turn and a daring drop,ripping a gasp from my throat as I gripped the plush armrests.

It was Esme’s turn to take my hand in hers and mouth an “It’s okay” at me. My cheeksburned, and so did my throat, but she was right. We’d get through this. We had to. Acrash wasn’t going to kill me, but I was in no mood to get myself maimed so early in thegame.

“Everybody, get ready,” Derek said. “We’re steady now, but we’ll be landing soon.”From what I could see through the windshield, the terrain was smooth. The sunlight

wasn’t too bright, either… It seemed odd, like a soft haze. It cast itself over the world,deepening the shadows and sharpening contrasts in ways I’d not thought possible. It wasbreath-taking.

We were flying over fields of wheat and flowers that reminded me of the Englishrapeseed cultures—patches of bright yellow blossoms that went on for miles. To ourwest, deep woods rose above the rolling hills, cradling all sorts of tales of their own.Behind them, a mountainous beast reigned over the land, with snowcaps and rocky

ridges.To our left, the ocean awaited, and on its golden shores a giant city bloomed, with tall

towers and brick-colored roofs. As we descended, I could see its massive pier and theharbor, where strange ships were anchored, their veils glistening in metallic red andgreen as the wind blew against them. Narrow alleyways created a marvelous maze ofpassages across the entire city, with green squares and a group of majestic, palatialbuildings smack in the middle, on higher ground, overlooking the others.

“I doubt there’s any air travel here,” Amal said, her voice barely audible. She, too, hadfound herself mesmerized by the view. “We would’ve been intercepted already, don’t youthink?”

Sofia seemed inclined to agree, but she only offered a faint nod in response.Derek, on the other hand, held on to some skepticism. “Maybe they don’t need

airships or don’t use them as often. It all depends on how quickly they saw us coming,”he replied. “After all, what took hours for us meant days for them.”

That theory was quickly proven right as we got closer to the ground level. The shipswe’d seen earlier in the docks weren’t regular vessels at all. They had bat-like wingspulled tight against the steel and hardwood bodies, and I was willing to bet they hadengines at the back, and that they could easily take to the air once they left the bay.

“Oh, they definitely fly,” I said, pointing at the ships.Their metallic structures glimmered in the sunlight, making them look like stylishly

upgraded frigates with shiny sails and dark, expandable wings. I was already dying toride in one. They looked like an insane amount of fun.

“They’d need more than that to communicate with their next-door neighbors, though,”Esme mused. As if Trexus-2 was simply eager to prove itself to her, our shuttle’s safetysystems beeped angrily, as objects appeared on the radar screen, directly behind us.

The white dots moved quickly over the green glass. A split second later, we watchedthem zoom past us—smaller, catamaran-shaped vessels that flew as fast as Earth’smilitary planes. There were six, each of them painted white, with long glass panels onthe top and the sides. The air rippled behind them, and green lights glimmered from theirbottoms. They didn’t look like regular fixtures, but rather something akin to analchemist’s fire… strange and unsettling.

“They’re using some kind of magic,” I whispered, sweat dripping from my temples.The flying ships slowed down and performed a straight dive into the ocean waters, not

far from the red-and-green ships. Their white silhouettes vanished beneath the shore,their rapid movements startling the ocean and moving the frigates, ever so slightly—likea playful nudge, at best.

“What do you think those were supposed to do?” Esme asked me. “Show of force?”“I think they would’ve at least fired a weapon in the air or something. Right?” I

replied. Our shuttle looked significantly more advanced, a boomerang-shaped vessel withan alloy frame and an intricate fusion of space tech and magic, but it was obvious thatthe people of Trexus-2 had learned a thing or two about flight, around the same time as,if not just a little bit later than, our Earth.

“Right. So, reconnaissance, then?” Derek suggested.

“Maybe, but those are definitely not reconnaissance.” Esme gasped, staring ahead.Red flares were shot from the edge of the city, leaving a crimson smoke tail behind as

they swooshed past our shuttle. They’d been fired accurately, forming a path for us tofollow. From what I could see as Derek and Sofia decided to swing us between the redlines, the people of Trexus-2 had definitely seen and prepared for us.

“I’ll take that as an invitation to land,” Derek muttered, steering the shuttledownward.

We were led to a massive, stone-plated landing strip less than a mile from the harbor.It arched around the city’s edge. The closer it got, the better I could observe thearchitectural details. Needless to say, my breath had run short at the sight before us.

This place was superb. Its buildings were massive, with elegant brickwork andmasonry, the façades painted beige and red, with sharp archways and enormous, slopedroofs. The windows were all shuttered, but wide open during the day. Flowers adornedevery corner and junction, splashing red, green, and yellow wherever my eyes settled fora second or two.

Gnarly gargoyle-like sculptures held up the roofs, their jaws wide and fangs sharpagainst the upper winds. A palace rose in the distance, with pointy towers and wrought-iron balconies, a dark gray giant overlooking the entire city. Around it, sumptuous villasand building complexes stretched for several miles, with parks and streams and stonebridges forming an elegant pattern. I was instantly struck by the gothic feel of it all.

There was grandeur on the outside, the wisdom of ages infused into each brick andstone block. I could only imagine what awaited on the inside…

“Preparing for landing,” Derek announced, flipping another set of switches before hesteered the shuttle in its hovering position.

My heart was already stuck in my throat, my mind buzzing with anxiety andanticipation. What would they be like? Were they welcoming us, or were we landing in atrap?

“If they wanted us dead, they probably would’ve fired something more potent thanred flares at us,” Sofia said, noticing my strained expression. I felt the sweat tricklingdown my face. All the experience and preparation in the world wasn’t enough for whatwould come next. This feeling would never change, and both Esme and I knew it.

The thrill of the unknown would forever be the same, whenever we set foot in a newand foreign world. Amal took deep breaths, closing her eyes for a few moments, as theshuttle finally reached the landing strip.

“Okay. Time to introduce ourselves,” Derek said.He sucked in a breath, gawking at something outside, his lips moving slowly. I

followed his gaze and understood his hesitation. As soon as we’d landed, uniformedsoldiers had poured onto the landing strip, forming a thick line just outside our shuttle.

They looked a lot like us, and it startled me. Human-like, with athletic figures andtastefully tailored military garb. They didn’t carry any weapons, though, and I couldn’tstop myself from taking it as a good sign.

“They’re not armed,” Sofia said.“We shouldn’t be, either,” Derek replied, giving us a brief glance. “Leave the weapons

here, for now. You all have access cards for the shuttle.”I nodded, not disagreeing with the decision. Unlike Esme, I wasn’t a fan of weapons in

general. I’d done more damage with my claws and fangs when I’d had to.“What are they doing?” Esme asked, carefully analyzing the soldiers.“I believe they’re waiting for us to come out,” Nethissis murmured, clutching her

satchel.Derek and Sofia were the first to remove their safety straps as the shuttle’s engines

quieted down. Esme and I followed, along with Nethissis and Amal. We stopped in frontof the shuttle’s ramp, Derek’s hand hesitating over the control button to his side.

He nodded. “All right. This is it.”Esme gave me a faint smile, and I braced myself for whatever might come next.“Ready?” Derek asked, looking at us.We both nodded back, waiting for a similar reaction from Amal and Nethissis. When

they silently confirmed that they, too, were prepared, Derek pressed the control buttonand the ramp went down with a loud click.

Sofia, Esme, and I pulled on our head covers and masks, given the broad daylightawaiting us outside. Derek, the lucky bastard, had no need, much like Amal andNethissis. For now, I was fine with that, as long as he did the talking first, like we’ddiscussed, and assured these people that we were not hostile in any way.

Just slightly light-sensitive.

M

D E R E K

y heart was pounding in a way I’d never felt before.This wasn’t the first time I was making contact with a new civilization,

but it was the first time I was doing it in order to get something that mightelevate my entire species. Thousands of vampires relied on me and this prolific crew tosucceed. Perhaps it was the pressure of this precise thought that made me sweat a little.

Then again, I could also blame it on the view expanding before me as we calmly andslowly came down the shuttle’s ramp. This city was incredible. It reminded me of oldRenaissance and Victorian images of Paris and London—an architectural mixture thatcomposed a true ode of love and worship to buildings such as Notre Dame, among manyothers. I couldn’t ignore the similarities in the design lines and the materials used to erectthis city’s many wonders, but I could also see the differences. The line arching left,instead of right. The gargoyle-like beasts that held up the roofs, looking rather different—another kind of gnarly, I thought. There was an otherworldly feel to this world, this city…yet it was imbued with a sense of familiarity. I was confounded.

We’d need days to explore and understand it all, I realized. For that, we had to playnice with the hosts. I did not regret my decision not to carry weapons off the shuttle.

“Derek, there’s a lot of them out here,” Sofia murmured beneath her sun mask.Indeed, at least a hundred soldiers had gathered, each of them watching us carefully,

their eyes glinting in the sunlight. In front of them, I recognized what had to be somekind of welcoming committee. Three males and one female of different ages, wearingelegant tunics and a long, dark red velvet dress, respectively.

But before I could truly focus on them, I looked at the soldiers again. Their lack ofweapons was an encouraging aspect, but my reserve still did not falter. Our swords andpulverizers had come in handy before, even though we ourselves didn’t really need them.These people had to have something, some kind of ability, at least, that allowed them toconfidently stand here before complete strangers. They didn’t fear us in any way. It waswritten all over their faces.

“Let us stay calm. I believe the four in the welcoming party ahead will be the ones forus to speak with,” Tristan advised.

Behind the soldiers, the city rose with its sharp towers, facets of dark green andcream mingling across. The daylight was a little off, almost ethereal. This was not a

regular sun they had on Trexus-2… no, it was different. Beautiful and hazy, but different.It probably had something to do with the mist we’d just passed through and which hadobstructed our telescope views.

People stared at us from the glass windows, and I wondered what they were thinking.What they saw us as. Friends or invaders? It couldn’t be the latter; otherwise, wewould’ve been obliterated by their flying ships and humming pods before we’d eventouched the ground. No, they had to be curious, perhaps a bit wary, at worst.

As we moved forward, I took a moment to better study the four nobles’ attire—theyhad to be nobles in this society. It was obvious from the way in which they carriedthemselves, exuding the confidence of a higher rank. The three males were interesting tolook at. One seemed to be in his mid-forties, a stocky figure with a round face and long,black, square-cut beard. The stuffy sideburns were odd, stemming from his short blackhair, but they did bring out his inquisitive gray eyes. He had to be a wealthy official,judging by the silver and gold emblems mounted on the lapel of his dark blue velvet coat.The ruffles of the white shirt beneath seemed to wrestle against his beard, while thetrousers matching the coat had been tailored to help slim his frame by an inch or two.

The second Trexus male had a tall, muscular build and was in his late thirties. He waslikely a military figure of great importance, judging by his stiff posture and the similaritybetween his uniform and the soldiers’. His, however, was black with golden threaddetails, and numerous badges and gemstone emblems covered his broad shoulders. Hisblack hair was long, braided into a tight, slim tail with golden thread weaving through. Itreminded me of Neraka’s daemon fighters. He had rough features, but I was willing to bethe’d broken a few hearts along the way. Unlike the soldiers’ general lack of expression,this guy was staring us down, not that happy to see us.

The third male had a few traits in common with the female next to him. She was likelyhis mother, though she looked remarkably young to have mothered him. He wasnoticeably younger than his peers, his hair black with silvery streaks, his eyes blue andcold. A handsome fella fitted neatly into a gray suit, with a cream vest and white shirt, hisframe rather wiry but athletic. I could imagine he was fast and agile in combat. Therewas curiosity in his gaze, the kind that made me want to offer a faint smile, just to makesure they all understood we’d come in peace before I even said anything.

His mother, the lady, seemed to be in her mid-thirties, at most. Her pale skin stoodout, in contrast with the others around her. A soft shimmer lingered on her sharp cheeks,long, silvery hair cascading down her back. Her eyes, much like her son’s, were icy blue,but did not make me feel welcome. I had to give her credit on her looks, though. She wasgorgeous in her dark red velvet dress, occasionally drawing stolen glances from soldiersaround us. A black cape poured down from her shoulders, spilling across the stone slabsbehind her.

There was something about her that sent chills down my spine. It had been a longtime since I’d last been made to feel this way, an ominous sensation creeping throughthe back door of my consciousness, warning me to be careful. As if she had secrets thatmight pose a threat to us. Of course, this was still a mere suspicion, and I reserved fulljudgment for later.

We reached the four and stopped. “Let us bow,” Esme suggested. “It’s a polite form ofhello across multiple civilizations.”

I bowed first, followed by Sofia, Tristan, Esme, Amal, and Nethissis. The four watchedus with genuine interest. The young one smiled. We seemed to amuse him, and I hopedit would eventually work out in our favor.

“We come in peace,” I said. “From another world.”“Yes, your ship sort of gave that away,” the stocky one replied. “I suppose we should

say welcome to Visio, then.”His tone was flat. As if this was the last thing he would’ve wanted to occupy his day

with. I couldn’t help but feel a little insulted. Nevertheless, I kept my smile on. Theintroduction was bound to be tricky, given the purpose of our visit.

“We’re from the same galaxy, but not exactly neighbors,” I replied. “Our home iscalled Earth. Yours is Visio, then?”

They all nodded. “I suppose you gave it another name? Assuming you’ve studied oursolar system, at least, before coming over,” the female said.

“We did, yes. We called it Trexus.”Next to me, Sofia kept a straight face beneath her sun mask, but I knew she was

analyzing each of them in great detail, much like Esme and Tristan. Amal gave me awondering glance, while Nethissis looked around, checking the soldiers again. From upclose, I was able to appreciate the beautiful, intricately sculpted silver armor that coveredtheir necks, chests, and calves. The metal parts were strapped with slim leather bandsaround their torsos and legs, and I wondered how much protection they truly offered.Hopefully, we’d never have a reason to find out. Their helmets, slightly pointed andreaching for the sky, covered only the top of the head.

The higher-ranked officers had colored feathers pouring from the back of the helmet,and I wondered whether the nuances determined specific positions within the army. Icould see golden, white, red, and blue feathers, separately.

There was tension in the air. Not enough to make us uncomfortable, but enough towarrant extreme care when dealing with these people—at least until they warmed up tous. The female chuckled, gazing at her son. “Did you hear that, Kalon? Trexus.”

“A bit too rough for us, if you ask me,” he said, his gaze fixed on Esme, who suddenlyfelt compelled to explain.

“It’s a made-up name. A placeholder, if you will. Something for us to identify yourworld by, since we did not know its true name.”

“What brings you here?” the military leader asked, his gaze steely and fixed on me. “Isee our mist did not deter you.”

So that’s what that was!“It’s an exploratory mission, sir,” I said. “We’ve always wanted to see if there was life

beyond our Earth. Shall I conclude you project that hazy mass around your planets tokeep curious outsiders away?”

I briefly looked at Sofia, knowing she would’ve agreed with my approach. There wasno need to tell these people about the Supernatural Dimension or the In-Between yet.First we had to get them to relax and let us into the city. If we could meet their leaders,

even better. We’d all agreed to go as high up the chain of command as possible beforemaking our request for native blood.

The lady stepped forward, breaking the line. “The haze is designed to discourageincursions into our world,” she said. “We’re not that crazy about foreigners snoopingaround, but… now, that you’re here, it’s only natural that we extend our courtesy. We’renot monsters.”

Only then did I notice the soldiers behind her, whose armor was made of gold, settingthemselves apart from the others. They had to be some sort of higher-level guard,assigned specifically to the nobles. There were no weapons visible on them, either, whichmade me all the more curious. Surely, given the people they were supposed to protect,they should’ve at least carried swords? I decided to leave the question for later. Weneeded more than a flat welcome to proceed, at this point.

“I’m Petra Visentis, high priestess,” the lady said, pride elevating her voice. “Theseare my esteemed partners on the ruling council of Visio,” she added, looking at the twoelder males. “The gentleman with the neatly trimmed beard is Zoltan Shatal, chiefcouncilor. The uniform is General Corbin Crimson.”

“It’s an honor,” I replied. “I’m Derek Novak, and this is my wife and partner, SofiaNovak.” I then proceeded to introduce the others, while wondering why Petra hadn’t donethe same for the young male, whom she’d warmly identified as Kalon. “Esme and TristanVaughn, specializing in the study of cultures and civilizations. Amal, our lead scientist.And Nethissis Alexa, our respected colleague and swamp witch.”

Kalon’s eyes grew wide. “What’s a swamp witch?” he asked.“I serve the Word, a higher power of the universe, milord,” Nethissis replied politely.

Oh, she’d definitely paid attention during all our briefings prior to the mission, especiallywhere all the etiquette norms had been explained. We hadn’t known what sort of peoplewe’d be dealing with, so we’d opted for the most respectful terms and expressions to use,as a safety measure.

“This is my son, Kalon Visentis,” Petra finally said. “He assists the council on variousmatters.”

“Including this one, I suppose?” I asked, smiling.“I had to come see for myself,” Kalon replied. “When we were told about an object

headed toward us, I admit, I was enticed.” He glanced at Esme again. “So far, I haven’tbeen disappointed.”

Corbin Crimson cleared his throat. “Why do you keep your faces covered?” he asked,looking at Sofia, Esme, and Tristan. “Normally, we’d consider it a threat.”

“No, we are not a threat, I assure you,” I said firmly. “Sofia, Tristan, and Esme arevampires, and they are extremely sensitive to sunlight. This was the only way for them tocome out and greet you before nightfall, I’m afraid.”

“If you get us into a room where there’s no direct sunlight, the three of us will gladlytake off our masks,” Esme said. I wondered what had prompted Kalon’s interest in her,given that he couldn’t even see her face. But Esme’s hypnotizing green eyes must’vedrawn his attention, and I wondered whether that was a good thing or not. That was thetrouble with meeting complete strangers. You never know what you’re going to get.

“What are vampires, exactly?” Zoltan asked, raising a curious eyebrow.“We’re a species of Earth,” I said, simplifying the tale of our origin as best as I could.

“We’re superior to the humans who inhabit our world, but we were all humans once.Vampirism gave us great strength and speed, among other things. It has also rendered usextremely sensitive to daylight, unfortunately.”

Petra’s eyes narrowed as she looked at me. “You include yourself among thesevampires, but you seem to have no trouble with the sun.”

“I’m different. My light weakness was cured,” I replied. “We’re currently studying howthat came to be, but I would much rather leave this subject for a more comfortablecircumstance. Not out here, surrounded by soldiers.”

“So you knew we were coming,” Esme said. “You saw our shuttle before we reachedVisio?”

“Indeed. Two days ago, our scholars saw you through the lenses we aim at the sky,”Zoltan replied. “We have frequent transports coming in from our neighboring principates,but yours looked different.”

“I suppose our shuttle did stick out,” I muttered. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but are theprincipates you mention the planets next to yours?”

Kalon grinned. “Let me guess. You made up names for those, too?”“We weren’t that original in that endeavor.” I sighed.Zoltan nodded. “They are our principates, yes. Part of the Visio Kingdom. Rimia is the

red world, and Nalore is the ice world.”“You’ve conquered them, then,” Tristan concluded, his voice low and slightly muffled

by his mask. It earned him a scowl from Corbin.“Is that a problem?”“Oh, no, not at all,” Tristan was quick to reply. “Merely getting the facts straight, sir.”“We knew you were coming, hence the welcoming party,” Petra interjected, drawing

attention away from their principates. Inclined to distrust her already, I wonderedwhether there was meaning in her regression to the original topic of conversation.

“I see they don’t carry weapons,” I said. “Which, I admit, gives me great relief. Wehave no hostile intentions whatsoever. We’re merely explorers, nothing more, nothingless.”

“We’re Aeternae. We don’t really need weapons,” Kalon replied, his chin higher. Hetook great pride in this statement, and it made me curious. The name of their specieswas intriguing. Part of me was inclined to draw a connection to the vampires—it would’vemade sense, given that my day-walking protein had likely come from these Aeternae.What were the odds that we didn’t have a single thing in common, at the end of the day?

Minimal. Perhaps none at all, I thought.“Would you mind telling us a bit more about your species?” Sofia asked. “The name

itself is beautiful, but we’d like to understand you better.”“We’ve been around for about four million years,” Petra said. “Of course, very few of

our kind have survived since the beginning. We hold them in great respect. They’re ourmost valuable and beloved heritage.”

My brain moved to make the right connections, but I still had trouble processing. “I’m

sorry, maybe I’m still reeling from our long journey, so maybe I didn’t get this right. Youmean to tell us that there are four-million-year-old Aeternae still living here?” I replied,my heart already swelling and beating frantically, wrestling against my ribcage.

The high priestess nodded. “That is correct.”This was it. The connection I’d suspected. These creatures lived for abnormally long

periods of time. I’d never come across anyone who’d gathered so much time under theirbelt. Glancing at the soldiers again, I noticed the bare hands. It made sense. They usedthem in combat. Maybe they had retractable claws like us. Would they have fangs, aswell? How could I ask without coming across as rude?

Every nerve in my body screamed, my synapses flashing, telling me we’d finally comeacross some kind of precursor or distant cousin of the vampire. We’d theorized about itbefore, but being here, standing before them now… I couldn’t help but feel entirelyoverwhelmed by the prospect.

Were the Aeternae the true day-walking vampires? Was that why the protein hadworked on me, to begin with?

T

E S M E

his was a dream come true. I’d always wondered if there were others like usout there, closer to our species than the Maras, who were native to the In-

Between, but born, not made. This begged a question, and I had to raise it.“You are practically immortal, then?” I asked.Petra nodded. “We could live forever, yes. Fate doesn’t have the same plan, though.

Unfortunately, we can still die.”“I hope you’re not asking so you can think of ways of harming us,” Corbin cut in,

looking at me as if I’d just taken a shot at his mother.“No, not at all. It’s just that, in that sense, the Aeternae and vampires are very much

alike,” I said. “We, too, can live forever, if not killed.”This particular statement seemed to arouse their interest, as they exchanged glances.

Kalon eyed me intently, and I had a hard time focusing. He was truly an astonishingspecimen—the tall, dark, and handsome type I’d always had a soft spot for. The graystreaks in his hair were fascinating, casting silvery glimmers whenever the sunlight hitthem.

“How can a vampire be killed?” he asked me. “If I’m to show you my weakness, youshould show me yours first.”

“Removing the heart or decapitation,” I said, drawing concerned looks from Derek andthe rest of the crew, my brother included. “Or keeping us in the sun, of course. This lastone wasn’t hard to figure out, anyway.”

“Are you insane?” Nethissis whispered.I shook my head. “Honesty entails honesty.”“I guess we have methods of dying in common, as well, then,” Petra replied. “The

Aeternae can only be killed through the same ways—with the exception of sunlightexposure.”

“Are Aeternae born or made?” I asked, unwilling to let this opportunity to gather intelgo by. I’d tapped into a fountain of information, and I wanted to get as much as I couldout of them before they changed their minds. There was an interesting aspect aboutcuriosity—it made people more open, regardless of their species.

“Both, actually, though the latter is extremely rare,” Petra said.“I see some differences in age, though,” I replied. “How does that work, if most

Aeternae are born, not made? When do you stop aging, per se?”“It varies from one Aeternae to another,” she explained. “We’ve yet to understand

why that is, but it’s just different for each of us. Hence why some of us have a gray hairor two, while others are forever twenty-one.” A subtle smile flickered across her face.

“High Priestess, perhaps we should get to know our visitors a little better before westart revealing important things about our world,” Zoltan advised her, a warning in histone.

“Forgive us, milord,” I said, bowing again. “We’re simply curious, since the similaritiesbetween our species point to at least a common ancestor. Up until some months ago, wedidn’t even think there were other inhabited planets in our galaxy, let alone people withwhom we seem to have so much in common.”

Petra moved slowly toward us, stopping in front of Derek and Sofia for a moment. Theguards seemed on edge, but they didn’t move or say a thing. I could hear their heartsdrumming, though. Their pulses quickened. Their sharp eyes fixed on the high priestessas she measured Derek, then Sofia, from head to toe.

She circled our group once, her expression shifting from restraint to childish curiosity.“You are all quite fast, even though you’re not from the same species. You’re fighters,too. I presume good fighters.”

“What makes you say that?” Derek asked.“Your posture. The confidence with which you speak. The mere fact that you came out

of your shuttle unarmed. I’m inclined to believe you have physical abilities that give youan upper hand in combat, since you didn’t think you’d need weapons. I mean, let’s behonest here. Who is insane enough to walk up to a completely unknown civilizationwithout some form of defense? What guarantee would you have for survival, unless youhad something to rely on for your defense?”

Derek chuckled softly and nodded in agreement. “Your assessment is impressive, HighPriestess. We do have our abilities, yes. But we do not wish to use them here. Not unlesswe have to defend ourselves,” he said, briefly acknowledging Corbin, in particular.

Petra followed his gaze. “Worry not about the master commander, Derek. He leadsthe armies of Visio, but he cannot harm you without the council’s consent. Besides, ourlord and lady would be furious if you were hurt before they even had a chance to meetyou.”

She and Corbin didn’t seem to like each other very much. Then again, Zoltan wasn’ther fan, either, as he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “High Priestess, perhaps weshould move this conversation somewhere else. I’m sure our guests don’t appreciatestanding in the sun for too long, regardless of their protective garb.”

“We’re your guests now?” I asked, smiling.“Well, you’ve come all the way here, haven’t you?” Petra replied. “It would be a

shame to turn you away without getting to know you better.”“Besides, I’m thinking that if we’re good hosts to you, then you might welcome us to

your world, someday, should we become curious enough to get out of our broad comfortzone,” Kalon added.

His confidence was intriguing. The way he spoke carried scents of danger and

mystery, and I was already wondering about methods of getting inside his head. I waswilling to bet he had some of the best stories to tell, but his interest in me was a tadworrying. Part of me was on high alert—Kalon Visentis could be a deceitful figure in thisquest of ours. He could become an ally and purveyor of precious information, or he couldjust as easily turn into a threat. For the sake of us all, I hoped for the former.

His coat fit him tightly, outlining his broad shoulders and narrow hips. He wasn’t of amuscular complexion, but I could tell he was an athlete. A fighter. Light on his feet,confident in his strikes. And if he had even five percent of our vampire abilities, oranything remotely resembling that, then Kalon was definitely a fearsome killing machine.But there was also beauty in those cold eyes, a playful glimmer lingering in the icy bluepools. Vivid thoughts behind his sly smile, inviting me to take a stab at untangling andrevealing them.

“We are thankful for your kindness and hospitality,” Derek said, wrecking my train ofthought. Only then did I notice Tristan staring at me in bewilderment. My eyes must’vebeen stuck on Kalon for quite a while for my brother to give me such a look. “We will doour best to be equally gracious guests. Should you decide to visit Earth, rest assured, ourpeople will be more than pleased to welcome you, as well.”

“Come, let us walk,” Petra said, motioning for the soldiers and the golden guards tostep aside. Almost instantly, they all moved, lining the road that linked the landing stripto the rest of the city. The stone slabs fit neatly against one another, forming anasymmetric pattern up the road. “We’ll take the scenic route toward the palace and talkon the way.”

Derek pressed a button on a small control he’d kept in his pocket, and the shuttle shutand sealed itself with a long hiss. Only we had access to it, and that gave me a certainsense of comfort. I did not trust the Aeternae enough to allow them in there, just yet.They were still gauging us, and we were still gauging them, too.

“You have a beautiful city,” Derek said.“And a splendid world,” Sofia added. “We saw some truly breathtaking sights on our

way down.”“Oh, yes, nature has blessed us plenty,” Petra replied as she led the way up the road.

Derek and Sofia walked with her, while Kalon settled in the back behind them, next toTristan and me. Amal and Nethissis were last, and Zoltan and Corbin flanked our group,keeping ten feet’s worth of distance from us on both sides.

The golden guards followed us closely, while the silver-armored soldiers spread outthrough the outskirts of the city. I didn’t know whether they’d gone for good or they’dsimply been advised beforehand to stay away and only return in case they were needed.As the city opened up before us, I found my breath stolen by its elaborate works ofarchitecture and sensible urban planning.

The gothic vibe was impossible to ignore, cemented into my perception by the wealthof brick arches, slim towers, and elaborate masonry on every façade. The wind blewsoftly down the road, ruffling the boxed trees that bordered it. Tiny white blossomstrembled between the waxed leaves, their scent quickly reaching me.

Many of the locals were out in the streets, but they kept their distance. They watched

us, though, with a mixture of interest and concern—naturally, for we were the foreigners.The strange creatures that had come from another world. They knew nothing about us. Iwondered if they had any alien invasion lore keeping their young ones awake at nightwith tales of horror and destruction. The thought alone was enough to make me smilebeneath my sun mask.

“Look at their clothes,” Tristan said slowly, looking to our right. A mother held herchildren close outside a store, its windows filled with all kinds of potted flowers andminiature sculptures. A few customers lingered by the doorway, as well. “High-qualityfabrics,” a shop keeper was calling out.

The ladies were dressed in a similar fashion, with tight corsets beneath velvet orleather tunics, and broad skirts, reminding me of Earth’s nineteenth century—theromantic flourishes and embroidered details, the stiffened petticoats that completelytransformed the female figure, and the elegant accessories that accompanied each outfit.In this case, I could see their love of hats and fascinator-like implements, along with theliberal use of pearls, precious gemstones, silver, and gold.

“They’re beautiful,” I murmured.“Straight out of a Victorian brunch or a Bram Stoker novel,” Tristan replied.The Aeternae men were dapper, most of them wearing custom-tailored suits with

silken vests, tailcoats with embroidered coattails, and fine leather gloves. There was ageneral sense of etiquette, a certain culture of respect between the Aeternae. Amongthose out on the street, I was able to identify three different typologies, two of whichcould not be Aeternae.

“Notice the differences,” I said to my brother, looking at a group of adolescentsoutside a boarding house, its shutters painted dark green. “The Aeternae are a lot like us,in terms of physical features. Soft skin, symmetrical build, light-colored eyes… mostlywell-dressed.”

“Right,” Tristan replied, his gaze wandering across the group. “The young male there.Tanned skin. Dark complexion. Brown eyes. Black hair. Slender build.”

“Oh, that’s a Rimian boy,” Kalon interjected, following our gaze. “Rimia is mostlydeserts and stone quarries, so they’re built for its savage climate.”

“I see a few live here,” I said, and Kalon nodded.“We facilitate their transport, yes. You’ll find Visio to be a very welcoming place.”“What about the bigger, pale types?” Tristan asked. Next to the Rimian boy, there

were two siblings, likely twins, with bright blue eyes, almost-white skin, and pale blondhair. They stood out when compared to most Aeternae.

“Naloreans,” Kalon replied. “By contrast, Nalore is freezing cold throughout most ofthe year. Its people are built to live comfortably in its constant snows and blizzards. Theycan withstand ridiculously low temperatures that would make the rest of us freeze.” Thisreminded me of the Dhaxanians, only I doubted the Naloreans had the ability tomanipulate ice like Nevis and his people could.

The air felt heavy, keeping me on edge. The locals were mostly suspicious and curiousabout us, but some of the Rimians and Naloreans seemed downright fearful. I wasn’t sureif we were to blame, though. I put the thought aside, nonetheless, because we were not

here to police the people. We had a delicate and deeply personal mission, and we’d beeninstructed to keep out of their business. I did, however, take mental notes to bring upwith Derek and Sofia later, once we got to a more private location.

“You mentioned your lord and lady,” Derek said, walking in front of us with Sofia andPetra. “Are they your leaders?”

“Acheron and Danika Nasani. Lord and Lady Supreme of Visio,” Petra replied. “You willmeet them soon enough. They assembled this welcoming group for your arrival.”

“Yes, they had to choose between a social or military approach,” Kalon cut in, givingme an amused sideways glance. As if greeting us with swords and pitchforks would’vebeen funny in any way. I wasn’t sure what to think of him, but he made the hairs on theback of my neck rise stiffly.

“We are a peaceful people,” Petra sought to assure us, giving her son a stern,menacing scowl. “Given the size of your vessel, we assumed you’d be a small party, likelyexploring our world. It would’ve been rude to attack you without first knowing what yourobjective was.”

“We certainly appreciate your approach,” Derek replied. “Mind if I ask… How doesVisio run? What sort of resources do you have?”

“It is mostly a combination of natural means and mazir. It’s our occult science, amagic of sorts, if you will,” Petra explained. “It’s how we put the haze out there, aroundour world. The word mazir comes from our ancient language, which hasn’t been spoken inmillennia. It means ‘eternal,’ so I suppose there is a bit of poetry in there.”

“Your magic is eternal. Is that what it means?” Sofia replied.Petra smiled. “You could say that. We do not lack anything. After Rimia and Nalore

were conquered and became principates of Visio, we gained access to their resources.There is a steady flow throughout the kingdom. People don’t go hungry. They do notsuffer without roofs over their heads. The Nalorean scholars are some of the brightestminds we have, responsible for their sky studies and the ships that were built to facilitatetransport between the planets.”

“The Rimians provide us with plenty of food, along with unlimited access to their stonequarries. The finest marble and limestone come from them,” Zoltan said, his eyes fixedon the road ahead. “We’ve achieved a certain synergy, of which we are very proud.Before the Aeternae, there was nothing. Now there is everything.”

“Do you have knowledge of what was before the Aeternae?” I asked, intrigued by hisphrasing.

An enormous plaza opened around us, framed by a line of majestic pink marblecolumns with broad arches, covered in thick and colorful flowery vines. In the middle, afountain rose proudly, with an angelic figure holding a pitcher, through which the watergushed out and filled the bowl-shaped space beneath.

Birds sang in the nearby trees, soft trills that sought not to interfere but rather amplifythe stunning view. The sun was beginning to slowly set, momentarily hiding behind oneof the tall, dark gray limestone towers. Its rays hit the giant bell mounted beneath theconical roof. I wondered what the bells were used for. In other cultures, they served aswarning sounds or religious chimes. Which was it with the Aeternae? Did they worship a

god, or did they fear invasions?There were hundreds of people here, but, much like the others before them, they did

not dare get any closer. The sight of the golden guards was enough to make them wantto stand back. It gave me a good opportunity to further observe them. Tristan and I weremesmerized by this culture, ripe with elegance and mystery. There was so much tounpack here, so many things to understand, including where the similarities between ourspecies stopped.

Vampires drank blood for a living. What gave the Aeternae their much-neededsustenance? Much like many other points I’d saved in the back of my head, this was aquestion for later.

“There was nothing before the Aeternae,” the chief councilor insisted, his voice harderthan before. It was a sign that he wasn’t willing to tell us more about what predatedthem.

“What Zoltan means to say is that there is no recorded history, only relics we couldn’tmake much sense of,” Petra said, wearing a strained smile, her eyes throwing darts athim. The animosity was clearly mutual, but I had to admit, I had more appreciation forher than for Zoltan. At least Petra gave us information, despite the riddling aura that shecarried herself with. “Therefore, we know little to nothing about our distant past.”

“When did Rimia and Nalore become principates?” I asked, trying to establish atimeline, given we’d already been told that the Aeternae had been around for four millionyears.

“Two million years ago, approximately. I admit, I’m not very good with dates, but I’msure our Nalorean scholars will reveal whatever tidbits you wish to know regarding theconquests,” Petra replied. “We’ve been at peace ever since.”

“Did Rimia or Nalore challenge you, in any way? What was the purpose of taking themover?” Sofia asked. It was a good question, but I worried we were wading into GASPterritory, which was exactly what we’d said we’d do our best to steer clear of.

Corbin Crimson shot her a steely gaze. “The kingdom expanded. The Aeternae neededa source of nourishment, and Rimia and Nalore needed to do something with theirresources.”

“I’m confused,” I thought aloud without even realizing it.We stopped in the middle of the square for a while, and the golden guards took their

positions along the rose columns in order to keep the curious folk at bay. Mist began toslip through the surrounding alleyways as the sun continued its lazy descent.

Petra sat on the edge of the fountain, looking at Sofia. “What do vampires feed on?”she asked. I took a moment to study her expression, the thin blade of her nose, her thinlips, and the pearlescent sheen of her skin.

“Blood. We cannot stomach food anymore,” Sofia said.“The Rimians and the Naloreans eat food. Whatever they find or grow themselves.

They cook it. Steamed, fried, baked, with all kinds of wondrous seasonings. I’m told thefruits of Visio are wonderful, but I’ve never had the possibility of trying them, because,like you, the Aeternae only consume blood. It’s our life force.”

Silence took over, stunning us all. We’d considered similarities all the way up to

nutrition, but, even though Petra had confirmed some of our own suspicions, we were stilltaken aback. It was one thing to theorize about something like this, and a whollydifferent thing to face it as a fact. The Aeternae consumed blood, much like vampires andMaras. They lived forever, if given the opportunity. Unlike the vampires and the Maras,they had no problem being in the sunlight—that must’ve been why Ta’Zan had used theirprotein to fix Derek.

I looked at Amal. “If this is where Ta’Zan got the protein from, why didn’t he useAeternae genes to make his Perfects, long before the vampires came along?” Iwhispered.

“There were notes in his old journals about this. Something about incompatibilitieswith other genetic samples—possibly from this species—that forced him to wait until hediscovered the vampires,” Amal murmured. “We don’t have any of Ta’Zan’s papers left,though, so I wouldn’t be able to give you more details. Something just didn’t click in thegene pool with whatever Aeternae material he had, as opposed to the vampire material.”

Again, my pulse went on a frantic race, as the truth settled in my mind. Ta’Zanmust’ve tried to build his Perfects using Aeternae genes, but it hadn’t worked, for reasonswe might never understand. But he’d managed to isolate that day-walking protein, atleast, which he’d put into Derek… and probably the Perfects, too, who had vampire genesin them.

“We take our blood from animals, mostly,” Derek said. “On rare occasions, humans,which we all once were, as well, give it to us. Where do you get yours from?”

Upon hearing the question, Petra struggled not to laugh, while Kalon kept watchingme, searching for a reaction despite not being able to see my face. Zoltan avoided eyecontact altogether, seeming rather nervous, while Corbin never took his eyes off Derekand Sofia. He’d already acknowledged them as leaders of our group.

“That’s why Rimia and Nalore were conquered. They give it to us in exchange forgoods and services, housing, and many other advantages,” the high priestess said. “Ittook Visio a long time, and there was plenty of initial resistance, but we’ve attained aprecious balance which benefits all parties involved.”

“You feed on people?” Sofia replied, understandably concerned. Derek gentlysqueezed her wrist, though he was just as disturbed by Petra’s words. It was a discreetreminder that we needed to be careful so as not to offend our hosts.

“They sell their blood,” Corbin said. “We never go hungry, and neither do they. Oursociety thrives because of this relationship. If you do things differently in your world, thengood for you. I hope you haven’t come here to judge us for how we run our kingdom.”

“No, we wouldn’t dare,” Derek intervened, trying to smile. “We’re simply impressed bywhat you’ve accomplished. We didn’t think it was possible.”

“It wasn’t easy,” Petra replied. “Like I said, they were reluctant at first. Once Rimiaand Nalore were conquered, however, their options became limited. As the years wentby, they got used to it. They learned to accept it as part of how things are and will be foras long as the Aeternae exist. And we plan to make that an eternity.”

“Mind if I ask how this entire process works? Do you feed on living people, or do theysell you certain quantities of their blood?” I asked, trying to get a better picture before

suggesting some GASP policing options to Derek—after we got all the original source ofthe day-walking protein that we needed, of course.

“It is collected weekly from harvesting centers,” Zoltan said. “The people come in,give their blood, and are paid accordingly. It’s a simple process, really. A cultural norm.”

“And the blood is then shipped to Visio from Nalore and Rimia, right?” Tristan replied,following my lead.

Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed a couple of skinny Rimian females—much thinnerthan others I’d seen before. They wore elegant dresses, quite different from their peers.I’d already noted that the Rimians and the Naloreans did not seem as wealthy as theAeternae, but these two girls seemed to contradict my observation. Their dresses werebeautiful, made from smooth silks and adorned with gemstone embroideries—a little overthe top, if I were to be honest, as if they were trying to compensate for other things theywere missing. I’d seen this before in what my brother and I had called “the nouveauriche” across different civilizations. People from poor backgrounds who’d stumbled upon afortune, eager to blare their opulence in public.

There was something odd about these two girls, though. They were worryingly thin,their skin paler than most Rimians we’d spotted so far, with dark rings around their eyesand shaky hands. There wasn’t enough expensive silk and brocade to cover an ailingbody, unfortunately.

“Once a week, our ships come in from Rimia and Nalore with gallons of blood,carefully kept on ice until it’s consumed,” Petra said.

The Rimian girls wore scarves that covered their necks. A thought crossed my mind asI shifted my focus back to the high priestess. “You never feed on live people?”

She didn’t answer right away. I had a feeling she was trying to choose her wordscarefully, having already noticed Sofia’s aversion to drinking blood from our humans.

“We do not seek to harm our food source,” Petra finally said. “Of course, someRimians and Naloreans might want to increase their fortunes and may decide to offertheir blood in a more direct way to wealthy Aeternae. Our kingdom does not condonesuch a practice, but it’s rather difficult to police.”

I nodded slowly, catching the drift. Therefore, the two Rimian girls I’d spotted werelikely displaying signs of anemia, a weakness that came from having too much of theirblood drained. Given that the system the Aeternae had put in place was touted as beingwell-regulated, I had to assume that they wouldn’t have allowed anyone to weakenthemselves to such a point.

These girls had recently gotten rich, likely from generous Aeternae who’d nearlydrained them of their blood—hence the scarves around their necks. The carotid would’vebeen the favorite drinking spot of vampires. Surely, the Aeternae would feel the same.

I felt a little sad for the girls, but if that had been their decision, it wasn’t my place tojudge. “I suppose it’s a social structure they’ve all adhered to,” I said. “It might havebeen uncomfortable for the earlier generations, but the current ones seem to haveadjusted quite well. Assuming, of course, that the Rimians and the Naloreans have ashorter lifespan than the Aeternae.”

“You are correct again,” Petra replied, genuinely impressed. “Your mind is brilliant,

young lady. I can see why Derek wanted you to come along on this journey.”“Yeah, you ask all the right questions,” Kalon added, his gaze still glued to me.I’d yet to get used to his presence, thus pulling double duty between asking “the right

questions” and keeping my composure in front of him. For a moment, I thought aboutwhat my parents would’ve said, had they been here for this. Or Grandma Anna. GrandpaKyle…

“Shall we continue with our walk?” Zoltan interrupted my train of thought.Derek nodded. “By all means, lead the way.”We left the town square and made our way up a broad alley littered with flowerpots

and small shops with stained-glass windows, selling pretty much everything—fromfabrics, buttons, and fashion accessories, to various foods and preserves, fragrances,home décor objects, and building supplies.

As the sun went down, however, most of these shops closed their business, theshopkeepers locking the windows and pulling the heavy wooden shutters closed. By thetime we reached the end of this alley and looked back, it was almost empty, the peoplealready having gone to their homes to rest for the day. There was something sweetabout the routine itself, another piece to add to the puzzle I was building in my head.

Petra did most of the talking again, telling us about local cuisine and habits, alongwith the Aeternae’s penchant for adding spices to their blood—yet another thing we hadin common with their species, as did the Maras, for that matter. It was becomingincreasingly clear that the Aeternae were basically day-walking vampires, and that it wastheir blood we’d need in order to bring all the vampires up to Derek’s physical level.

“They’re weirdly a lot like us,” Tristan said, keeping his voice down. Kalon had goneahead, talking to Zoltan as he led our small group toward the city center. Out here,buildings became taller, well-mannered giants with sculpted façades and French-stylewindows, neat little balconies loaded with wrought-iron chairs and bursts of red andorange flowers, and supple porte-cocheres. For a moment, I thought we’d gottenourselves lost in nineteenth century London. It was peculiar how a species so much likeours could follow such a familiar artistic evolution as well.

“I think we’re missing important chunks of the story, though,” I replied. “We’re barelyscratching the surface at this point.”

“Oh, that’s for sure. But it’s okay. I think we’re off to a good start. Don’t you?” heasked me, and I needed a moment to think about my answer. I wanted to say yes, but itdidn’t feel entirely genuine. There was something about these Aeternae people thatbothered me, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

Maybe my instinct was glitchy. Then again, as far as Kalon Visentis was concerned, Ihad every reason to be worried. He was too good-looking and overconfident. That waseither the mark of a sociopath or a reckless fool likely to get himself killed. You do have apredilection for bad boys, Esme.

“You could say that, sure,” I mumbled, then decided to ask a tougher question, seeinghow open Petra had been until now. There had to be a limit here, and I wanted to figureit out, so my brother and I could later determine how to get past it. “High Priestess, if youdon’t mind me asking, what is the average lifespan of an Aeternae?”

Kalon’s head snapped around, almost breaking his neck as he looked back at me.Petra, on the other hand, was remarkably unfazed. “That is a difficult question, mainlybecause it varies so much. I wouldn’t be able to give you an average, I’m afraid. Some ofus live to be a thousand, a hundred thousand, a million years old. A few have beenaround for much, much longer than that.”

“Would we be able to meet one of them?” Tristan replied.“No. The seniors are kept safe, away from the big cities. They prefer peace and

tranquility, having their own homes in the heart of nature,” Zoltan said firmly.“So how does an Aeternae die, usually?” I asked. “I get the beheading and burning

part, but how do those come to happen? Your society strikes me as peaceful. Maybe I’mwrong?”

“There’s the usual unfortunate accident,” Kalon replied dryly.“How does one go about getting beheaded accidentally?” I shot back.“Then there are murders,” Kalon continued, completely ignoring me. “The Aeternae

are not saints. Many of those who commit terrible crimes are executed. And there areplenty of people who simply choose to end their lives, having lost the will to keep going.”

“How does that happen?” Tristan asked.Petra sighed deeply, appearing somewhat saddened by this fact. “With all the time

we’re given, some of us simply have enough. Living can be tiresome, especially past fivehundred thousand years. We don’t age past a certain point, like I’ve said. But, on theinside, we can experience weariness... Our seniors may not have gray hair and wrinkles,but they can still be exhausted. But given how treasured they are to us, we keep them inhavens so that they never feel the need to end it all. Ever.”

“So, basically, you, high priestess, along with the chief councilor, and the mastercommander are not considerably older than, say, most of the Aeternae we’ve seen so far,even though you look… older? I apologize if I’m causing offense, you all look fantastic,but I’m just trying to understand the age versus aging aspect here,” I said.

“Don’t let my hair fool you. I’m barely past twenty thousand, darling,” Petra repliedand smiled as she looked at Corbin and Zoltan. “You’re right about these two, though. Oldbags of bones already.”

“The high priestess is being amusing, of course,” Zoltan retorted. “I’m a little over twohundred thousand years, and the master commander here has recently celebrated hismillionth year. Truth be told, there are very few Aeternae who appear older than forty.We call them late bloomers.”

“The Master Commander doesn’t look a day over thirty thousand, if you ask me,”Kalon muttered, prompting his mother to chuckle softly.

“Immortality isn’t only about looking like you’re twenty or thirty or forty forever,” Petrasaid as we walked up a boulevard lined by white marble villas with three and four levels.Carriages were drawn both ways by animals that resembled our horses—thoughsignificantly taller and more muscular, their coats charcoal black or ivory white. Theywere beautiful beasts, nonetheless, and I was already looking forward to riding one, ifgiven the chance. Their hooves clicked loudly across the smooth cobblestone.“Immortality is about living forever, at ease with oneself. That is our philosophy, and it

has kept us above the Naloreans and the Rimians for a very long time.”Kalon moved back to walk with Tristan and me. “What matters is what we do with our

immortality, not our appearance or the age at which we stop changing, physicallyspeaking. That’s what my mother is trying to say.”

I frowned. “Even so, it still doesn’t explain such a large population. How many of youare there?”

“On Visio? About four to five billion Aeternae,” Kalon replied.“Whoa… Okay, so even with the occasional so-called accident, the murders, the self-

ending few, and the executions… it still doesn’t add up,” I said. “What is your birth rate?”“Scarcer than that of the Rimians and the Naloreans,” Petra said darkly. This was a

touchy subject, given the crisp tone of voice, sharper than her usual. “I suppose thetournaments and the fights account for a high percentage of deaths among theAeternae.”

“The what now?” Nethissis blurted.Behind me, she and Amal had kept quiet for most of the journey, though I couldn’t

exactly blame them. While Derek, Tristan, and I had supported most of the conversation,Amal and Nethissis had been taking mental notes of their own. We were bound tocompare our findings once we were on our own again. I, for one, was dying to hear theirimpressions. Chances were they’d seen or noticed things we hadn’t.

Kalon smiled. “The tournaments and prize fights. Not all the Aeternae value life thesame way you would,” he said. “We have different perceptions of it. The fights are aconstant adrenaline rush. The thought of getting killed in one of these events make manyAeternae enjoy their existence more.”

“That’s dark… and twisted,” I said. “Life is a precious gift, no matter how long it is.”“When you’ve seen all of Rimia, Nalore, and Visio, when you’ve tasted and tried

everything… when there’s nothing left for you to experience, what will you do?” Kalonasked, moving closer to me. I didn’t have an answer for him. “You’ll stare death in theface and welcome the dance, that’s what you’ll do.”

“Let us be honest here, Kalon. Many of the fighters are mere thrill-seekers. Few everfind the courage to fight through to the finals,” Corbin replied.

“The finals are always to the death,” Kalon explained, likely noticing my darkenedgaze. “Up to that point, one of the fighters can still yield if he or she isn’t willing to riskgetting killed for the grand prize.”

I had to admit, it was troubling. And, as the palace rose before us, a majestic complexof architectural prowess, I wondered… what joy of living did the Lord and Lady Supremeof the Aeternae condone, if their people were so willing to walk straight into the arms ofa Reaper for such trivial pursuits?

No matter how I looked at this picture, something was still missing. The birth rate, aslow as it could’ve been, and the death rate, wonky accidents included, did not account forwhat I was seeing around us, for the five billion Aeternae that lived on Visio. The puzzlewas enormous and incredibly fascinating, like nothing I’d ever seen before. It had a tint ofdanger and excitement. It had secrets and strange customs and many wondrous things.

But it also had one hell of a gaping hole, smack in the middle of it. A missing piece,

which I knew would prevent me from resting until I found it.

T

S O F I A

he Lord and Lady Supreme’s palace was truly a sight to behold. A giantmonument to eternal grandeur, made entirely from perfectly polished blocks

of black marble, it captured the afternoon’s gleam in its pointed towers, of which therewere six—four faced north, south, east, and west, while the other two rose in the middleof this astonishing complex, identical in size and height as they overlooked the entire city.

Five-hundred-yard-wide stairs led up to the sumptuous entrance, guarded by dozensof columns around which sculpted dragon-like beasts came down, each looking at us,immortalized in their desire to crunch on anyone who dared threaten the ruling crown ofVisio. I balked at the statues for a while, taking in their exquisitely detailed work, downto the very last scale and spike. Goosebumps erupted over my arms, as I wondered whathad inspired the artists to erect such creatures here, at the palace doors.

More golden guards poured out of the palace and settled down the steps, forming apassageway for us to follow, much like the red flares had done for us in the sky. Redblossoms burst in marble vases behind them, and a garden—a giant garden—hugged thepalace from behind, its flowers and green shrubs spilling out on both sides of the building,almost threatening to keep growing until they reached the wide-open space at the front.

I was speechless. I’d never felt so intimidated by a construction before. This had beenmade specifically to impress and frighten those who beheld it. We stopped at the bottomof the stairs, with Corbin, Zoltan, Petra, and Kalon moving in front of us. Behind, theaccompanying golden guards had lined up. For a moment, I wondered if they would letme leave, should I suddenly change my mind for whatever reason. Their expressions toldme they wouldn’t.

Farther back, framing the enormous plaza over which the palace reigned, I could seethe silver guards mingling with the people, many of whom had followed us through thecity. We hadn’t even heard or seen them until now, which made me realize how stealthythe Aeternae could be.

“We’re about to meet the rulers of this world,” Derek said to me. “This is our chanceto make a proper introduction.”

I nodded once. “I’m with you all the way, honey.”Tristan and Esme’s faces were still covered, but I could see the wariness in their green

eyes. Nethissis stayed calm, and so did Amane. We’d done right by bringing over a small

team. Not having to rely on our dragons and sentries made everything more challenging,but it also gave us the opportunity to truly engage with these people. In this instance,there was no room for failure. No way we’d abandon our objective.

“The Lord and Lady Supreme are waiting for us in the throne room,” Zoltan said.“There isn’t much sunlight coming through that part of the palace, so I assume you’ll betaking your masks off.”

“Absolutely,” I replied. “It gives us no pleasure wearing them, I assure you, ChiefCouncilor.”

The four made their way up the stairs, and we followed, while I tried to accept thattheir way of life, while somewhat troubling, was different from ours. I had to think outsidemy GASP bubble. This didn’t seem like Neraka. The people weren’t oppressed or mind-controlled. They’d been conquered a very long time ago, and they’d adapted to theircircumstances. It wasn’t our place to try and change that. Sure, there were similarities,but each world was unique and different in its own way.

Besides, our goal wasn’t to police the Aeternae.“I know you’re a little worried about the Rimians and Naloreans, but you shouldn’t be,”

Esme whispered to me. “They’re both colonized peoples. We can’t change that unlessthere’s ample military action, and it’s not our duty to interfere, willy-nilly.”

“Yeah, I get that,” I muttered.“None of us like it. But I do think we should take our time studying their world before

we draw any kind of conclusion,” Tristan chimed in, keeping his voice down. “Chances arethe principates are perfectly okay with their situation, given that the Aeternae are clearlywealthy and can sustain their economies through trade. Only, in their case, blood is themost valuable commodity.”

I exhaled. “Guess that makes sense.”Diplomacy was to be our preferred route. And Tristan was right. We’d have to take our

time with this place in order to truly understand it and its people. What I didn’t like wasthe way the soldiers looked at us. They didn’t say anything, but they looked as thoughthey were ready to kill us if we so much as made the wrong move.

Why is this surprising? You’re on their territory. You’ve made it clear you’re not exactlyon board with how they procure their food. Of course they’re iffy about your presencehere.

As we entered the palace, Petra stopped and turned around to face us. The receptionhall was enormous, with gilded columns and dark skies painted across the domed ceiling.Paintings of previous rulers covered the walls, with their names finely engraved on smallgolden plaques. Most of them carried the Nasani last name.

Gold-leaf chandeliers came down from the top, hung on brass chains. The candlesflickered softly, casting their amber light throughout the hall. Palace servants in blackvelvet tunics stood at every open archway, ready to attend to our every need.

“You can now remove your masks,” Petra said, smiling. “The sun no longer shinesthrough this area, including the throne room.”

I pulled mine off first, along with the hood, and the high priestess’s blue eyesglimmered with intrigue. “Thank you,” I replied.

“You are breathtakingly beautiful,” she declared, and gave Derek a faint nod. “You area most fortunate man, Derek.”

“That I am, for sure,” my husband agreed, stealing a glance at me.Kalon’s expression shifted when Esme took her mask and hood off, followed by

Tristan. It became impossible for the Aeternae to look away from her—not that I couldblame him. Esme was beautiful, fierceness burning in her green eyes, her slim nose andpale complexion making her look almost ethereal.

“We are most grateful for your reception,” Tristan said. “It is an honor to set foot inthis place. It’s absolutely incredible.”

Zoltan grinned, motioning around us. “Indeed, the Nasani Palace is a masterpiece. OurLord and Lady Supreme’s ancestors built it about a million years ago. Even with otherdynasties temporarily in place, it kept its name, a tribute to its creators.”

“How many dynasties are there?” Esme asked.“Seven, young lady. Nasani have ruled Visio for a total of 2.5 million years. The rest

were more or less evenly split between the houses of Shatal, Crimson, Visentis, Mefithi,Mellen, and Blanchis,” Zoltan replied.

“I take it your ancestors once ruled over Visio as well, then,” Derek concluded,recognizing three of the names as belonging to our welcoming party.

The shadow of a smile crossed Corbin’s face. “It was a long, long time ago. Visio hasknown only peace and prosperity under Nasani rule.”

“You don’t like how your predecessors handled their crowns?” Esme replied.“The Crimson dynasty are masters of war. They do not understand or accept the

politics of leadership like the Nasani,” Petra said. It sounded like a well-directed jab, andI had a feeling there were plenty of machinations behind the curtains of Visio’s throneroom.

“Let’s not forget that the Visentis dynasty had no business running an empire to beginwith, since their specialty was rather… niche,” Corbin retorted.

“Mazir is not niche. Our magic keeps the entire machine oiled and running,” Petrasaid, her forehead smoothed, her stare cold enough to freeze an entire sea.

“It’s what you’re truly good at,” Zoltan piled on. “The entire kingdom of Visio isthankful you’ve acknowledged that.”

“Before we go into the throne room, might I ask you all a question?” I interjected,eager to break through the tension that had threatened to suffocate the entire receptionhall. Kalon’s eyes were casting spears at Corbin and Zoltan, but he had not participated inthe conversation. When I spoke, however, he was quick to reply.

“Of course, Sofia. Ask away.”“My peers and I have noticed many similarities between our species and yours,” I

said. “Enough to make us wonder whether we have an ancestor in common, perhaps.Have the Aeternae ever left the solar system?”

Petra frowned, but there was an affirmative answer in her eyes. I could almost see it.“A long time ago, explorers set out to try and find out how far our interplanetary shipscould take them. Not all of them returned, and we do not know what happened. Therewere no methods of communication outside Visio, during that era.”

“Do you think our people might’ve helped create yours?” Kalon asked.“The thought has crossed our minds, only we were made by entities we now refer to

as the Elders,” Derek explained. “They did not have bodies of their own, and theybelonged to Cruor, a world far from ours. They made it to Earth and infected the humanswith their dark essence. And the vampires evolved from this peculiar blend.”

“One possibility is that the Elders were, in some way, related to the Aeternae. Maybethe very Aeternae who left Visio for their explorations. Although, I have absolutely noidea how, given the Elders were strange, dark, spirit-like creatures,” Tristan said,scratching his dark stubble. “Still, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for us to considervampires completely unrelated to the Aeternae.”

Zoltan nodded slowly. “Yes, well, technically speaking, I’d be correct in assuming theonly noticeable difference between us is your sensitivity to light.”

“We could do some tests on one another,” Petra suggested, a little too enthusiastic inher proposition. “Find out exactly how alike we are.”

“High Priestess, we should address this with the Lord and Lady Supreme, first,” Corbinreplied dryly, pointing at the western archway. “The throne room is through there.”

Petra gave him a brief scowl but complied, motioning for us to follow her as shewalked us through several tearooms. Each of these spaces was decorated in a slightlydifferent fashion. The walls were loaded with antique paintings in gilded frames, brasscandleholders, and plush, velvet curtains. Frilly gold embroidery adorned the decorativepillows. The furniture was sturdy but elegant, reminding me of designs I’d seen inVersailles exhibitions.

The lights were dim, and I had a feeling the drapes had been pulled and the candleslit in order to accommodate our vampiric condition. It was a flattering thought.

“Your theory about a distant relationship between us is not far-fetched, but it is ratherdifficult for us to prove,” Petra said as we crossed a third tearoom. This one had beenmade up in shades of satiny dark green with golden accents. “As I was saying earlier, theAeternae are usually born, not made. Those who choose to transition into an Aeternaeare either Rimian or Nalorean, and therefore considered… impure.”

“Not of an original lineage, that is,” Kalon replied. “That is not to say they’re treateddifferently. Respect on Visio is given to everyone, until it is lost.”

“How does one become an Aeternae?” Esme asked.“The process involves being drained of one’s own blood before drinking that of an

Aeternae,” Kalon said, eyeing her intently. “The Aeternae who was chosen for the taskmust drink as much blood as possible, until but a drop is left. Then, the patient is giventhe blood of the Aeternae who drank them dry. By morning, the transformation process iscomplete. The retractable fangs and claws evolve. The enhanced strength and speed.The heightened senses. Everything becomes… amplified.”

It sounded similar to how vampires were made, though certainly not as drastic. Itmade me wonder… were we the lower version of the Aeternae without even knowing it?Had the Elders truly come from them, somehow?

“I admit, I am as intrigued as you are.” Petra sighed. “The similarities are impossibleto ignore.”

“Now I’m wondering how the Elders of Cruor came to be,” Derek added. “We neverhad the chance to learn more about them. They were so evil, so intense and dangerous.We simply had to destroy them before they wreaked havoc on our planet.”

“Would we be able to send a crew to Cruor? We haven’t considered that, since theywere all gone,” I said to him.

He shrugged. “When we go back, perhaps. Remember, there is something about thatplace. It just oozes evil and darkness. Even with the Elders gone, it’s still incredibly toxic.”

My husband was right. It was why immunes were cursed to never become vampiresthemselves, because of how sick Cruor truly was. My immunity had been cured there, butthe time I’d spent among the Elders in their dark home had left some permanent scars onmy soul, in a way. I didn’t wish that experience upon anyone, even with the Elders gone.

“I think we can discuss this further at dinner, later tonight,” Petra replied. “We’reabout to enter the throne room.”

A sprawling hallway opened up before us, with white walls and golden lights, pristinesilk drapes and perfumed flowers in painted ceramic vases. My lungs were instantly filledwith sweet scents of late spring, making me close my eyes for the briefest of moments.

Beyond it, visible through a tall archway, I could see the throne room.We went in, and I was instantly struck by its enormity. Its walls were covered in black

wallpaper with delicate gold embroidery details—leaves and vines stretching and swirlingup and down, thickened at the corners.

Titanic columns held the domed ceilings, connecting the luscious black marble floor tothe celestial paintings above. Gold leaves adorned the capitals, their stems following thecarved lines of the shaft.

Guards were present here as well, along with an Aeternae whom I assumed was theircaptain. His helmet was bigger, with a variety of colored feathers hanging from the top.He stood close to the throne platform, which was elevated so the Lord and Lady Supremewere always above the people, looking down on us.

Black dragon-like creatures sculpted from raw, black marble blocks were positioned inall four corners of the room, in groups of three, all snarling at us, their beady eyes sodark, I could almost swear there was life in them. They reminded me of Shaytan’sInfernis sculptures—only those were horrible creatures that he could bring back to life,using the snippets of swamp witch magic he’d tortured Lumi for.

“Your Graces.” Zoltan was the first to greet the lord and lady, who sat in theirdistinctly elaborate throne chairs. They were equal in size and similar in theirconstruction, with soft leather cushioning and gilded armrests. “The foreigners havearrived.”

We stopped about twenty feet from the platform, rendered speechless by the sightbefore us. The Lord and Lady Supreme of Visio were splendid Aeternae, tall and beautifulin every respect. The lord was a dashing specimen, with vibrant, crude green eyes andsoft brown hair, which had been cut short beneath the elegant gold band which he woreas a crown. There was a small dimple in his chin, and two more appeared as he smiled atus. I could see why he made a good ruler—his charm and charisma were blatantlyobvious. This Aeternae could get anything he wanted with just a smile.

The lady was a gorgeous creature, an aura of mystery lingering around her. It wasdifficult to read her expression or even get a glimpse of what she was thinking, but shehad stunning features. Her hair was a golden river flowing down her back and shoulders.Her eyes the color of fresh amber. Her neck long, giving her delicate, curvy figure acertain air of unending grace.

Their clothing was equally stupendous, as they’d opted for matching pale blue brocadewith gold velvet capes and embroidered details. For the lord, a well-fitted tunic broughtout his athletic frame, with long, knee-length calfskin boots to complete the outfit. Thelady’s dress hugged her torso before widening beneath her hips. I could see the toes ofher gold-tipped shoes from where we stood. Artists from across the worlds would’ve hada field day painting them, all day long, without getting tired of their splendor.

“Lord Supreme Acheron Nasani and Lady Supreme Danika Nasani welcome you toVisio,” the captain of the guards announced, his tone sharp and loud enough to echothrough the entire room. “State your names for Their Graces.”

Zoltan, Corbin, Petra, and Kalon stepped to the side, giving their rulers a full view ofour group. In perfect synchronicity, we bowed before them and introduced ourselves,following a previously discussed script. Back home, we’d drawn several possiblescenarios, many leading beyond this meeting point. The “take me to your leader” jokeshad been plentiful at the time.

“I am Derek Novak, of Earth’s Shade. A vampire and a leader of my people.”“Sofia Novak. His wife. His partner. Also a vampire,” I said, my gaze fixed on Danika.“Esme Vaughn, vampire, anthropologist, lieutenant in my people’s protectorate.” We’d

agreed not to use the GASP name straightaway, but Esme and Tristan had made a goodpoint of at least letting them know that we had one military figure among our ranks, notwanting to come across as completely defenseless.

Her introduction captured Kalon’s interest, his eyebrows arched with surprise.“Lieutenant?” he asked. “In your army, or what? What protectorate are you referring to?”

“Shush, Kalon. Don’t interrupt our guests now,” Petra hissed, silencing him.It made Esme smile, as Tristan presented himself to Acheron and Danika. “I am

Tristan Vaughn, vampire and anthropologist.”“Not a lieutenant yourself, then,” Acheron replied, slightly amused.Tristan shook his head. “My sister and I share many interests, but combat isn’t one of

them.”“And I’m Amal. My species is known as the Faulties. Our history is rather short, but my

purpose here is as a scholar and scientist.”Danika’s head tilted to the side, almost unnoticeably. “What fault would you possibly

have? You are absolutely ravishing.”Amal’s cheeks turned pink, and she lowered her gaze. “I often asked the same thing,

Your Grace. Our maker is no longer alive to rectify that.”“Your maker!” Acheron exclaimed. “Someone made you?”“Yes, Your Grace,” Amal replied.Acheron then looked at Nethissis. “And who might you be?”“Nethissis Alexa. Lamia and swamp witch. At your service.”

He and Danika looked at each other and laughed lightly, downright enthusiastic aboutour presence. “What is a Lamia? A swamp witch? By the stars, you have a lot to tell us.Welcome, I say, welcome!” Acheron said.

“Thank you, Your Grace,” I replied, smiling. “We will gladly tell you whatever you wishto know.”

“Rest assured, I’m already making a list of questions in my mind,” Acheron breathed,his eyes wide with childlike wonder.

They struck me as very different characters. Acheron seemed young at heart, hungryfor knowledge and new things, eager to learn and converse. Danika, despite her smileand crystalline laughter, was more reserved, chilling me down to my bones. She didn’tscare me, but I was willing to bet she had a powerful and imposing personality. Clearlythe makings of a strong monarch.

“I suppose our chief councilor, our master commander, or our high priestess hasalready inquired regarding your purpose here, but do tell us yourselves. What brings youto our Visio?” Acheron asked.

Glancing at Petra and the others, I noticed they were in no way concerned oruncomfortable in their presence. Not fearful, either. It said a lot about how Acheron andDanika ruled over their people. A terrible king could easily be spotted through the eyes ofhis servants, after all.

“We’re exploring, Your Grace,” Derek said. “A few months ago, we became aware ofyour world’s existence. Our telescopes are constantly pointed at this galaxy and the manybeyond. It’s in our nature to go out and see what other civilizations thrive in thisuniverse.”

“Curiosity brought you here, then,” Danika concluded.“You could say that, yes.”“We’re truly impressed by Visio,” I said. “Its beauty is unparalleled, as is yours.”Danika smiled. “You’re too kind, Sofia. I’ve never seen a creature as fascinating as

you, either. Your beauty, your bravery in coming all the way here. Surely, I’m not the firstone to say this, but Derek is a most fortunate man.”

The four in our welcoming party chuckled softly. She certainly wasn’t the first.“I hope you’ll accept our invitation to stay here, on Visio, at least for a few days, or for

as long as you’d like,” Acheron said.“It would be our pleasure,” Derek replied, giving me a fleeting sideways glance.This was our much-awaited entry point. The request to be around them, to get to

know them better. For them to understand us, as well. From here on, the path tobefriending the Aeternae seemed a bit smoother, raising our hopes for the moment we’dask for their blood so we could cure the vampires’ sensitivity to sunlight. Until then,however, we needed to strengthen our bonds.

A young female stepped into the throne room from a side door. I’d thought nothingcould surprise me anymore, but the mere sight of her temporarily wiped my brain, in itsentirety. She was more beautiful than any other creature I’d ever seen, with pale,pearlescent skin and long, black hair flowing like silk down her back. Her irises wereblack, her lips the color of Red Delicious apples.

“Oh, wow…” I heard Nethissis mumble, equally impressed.Corbin introduced the stunning Aeternae. “Valaine Crimson, my daughter.” Pride

beamed from his voice, as he could tell she’d knocked us off our feet. Poor Tristan wasthe most affected, his lips slightly parted, his eyes wide and glimmering.

“It is an honor,” Valaine said, her voice sweet, flowing like honey.“Valaine will take you all to your guest rooms,” Danika replied. “She and Kalon

Visentis will be your guides throughout the city, as well.”Kalon smiled upon hearing the lady supreme’s decree, giving Valaine a curious glance.

Corbin’s daughter didn’t seem as pleased, but it was too early to try and find out why.There were many things left unexplained in this throne room, and I knew we’d startpeeling away at the layers of mystery, eventually, until we got all the answers.

Until then, however, we were tourists, and Valaine and Kalon were our guides.“I look forward to showing you all around,” Kalon said, intently staring at Esme. I

figured he was doing it on purpose. I’d noticed the way she’d stolen glances at him alongthe way. He must’ve sensed it. He was like a tiger playing with his prey now. Only, he’dneed to be careful. Esme was a superior predator, as well. Not someone he’d want tomess with. “You’ve only seen the scenic route on your way in.”

“Certainly, I can escort our guests to their chambers, but can we not make better useof my time afterward?” Valaine asked, looking at her father. “There are importantmatters I can assist you with.”

Corbin sighed and leaned in closer, whispering something in her ear. Whatever hesaid, it was enough to make Valaine put on a plastic smile and apologize.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Let me see you to your rooms, and, once you’re settled in, wecan have some afternoon blood and discuss a visiting itinerary in the garden.”

“Thank you, Valaine,” Derek said. “That would be wonderful.”“And we shall see you all later,” Acheron replied. “We’ll be throwing a dinner in honor

of your arrival.”“You’re much too gracious… Your Grace,” I breathed, unsure about all the attention

we were getting. I would rather have gone stealthily through the city, in order to observethe people and their customs. Dinners and parties were not my favorite part of anyexploratory mission.

Esme and Tristan, on the other hand, seemed eager to attend such events. Nethissiswas smiling, too, and I had a feeling Amal was already counting the hours till nightfall.Derek and I had been through similar motions before, meeting new civilizations,attending dinner parties, and making friends with the locals. For our younger teammates,however, all this was more or less new—and strikingly different from all the events thathad plagued GASP over the past couple of years.

Whichever way this whole affair led, I owed it to Tristan, Esme, Amal, and Nethissis tolet them experience the social parts of this mission. They’d put their lives at risk to comehere, not knowing exactly what they were getting themselves into.

The Aeternae made me feel a little uneasy, but our crew had been right. Theyrequired further in-depth studies of their customs and society before we could draw anyconclusions. Since we were going to be here for at least a couple of days, I knew Esme

and Tristan would do whatever it took to get the intel we needed about these people andtheir food sources.

K

T R I S T A N

alon and Valaine gave us a brief tour of the palace, which became evenmore impressive with every room and hall we walked through. It was truly

an imposing masterpiece, each corner artfully designed to take one’s breath away. As thesun vanished beyond the western horizon, all the candles were lit inside.

The Gothic-like vibe was impossible to ignore. Threads of romantism and coldelegance were woven through the fabric of this place, from the painted ceilings to thegilded details and the sumptuous furniture. The color palettes and the antique decorativeobjects further served to prove that someone had gone to painstaking lengths in order toprocure and create these arrangements. I could write a massive thesis based on theinterior decor alone.

But my attention was brutally spliced between the actual tour and Valaine Crimson—Iwas beyond stricken. She’d left me close to dumbfounded before she’d even uttered thosefirst words. Deep down, her reluctance to be around us had been a tad disappointing, butI’d done my best to understand her position. Not everyone was eager to let strangers intotheir world.

There was something about Valaine that made it difficult for me to think, and I wasn’tthe only one. The others in my crew were equally fascinated, though I doubted theirhearts pounded as viciously as mine.

She walked by my side, while Kalon stayed to my far left, next to Esme. Derek, Sofia,Nethissis, and Amal were right behind us, but we were spread wide enough to easily lookat one another, if we had to. We’d left Corbin, Zoltan, Petra, and the captain of theguards with Acheron and Danika, and part of me would’ve given anything to be a fly onthe throne room’s wall. They were probably exchanging impressions of us. Petra wasprobably telling them about the similarities between our species, too.

If we’d been smart in our delivery of information, chances were that the Lord and LadySupreme of Visio would suggest blood tests before we even brought it up, thus making iteasier for us to mention the possibility of a day-walking cure.

“How many people live in the palace?” Esme asked as we stopped inside a massivetrophy room. Its walls were covered with wooden shelves, on which hundreds of shinyawards, medals, and sculptural trophies had been displayed. We couldn’t see the writingon their plaques from here, but judging by the full suits of combat armor also exhibited

here, along the walls, they probably had something to do with the tournaments Kalonhad mentioned.

“Roughly around two thousand,” Valaine replied.“How many of them—”“One thousand Aeternae, approximately six hundred Rimians, and four hundred

Naloreans.” Valaine cut Esme off before she could complete her follow-up question. Iwondered if she’d already heard about our conversation with her father and the others onthe welcoming committee, somehow. Word must’ve traveled fast.

“All of them servants?” I wondered.Kalon shook his head. “No. There are noble families living here, part of the lord and

lady’s court. When the rulers ascend to the throne, they’re given the opportunity to askcertain people to live with them. To keep them company. To make the crown feel a littleless heavy, so to speak.”

“All who call the Nasani palace their home are the most fortunate of Visio,” Valainesaid. “They never miss anything. The kitchen is always working; the pantries arepermanently full. We have recreational activities, as well, along with unfettered access tothe palace gardens. The lord and lady supreme open their home to those they deemworthy of such an honor.”

That sounded rather beautiful, actually. Maybe Petra was right. Maybe they had foundsome kind of balance between the conquerors and the conquered. I nodded at thetrophies to my left. “What room is this, exactly? What does it celebrate?”

“Ah. It’s where the seven dynasties keep their most prized trophies from the BloodArena,” Kalon said, lighting up like the sun. “Of course, the winners can take them home,as well, but out here they can be admired by palace visitors all the time. I’ve brought allof mine here.”

“And now he’s going to show us how many he’s won,” Valaine muttered, rolling hereyes. It earned her a scowl from Kalon, but it didn’t seem hostile. Judging by the looksthey exchanged, these two were close. I wondered how close, exactly.

“This entire thing, here,” Kalon said, pointing at a tall glass case with more than adozen trophies and medals neatly displayed on its shelves. “About a hundred years’worth. I keep the rest at home, though I’ll have to expand the room. I’m running out ofspace.”

“Yes, he keeps winning.” Valaine sighed, not at all impressed.Her blasé demeanor made me want to laugh, but I worried it might offend Kalon. So

far, he’d seemed the most candid among the nobles with whom we’d had meaningfulinteractions.

“At least I’m proud of my achievements. You hide yours in the basement,” Kalonretorted, raising an eyebrow at her.

“You participate in these deadly tournaments, as well?” I asked, my voice shakier thanexpected, prompting me to clear my throat, hoping the next sentence that came out ofmy mouth would sound a lot better. Valaine seemed to have this effect on me.

“All first children of the seven dynasties fight in the Blood Arena,” Valaine replied.“And you’re a first child, yourself,” Sofia said. Valaine nodded. “Do you have any

siblings?”She shook her head. “No. My mother died when I was born, and my father has not had

the heart to remarry since.”“I’m sorry to hear that,” I said. “How long were they together?”“About fifty thousand years.” Valaine sighed, staring at one of Kalon’s trophies. “This

one you got last year, didn’t you?”Kalon nodded. “The year I almost got myself truly and irreparably killed.”“If you were the first child… what exactly is the birth rate here?” I asked, unwilling to

let her change the subject so easily. I could smell avoidance from a mile away.She gave me a dark stare. “Petra didn’t give you details?”“She did not, I’m afraid. We had a lot to talk about. It must’ve slipped through the

cracks.”“No, she just didn’t want to tell you,” Kalon replied. “My mother might come across as

forthcoming, but don’t let that fool you.”“Will you tell us, then?” Esme retorted.Behind her, Derek and Sofia stifled their smiles. I could see why they’d be amused. My

sister was a relentless firecracker, and Kalon had poked and prodded her enough times,already.

“If they’re lucky, an Aeternae couple can welcome their first child after five thousandyears,” Valaine said. “That is a very loose average. Some are blessed much earlier.Others are nearly hopeless before the good news is given by our physicians. It’s a bit of agamble.”

“Do you have siblings, Kalon?” Esme replied.He smiled, and I could swear he was impressed. I figured not many dared to ask him

things which the Aeternae clearly deemed deeply personal and delicate, given theirdifficulty in procreating. “I have four brothers,” Kalon said. “All younger than me. Theyoungest enjoys the tournaments, though not as much as me.”

“Have you ever fought him in the Blood Arena?” Amal asked.Kalon nodded. “Twice. He yielded every time.”“He was lucky,” Valaine said. “If he’d met you in the final, you would’ve killed him.”“I warned him not to get into it,” Kalon said. “Let’s leave it at that, Valaine. Our

guests are not yet ready to hear us airing our dirty laundry.”Derek chuckled. “Actually, we love a good family drama once in a while.”“Forget about that. Tell me about Cruor,” he said. “I’m curious. What’s it like? You

mentioned darkness and evil, but I’m having a hard time picturing that place.”Sofia took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she tried to find the right words to

describe Cruor. I’d only heard the tales; I’d never been there myself. Had I been born animmune, like my grandmother, I probably would’ve found a way to sneak out of TheShade and into Cruor to see if I could reverse the condition even if the Elders were nolonger there. Chances were that Esme would’ve come with me.

“It’s a dark place, like we said, and the sky is covered in a thick, almost reddish mist.As soon as you set foot in that place, you know it. You can feel it seeping into yourbones, like a disease. The pure malevolence of… I’m not sure what, exactly. But you

know… deep down, you know. There was suffering there for a very long time. So awful,so intense, it became embedded into the very fabric of Cruor,” Sofia said, vivid memoriesstirring her.

I got shivers down my spine just from listening to her account. Valaine frowned, whileKalon’s eyes were wide, as if he’d just heard one of the greatest horror stories ever told.“And the Elders?” he asked. “You said they had no form.”

“Their essence could creep up and take over one’s body. Possessing them. Feeding onblood through them. They were capable of causing great harm… a lot of suffering,” Dereksaid.

“So, how did the Aeternae come to be?” Esme asked, looking at Kalon and Valaine.“Since you said the high priestess isn’t that much of a sharer, I assume she knows, butshe didn’t want to tell us.”

Kalon shot her a sly grin. “You catch on quick.”“You’re incorrigible,” Valaine told him, then gave Esme an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry

for any trouble Kalon might have caused you. He’s been like this since he was a child. Atroublemaker, a silver-tongued mischief-stirrer.”

“A handsome silver-tongued mischief-stirrer, thank you,” Kalon retorted. “And theAeternae, dear Esme… they developed. They used to be weaker, living maybe a hundredor two hundred years, if they were lucky. We don’t know when the change happened, butwe know we did not say no to it. We’ve embraced our nature fully.”

“Yes, that much we can see for ourselves,” Esme replied, motioning to the manytrophies around us.

Looking back now, I suspected that a sentry wouldn’t have been able to help us here.If the Aeternae were genetically related to the vampires, then a sentry couldn’t read theiremotions to detect any form of deception. I thought of this because I was dying to knowwhat was going through Kalon and Valaine’s heads. Their personalities struck me asdrastically different—Valaine was reserved and polite, and I was willing to bet she couldpack a mean, even deadly punch. Kalon had the makings of an arrogant young noble,though I did appreciate his sense of humor.

He seemed more relaxed when not in the presence of his mother.We moved from the trophy room into the library, an enormous hall with hundreds of

rows, each loaded with leather-bound manuscripts and ancient scrolls. Candles flickeredin the silvery chandeliers hanging overhead. The wood paneling and the shelves had areddish hue, each surface polished almost obsessively, given how light reflectedeverywhere.

Stained-glass windows from the floor to the ceiling made sure that there was naturallight here throughout the day—an abundance of filtered sunshine for visitors to enjoy asthey read the hundreds of thousands of volumes held in this place.

Study tables interrupted the shelf rows, creating a harmonious pattern of furniture in aroom big enough to host a football game. This hall, alone, was enormous.

“What about the causes of death among the Aeternae?” Amal asked after a longmoment of silence, which we’d spent admiring the splendor around us. “The highpriestess mentioned the timeless classics, including accidental decapitations and

burnings, and the tournaments, among other things. But, I must admit, the numbers don’tquite add up.”

Valaine went blank for a moment. Kalon was caught off guard, his blue eyes wideenough to resemble oversized sapphire marbles. “What do you mean?” he replied, likelystalling until he could find a good answer.

We’d waded into sensitive territory again.“I understand accidents. Some Aeternae’s decision to end their own lives. I can even

accept mass deaths in the Blood Arena, as you called it,” Amal explained. “Executionsalone don’t account for such a considerable death rate. There are too few of you now,taking the above into account, even if your birth rates are abysmal.”

“Oh, you are good,” Kalon breathed.“There’s a reason we brought her along with us,” Nethissis replied, her lips stretching

into a satisfied grin.Valaine let a deep breath roll out of her chest. “I suppose no one mentioned the Black

Fever.”“The Black Fever?” I asked.Kalon shook his head slowly, leaning into one of the bookshelves. “It’s not something

we openly talk about. Not even among ourselves,” he muttered.“What is it, exactly?” Esme replied.“We don’t know much about it,” Valaine said. “It’s a disease that only affects the

Aeternae. It blackens the blood. It destroys everything on the inside. It kills millions overthe span of a week, if it’s not detected in time.”

“How does it spread?” I asked.“There are a number of books on the topic here in the library. If the lord and lady

supreme allow it, I will show them to you,” she replied. “But, in short, it’s carried throughthe blood of Rimians and Naloreans. It takes a long time, up to a month, for thesymptoms to manifest. The worst part is that we don’t know which of them are carriers,since they never get sick themselves. Only the Aeternae die from it.”

“Have you tested them?” Sofia wondered.“We tried. But every single Rimian and Nalorean that was tested over the years came

up negative,” Kalon said. “It’s why it’s been so tricky to permanently root out. The thingis, it doesn’t persist. It comes in waves, every ten thousand years or so. For now, we’re inthe clear, since the last time it spread was five millennia ago.”

“It’s deadly to our kind,” Valaine reiterated. “So, if you were wondering about thepopulation ratios here, I figure you’ve got your answer now.”

Amal nodded slowly. “It’s a little grim, to be honest. And you haven’t been able todevelop a cure at all?”

Kalon and Valaine both shook their heads. “Not for lack of trying. The disease is soquick not only to infect, but also to consume and disappear. By the time it’s done with anAeternae, there’s nothing left but black dust. No trace of any living or even defunctorganisms anywhere. It’s like we’re turned to dust,” Valaine said.

“Then why haven’t you let the Rimians and Naloreans be?” I asked. “Why not findanother solution to your sustenance?”

The question drew Valaine’s ire. “Are you joking? Renounce the very blood that givesus life and strength, because of a few bad apples? No. That’s unacceptable. We cannotsubsist on animal blood alone. It weakens us. It opens us up to attacks from Rimian andNalorean rebels who have yet to let go of the fact that they are part of our empire now.”

So they chose to risk Black Fever death, rather than feed on animals. It troubled me,but I supposed I could understand their mindset. As it stood, the Aeternae were thestrongest and most influential across three planets. Losing that edge would’ve put themat risk. It would’ve likely brought them closer to the level of the Rimians and theNaloreans. So they took chances, focused on quarantine protocols and hoped that asmany of the Aeternae as possible would survive the next Black Fever.

“Perhaps we might be of assistance, should such a horrible day come again on Visio,”Derek said, changing the subject. “Amal here isn’t the only brilliant mind of our world. Hersister is just as sharp, and together they’re practically unstoppable.”

I’d almost forgotten this key aspect of Amal and Amane’s relationship. Ta’Zan hadmade them as two genius halves of an even more extraordinary whole. The closer theywere to one another, the more capable and powerful their brains were. Taken separately,the twins were more than enough to find a cure for a deadly plague. Together, however,I had little doubt that they could, in fact, develop the right treatment that woulderadicate the Black Fever forever.

“Provided our relationship stays friendly, I don’t see why not,” Valaine replied. “I’msure our people would welcome putting a stop to this nightmare. It’s bad enough theAeternae struggle to have children. Imagine losing them to this.”

That was all I could do. Imagine what devastation the Black Fever could leave in itswake. Looking at Valaine, I noticed how deeply she cared about this. I wondered if she’dlost someone she loved to this disease, but the topic was far too sensitive for me tobroach so early in our acquaintance.

There was something about her that made me tick in ways I’d never thought possible.At the same time, Valaine also made me feel… uneasy. It was rather difficult for me tounderstand why. She had this aura about her, a presence of her own, so intense, sochilling, that it seemed to have been made of shadows. Was I the only one who got thissensation from her? I’d have to check with Esme. It can’t be just my instincts flaring,here.

Valaine was, undoubtedly, the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes upon. Herreserved nature made her into a mystery that I was dying to unravel. She also cameacross as highly intelligent, though not keen on showing off this particular side of her—itenticed me even more, as I’d always had an appreciation for brilliant minds. She wasdifferent. Different from us. Different even from the Aeternae.

Her long leather dress hugged her figure in all the right places, with a silver chainrunning across her torso. It kept a black velvet cape hanging from her shoulders. From anaesthetic and sartorial point of view, Valaine was as much an Aeternae as the others. Buther face, her expression, her dark eyes, they made her seem otherworldly.

A secret of Visio which I had to understand. How had she even come to be, in the firstplace?

K

E S M E

alon and Valaine brought us to our quarters after the palace tour. I knewthere were plenty of areas we’d yet to explore in this sprawling building,

but I figured they didn’t want us poking our noses everywhere.Agreeing to meet later, the two Aeternae left us to our own devices. Tristan and I had

been given separate rooms, and mine was absolutely breathtaking. A spaciousapartment, complete with a wide lounge area and an airy bedroom, it offered views ofthe north side of the city. The sky turned purplish red at sunset, quickly darkening as theevening spread across the realm. Thousands of houses and small villas fit neatly alongthe snaking alleyways. Trees poked out from everywhere, their rich green crownsswelling and casting deep shades beneath.

Lights came on in the streetlamps that lined every street. It seemed like afternoonswere darker here on Visio—perhaps because of the haze. Workers had been tasked withrefilling the oils and candles used to keep them burning through the evening. From mywindow, I could see them moving around the palace. One pulled the cart around, filledwith oil pots, burners, and candles, while the other carried the ladder and used it to climbup to the top of every streetlamp. There were hundreds of such working pairs, all overthe city. One by one, the fires lit up, their amber glow spreading.

Turning around, I gave myself a moment to admire the embroidered wallpaperdepicting a lake at twilight, shades of dark red and orange glimmering beneath a risingmoon. The scene was designed to cover all four walls of the lounge, giving its guests theimpression of standing in the middle of the lake as the sun said goodbye for the day. Theceiling was black, meant to accentuate the wall art. Black curtains framed the windows,while the floor was covered in a soft, dark blue carpet—the lake itself, beneath my feet.

The sofas and the coffee table reminded me of an eighteenth-century tea salon. Thewoodwork was exquisite, with fleur-de-lys-style bass reliefs along the edges, sculpturalarmrests, and fine silken tapestries stretching over the soft seating foams and wools. Itook a moment to sit and fully take in the experience of resting in this place, while thesky continued to darken outside. A pitcher of fresh blood and several glasses rested on asilver tray in front of me, on the table. Below, on a bottom shelf, books had been left forme to read. I browsed through their pages for the better part of a quarter-hour, noticingthe selection they’d made. They were all history books describing the rise of the Aeternae

and their conquests of Nalore and Rimia, complete with ink illustrations.The bedroom was just as wonderful, with a massive canopy bed. A window had been

left open, and the ocean breeze swooped through and made the delicate tulle curtainshanging from the upper frame billow out. The posts were sculpted, depicting maidenswith long, flowing hair, their hands reaching for the heavens. The flowers they held intheir hands served as finials, and the headboard was upholstered in lavish dark redvelvet, which matched the floral red-and-white ensemble of the bed covers and pillows—so many pillows…

“This is freaking royal,” I mumbled, noticing the giant wardrobe which had been fittedinto an entire wall, the reddish wood commode with brass, rose-bud-shaped handles, thevanity table with its upholstered stool, and the plethora of perfumes and lotions nestledin a square, mother-of-pearl tray by the tilted mirror. “The home of a princess.”

Indeed, whoever lived here would clearly be given most special treatment. The loungewas restful and warm. The bedroom was sensual and elegant. The bathroom, I quicklyrealized, was a slice of ocean heaven, with gray stone brick walls, white marble, andbrushed brass fixtures. Lights burned softly in the swirling wall-mounted sconces, and awhite linen curtain covered the only window.

The tub, a giant white shell, was fitted with a drain. The faucet had two knobs, and Iquickly realized they had a hot water system running through the entire palace. My firstguess was a coal-powered base beneath the building, its fires used to heat the waterbefore it was pushed through the moaning pipes.

It didn’t take long for me to slip out of my clothes and dip into the hot tub, which I’denriched with several essential oils left on one of the white marble shelves precisely forthis pampering moment. The air filled with relaxing aromas of lavender and acacia-likeblossoms, as I leaned back and allowed the bath to work on my skin and muscles.

Glancing around, I smiled, feeling much like a princess. If this was the impressionthey’d gone for with this room, well… I had to give them an A+. They’d nailed it, andthen some.

A knock on the door outside startled me. “Who’s there?” I shouted.“Zurah, milady,” a delicate voice said. “Your handmaiden.”“My handmaiden?” I asked, loudly enough for her to hear me.“Yes. I am here to look after you and run your bath, if you’d be so kind as to let me

in,” she said. This was a tad awkward, I realized. I’d already run my bath.“I’m already in the tub,” I replied. “I mean, you can come in, but—”“Oh, no!” I heard her exclaim as she stumbled into the room. I could see her through

the open bathroom door, flustered and panting, tightly fitted into a servant’s black dresswith a white lace collar and waistband. “Milady, I should have done this for you. Please,accept my apologies!”

I chuckled softly as she closed the outside door and meekly walked into the bathroom,her gaze stuck to the floor. She looked skinny, her skin dark, her eyes the color of rubychestnuts. “There’s nothing to apologize for,” I said to her, comforted by the foam thatcovered the water in my tub. Not that I was shy, in general, but I did not know what thenudity norms were around here. Tristan and I had spent weeks with tribes where they

barely kept a leather patch on to cover their privates, so I did not have any qualms aboutmy own nakedness. “I’m the one who jumped into the bath, to begin with. I had no ideayou were coming.”

“That is my mistake, my lady. I should have been here already,” the girl replied, hervoice trembling. She felt awful, and I needed to get her out of this state. It wasn’t likeshe’d offended me in any way. “I should have been here to greet you. I am late, and I amsorry.”

“Please, there is no need to worry.” I sighed, smiling at her. “As you can see,everything is okay. So, you’re my handmaiden, huh?”

Zurah exhaled, as if a huge weight had just been lifted from her shoulders. I had afeeling she would’ve gotten in major trouble if I’d told anyone that I’d run my own bath. Itprobably had something to do with the service etiquette—likely very strict and punitivetoward the servants.

“Milady, I am here to serve you and make sure you’re well taken care of while in thesechambers,” she said. “Again, forgive me for my tardiness. I only learned I’d be servingyou a few minutes ago.”

“That’s okay. Seriously. I won’t tell anyone, if that’s what you’re worried about, Zurah.It’s perfectly normal to be late.”

She smiled, completely relaxed, all of a sudden. “Thank you. I don’t know what Iwould’ve done, had I displeased you in any way. I like my job here.”

“You’re not an Aeternae, are you?”She shook her head. “No, milady. I’m from Rimia. I’ve been in the palace service for

six moons, now. While it can be… complicated, at times, I do enjoy it very much.”“I see. So, you like living with the Aeternae?” I asked, curious to get insights from the

occupied nations, as well, and not just their conquerors.Zurah stared at me for a moment, then walked over to a corner cabinet I hadn’t even

noticed until now. A dark blue velvet dress rested on a coat hanger, hooked against thewall next to it. I’d been so absorbed with the tub and the beautiful brass details andfragranced oils that I’d completely ignored the southern part of the bathroom. There werewatercolor illustrations of ocean fauna and flora mounted on the wall, fitted in brushedbrass frames that matched the bathroom fixtures. Zurah took out a large white towelfrom the cabinet and placed it on a small stool next to the tub.

“I am treated well,” she said flatly. But I wasn’t satisfied with that answer.“But are you happy?”She threw me a half-smile. “I can provide for myself and my family, milady. That

makes me happy.”I nodded slowly, understanding that she would not tell me more—at least not at this

stage in our relationship. I hoped I would get her to open up, later down the road. Thetension was already filling the air, and I’d made her slightly uncomfortable, so I pointedat the dress. “Is that for me?”

“Yes, milady. We have gowns and dresses ready for guests at all times, in line withpalace etiquette and color codes. Our lord and lady supreme are quite specific in theirpreferences for those who come here, even for a night or two.”

“It’s beautiful,” I murmured, gazing at its flowing midnight blue velvet skirt, fitted overa crinoline undergarment. Its tight sleeves would likely feel like a second skin, and thebodice was made with silver thread, adorned with delicate diamonds.

“The lady supreme’s style artist handles all the dress designs for our female guests,”Zurah replied, lovingly gazing at the dress. It stood out all on its own, so one could onlyimagine what it would look like on a woman, how curves would amplify the beauty andthe intricate embroidery. “Would you like to come out now? I’m worried you might get allpruny if you stay in the water for too long.”

“Yes, I think it’s time, before I fall asleep. It’s so relaxing.”She giggled and stretched the towel out for me, staring to the side so as not to see

me naked. I got out of the tub and took over from Zurah, wrapping the towel aroundmyself. She bowed politely, moving toward the door. “I will be in the lounge, waiting,milady,” she said. “Please, put the dress on. There are undergarments in the bottomdrawer of the cabinet. I’ll prepare your shoes and jewelry, in the meantime.”

“Thank you, Zurah.”Left on my own again, I took deep breaths as I patted the water from my skin. Those

essential oils had worked like magic. I had never felt like this before—it was as if myentire body had been glazed in a soft layer of silk. The fragrance lingered in the air as Islipped into the dress, but I was unable to tie the bodice myself, since the laces were atthe back, and I’d spent most of my life in T-shirts and slacks.

Walking out of the bathroom, barefooted and slightly flushed by my inability to wear astyle that many women had flawlessly worn before me, I found Zurah waiting patientlynext to one of the sofas, smiling. Just like she’d promised, a pair of elegant, mid-heelshoes awaited on the floor next to her, while a selection of jewels had been displayed ona white satin cloth on the coffee table.

“I need some help,” I said, turning around for her to see the bodice laces.“Of course, milady,” Zurah replied, taking a firm hold over them. She tugged and

fastened, the bodice tightening around my waist and chest. Gradually, it became a littlebit harder to breathe, as she reached the upper part and tied the laces tightly. “I’ve takenthe liberty of bringing a tall mirror for you to see the entire ensemble,” she added as shemoved to stand by the mirror.

Oh, I was breathless at the sight of myself, and not because of the tight bodice. Thedress was a work of art, fitting me perfectly. My curves were masterfully accentuated,with delicate cleavage—just enough to entice and reveal a little bit of pearlescentvampire skin. The velvet sleeves looked painted down my arms, leaving my shouldersbare. The skirt was full and wide, and not at all heavy. The Aeternae had found a way tomake this fashion last, without it being uncomfortable in any way. I loved it.

“Wow,” I managed. “It’s… It’s quite something.”“Perhaps something to cover your shoulders, if you’d like?” Zurah asked.Had she read my mind? I’d just remembered the intense looks that Kalon had stolen

at me, and how exposed I’d felt whenever he’d given me his full attention. One could onlywonder what he would think of my outfit, given how different it was from my more casualGASP uniform. Under any other circumstances, I would’ve found his smirks and stares

unsettling, but there was something about him that stirred me, and I wasn’t yet surewhat to make of it. Of him, in general.

“Yes, please,” I replied.She placed a dark gray, shimmering tulle scarf over my shoulders, pulling both ends

behind me and clasping a silver ring around them to stop the whole thing from slipping.Indeed, this looked a lot better, in the sense that I had fewer chances of capturing toomuch of Kalon’s attention. Then why am I slightly disappointed?

“Tell me, Zurah, how well do you know Kalon Visentis?” I asked, while Zurah motionedfor me to sit down. I took a seat on the sofa, and she put the shoes on my feet withcautious and gentle movements, as if I’d been made of porcelain.

“He is a good Aeternae, milady. He is kind and generous. Many of the court peoplelove him,” she said, almost mechanically. I wasn’t buying any of it.

I laughed. “Please, don’t lie to me. Give me an honest opinion. I won’t tell a soul. I’mjust trying to understand the guy, that’s all.”

Zurah gave me a worried look but seemed to soften a bit when she saw me smiling.“He’s… He’s complicated, milady. Not in a bad way, but I suppose you never know whereyou stand with him. Lord Visentis is a decent Aeternae, if I’m to be completely honestwith you, but he’s also rather mysterious. He uses his sharp wit and even sharper tongueas weapons, and, I must say, sometimes those hurt more than his sword during the BloodArena tournaments.”

“How does he treat you and the other servants?”She got up, helping me stand, as well. Yet more brownie points for the Aeternae, I

thought to myself, pleased to find the shoes remarkably comfortable, despite the heels.“He’s respectful, milady. Always respectful. I hear it’s the same with his house servants,as well. While the high priestess might be strict at times, even abrasive, Lord Visentis isgood to them. He never issues punishments when they make mistakes. On the First Moonof the year, he even treats them all with fine foods and drinks in the kitchen.”

That was interesting. I hadn’t seen this side of Kalon—though, to be fair, I hadn’t hadthe opportunity just yet. Maybe I would soon, provided our stay on Visio would be lengthyenough. But I did find this information to be soothing. Kalon had come across as curious,arrogant, and daring. It was nice to hear he treated the servants well. It was a mark of agenerally good person, though that was not a rule set in stone.

My brother and I had met plenty of tyrants disguised as decent people.“Does he come to the palace often?” I asked, as Zurah put a delicate silver necklace

around my neck. Diamonds and sapphires were mounted in teardrops which hung gentlyfrom the chain. They brought out the blue in my dress, even softening the green in myeyes. She then gave me clip-on diamond earrings to wear. Shaped as teardrops, theywere the perfect complement to the necklace.

“I’d say three, maybe four times a week,” Zurah said, admiring me in the mirror. “Youlook beautiful, milady. A true vision in midnight blue.”

“Thank you, Zurah. I have you and the lady supreme’s style artist to thank,” I replied.“Does Kalon come to the palace so often on business?”

She smiled, bound to have noticed my interest in him. I held my breath for a moment,

worried she might point that out. “His business with the lord and lady supreme is scarce,at best. Lord Visentis mostly deals with the chief councilor. It’s the high priestess whosework is mostly tied to the palace. Lord Visentis is good friends with Valaine. They havebeen since she was born, in fact.”

I glanced at her over my shoulder. “Friends?”“They are like brother and sister. She usually counsels him in the affairs of the heart,

though it’s rumored he never really listens,” Zurah replied. She giggled, making her wayinto the bedroom. “Come, milady. I must do your hair, as well.”

“Right.”I followed her and sat in front of the vanity mirror, where she took her time combing

through my long and curly black hair. Needless to say, she had her work cut out for her.Halfway through wrestling with my stubborn locks, she poured a few drops of perfumedoil into her hands and ran them through my mane until all the knots were gone. A subtlescent of lilies tickled my nose.

“Have you ever seen him fight in the Blood Arena?” I asked.“Who, milady? Lord Visentis?” she replied, and I nodded once. She watched me

carefully in the mirror, working through the smaller curls before adding a few more dropsof oil. My hair looked amazing, with a healthy sheen and a playful bounce. Whatever theyput in that oil, it was something akin to magic. I’d never been able to make my hair sowell-behaved. “I have not, but some of my friends have. I’m told he is quite something tobehold. The Aeternae often admire him, calling him the Champion of All Time. He showsgreat promise, having survived many tournament finals so far.”

I shook my head slowly. “I will never understand this fetish for violence and death. Itis beneath a species as fascinating and as advanced as the Aeternae. I don’t know. I’mbaffled.”

“I was, too, when I was a child. But I quickly understood that the Aeternae don’t seelife the way we mortals do.”

“Yeah, I heard the whole speech before. They have nothing left to experience, sodancing with death is a great way to pass the time,” I grumbled. “It’s still mindlessviolence, no matter how you dress it up.”

“That is true, milady. But Visio has been at peace for so long. Even its wars weren’tlong,” Zurah said, her gaze darkening for a moment. “They took over Rimia in a matter ofweeks. Nalore took about a year, but that was mostly because of the blizzards, not theresistance. The Aeternae need an outlet for the violence, which, I’m sorry to say, is intheir nature. Honestly, I would rather they duke it out in the Blood Arena than have themroam the city streets at night, looking for innocent people to hurt or kill.”

She went pale, probably realizing she’d said a tad much during this first conversationof ours. Covering her mouth, she stared at me in horror.

“I am so sorry, milady,” she whispered. “My mouth spoke without me.”“It’s fine, Zurah. I understand your reasoning. Hell, I accept it. Makes sense,” I replied.

“And you’re right. They’re better off satisfying their lust for violence in the arena than outin public, where innocents could get hurt or worse.”

“To many among the Aeternae, the thrill of dying is more exciting than living forever,”

she murmured. “It satisfies many emotions that they would otherwise channel into lessconstructive activities.”

“Were they violent before the tournaments were established? I assume there was atime before the prize fights, before they reached the conclusion that they needed theBlood Arena.”

Zurah shrugged. “I don’t know, milady. I am young and know little to nothing aboutsuch ancient history. The Blood Arena has been around for more than two million years,and the Aeternae do not like to speak about the time before it.”

That sort of answered my question. If the Aeternae didn’t want to talk about it, then ithad probably been awful, a stain on their seemingly illustrious history. From what I’dlearned up to now, the Aeternae tried to market themselves as superior, truly evolvedcreatures who’d achieved a peaceful balance with the creatures they’d conquered.

Fighting in the Blood Arena was an outlet for them. Winning the tournament finalswas always a cause for celebration, and the champions were given great honors, alongwith trophies and various riches. But such synergy had not happened easily. It couldn’thave.

The society we were seeing today was the result of many years of troubles andbloodshed—it was a pattern found in many of the civilizations that my brother and I hadcome across, if not all of them. I could appreciate the bitter irony, though, knowing thatthe thought of dying made many of the Aeternae feel most alive.

Us vampires had been taught differently, and it probably had something to do with thefact that we were all made, not born. We’d learned to appreciate immortality for itsperks, not its downsides. Vampirism did not exist for as long as the Aeternae, either, sothere had yet to be a case of a truly bored vampire among us. It made me wonder, wouldwe be the same, four million years from now?

Tired? Bored? Eager to throw our lives in the fire for a second’s worth of adrenaline inthe Blood Arena? It got me thinking that some insights from the Aeternae elders would’veeasily answered my questions.

“Zurah, is there any chance I might be able to visit the oldest Aeternae?” I asked, stillseated as she finished arranging my hair. I looked like the vampire version of ScarletO’Hara, and I didn’t mind it one bit. The way the dark curls fell down my back and overmy shoulders made my neck look longer and thinner.

“No, milady,” Zurah replied, moving to apply a delicate skin-tone powder to my facewith a large brush. “The elders are off-limits to everyone, even most Aeternae. Only thelord and lady supreme, along with the ruling council, the high priestess, and the mastercommander are allowed to see them.”

“Hmm. I see. Where do they live, exactly?”Zurah shot me a warning glare before brushing pink blush powder over my cheeks.

“Milady, I don’t think it’s wise to ask such things. Especially since you are not of thisworld.”

“I’m just curious. Don’t worry, Zurah, I have no intention of sneaking out and breakinginto the retirement homes of ancient Aeternae.” I chuckled softly.

She looked at me for a while, as if trying to ascertain whether I was joking or not.

“There are six islands off the eastern coast,” she finally said. “Gated communitiesguarded by some of the deadliest Aeternae soldiers and tournament champions. Thelatter are offered the honor instead of riches and titles, should they wish to protect theelders, instead.”

“Protect them from what?”“The curious folk. Sometimes, the younger Aeternae like to challenge the system.

They make bets or dare one another to sneak onto one of the islands, to get a good lookat the elders. It never ends well for them, but they never learn,” Zurah explained.“Sometimes, people with grievances against the lord and lady supreme look to hurt theelders in order to punish our rulers. Again, that always concludes in death and disaster forthe attackers. So, yes, the ancient Aeternae are protected.”

“I understand.”I was being honest. I did understand why they’d chosen to keep the oldest Aeternae

away from the rest of the population. But it also made me want to ask additionalquestions, because there had to be more to these gated communities than just the needto ward off the curious or spiteful folk. What were the Aeternae hiding that they didn’twant anyone to see?

What were the ancient ones like, that they had to be secluded and isolated like this?Naturally, I immediately thought of asking my brother for advice. Maybe we’d even find away to go there, to sneak in ourselves and see. After all, we had invisibility potionsreadily available for such endeavors. No one would even know. Not even Derek and Sofia,in case Tristan and I decided not to tell them—since they could easily tell us to stay outof the Aeternae’s business. There was no harm in looking, though.

“Milady, you are ready for the evening now,” Zurah said after a minute’s worth ofheavy silence. “Might I ask that you don’t wander through restricted areas of the palace,if you’re to go out for a walk?”

I couldn’t help but frown at her. “Restricted areas? Which are those?” I asked.“They’re dark, milady. Anything that isn’t illuminated in this palace is off-limits to the

guests and the handmaidens.”Clearly, Visio had its share of secrets. While part of me wanted to follow the rules and

focus solely on getting the day-walking protein from the Aeternae, I was dying to uncoverand study everything that they were trying to keep from us. It was in my nature toquestion everything, to dig deeper, and to burrow through the darkest corners until I gotto the truth—no matter how terrible or wonderful it could be.

In this case, I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist the temptation. “I’ll be on my bestbehavior, Zurah,” I said, lying through my teeth as I gave her a comforting smile.

A

E S M E

fter Zurah was done with my evening style preparations, she tidied the bathroomand left, promising to be here when I returned after dinner. A bit overdressed formy taste but feeling strangely fabulous, nonetheless, I left my chambers and

barged into my brother’s, finding him seated in an armchair by the window, reading somehistory books that the Aeternae had left under his coffee table, as well.

“Have you never heard of knocking?” he blurted, having been so focused on the pagesthat he hadn’t even heard me coming.

I grinned. “Dude.”“Right. Sorry, you surprised me.”“That doesn’t happen very often,” I said, noticing his apartment was strikingly

different from mine. The embroidered wallpaper in the lounge room evoked a nocturnalscene in the woods, in shades of dark brown and green. The furniture was sturdier, moremasculine, with dark tapestry and lacquered wood frames. From where I stood, I couldsee the nautical color palette in his bedroom, with a four-poster bed and dark-blue-and-white linens. “Nice digs,” I observed. “Mine are…”

“Different? More to your taste?” he replied, raising an eyebrow.He wore a suit, much in the style I’d seen on Kalon and the other Aeternae males—a

three-piece combination of dark blue coattail jacket and pants, and light gray vest,complete with a white shirt and a silvery scarf loosely serving as a tie. “You look dapperas hell!”

“Thanks. Turns out I have a valet. He did most of the work you see on me,” Tristanreplied dryly, clearly uncomfortable in his outfit. I couldn’t help but smile.

“I have a handmaiden, so I don’t know, perks of being guests in the lord and ladysupreme’s palace?” I replied, glancing down at my dress.

“Whoever your handmaiden is, do give her my compliments. She turned you into aspectacular vision,” Tristan said.

I did like the way the suit looked on him. It made his dark stubble stand out, givinghim the air of a handsome nobleman—and not the tee-loving, tree-hugging unshavedexplorer he usually was.

“Thank you very much. The same goes for your valet, it seems. I’m betting a lot ofhearts will be broken as soon as we walk you out that door tonight.”

We both laughed, and Tristan pulled a second armchair close to his, so we could sit bythe window together. By then, the sky had taken on a dark purple hue, with barely athread of red and orange still gleaming on the horizon. His room smelled of leather andmusk, and I had the inclination to blame the fragranced oils for that. The Aeternaedefinitely had an appreciation for fine scents and toiletries.

“What do you think of this place, so far?” he asked me, setting his book aside. Hefumbled with the scarf for a while but gave up quickly, since he risked ruining a perfectlystyled knot that the valet had made for him, no doubt. This was all unlike him, and it wastruly hilarious to watch.

“I smell secrets, little brother,” I said. “Lots and lots of secrets.”“I’m only a year younger than you, Esme. Cut the ‘little brother’ crap.”“Never,” I replied, delighted that our banter hadn’t changed, even after all our years

spent exploring the weirdest corners of Earth together. “Anyway, like I was saying.They’re hiding something.”

“Of course they are. Every civilization, every nation, every household will hide things,especially from strangers and newcomers such as ourselves,” he said, slightly amused.“But do you have something more concrete?”

I nodded. “The Aeternae elders are definitely off-limits,” I replied. “Only the highest ofthe upper echelon are allowed to see them. Zurah, my handmaiden, told me a little bitabout it. Apparently, they keep them in gated communities on six islands off the easterncoast of this continent.”

“Which, by the way, is called Droyo,” he added.“I’ve also been told not to go into the restricted areas of the palace. They’re left dark

on purpose, so everyone knows to stay away,” I said, beaming at him. I knew his interestwas beyond piqued, at this point.

“We’d be asking for trouble if we went outside the mission’s parameters.” He sighed,his lips pressed into a thin line. That was his way of resisting temptation, and such aneasy wall to break. Tristan had come to Visio hoping to stick to our discovery mission, butI’d already warned him that he might not be able to resist digging deeper. It was in ournature to peel away at the layers of every society we studied until we figured outeverything that made it function the way it did.

This was no exception, regardless of how hard he fought to resist the itch.“I’m not saying we should go out now and get into trouble, Tristan. I’m merely

suggesting that we make good use of those invisibility pellets we brought along for thetrip, at some point. That’s all,” I said, wearing a most innocent expression.

“Esme.”“You know there’s more beneath the surface!” I insisted. “We can talk to Derek and

Sofia about it, if you want. Surely, they must’ve noticed a few things off in this place, justlike you and me.”

“This isn’t like Neraka. We can’t mess with their organization or their people,” Tristansaid. I understood his cautiousness, but I knew it was a feeble thing, and that it wouldsoon snap. Tristan had never had that much regard for the rules, though, bless him, he’dalways tried.

“We agreed not to interfere, sure,” I replied. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t just, youknow, look around. I don’t want us to make any kind of diplomatic mess, obviously, butdon’t you think we’d be better off if we knew exactly what kind of creatures we’re dealingwith? I mean, let’s be honest. We keep saying it’s not like Neraka, but in many ways, itkind of is. I’m starting to feel like there’s a pattern. Species like ours seem prone tosubjugating those they deem inferior. Like the vamps of The Shade used to do. Thesecreatures look nice and all. They dress beautifully. They feed off their living, conqueredpeople, and they are immortal. Come on, you can’t tell me you’re not curious to seewhat’s under this neatly crafted façade.”

“I am. But I’m worried it’ll jeopardize our mission.”“Invisibility pellets. How many times do I have to remind you?” I retorted, trying not

to laugh. In my mind, the plan seemed easy, as long as we remained unseen. We couldmove through the palace as we wished. Hell, we could even go to the islands andobserve the ancient Aeternae for ourselves, if we wanted to. “No one needs to know. Ifyou want, we can even keep this from Derek and Sofia and the others, though, honestly,the thought of them not knowing doesn’t feel right.”

He nodded slowly, gazing out the window. “We should at least talk to them aboutthis. Get their thoughts before we even propose going stealth through this place.”

“But you understand why I need us to do this, right?”Tristan gave me a soft smile. “You’re worried for our safety. You don’t feel right until

you know we’re going to be okay, especially in a foreign setting like this. It’s yourprotective instinct kicking in, Esme, and I love you all the more for it, sis. So yeah, I getit. But we have to be careful.”

It was my turn to nod, as I leaned back into the chair. “Okay. You do the talkingwhere the crew is concerned, and I’ll worry about the logistics of the whole thing. Cool?”

“Yeah. Side note, how was your handmaiden?”“What do you mean?”“Did she strike you as nervous? Worried you’ll be upset if she makes a mistake,

maybe?” he asked, and it rang such a bell in my head that I nearly went deaf for amoment.

“Your valet was on edge, huh?”“Zurah, too?” Tristan’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. “It makes me wonder what sort

of penalties they have for the servants.”I shrugged. “It could be more of a cultural thing for them. Not necessarily punished,

but severely frowned upon. Zurah said she loved her job here. Though she did sound a bitstrained.”

“Like she was taught to say these things…”“There is no mind-bending or any other foul play like that. Zurah was honest in her

discourse, but she definitely didn’t want to say more than she did. Again… I can’t help butnotice the similarities to Neraka, even without the Exiled Maras in the picture. Whichbrings me back to the necessity of us scouting the place and checking things out,incognito.”

Tristan scoffed, though he seemed slightly amused. “You’re incorrigible, Esme. All

right, I’ll talk to Derek and Sofia about this, the first chance I get, and—”A knock on the door brought our private moment to what felt like an abrupt end. We

stared at each other for a moment, wondering who it might be. We had Tellurisconnections with Amal, Nethissis, Derek, and Sofia, and they would’ve gotten in touchbefore coming over, for sure. It had been something we’d agreed upon, so we’d knowwhen others were coming to our door.

“Tristan? It’s Valaine,” the feminine voice announced. “I’m here on behalf of the lordand lady supreme.”

“Tristan? She came to you first, for this?” I whispered. “I would’ve expected her toreach out to Sofia and Derek first, since they’re the de facto leaders of our crew.”

He blinked several times, caught off guard. “I… I don’t know. Maybe she already toldthem?”

“We would’ve known.”He sighed deeply. “Then, I really don’t know.”“Tristan?” Valaine called out again.“Go open the door!” I hissed. “Show some good manners!”“Okay, Mom,” he replied dryly.As soon as he let Valaine in, the entire room seemed to lose a few degrees from its

otherwise pleasant temperature. It had taken being apart from her for a few hours tounderstand the peculiar psychological effect she’d had on me—and, judging by the glowin my brother’s eyes, on him, too. It wasn’t just her appearance that enticed, but also herpresence. Some people just had this way of drawing attention, of electrifying the airaround them, without doing or saying anything.

“Esme. I didn’t know you were here,” Valaine said, bowing politely.“Sorry I took a while to greet you,” Tristan replied, while I gave the Aeternae a soft

and friendly smile.“My brother and I were just catching up.” I sighed. “We’re loving our quarters, just so

you know. The rooms are simply gorgeous.”“I’m glad to hear that,” Valaine replied, then glanced at Tristan. “The lord and lady

supreme have requested your presence in the garden for an appetizer before dinner.”“Oh?” I mumbled, straightening my back.Valaine smiled. “They want you to try a few blood selections, infused with various

aromas and oils. We try new recipes every year, and the lord and lady supreme want tomake sure that everything is to your liking during dinner.”

“You are most kind,” I said, getting up.Her eyes widened with surprise. “Esme… You look beautiful!”My cheeks burned. It felt nice to have her attention on such a positive note. I wasn’t

sure why, but I enjoyed her compliments more than anything. I doubted the ladysupreme’s appreciation would’ve struck a similar note. “Thank you,” I murmured, myhead low. “It’s a beautiful dress. I’m merely the one wearing it.”

“Nonsense, you’re the one who brings out the dress’s finest features,” Valaine said.Her kindness surprised me. No wonder my brother was nearly smitten with her. “Shall wego?”

We followed Valaine through several corridors, picking up Derek, Sofia, Amal, andNethissis along the way, and occasionally stopping to marvel at the marble and brasssculptures, the ornate columns, and the enormous, hand-painted porcelain vases thatdecorated the spacious hallways. A lot of care and attention had gone into the interior ofthe palace, making sure every corner was used to its full potential, regardless of itsfunction.

The gardens were out of this world, much bigger and downright astonishing from upclose. A maze stretched out before us, made of hedges and sparkling fountains,blossoming trees and elegant statues on solid marble bases. Again, just like with thepalace’s interior, the garden made use of every single patch of dirt to create thisenormous masterpiece.

Water gushed from the fountains, its rushing sound making me smile. Birds sang inthe trees and the flowery bushes, and the evening breeze added a delicate chill to myskin, reminding me of midnights in The Shade. In the middle of these gardens, a whitegazebo rose, its pillars covered in pink rose-like blossoms with spade-shaped leaves. Atable had been set there, made of white iron, with matching chairs.

The lord and lady supreme were already waiting, along with Kalon. I’d expected tosee Petra, Zoltan, and Corbin, as well, but they were nowhere to be seen. Severalservants waited behind them, dressed in black-and-white uniforms—much like what I’dseen Zurah wearing. It was definitely the signature style of the palace staff. Around thegazebo, a dozen golden guards stood quietly, the colored feathers from their helmetsdancing in the wind.

“Where are the high priestess, the chief councilor, and the master commander?”Derek asked as we approached the gazebo, walking behind Valaine.

“I believe they have administrative duties to attend to, milord,” she said.Glancing around at our crew, I found a sense of relief knowing that my brother and I

weren’t the only ones who’d been dressed up for the occasion. Derek had also been fittedinto a dark gray three-piece velvet suit, while Sofia looked simply stunning in her coppersatin dress, a black lace bodice tightened to bring out her gentle curves. Amal didn’tseem comfortable in her pale orange dress, but she was beautiful, nonetheless. Her long,white hair had been pulled up into a tight bun, diamond earrings pouring down to hercollarbones. Nethissis was a true vision in emerald green, and she seemed to enjoy this alot more than Amal.

“Welcome!” Acheron said, rising from his chair as we reached the gazebo. Danikadidn’t move, but Kalon stood, as well, his eyes immediately finding me. For a splitsecond, I felt like an ant under a magnifying glass, the sun burning through me, eventhough the sky above was dark, with a handful of twinkling stars just overhead. “Weusually dine much later in the evening, but we didn’t want you to spend too much timewaiting.”

“And we have some delightful new varieties of aromatic blood we’d like you to try,”Danika added, motioning for us to sit down. Every move she made felt like a dream. Her

grace was impossible to describe, but I took a stab at it by mentally comparing her to aporcelain swan into which the universe had breathed life. The term “poetry in motion”came to mind. But then the mental image of Exiled Maras rammed through my head andruined the moment. There were a lot of common points here, so I became increasinglydetermined to figure out where the similarities stopped.

Kalon pulled up a chair for me to sit in, and I had a hard time looking at him, worriedhe might peer right into my eyes if I wasn’t careful. “You’re a true vision tonight, Esme,”he said, his voice low, as I took my seat and gave him a faint but thankful nod.

“Thank you,” I managed, trying to focus on the table, instead.There were crystal pitchers filled with blood in the middle, but the servants had also

added a couple of fruit and cheese platters to the display, along with fresh water bottles,for Amal and Nethissis.

“How is your stay in the palace, so far?” Danika asked us, as Valaine sat next toTristan and me. To my right, Kalon was quiet, but I knew he was still watching me.

“It’s wonderful,” Sofia said. “The staff is incredibly kind and considerate.”“And the rooms are stupendous,” Nethissis replied. “I admit, I’ve rarely experienced

such lavishness.”“I’m glad to hear that!” Acheron said, jovial and practically beaming at us. Out of all

the Aeternae we’d met so far, I could easily see him as the most excited for our presencehere. We were like shiny new things for his sole delight, and he planned to enjoy everysecond he got to spend with us. “My beloved Danika has spent centuries perfecting ourhome. Every guest room is a reflection of our philosophy of living.”

Danika smiled. “I still change things up, once in a while. So far, I’m happy with thestyles we’ve managed to accomplish.”

“You are personally involved in the decorations, then,” I concluded, and the ladysupreme nodded in return.

“Along with a team of artists and craftsmen, of course,” she replied. “I like to heedtheir advice, but sometimes I’m also a bit hard-headed. The end results have yet todisappoint, so I reckon I’ve done something good.”

“You most certainly have, Your Grace,” Sofia said. “And the gardens are equallybreathtaking.”

“That would be the lord supreme’s doing.” Kalon chuckled, pulling a crystal glasscloser to my side of the table. Acheron grinned.

“I am an aspiring gardener, at best. I enjoy the tranquility of nature, so I make surewe have as much of it beneath our windows as possible,” he said, watching as Kalonpoured blood into my glass. It was a thick liquid, crimson red, with an irresistible scent.My mouth was practically watering, already.

“Try this one first,” Kalon said, glancing at me. “It’s Rimian, with a hint of hot spices.”“New menu,” Danika clarified. “We always taste new varieties before we allow them

to be served at our dinners, especially with new and special guests such as yourselves.”The servants mobilized, coming closer to the table and pouring different bloods in

multiple crystal glasses, from which we could easily choose. I was still staring at myglass, my tongue increasingly restless as it yearned for a taste. I could certainly

understand why the Aeternae had chosen to consume the blood of humanoids like theRimians and the Naloreans. Much like the earthlings’, it was bound to be delicious and farmore nourishing than what we got out of animals.

Briefly glancing at Tristan, I braced myself for the tasting. I knew I’d love every drop,as my senses were already on high alert, preparing my body for the reward ahead. I tookmy glass and brought it to my lips, feeling Kalon’s gaze drilling into me. The first sip waslike dipping my toes into a warm ocean of golden sunshine.

It was sublime. The taste lingered in my mouth for what felt like an eternity. I couldalmost feel the donor’s emotions coursing through me. I wondered if I’d experience more,if I drank the whole glass in one go. I took a chance and did not regret it. An avalanche ofaromas paralyzed my tongue, my own blood rushing as I closed my eyes and allowed theexperience to take a firm hold over me.

In that sweet and spicy darkness, I caught snippets of a past, enhanced reality.Sunshine through a window, bathing me in warmth when I was only a child. The smell ofthe forest after a summer rain. The sound of a musical instrument playing somewherebehind me. The feel of soft linen against my skin, the hard ground beneath my bare feetas I climbed up a redwood tree. I wasn’t myself anymore. For a few fleeting seconds, Iwas a child again. I ran along the sharp edges of a stony ridge, the ocean breezecombing through my hair…

“Esme.” My brother’s voice brought me back.As soon as I opened my eyes, I realized I wasn’t the only one who’d been transported

to another realm, baffled by my own experience. Tristan’s eyes were so big, they werebound to pop out of their sockets soon. Derek was speechless, and Sofia’s breathing wasragged and excited. Amal and Nethissis watched us with genuine curiosity, fascinated bywhatever behavior we’d probably exhibited without even realizing it.

“Hmm. I think you like this blood type almost as much as I do,” Kalon said, his voicelow and raspy. His cold blue eyes had darkened, and storms were gathering around theenhanced pupils. I could see a reflection of myself in them, my lips parted and my cheekspink.

“What… What did we just experience?” I asked, barely hearing myself as I came downfrom something akin to a sweet, sweet dream.

“A Rimian’s blood,” Acheron said, obviously satisfied by the effect that the blood hadhad on us. Danika was smiling, as well, while Valaine watched us with a mixture ofamusement and concern. I couldn’t even read Kalon’s expression, but I knew I couldn’tget enough of it. “It’s a powerful thing, and certainly a favorite among the Aeternae.”

“I could… I could see through my own, younger eyes,” I said, trying to pull myselfback together, my dress suddenly too tight. I fought against the urge to take it all off andwalk straight into the ocean to cool myself down. “I was a child again. Not rememberingmoments, but living them, once again.”

“How can this be?” Derek murmured. “I’ve never…”“You’ve never felt something like that, huh?” Acheron chuckled. “I know! It’s in their

blood, Derek. We’re not sure what it is, exactly, but drinking it allows us to communewith ourselves on a deeper level. It’s incredibly relaxing.”

“All Rimians have blood like this?” Sofia asked, red roses bursting in her cheeks. Out ofall of us, she’d been the most ethical about consuming non-animal blood, yet she wasravished by the effects of Rimian blood. “This life force that just fills you up?”

The Aeternae nodded. “It’s what makes them special,” Danika said. “Rimia gives usfine raw materials, but it also gives us the best blood we’ve ever tasted. The older theRimians, the more delicious the blood, too.”

I was already in awe of it all, and I’d only tried one of the many blood specialtiesthey’d prepared for us. One could only wonder what the others would be like. Whatsensations they’d send through my body, how they would amplify my mind for thebriefest of moments. I’d thought I’d gotten used to living in the darkness forever as avampire, but my soul was suddenly twisted and turned inside out, as I’d just relished thewarmth of the sun on my skin through a Rimian’s blood.

Maybe I wanted the day-walking cure as badly as my brother, after all, but I justhadn’t known… until now.

I

T R I S T A N

f before I’d had my doubts about why the Aeternae had insisted upon feedingon Rimian and Nalorean blood despite the risk of Black Fever emerging, theywere all gone the moment I’d come down from the ample tasting offered by

the Lord and Lady Supreme. This wasn’t just about feeding, though I could certainly feelmy strength grow, my muscles twitching slightly, delighted by the nourishment I’d justprovided.

It was about the intense experience that came with drinking someone else’s life force.It was like peering deep into my own soul, reliving my own memories, and it wasincredible. Beautiful, disturbing, and impossible to reproduce with human or animal blood.At least they weren’t drinking the Rimians and the Naloreans dry. That would’ve raisedsome troubling red flags.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” Acheron said after a long pause, still very muchamused by our collective reaction to the blood. Amal and Nethissis had their eyes on usat all times, and they, too, were astonished. They’d probably never seen vampires softenso quickly under the influence of foreign blood. “Perhaps now you have a betterunderstanding as to why we’re so keen to maintain the balance we’ve fought so hard toachieve.”

“We most certainly do,” Derek replied, briefly staring at the empty crystal cup in frontof him. “You’ll have to forgive our reactions. This is all very new to us.”

Danika smirked. “That’s perfectly normal, Derek. At least we know you’ll enjoy yourdinner tonight.”

“I’m curious, and you did say you’d tell us more about it,” Kalon interjected, watchingDerek like a hawk. “How come you’re the day-walker among your vampire people?”

Sofia gave Derek a nervous glance. In return, he gently squeezed her hand, reassuringher in his own way. It was time to pull the cat out of the bag, as carefully as possible,laying out the case for the day-walking protein. We’d gotten to know these people wellenough for them not to be taken aback by the core of our mission to Visio.

“About two years ago, we stumbled upon a planet called Strava, very far from here,”Derek said, circumspect in his choice of words. “There was a mad scientist ruling thatworld, and he’d made a habit of genetically engineering creatures he considered superiorto other species. Ironically, he’d used genetic material from those same species in order

to build his hybrids.”“The first batch were my people, whom he referred to as Faulties,” Amal added,

prompting a slight nod from Danika, who was still visually displeased with the term. “Heexperimented some more, until he designed the Perfects and, later on, the Arch-Perfects.”

“How is that possible?” Valaine asked, her brow furrowed.“Artificial wombs,” Amal explained. “We were conceived and developed in his

laboratory, without the nurturing of a mother and a father. He made sure we came out asfully adult specimens, and he educated us to fit his agenda.”

“At the time, Sofia, myself, and a few others from our crew became his prisoners,while the rest of our people worked tirelessly to get us back and to stop him from turninghis Perfects and Arch-Perfects into the deadliest army the universe had ever seen,” Derekcontinued. “During my time in captivity, unbeknownst to me or anyone else, Ta’Zan—thatwas the mad scientist’s name—experimented on me, as well. He occasionally gave me apill that allowed me to walk into the sunlight without burning, only I didn’t know that theeffects would be permanent.”

“Oh…” Acheron gasped, his eyes wide.“The pill modified Derek’s genetic structure, adding a protein that eliminated his

vampiric sensitivity to light,” Amal said. “We haven’t been able to reproduce it from hisblood. We need the original source of that protein, in order to design a day-walking curefor all the vampires. Ta’Zan is dead now, and he didn’t leave any notes behind.”

“Or whatever he did have written down on the topic was destroyed during our waragainst him, when his coliseum came down.” Sofia sighed.

“Where did he get that protein from?” Danika asked. Her expression told me she wasalready suspecting Visio as the source, but she likely wanted confirmation before drawingconclusions.

“We don’t know, exactly,” Amal said cautiously. “But it had to be a fit with thevampires’ genetic makeup in order for it to be added into the code, for it to function like itdid with Derek.”

The corner of Derek’s mouth twitched, almost unnoticeably, as Danika and Acheronstared at one another for a good minute. “Marlowe,” Danika murmured. “Do you thinkhe’s the…” Her voice trailed off as Acheron nodded. She looked at us. “We have reason tobelieve that protein came from someone we knew.”

“You’re not the first foreigners to visit,” Acheron added.“The protein was extracted from an Aeternae, then?” Derek replied, trying to keep

himself calm. These people had no clue about our detection methods, or the magic we’dused to track the protein back to Visio. For as long as we could, we were going to chalk itall up to a most fortuitous coincidence—the vampires came to visit, and, as it turned out,they also found the source of the very protein they’d been hoping to reproduce. It was along shot, I thought, but it could still work.

Acheron nodded again. “It’s possible. A few centuries ago, a creature came to ourworld, claiming that he was looking to build the perfect species. He’d watched us fromafar for a while and had decided to make contact.”

“Ta’Zan,” Amal murmured. “It had to be him.”“He introduced himself as Marlowe,” Danika said.Amal scoffed. “Yeah. I think I remember that name. He used it as an alias sometimes,

just to make sure no one traced him back to Strava or his lab. He was rather paranoidabout hiding his tracks.”

“He stayed here for a few weeks,” Acheron remembered. “In secret, of course. Wedidn’t allow him to leave the palace without an escort, but he was compliant. Didn’t giveus any trouble. Eventually, we decided to give him two of our Aeternae… terrible people.A killer couple who’d murdered many innocent Rimians and Naloreans, drinking them drylike mindless animals. They were bound to be executed, but we figured Marlowe wouldmake better use of them.”

“And that’s where he got the protein from,” Sofia concluded.“You never met the Aeternae, did you, Amal? During your service under Ta’Zan,” Esme

asked, and Amal shook her head.“We knew he had foreign specimens in a highly secured laboratory, but he never let

anyone in there. We were only allowed to assist with the Draenir pairs he’d kept in thecoliseum,” she said. “To be honest, I think they died pretty quickly after he was donestudying them and extracting everything he needed from them. I do remember hestopped going to that laboratory, after a while.”

We couldn’t have made this connection earlier—not without knowing about theAeternae and how Ta’Zan had nabbed a couple of specimens for his experiments. Danikasmiled, connecting the dots rather quickly.

“If this is true, and an Aeternae protein was used to make you into a day-walker,Derek, then you’re also part Aeternae, yourself.” She chuckled softly. “One of us, and oneof you.”

Acheron grinned. “That’s right. There’s a little bit of our world inside you. Shall we say‘welcome home,’ then, Derek?”

They were taking this whole thing a lot better than we’d thought they would. Perhapswe’d underestimated them. Then again, we had yet to ask them for their blood, or evento run some tests to compare Derek’s DNA to an Aeternae’s. Maybe they’d be morereluctant.

Then again, if Derek was, as they’d just said, “one of them,” what were the odds thatthey’d refuse such a request, if it came from one of their own?

Glancing around the table, I could see that both Kalon and Valaine were out of theloop on this one. They’d had no idea—chances were that Danika and Acheron had keptTa’Zan’s visit a secret from almost everyone. “You seem surprised,” I said to Valaine.“You didn’t know?”

She sighed. “No. But I would never question the Lord and Lady Supreme’s decision onthe matter. Given that they had those awful killers removed from Visio by handing themover to this Marlowe or Ta’Zan character, it sounds like a good service done to ourpeople.”

“What about you?” Esme asked Kalon.He offered a faint shrug in return. “I’m with Valaine on this. It doesn’t really matter to

me. Sure, I would’ve loved to meet someone from another world, but fate has been morethan generous by bringing you all to us today. I’m satisfied.”

He and Valaine were definitely different from the other Aeternae. Maybe it hadsomething to do with their younger age. The elders we’d met so far were much morerelaxed, downright fearless, seemingly with nothing to hide, though they did not shyaway from telling us we were digging too deep when they saw fit. They didn’t mindstinging one another, either.

By contrast, Valaine was much more reserved and cautious in her choice of words,while Kalon was loaded with double entendres and sly smirks to deflect from having totell the truth—particularly an uncomfortable truth. I looked forward to being around themmore, because my instinct told me that, if I wanted to get to the bottom of this wholeNeraka similarity issue, these two would show me the right way.

I

S E E L E Y

’d been watching and listening from the moment Derek and Sofia’s crew setfoot on Visio. I’d stayed close to them, paying attention to every single detail—the stolen glances, the whispers, the suspicion hanging loosely in the air. The

Aeternae seemed genuine in their discourse, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling thatsome things were missing from the bigger picture.

The Aeternae were fascinating creatures, but the absence of Reapers, from what I’dseen thus far, worried me. Of course, they were practically immortal, and therefore few ofthem died along the way. But the Rimians and the Naloreans had shorter lifespans. Ishould’ve seen at least one or two colleagues of mine by now. Maybe a deeper search ofthe city would yield better results, but I couldn’t leave Derek’s side just yet.

The dinner was bound to reveal more information. At the same time, I did wonderwhether I should start using my omniscience more often. It had been a while since I’dlast been in more than one place at once. The whole process wore me out, but thesewere special circumstances.

The Rimian and Nalorean servants were quiet, eyeing Derek and the others carefully,whenever they got the chance. They didn’t seem scared or worried, which did help easesome of my concerns regarding the Aeternae. The gold guards were not armed, but I’dalready learned about their retractable fangs and claws. I figured they could tear othercreatures apart quite easily, and therefore did not need any weapons.

Breathing deeply, I took my time analyzing Acheron and Danika, in particular. Eitherthey were being earnest, or they were exceptional actors with plenty of skeletons in theirclosets. It was too soon to tell, but I knew I’d get to the true bottom of it, eventually.Their beauty and grace were almost otherworldly, and the society they’d helped buildwas interesting, to say the least.

Valaine was odd. I could lose myself in those black eyes of hers, and shivers ran downmy spine whenever she spoke. There was something about her voice that made me softon the inside. She seemed kind, though I was pretty sure she was holding back a lot.Maybe it had something to do with her environment, with being around foreigners likeDerek and his crew. This wasn’t attraction I was feeling toward her, though. It was adifferent kind of pull, and rather difficult to fully define. I’d have to observe her more overthese next few days.

Kalon, on the other hand, seemed like quite the firecracker. Opinionated, arrogant,and impressively self-confident. The mark of a warrior or a future ruler, and certainly notsomeone who would ever settle for second place. He got up from his seat, bowingpolitely. “I must excuse myself,” he said, looking only at Esme. “My mother requires mypresence for certain issues. I shall see you all for dinner, later tonight.”

Esme didn’t reply, but Danika smiled. “Worry not, Kalon. We will entertain the guestswhile you’re away.”

Valaine gave him a worried look, but he didn’t seem too bothered. There wereunspoken words between them. Their friendship ran deep—I could tell from the way theylooked at one another. Like siblings, they spoke more through body language thananything said out loud.

I moved away from the conversation, as they went deeper into the subject ofAeternae blood and how it could be used to produce a day-walking cure. Chances werethat Derek and Sofia were going to get what they’d come here for. Acheron and Danikadid not strike me as closed off or unwilling to help. If anything, they’d expressed heartfeltpity for the vampires’ condition, their inability to walk in the sunlight.

Glancing up, I found myself in awe of the myriad of stars unraveling before my veryeyes. A moon rose lazily in the east, as the last inklings of crimson sunset died to thewest, in the Visio twilight. The ocean breeze brushed past me, cooling my skin. It wasdifferent in every world—the sunrise, the sunset, the sky, the feel of the wind. Theyfunctioned similarly, yet they were nothing alike.

Visio itself was a masterpiece. I was a fan of the gardens, especially. The trimmedhedge maze, the artesian fountains, the splendid blossoms… great care had gone into itsconstruction and, most importantly, into its growth. It had taken patience, eons’ worth ofpatience, to create this stunning corner of heaven. No wonder Acheron was proud. It wasnever easy to accomplish such synergy with the forces of nature, which never bowedbefore any creature.

“Kelara, are you there?” I called out. No one else could hear me as I reached out toher through our telepathic link. It was the only way I could speak to Death, since theseals kept her down and cut off from the entire Reaperhood.

I needed to understand more about Visio before expressing certain doubts, especiallyregarding the absence of wandering spirits and Reapers. It was truly odd that I hadn’tseen any.

“Seeley. I’m here, yes. Is everything okay?” she asked, her voice echoing through myhead.

Sighing deeply, I leaned against one of the fruit trees, about fifty yards away from theroyal gazebo, where GASP and the Lord and Lady Supreme were still chatting and tryingout small quantities of spiced blood. My gaze settled on Nethissis—she was the one Ilooked for, always. The only creature who could help me focus, without even knowing it.

“For the most part, yes,” I said. “The crew landed safely, and they were given a prettywarm welcome.”

I went on to give her details about the conversations and the discoveries made so far,which Kelara then relayed to Death, who had yet to formulate an opinion. After a while, I

could hear her voice in the background. “What is it that worries him?”That was odd. “I’ve never been able to hear Death through someone else before. How

is this possible?” I asked.“Maybe it’s got something to do with the second broken seal,” Kelara suggested. “But

she’s right, Seeley. You sound worried. What’s wrong?”“Technically, there shouldn’t be anything wrong. From what I’ve told you, there’s

nothing to worry about. Derek and Sofia’s crew are making progress with the Aeternae,they’re well treated… hell, they might even walk out of here with the blood they need fortheir day-walking cure, but… Kelara, I haven’t seen a single Reaper in this place, so far.”

“What do you mean?” she replied, and I could feel the tension gather in her voice,almost instantly.

Looking at Nethissis, a knot formed in my throat. “I’ve only been around Derek’s crewon the way in from the landing strip and into the palace, and I haven’t seen any Reapers.No wandering, lost spirits, either. It’s a little odd.”

“You said the Aeternae can live forever. Wouldn’t that imply fewer deaths?” Kelaraasked.

“Technically, yes. But they still die, just in much lower numbers. On top of that, itdoesn’t explain the many Rimians and Naloreans living here. There should be someReaper activity, even if it’s slight. It’s weird.”

“I see,” Kelara mumbled, while listening to something Death was telling her. I couldn’thear it well enough myself, but I figured it was a set of instructions for me. “I will speakto Reapers from the upper circles for you about Visio. Death wants you to stay close toDerek and Sofia’s people.”

“She still won’t tell me why, huh?”“Sorry.”I scoffed. “Figures. Death loves her secrets.” There was bitterness in my voice, and I

didn’t hide it from Kelara. She understood my frustration better than anyone. We’d hadenough of doing things without being told why. We were tired of following orders likemere drones. If there was one thing I’d always appreciated about the First Ten, it wasthat they’d been granted freedom, that they could no longer be pushed around.

Kelara and I didn’t have that option, and when Death gave an order, we followedthrough. I’d never complained about this, and I’d never objected to my previous tasks,handed down to me by my superior Reapers. Still, I’d found my voice while workingagainst the Hermessi, and I’d learned to question everything I was told to do these days.

I knew it irked Death, especially since she couldn’t punish me herself yet, but shehadn’t had anyone else penalize me on her behalf. Maybe she appreciated the rebelliousspirit. Who knew?

The worst part was that I didn’t know why I was here. I couldn’t understand mypurpose on Visio, and her refusal to tell me was quite the mood killer. Death made it veryhard for me to obey, sometimes.

“Fine,” I ultimately said. “I’ll stay close to the crew. But please try to get me someanswers about Reaper activity on Visio. It’s starting to get creepy.”

“I’ll be in touch as soon as I hear something. I promise, Seeley.”

Leaving Kelara to her work on Death’s remaining 998 seals, I split my consciousnessin two. It was time to use my omniscience. It meant I wouldn’t be fully focused in any ofthe places I’d be, but at least I could capture as much information as possible beforesettling back solely with Derek’s crew. For the first time in quite a while, I was in twoplaces at once, one part of me staying close to the gazebo, while the other part made itsway into the palace.

I focused my visual attention on the palace, while the gazebo conversation lingered inthe back of my head. Danika, Acheron, and Valaine were telling Derek and the othersabout their recent history—the conquest of Nalore, the value of Nalorean teachers, theoccupation of Rimia, and the import of Rimian resources, including their much-admiredcraftsmen. There were things that the Aeternae were very good at, such as building,sculpting, painting, fashion design, and many other artful and industrial endeavors. Butthe Rimians were even better at some of these, and the Aeternae valued their talentsgreatly, bestowing great fortunes upon them for their illustrious contributions.

The more I listened, the more I appreciated the Aeternae. Yes, they’d conquered twoneighboring planets, and plenty of people must have died in the process, but they hadalso brought this empire into an impressive balance, ruling through respect andremuneration, not through fear and violence.

As I walked through the palace halls, I paid attention to the servants. There was ahealthy proportion of young Aeternae in black uniforms, along with Rimians andNaloreans. They seemed to get along, treating each other with respect and plenty ofsmiles. I stopped by the kitchen, where Aeternae cooks were toiling over their pans andboiling pots. Rimian maidens worked the dough, which they kneaded and glazed beforeputting into the brick oven.

“That takes care of the servants and the two foreigners who don’t drink blood,” one ofthe cooks said, leaning against the counter and wiping the sweat from his brow with a drycloth. A maiden washed her hands in the sink next to him, the cinnamon shade of herRimian skin once again visible as the flour was washed down the drain.

“The lord and lady will send over the blood samples they want us to serve tonight,”she replied, nodding at a massive pair of glass cabinets filled with crystal glasses andornate pitchers. That was for the Aeternae and the vampires. “Do we know how manyguests we’re expecting?”

The cook sighed. “About fifty, in total. The lord and lady don’t want all the nobilitycoming over to see the foreigners, so they’ve kept the event rather low-key. Fortunately,that means fewer problems for us, as well. Nobody wants to be ogled, so I understandwhy they’re doing a smaller dinner than usual.”

“I wonder what they’re like,” the maid murmured. “The vampires, I mean. I hearthey’re a lot like you, the Aeternae, but that they can’t be in the sunlight.”

“Yes. How sad is that, huh? To never feel the warmth on your skin?”The maid chuckled softly. “To be fair, Visio isn’t all that sunny, anyway. There is

something about your skies that I have yet to get used to. It makes everything look a bitdarker… even hazy. Have you ever been to Rimia?”

“A couple of times, yes,” the cook replied, smiling. “It is sunnier, indeed. But also

hotter. I don’t know how you people can stand it. I felt like I was suffocating.”The maid pinched her forearm. “Thick skin, sir. We deal with it differently.”“I, for one, wonder what they’re doing here,” the cook said, pursing his lips. “I’m

having a hard time buying the whole ‘we were just gazing out into space and we foundyou, so we thought we’d come and say hello’ shtick, to be honest. There has to be more.”

The maid frowned. “Why do you say that?”Good question, I thought. I had found their official motives rather convincing,

especially since the Aeternae did not know about the tracking spells used to identify theirworld as the origin for the day-walking protein.

The other cooks and maids eavesdropped on the conversation, but none participated.They kept working, preparing dishes for the servants to eat tonight after the Lord andLady Supreme’s dinner. From their rushed conversations, I understood that once theywere done clearing out the guests’ table, the servants would then retreat into their ownmess hall to eat. They got the food out of the way now, since some of the guests werenot Aeternae or vampire, so that they would have to fire up the ovens and stoves onlyonce.

“Think about it,” the cook said. “How many visitors have we had from other worlds,over the centuries?”

The girl shrugged. “I’m only sixteen, sir. I’ve yet to learn about these things.”“Well, I’ll tell you. Exceedingly few. There were rumors about a foreign man coming,

centuries ago, and two of Visio’s most despised criminals leaving with him to their deaths,but that is it. And we all know our worlds aren’t the only inhabited ones in this universe.They can’t be, clearly proven by our guests today. So, what are the odds that they reallydid just come here to make contact?”

“I… I don’t know.”“Pretty small,” the cook replied. He struck me as the kind who ate up conspiracy

theories with the delight of a child lost inside a candy store. His paranoia would’ve beenamusing, even, had he not actually been right.

GASP wasn’t here just to say hello, but he didn’t know that.Leaving the kitchen behind, I still wasn’t convinced by what I was seeing and hearing.

My instinct refused to let go. I couldn’t trust my own eyes and ears. After a few moreminutes spent wandering through the hallways and eavesdropping on other servants asthey rushed to and from the dinner hall with cutlery and fine silk napkins and all the otherrelevant dining accoutrements, I found the palace library.

It was a huge place, with hundreds of sturdy wooden bookcases, rows upon rows ofknowledge preserved in one gigantic hall. I took my time digging through the historysection. There were plenty of leather-bound volumes for me to study, though I doubted Ihad enough hours on the clock to get a clear picture of this place. Hopefully, one of thehigher Reapers would be in touch with details—if they had any. Something told me Iwasn’t going to get the truth out of Visio as easily as I might have hoped. Again, that wasmy instinct telling me things.

Among the books I perused, there was a written history recorded by one of the formerNasani lords, a certain Devyn Nasani, father of Imelda Nasani—known mother of Acheron.

Devyn’s account of the Aeternae’s development seemed to cover the first million years,and, judging by the book’s size and thickness alone, it was certainly comprehensive andrich in details. Flipping through the pages, I found illustrations that accompanied the text,including maps of the early Aeternae kingdoms, long before they were unified into anempire and at least one million years before they looked to Rimia for blood.

No one saw or heard me as I read some of the passages penned by Devyn, but I hadto stop, eventually, as a couple of familiar voices echoed through the library, gettingcloser with every step they took. I left the books on the study table and moved back,watching as Kalon and his mother, Petra Visentis, walked in.

“Do you think it’s safe to let the foreigners wander through the palace?” Kalon askedPetra, who’d changed into a dark purple velvet dress, which brought out the silver in herlong hair. She stopped by the study table, staring at the books I’d left there for a fewmoments, probably wondering who’d taken them off the shelf. Who’d found theminteresting enough to read.

“Why would we have to worry about them?” Petra replied, eventually, as Kalon circledthe table, his gaze wandering around absently. This was a good opportunity for me tolisten in, to figure out what sort of people they were. “We have nothing to hide.”

Kalon shot her a cold grin. “Please, Mother, don’t talk to me like I’m one of them.”“Darling, there are security measures in place,” Petra said, one hand resting on top of

the books. For a moment, I felt a chill run through my bones, like a late-night winter windcatching me outside, cutting through me, freezing my senses. “We have nothing to fear.”

“They’re curious, you know that. They ask questions. They always want to knowmore,” Kalon muttered, crossing his arms. “Frankly, I find that endearing. But I doubt it’llend well for you.”

Petra laughed. It was a cold guffaw, as cold as her stare. “Don’t be ridiculous. Shouldthe foreigners threaten our way of life, including our trade deals for the blood of Rimiansand Naloreans, they will be made aware of the consequences. They’re not here tomeddle, Kalon. We both know they want something from us, and, judging by what you’vejust told me, it’s got something to do with that day-walking protein they swoon over.”

“They want our blood.”“Exactly. And they will not dare start a diplomatic scuffle with us. Not only because

they don’t fully grasp our governmental system, but also because we have the one thingthey desire the most,” Petra said.

They were definitely hiding something. But they understood GASP’s weakness at thispoint. They knew how to play their cards right, without starting an unnecessary conflict. Iknew Derek had no intention of policing these people in any way, though I doubted he’dbe able to stop himself if he did come across any violations. It was in his nature, inGASP’s code, for that matter, to help the oppressed.

However, for now, they had to play nice. Petra had a point. The Aeternae had theupper hand here, and Derek had to follow their lead if he was to get any closer to a day-walking cure for all the vampires.

“If it’s the blood they want, we should just give them as much as they need and sendthem on their way,” Kalon suggested. “We might as well give them one or two of our

criminals, like the lord and lady did with Marlowe. That way, they won’t be coming backfor more. They’ll stay away.”

Petra’s eyes became two icy slits as she looked at him. “Explain something to me,darling. Why are you so keen to see them leave? I thought, out of all people, you’d be themost excited to have foreigners around.”

“The Black Fever is making a comeback, Mother,” Kalon warned her. “And you knowhow dangerous that can be. If the vampires are vulnerable to it, even in the slightest,they might end up bringing it back to their home. Or worse, their non-vampire friendsmight become carriers without even realizing it, much like the Naloreans and the Rimiansbefore them.”

Petra smiled. “It’s not going to happen,” she said. “That’s not how the Black Feverworks. It only targets us, the Aeternae. It’s our punishment.”

“Our punishment for what?”“None of your business,” she shot back. “You may be my son, Kalon, but I do not trust

you enough to give you the truth. You might not be able to cope with it. Leave it, please.And do not worry. I will keep you and your brothers safe when the Black Fever returns.I’ve kept you all safe before, long before you were even born, and I will do it again.”

Kalon shook his head, visibly angered. “Your lack of confidence in me is insulting.”“Chalk it up to your rebellious nature. You’ve foiled my plans before. You won’t do it

again,” Petra replied dryly. There was history between this mother and her son, and itwasn’t the good kind. There was distrust. Suspicion. One lied to the other. This wassomething I could work to my advantage if I wanted solid intel. I would only have tofigure out a way to get inside Kalon’s mind, to uncover the secrets he was keeping. Petra,on the other hand, worried me. She seemed determined to push everyone out, includingher own son, in order to protect a higher interest.

Moving away from the table, she pointed a finger at her son. “You keep doing whatyou’re doing. Talk to them. Get close to them. Make sure they’re busy and constantlyentertained. Dazzle them with one of your tournaments in the Blood Arena. I don’t care.”

“There are already Aeternae falling ill from the Black Fever,” Kalon snapped. “Soonenough, we’ll have an outbreak on our hands. Do we really need to concern ourselveswith the foreigners, as well?”

“Forget about the Black Fever!” Petra shouted, having lost her patience. She could bedownright scary, making Kalon quiver, ever so slightly. “We survived the last outbreak,five thousand years ago, and we’ll survive the next one, too. In fact, I’m going to makesure we don’t lose as many as we did before. I may have figured out a cure.”

Kalon’s eyes grew wide with shock. “A cure?”“Go, Kalon. Keep our guests busy. Let me handle the Black Fever and stop making me

repeat myself! It’s annoying. Go!”He exhaled sharply, dying to say something in return. But he gave up and walked out

of the library, while Petra turned around, gazing at the far end, where a small woodendoor awaited, a padlock firmly in place to keep everyone out.

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, and I knew she was weaving plans withevery breath she took. Machinations and schemes that might get innocent people hurt.

That might bend the limits of ethics and morality. I finally understood what made Petratick. It was laughing in the face of death, and with my mistress currently out ofcommission, it wasn’t hard to think that the odds might be in Petra’s favor, this timearound, without her even knowing it.

I’d have to keep an eye on them all, but my omniscience was already starting to takeits toll on me. My vision became foggy, and I was forced to go back to the gazebo, wheremy other half awaited. I’d go back to Petra soon.

W

T R I S T A N

e were left with Valaine in the gazebo, as Kalon, then Danika and Acheron,excused themselves. Not that I minded their departure. It made asking

Valaine the right questions much easier. The gold guards were gone, too, and only ahandful of servants lingered around, ready to assist us if we needed anything.

I took it as a sign of trust from our fascinating hosts. Then again, Valaine was with us.They probably relied on her to keep us in check, if needed.

“You have all been so kind and welcoming,” Sofia said, smiling. “It’s truly a lot morethan we expected.”

Valaine mirrored her expression. “The Aeternae are good people, Sofia. Our methodsand the foundation upon which we’ve built this empire might not be what you’re used to,but we make it work.”

“That you most certainly do,” I replied. “But tell us, because we have yet to fully wrapour heads around the concept… How are the Rimians and the Naloreans so willing to giveyou their blood? Even if they do get paid for it. I don’t know, I find it strange. Blood issuch an important part of one’s existence. Without it, we are dead. Without enough of it,we are weak. How do they counteract the side effects of giving so much blood to feedfour million Aeternae?”

Valaine thought about it for a moment. “I take it that on Earth, in your world, you justmake do with animal blood and maybe whatever the humans donate to you?”

We all nodded. It made her laugh lightly.“I don’t understand what’s funny about this. We’ve learned to control ourselves,” Esme

said, drawing invisible circles around the base of her empty glass on the table.“We’ve learned to take just enough, and to make it worth their while,” Valaine said.

“Like I’ve said, we pay handsomely for the blood we’re given. It wasn’t like this before,though, if that’s what you’re wondering. Today, we offer gold and land, titles and favorsin return for our sustenance. We leave the animals be, in the wild and in the Rimian andNalorean homesteads, where they belong.”

“What was it like before?” Derek asked.Valaine’s gaze darkened. She didn’t like to talk about it, but she didn’t shy away. I

appreciated her honesty. “When we first figured out a way to invade Rimia, then Nalore,we took everything. We did not pay for it. Limestone, marble, wood, spices, silks, blood…

everything we wanted, it was ours. But it made the people miserable. Less compliant. Itdrove many Rimians and Naloreans into rebel sects. There was violence. Anger. It justwasn’t an efficient model. So, the Lord and Lady Supreme at the time decided to draw upa trade deal with the Rimians and the Naloreans. We promised not to drink them dry andto reward them for their blood. It worked. Not overnight, of course. It took a fewcenturies for the new world order to set in. But when it did, we were all at peace.”

What I found most interesting about Valaine was that her words said one thing, whileher eyes had ideas of their own, rather different from what she was telling us. She spokeof peace and balance, but there was fear and wariness in that black gaze of hers. Her redlips tightened into a faint smile as she looked at me. Suddenly, I had all her attention,and my heart went on a race against infinity itself.

“There was oppression at first. But after it became convenient, and many Rimians andNaloreans got rich from our trade deal, it was no longer oppression,” Valaine added. “Itwas a convenient occupation. After a while, the last of the rebel factions broke apart, assome of their leaders found the benefits of establishing blood farms, as opposed toattacking Aeternae magistrates at every corner.”

“Blood farms?” Amal replied. I knew she was memorizing everything, learning,recording with her mind, processing all this information to build a bigger picture, to fullyunderstand this world. Unlike the rest of us, Amal and Amane—along with the Faultiesand the Perfects—had a more reduced moral compass. Like she’d said it herself, shelacked a mother’s nurturing. What we saw as terrible or unconscionable, Amal couldeasily interpret as reasonable or necessary. Sometimes, such a mindset was better.

“Rimians and Naloreans living in special compounds on their planets. They get marriedand have children there. When they come of age, the children join their parents,” Valaineexplained. “Every day, they give small amounts of their blood, so as not to make themtoo sick or weak. They live up to eighty or even ninety years on these farms.Occasionally, they’re allowed to take breaks, to visit other places. But the contracts theysign are for life. Unless blood-giving threatens their health, they cannot abandon theirrole in our society.”

“You force them to live on farms so you can take their blood?” Esme gasped.Valaine scowled at her. “They’re compensated for every drop that they give. They’re

given freedoms, but they must respect their contracts, as they’re our main source ofblood. Others are paid nicely for the blood they sell at various points across the empire,but the farms are key to our subsistence. They never lack food or water or goodconditions. What exactly are you trying to imply, Esme?”

“I don’t think she’s trying to imply anything,” I said. “It’s just… Like I said, it’s hard tograsp.”

“Well, grasp it,” Valaine retorted. “It’s our way of life, and we do not take kindly tostrangers imposing their views on us.”

A sense of urgency came over me as she shot up from her chair. “Valaine, I apologize.We don’t want to upset you or the Aeternae in any way. We’re simply not used to any ofthis.”

She stilled for a moment, the intensity of her black eyes powerful enough to cut off my

air supply. “There is no need to apologize, Tristan,” she said. I liked the way my namesounded rolling off her tongue like a midnight whisper. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I mustattend to something. Please enjoy yourselves here, and we shall see you in the dininghall in an hour.”

I caught her hand in mine without even realizing it, and we both froze for a splitsecond, as she looked down to observe this strange physical contact.

“Please, don’t take offense,” I said.“None taken,” she replied, her skin cold to the touch. It felt odd, for some reason,

though it should’ve come across as natural, given her pale, almost vampiric complexion. Iwould’ve expected her to burn like the sun… like I was burning on the inside as I heldher. “I look forward to seeing you all later.”

She descended from the gazebo and walked up the main pathway into the palace,hedges and flowers rising on both sides. I stood there, watching her, still wondering howthe universe had made our paths cross in such a peculiar fashion. I needed to know moreabout her. To truly understand her. Valaine was holding back a lot, and I couldn’t controlthis ardent desire to find out everything. Everything that made her who she was.

“Relax, Tristan,” Esme grumbled. “She understands.”“Yeah. I just… I don’t know, I don’t like thinking we might have made her angry,” I

said.“Valaine strikes me as the more reasonable among her peers,” Derek chimed in,

offering a comforting smile. “I think we just need to be more careful with our questionsand our assertions regarding their practices. They’re clearly protective of their way of lifeand don’t like it when complete strangers doubt them.”

“With that in mind, Tristan and I want to do some exploring of our own, one of thesenights,” Esme said, her voice low as she cautiously glanced around, making sure none ofthe servants lingering nearby heard us.

Derek’s eyebrows arched upward. “What do you mean?”“Well, you know… Some invisibility paste, a red garnet lens, a little bit of moving

around without anyone seeing or hearing us,” Esme mumbled, much like a child caughtdoing something terribly naughty and having to explain herself. “It’s one thing to takeeverything they tell us or show us at face value, and a whole other thing if we verifysome of this information ourselves.”

Derek didn’t seem happy with our proposal. “You know we can’t not do this,” Iwhispered. “You know they’re not telling us many things. We don’t mean to interfere intheir affairs, but we have to know everything. We can’t get blindsided here.”

“I just don’t want a Neraka repeat.” He sighed. “We ended up toppling an empirethere.”

“But we saved millions of innocent people,” Sofia reminded him. “We had no otherchoice, especially given their shady methods. I don’t think that’s the intent here, though.”

“We just want to be flies on the wall for a little bit, that’s all,” Esme added.Derek nodded slowly. “Not tonight, though. It’s all too fresh. They don’t trust us

enough yet. Give it another day or two, okay?”“And whatever you do, don’t get caught,” Amal warned us. “Something tells me they

don’t take kindly to spies.”I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to have Derek and Sofia’s approval. But Amal was

right, too. Under no circumstances could we allow ourselves to be detected. Fortunately,this wasn’t going to be the first time that Esme and I had to move around unnoticed.We’d had our fair share of practice while navigating the hidden tribes of Central Africa.Invisibility paste had come in handy back then, as well.

“You know what? I think I’ll be doing some independent exploring of my own, too,”Nethissis said, twisting a lock of copper-red hair around her index finger. “Not sure if youall remember, but I can still make good use of my snake form.”

“You can move around easily,” Sofia said, smiling.“Exactly.”“I need you all to be extremely careful,” Derek replied. “Go and check everything out,

if you must. I trust your instincts on this. But don’t get yourselves caught or worse. Iwould never forgive myself.”

“We’ll be okay,” I said, trying to reassure him. I found his fatherly concern endearing,and it was hard not to smile as I spoke. “We’re pretty good at what we do, Derek. Ibelieve it’s part of the reason why you brought us along.”

He gave me a faint smile. Oh, he was definitely worried, and there was nothing Icould do about that. But he was also aware of how important it was for us to questioneverything that the Aeternae told us; he knew why we had to verify, to see certain thingsfor ourselves. I added checking out one of those blood farms to my to-do list. Maybe we’dget a chance to visit Rimia or Nalore, so I could witness exactly how it all worked.

Until then, however, Derek was right. We had to play nice with our hosts. And I didn’tmind that one bit. It would give me an excuse to learn more about Valaine.

J

K E L A R A

ust like Death had said, the other First Tenners came back as the full moonsettled in the night sky. The Soul Crusher, the Widow Maker, the Phantom,and the Time Master joined us on the frozen lake, far from the Aledrasian

civilization. We could see one of their cities rising in the distance, with needle-like towersand wide arches, built above the deep green woods. Fortunately, their experience withthe Hermessi ritual had not left wounds that wouldn’t heal. They didn’t really understandwhat had happened. It was bound to become a legend sometime in the future, lost in thepages of their mythology.

Dream and Nightmare were the happiest to see the band reunited.“You lucky bastards,” Nightmare said, hugging his siblings one at a time. “You get to

go out there and look for the others. How has the world been recently? I miss it…”“Ugh, you’re such a drama queen,” I said. “You’ve only been here for half a year. Not

an eternity.”“Shut your piehole, sister,” Nightmare replied. “We need variety, otherwise we go stir-

crazy. So allow me to fawn over the traveling adventures of my brothers and sister beforeI take another stab at seal number 998.”

“Any news?” Death asked, sitting on the edge of the water hole, her fingers tracingthe links on her chain.

Soul knelt before her. “I am sorry, but we haven’t had much luck. Not yet, anyway.We’ll pick up a lead for the Night Bringer soon, though. I’m certain of it.”

“What makes you say that?” Death replied.“We’ve heard rumors of eternal night settling somewhere in the Supernatural

Dimension,” Widow said. “The problem is we haven’t found anything concrete enough. Nolocation. Not even a local legend or something to suggest that our brother took residenceon a particular planet.”

Phantom nodded. “But we will keep searching. For now, however, we’d like to helpyou with some of those seals.”

Death looked downright disappointed—not that I could blame her. Bringing the FirstTen back together had been a high-priority mission for her, taking precedence over theremoval of Spirit’s seals. She lowered her gaze, staring at the runes still covering herpearlescent skin, and let a deep sigh roll out of her chest.

“What is it, Mother?” Time asked, his brows pulled into a deep frown.“I only have more questions. No answers. I don’t like it,” she said. “These seals are

holding me back, and I feel rather useless. Incomplete. Paralyzed.”Time glanced my way. “What is she talking about?”“Seeley,” I replied. “He’s on Visio with a group of GASP people, and there’s something

weird going on there. According to him, there wasn’t a single Reaper in sight. I’ve askedmy superiors about this, but they’ve yet to get back to me with an answer.”

“What is Seeley doing there? With the living, out of all people?” Soul grumbled.“They don’t know he’s there,” Dream said. “He’s just shadowing them, though we

don’t know why. Our maker refuses to tell us.”All eyes were on Death again, who, in turn, shot us all a cold grin. “It’s on a need-to-

know basis, for the time being.”“Typical.” Soul scoffed. He smiled at me. “Heard you knocked one of the seals off.

Nicely done, rookie!”“Rookie?” I replied, my back stiffening.“Can’t you just take a compliment?”“Not when it comes from you, because it’s never really a compliment, is it?” I asked,

albeit rhetorically. Soul chuckled, sitting with his legs crossed next to Death.“Cheer up,” he said to her. “We’ll figure it all out. We’re just a little handicapped, for

the time being.”“Our missing siblings aren’t making it any easier,” Phantom replied.“Do any of you know about Visio?” I asked, my gaze wandering from one First Tenner

to the next. Time was the first to nod.“In the Earthly Dimension, if I’m not mistaken.”“That’s right,” I said.“I passed by that solar system a very long time ago,” he replied. “I don’t remember

when, exactly, but I know there weren’t any signs of life at the time.”“It’s inhabited by a species that call themselves Aeternae,” I said.Soul smirked. “That’s a bit on the nose. Let me guess, they live forever?”“Linguistics, huh? The same everywhere.” Phantom giggled.“Apparently they’re a lot like the vampires,” I replied. “Essentially immortal. Unless

you cut their heads off or tear their hearts out. They’re day-walkers, though. Apparentlythat’s where Derek got his ability from. The issue isn’t with who lives there. It’s with whoisn’t there. Specifically, Reapers. Not a single one in sight, which is bizarre.”

“And we know nothing of this world?” Soul asked, looking at Death.“I don’t remember much,” she said. “There should be agents of mine there, though.

Without my full powers, I’m unable to investigate, as you all know. So, for the time being,assume I am as ignorant as you.”

Widow scratched the back of his head, and I could hear the subtle squeaking of hisgloved fingers against the leather of his gimp suit. “Do you want us to go there and checkthings out?”

Death shook her head. “No. I need you all to go back to your search. Bring yoursiblings back. Don’t worry about the seals’ we’ll crack them all, eventually. As you can

see, Reaperhood goes on without my direct involvement, at least for now. Finding theNight Bringer, the Morning Star, and the Unending is paramount.”

Time checked his pocket watch, narrowing his eyes. “I think it’s time you stop dodgingour questions,” he said. “We want to know why you want us back together. The realreason.”

Death’s expression gathered dark shadows as she glowered at him. The air thickenedaround us, as the others gave me nervous glances. But Time didn’t seem all thatimpressed.

“You can pout and huff and puff all you want,” he continued. “You’re not scaring me.There’s nothing you can do to me now, and by the time you will be able to punish me, I’llalready have the information I need. So why not just tell us? Why do you want us all backtogether, Mother?”

Death got up, prompting the others to take a couple of steps back, as a measure ofprecaution. It made her smile, knowing that they still feared her, despite what the TimeMaster had just said. “Okay. You want the truth?”

“Yeah, we do,” Phantom murmured. The others nodded in agreement.“I’m lonely. I’ve been limited in my powers and isolated for too long,” Death replied.

“And it’s because we were all so happy, so good, when we were all together. I miss thosedays. All the spirits I gathered on Mortis were not enough to make me as happy as theFirst Ten.”

“Technically speaking, there’s nine of us now,” Widow mumbled.“And it still hurts me!” Death said, her lower lip trembling. “Watching Spirit die tore

me apart on the inside. He deserved it. He deserved so much worse, too, but… at thesame time, it pained me deeply to watch his demise. So… that’s it. Really. The truth. Thewhole truth. I miss my children.”

For a moment, none of us dared to speak. Dream and Nightmare were practicallymush, warmed and softened by Death’s emotional statement. I wasn’t sure about Widow,but Soul and Phantom were also relaxing under her gaze, understanding the significanceof her heartfelt words.

I found it beautiful, too, watching them all together, like the weirdest and mostdysfunctional family I had ever come across. But there was love here. The kind thattranscended time and space and every other dimension of this universe and beyond. Andfor the first time in millions of years, I assumed, Death was finally opening up to her“children.”

The Time Master, however, didn’t seem convinced, and I was inclined to believe hesuspected something. Nevertheless, he didn’t pursue the matter further, choosing to giveDeath a soft smile instead. “I understand,” he said. “We’ll do our best. I promise. We’llbring them all back to you.”

He didn’t take his galaxy eyes off Death as she relaxed and took deep breaths, herfeet dipping in the ice-cold water. A flurry of foreign thoughts shot through my head, likearrows that pierced my brain and made me crumble. I dropped to my knees, crying out inpain, trying to make sense of the words.

“What’s wrong?” Soul asked, genuinely alarmed.

“Messages… I’m getting messages from too many Reapers at once!” I grunted,struggling to register as much as I could, given the speed with which the information wasbeing projected directly into my mind.

“Oh, I hate the overloads,” Phantom said, her lips twisted with displeasure. “It’s oneof the things I don’t miss about being an active Reaper.”

I had never gotten so many messages at once, but it had to be important, since somany of them were basically telling me the same thing. A cold chill ran through me as Imanaged to look up.

“We have a problem,” I breathed, my arms suddenly heavy, as if made of lead. Idared not stand, worried my knees might not be able to hold me upright. “No one knowswho was assigned to Visio. They’ve checked the records, everything. It’s like it justslipped through the cracks, somehow.”

“For how long has it been like this, unattended?” Death asked, deeply concerned.I went through the many thoughts still swirling through my head, until I got a vague

answer from one of my superiors. “At least a couple million years. The Reapers who lasthandled Visio are gone, but we don’t know why.”

“Well, that can’t be good!” Widow concluded.“Here’s a question. If there aren’t any Reapers on Visio, where do all the souls go?”

the Soul Crusher asked, looking at me. “You said Seeley didn’t see any Reapers or soulsthere. So where are they, if no one’s taking them into the world of the dead?”

“That’s what I’d like to know, as well,” I murmured, forcing my weary mind to focus onSeeley. I reached out to him through our telepathic connection, finding a sliver of comfortin being bound to him like this. Of all the Reapers I’d ever dealt with, Seeley was, by far,the one I trusted most. “Can you hear me, Seeley?”

“Yeah. Any news?” he asked, his voice soothing the storm I’d just endured.Looking at Death and the First Tenners, I nodded slowly. “There aren’t any Reapers

assigned to Visio, for some unknown reason. There haven’t been Reapers there in at leasttwo million years, if not longer.”

He didn’t answer right away, and I knew it had come as an understandable shock tohim. “How can this be?”

“We have no idea. But Soul made a good point. Even if there were no Reapers, thereshould at least be souls on Visio, probably more than on other worlds,” I said.

“But there aren’t any.”“Which is why you must be careful in your investigation. Something is fishy there, and

you need to get to the bottom of it,” I replied.“Should I approach Derek and his crew about this?” Seeley asked, and I relayed his

question to Death.She shook her head. “Under no circumstances. There is to be no fraternization

between the living and the undead. Not to mention the dead!”“You heard her, right?” I said.“Yeah.” He sighed. “I don’t like this, Kelara.”“Me neither, but let’s be honest. There’s nothing Derek or his people could do for us.

There’s no need to involve them in any of this,” I said. “We’ll have to handle it ourselves.”

“I’ll be in touch,” he replied.“Remember, Seeley. Be extra careful, going forward. Whatever is going on there, it is

not good. I’ll assemble a team of Reapers from our circle to assist you. I’ll let you knowwhen they’re on their way, okay?”

“Thanks, Kelara.”I felt him slip away from me, our telepathic connection dimmed. You shouldn’t thank

me yet…I had no idea what he was dealing with. And it scared me. After all the stunts that the

Spirit Bender had pulled behind our backs, being taken by surprise like this was quite ablow to the entire Reaperhood. Whatever was happening on Visio, it needed to be dealtwith swiftly. Whether it was the work of ghouls or something else—what, exactly, I didn’tknow—we had to resolve it before things got out of hand.

For the first time in ages, I felt genuine fear. I worried about Seeley.

T

E S M E

he dinner was pleasant, as we got to drink more of the Rimian and Naloreanblood that had expanded our senses like an out-of-this-world nirvana. We

learned more about Visio and their working relationship with their neighboring planetsand principates. Acheron and Danika enjoyed telling us about trade routes and thepolitical history of the empire, while Corbin Crimson took his time explaining the role ofthe gold and silver guards around the city and the palace.

Zoltan Shatal did not speak much, but we did get a better understanding of how theAeternae’s government worked. Later that evening, as varieties of sweet blood wereserved for dessert, Petra Visentis explained the logistics behind the blood farms. As thehigh priestess, she was the upper-most responsible figure in the Aeternae’s ruling elite,where procuring blood was concerned. On Visio, it was treasured as the life-giving force,beyond its physical properties. It had a powerful spiritual significance, as well, thusbringing Petra to the forefront of the entire process.

They’d put together an impressive system, for sure, but both Tristan and I wereconvinced that they were not telling us everything, so we’d stuck to our originaldiscussion, already making plans to go invisible and explore the palace one of thesenights.

Throughout the evening, I kept stealing glances at Kalon. I couldn’t help myself. Therewas just something about him that warranted an in-depth investigation. Of course, hisphysical appeal played a huge part in my fascination, but I had also begun to wonderwhat he was hiding beneath that arrogant playboy façade. I’d heard good things abouthim from Zurah, my handmaiden, but I still couldn’t let go of the possibility that he hadhis hands in some pretty nasty pies. Creatures like him had a tendency to fit into aparticular pattern, and I was rarely wrong about this.

I spent the night tossing and turning in my giant bed, listening to the songs ofnocturnal birds outside my window. I wondered about the Aeternae, the Rimians and theNaloreans, and this so-called balance they claimed to have achieved. I thought about theblood farms and how the people were treated there. The origin of the Aeternae, too.Where did they come from? How had they developed to this stage?

Did they have something in common with the Elders of Cruor, somehow, or were theysimply a separate species, superior to our vampires through their ability to walk in the

sunlight? Danika had suggested running some blood tests to ascertain the similarities anddifferences between our species, and I knew Amal was more than ready and willing to dothem. It would take some days, at least, to get conclusive results, but I was alreadydying to better understand where we stood, next to the Aeternae, unable to shake off thethought that maybe we were related in some way, no matter how small.

Kalon invited us to watch a tournament in the Blood Arena in the morning, whichmade it all the more difficult for me to actually catch even the tiniest of Zs. As the sunrose through the hazy sky, I smiled, thankful to Zurah for having pulled the semi-transparent curtains, shielding my bedroom windows from direct sunlight. Shortly beforebreakfast, she came to my chambers with a new dress for the day.

While I wasn’t exactly comfortable with wearing dresses on a regular basis, I wantedto adhere to the local styles so I could blend in better. Today’s outfit was a chic andelegant combination of a full gray skirt with a softer crinoline underneath, a white shirtwith collar ruffles, and a matching gray jacket with velvety laces, which Zurah tied in aneat pattern, creating a beautiful overall effect.

“I think you’ll enjoy the Blood Arena,” she said, as she pulled my hair into a tight bunat the top of my head, adding a smidge of fragranced oils to keep it smooth and shinyand light. She fitted a small hat on the side, with silk flowers and colorful beads and laceribbons. “While I’m not a fan of violent sports, I do appreciate their rules.”

“What rules?” I asked.She applied a delicate pearl powder to my skin, which illuminated my expression and

allowed the following layer of peach blush to stand out. “There are no claws or fangsallowed in the tournaments,” she replied, dabbing a finger in a thick and soft red wax,which she then spread over my lips. It smelled of sweet roses, and I had to admit… theirnatural beauty tricks were charming and enticing. “Only weapons and physical strength.”

“That’s interesting,” I murmured, admiring myself in the mirror, while Zurah mounteda mother-of-pearl brooch on a silver inlay at the base of my neck, making it seem asthough the lace ruffles poured out from it. Again, I recognized echoes of English Victorianfashion, wondering if there was some sort of collective style consciousness that went pastthe confines of time and space. There were just so many things here that I’d already seenon Earth, as well as in Eritopia and other parts of the In-Between and the SupernaturalDimension.

“I believe Lord Visentis invited you?”I nodded. “He did, yes.”“He’ll tell you more about the tournaments and their history, since he’s one of the

greatest champions of the Blood Arena.” She giggled, fitting a pair of low-heeled boots onmy feet. “Oh, I brought you these, as well, to shield you from the sun.”

Zurah brought out a short velvet cape with a large, stiff hood, big enough to cover myhead and keep me under a decent shade. She’d added a gray linen umbrella andmatching gloves, as well. Her thoughtfulness made me smile as I rose from the vanitychair to face her.

“You are too kind, Zurah. Thank you.”“Fortunately, you won’t need the hood for too long today. The sky is strange on Visio,

and the sun doesn’t burn much. However, we don’t want you to risk it.”I left her to tend to my room, putting my hood and gloves on before I walked out. I

had the umbrella in one hand, my comms piece in my ear, and a handful of emergencyitems in a hidden skirt pocket. We might’ve been guests here, but it was still a good ideato have some magic handy, at least.

Kalon was already at my door, waiting quietly and patiently, his hands behind hisback. His face lit up at the sight of me, while my heart skipped a few beats, thetemperature suddenly rising between us. Oh, I was definitely attracted to him, but I wasalso aware of the danger looming beneath the surface.

“Good morning,” he said, while I took a moment to fully take in the sight of him.Nothing he wore would ever look bad, given his frame and toned muscles. His three-

piece suit for the day was dark gray with a white shirt, the silk vest tightly fitted aroundhis torso.

I bowed curtly. “Good morning to you, too, Lord Visentis.”He raised an eyebrow, his cold blue eyes scanning me curiously. “Lord Visentis?” he

replied. “Did something happen at dinner to push us back to such irksome formalities?” Ishook my head, aware that this was the umpteenth time that I’d blushed in his presence.I needed to find a way to resist this effect he had on me, because I did not like any kindof vulnerability in front of someone to whom I was attracted. “Then please call me Kalon.Lord Visentis is such a stiff moniker, especially at this hour.”

I smiled as he offered me his arm and hooked mine into his. We walked down thehallway, and I gazed around, wondering where the rest of my crew was.

“Tristan and the others are on their way to the Blood Arena, as well,” he said, readingmore from my expression than I would’ve thought. “They’ve got about twenty minutes onus.”

“Thank you for the opportunity, by the way. The tournaments do sound interesting,despite their brutality,” I replied, trying not to stare at him. Whenever he looked at me, Ifroze, my mind wandering in all the wrong places.

“Like I told you yesterday, Esme. The fights serve as an outlet. They’re one of theprincipal reasons why we don’t have wars and skirmishes with rebels or among theprincipates of Visio.”

Outside, I was pleased to realize that my hood was definitely doing a good job ofshielding me from the soft sunlight, but I was downright ecstatic when a Rimian stableboy came to the bottom of the palace steps, leading two gorgeous Visio horses. I stilled,staring at them. These creatures looked even more beautiful from up close.

“We call them Visions,” Kalon said, noticing my awe. His eyes were smiling. I had afeeling he was pretty happy with the reaction he’d just elicited from me.

“Visions… Kalon, they’re gorgeous beasts,” I managed.The stallion was slightly taller than the mare, a gorgeous white with a shimmering

black mane and a black leather saddle. The contrast was delightful, to say the least. Thefemale was a midnight black, her muscles twitching beneath the shiny coat. Her manewas white and much longer, with threads of black silk woven through the many braidedlocks. She’d been fitted with a white leather saddle, and she seemed to peer right into

my soul with her strange, deep blue eyes.I was breathless.“The male is Lightning,” Kalon said, as the stable boy bowed and retreated, leaving us

alone with the Visions. “He’s the fastest on this continent.”“And the mare?”“Midnight’s Dream,” Kalon replied. “Midnight, for short. She might look fierce, but

she’s one of the gentlest Visions I’ve ever come across.”The realization quickly rammed into me. “Whoa. Wait. We’re riding to the Blood

Arena?!” And that was a stupid question. Of course we were riding to the Blood Arena,since they’d brought the Visions over. My mind was not the sharpest around this guy.

“Walking takes too long, since it’s on the edge of the city. I thought you’d be pleased,”Kalon said, suddenly looking concerned, as if I’d just forced him to recalculate everything.

“No, I am. Believe me, I am beyond pleased!” I said, my eyes basically sparkling.Pointing at my dress, I sighed. “But I’m not exactly dressed for riding. Not with the stiffunderskirt.”

Kalon watched me for the better part of a minute, his eyes drilling into me. I knew thewheels were turning somewhere behind them, as he figured out a solution. I would’vebeen utterly disappointed if I didn’t get to ride Midnight. She seemed to have been madefor me. Her gentle gaze conquered me, almost instantly.

“Do you trust me?” Kalon asked.I cleared my throat. “With what, specifically?”A smile tried his lips. “With getting you up on that Vision, without the need of a riding

outfit.”At least he didn’t express offense at me not fully trusting him, in general. His honesty

was refreshing, making me chuckle. “I trust you, then.”“I apologize in advance, but it’s the best and fastest way,” he replied and knelt before

me.“What are you…”My body stiffened as Kalon’s hands slipped under my skirt. I wasn’t sure whether I

should scream or maybe just rip his head off, but part of me asked for a sliver ofpatience. My heart jumped in my throat as his fingers found the upper hem of thecrinoline underskirt.

I briefly glanced over my shoulder, noticing the golden guards out by the mainentrance. I couldn’t tell if they could see what was happening or not, but I decided I wasbetter off not knowing.

“There we go,” Kalon muttered as he unsnapped something.I was melting and dangerously close to burning as I felt the crinoline frame slip from

beneath my waist. A second later, it fell on the marble tiles at the bottom of the stairs,and I stepped out of it. “Oh, this feels better,” I breathed, having regained most of mymobility.

“I never understood the purpose of these things, to be honest,” Kalon replied, hishands behind his back once more. “Again, I apologize, but you said you trust me.”

There was no point in telling him that my skin was still rippling, overcome with

millions of tiny electrical shocks, as I’d felt his fingers brush up my thigh while he wasremoving the crinoline. It had been such a fleeting touch that it couldn’t be mentioned. Itmeant more to me than it probably did to him, anyway. Then again, he might’ve done iton purpose, which would’ve highlighted his masterful ability to steal a touch so swiftlythat it made it impossible for the woman to determine whether it was accidental orpremeditated. As the wheels turned in my head, I began to think I was dealing with anexpert heartthrob. That made him dangerous.

“I… Yeah…” I couldn’t think of a better reply.“Shall I help you mount Midnight?” Kalon asked, another smile stretching across his

face. It hit me then that he was enjoying all this awkwardness, and I was feeding himmaterial for decades to come.

In the blink of an eye, my composure came back, my ego unable to take another blowwhile Kalon was enjoying himself at my expense. With the crinoline off, I could do muchmore than just get up on a horse. But I decided to start with that, just to shut him up.

“I’m good, thanks,” I replied, approaching Midnight.Kalon mounted Lightning quickly, holding the reins and watching me with devilishly

handsome interest, while I gently stroked Midnight’s neck, allowing her to get to knowme a little better. Like Lightning, she was bigger than Earth’s horses, and I was willing tobet, based on her muscular frame, that she could run as fast as a Dodge Challenger, ifgiven the opportunity.

Midnight was a beast, despite her gracious, dark beauty, and she had to be handledwith the utmost respect and reverence.

“Today, maybe?” Kalon sighed, looking amused.There it was! The mischievous arrogance. The snark. I knew he’d had it handy, just

for occasions like this. “Hold your horses,” I shot back, aware of the pun. It flew right pasthim, since he didn’t know what horses were. Mere seconds later, I finally felt as thoughMidnight was giving me her approval.

With one swift move, I firmly gripped the saddle and got up, throwing one leg overher back as gracefully as possible. Midnight and I had been made for each other, Ithought, as I settled, my thigh muscles stretching with sheer delight. Taking hold of thereins, I decided to test her first.

I clicked my teeth, and she shook her head, gradually becoming restless. She wasenjoying this. Pushing my heels gently into her ribs, I held on tight, as she started to trotaround, following my lead. When I tugged the reins right, she turned right. When Itugged left, she turned left.

“Oh, the two of us are going to get along great,” I said, patting the side of her neck.Her mane felt like silk threads slipping through my fingers.

“Ready?” Kalon asked, and I narrowed my eyes at him.“Ready as I’ll ever be.”He smirked. “She likes you. That’s good. Race you to the Blood Arena?”I remembered the general direction from yesterday, so I gave him a brief nod. “I hope

Lightning can keep up,” I said.“I named him Lightning for a reason.”

“What vanishes faster? Lightning or a midnight’s dream at dawn?” I shot back, pushingmy heels and prompting Midnight to dart across the cobblestone plaza outside the palace.

I heard Kalon laugh as my Vision galloped on the wings of the ocean breeze. She waslight and remarkably fast, I quickly realized. The whole city darted past us in smidges ofgray and beige, of green and white. I had to use one hand to hold my hood on, but I onlyneeded the other to grasp the reins, as I leaned forward and allowed Midnight to do therest.

She seemed to know where we were going, but she did allow me to lead, taking sharpturns where needed. I heard gasps swishing past us from different bystanders. Wemust’ve looked like a flashing tornado, cutting through the streets and raising dust behindus.

The thundering of hooves soon joined us, as Kalon caught up with Lightning. I threwhim a glance, noticing his broad smile. He was enjoying this more than anything. Wedashed through the city, headed south between the buildings and square parks. We racedpast the slow-moving carriages and hopped over the occasional loose cobblestones onthe streets.

It didn’t matter that I was still in a dress, and that my shoes were anything butadequate for riding a horse. The wind brushed against my face, and I felt more alive thanever. My blood rushed, my muscles were hot and strained, and my soul felt intrinsicallytied to Midnight’s, in a way. I could feel her joy, the thrill of running and caring fornothing but the wind and the sky and the ground and the world in between.

I was a whisper riding a Vision. A dream fluttering through the city. A thought. A mereblip in the fabric of the universe. And I felt perfect.

By the time the Blood Arena rose before us, I had an indelible grin on my face,knowing that Kalon and Lightning were a couple of yards behind. I wondered if he wasdoing it on purpose, since he’d already bragged that his Vision was the fastest. Butsomething told me that this was all Midnight’s doing, as if I’d come along and pushed herto challenge herself. To run faster than the wind. Faster than Lightning. Faster thananything!

We came to a sudden and laughing halt outside the Blood Arena’s main entrance. Mymuscles hurt, but it was a delightful ache that I hoped would linger for a couple of hours,at least. My heart was full, my soul expanded. This kind of happiness was hard to comeacross, and I suspected that the experience was strictly related to riding a Vision. Justlike their blood-drinking was out of this world because of the Rimians and the Naloreans,the Aeternae had added more spice and magic to their existence by breeding and raisingthese magnificent horses, whose souls touched their riders’. This was unique. I’d neverfelt this way before.

Kalon reached us a couple of seconds later, beaming like the sun. Lightning’s breathwas ragged, much like Midnight’s, so he clearly must’ve put in all the effort he could’vemustered for this race. One of the Blood Arena’s valets rushed to greet us in his dark redleather uniform.

“You looked like you were having a lot of fun,” Kalon said, getting off Lightning.“And you looked like you were having a little trouble back there. I thought Lightning

was the fastest Vision on this continent,” I replied with a satisfied smirk.Kalon shrugged as I slipped off Midnight’s back and gave her a soft pat on the neck.

She nuzzled my face, shuddering with delight. I’d made her as happy as she’d made me,it seemed, and I wasn’t sure what to make of this peculiar synergy.

“Midnight gave it everything she had,” he said. “I’ve never seen her run so fast, to behonest. I think you’re a good influence on her.”

I was blushing again. Dammit. “Thank you, I guess? It feels different from riding ahorse,” I murmured. “It was like… I don’t know, like our souls were bound together, ourbodies fused into one.”

The valet took the reins on Midnight and Lightning and led them to a nearby stable,where water troughs and fresh hay awaited, along with about a couple dozen otherVisions, brought in by other visitors to the Blood Arena.

“Oh, wow.” I gasped, faced with the enormity of this place.It reminded me of an ancient Greek theatre, with hundreds of steps dug into the stony

ground. Shaped like a giant, oval bowl, the Blood Arena had numerous box stalls andenclosures with sun covers for those who preferred the shade. At the bottom, I could seethe fighting area, covered in a thin layer of red clay, similar to what I’d seen on tennisfields.

A stage had been extended at the bottom, overlooking the entire place. Round panelswere mounted on the sides, facing the arena. “What are those?” I asked Kalon, pointingat them.

“Sound enhancers,” he said. “It’s where the announcer stands, and it’s also where theprizes are awarded.”

We stood on the very edge of the bowl, right next to the main entrance. A dozen staffmembers in dark red leather uniforms checked the paper tickets used by the guests toenter. “So, people pay to watch these things,” I mumbled.

Kalon nodded. “The profits are added to the prizes,” he said. “Well, part of them,anyway. The rest goes into the empire’s coffers.”

There were thousands of people already pouring into the Blood Arena. Carriages werepulled farther up the arched alleyway, beyond the stables. Riders came through, leavingtheir horses with the stable boys before producing their entry tickets. Murmurs rumbledfrom below as the people settled on the steps or in their boxed seats, eager for thematches to start.

“If I may,” Kalon said, extending his arm once more.We walked up to the entrance, where the staff immediately recognized him and

moved back. “Please, milord. It’s an honor to have you here today,” one of the youngAeternae boys said. “Will you be fighting in this tournament?”

“Not today,” Kalon replied.This was purely a demonstrative visit, then. I felt a hint of disappointment. After

everything I’d heard about Kalon—mostly from him—he was quite the fighter, a mostrevered champion of the Blood Arena. I would’ve wanted to watch him in action.

“You don’t seem very happy,” he said as we descended the steps all the way to thebottom. From there, he guided me to an elevated boxed stall, where Tristan, Valaine,

Derek, Sofia, Amal, and Nethissis were already waiting. Next to them, in a neighboringbox adorned with the golden sigil of the Nasani dynasty, were Acheron and Danika,joined by Petra and Corbin. I didn’t see Zoltan anywhere, but I assumed he had work todo. The empire couldn’t stall everything just so he could keep the guests company, afterall.

“What makes you say that?” I asked, as I climbed the wooden steps of the stall.“When I told the boy I wouldn’t be fighting today, you sort of… deflated.”“Deflated?” I retorted, raising an eyebrow as we took our seats next to Tristan and

Valaine. I exchanged brief glances with Derek, Sofia, Amal, and Nethissis, before shiftingmy focus to the arena.

“Disappointed might be a better word,” Kalon answered.“Yeah, since I’m not a friggin’ beach ball.”“What’s that?”“Nothing,” I replied, remembering I’d have to explain what an inflatable beach ball

was. My sense of humor wasn’t a perfect fit for Visio, obviously.His hand covered mine on the lacquered armrest, and my heart stopped beating for

the longest of seconds. “Don’t worry, Esme. I won’t let you down. You will see me fight.Just not today,” he whispered, his lips dangerously close to mine, his eyes so cold that icesnapped through my spine.

Wherever this whole thing led, there was one aspect that was crystal clear to me. Thisguy was a dollop of trouble, and I was a sucker for it all.

“W

E S M E

here have you been?” Tristan asked, keeping his voice low.“Riding a Vision,” I said, grinning. His confused expression required a brief

explanation. “That’s what they call their horses here. Visions.”“Oh. Fun ride?”“And then some.” I giggled. “Sorry we were late.”“Technically speaking, we didn’t have an hour set to meet,” Tristan replied. He looked

at Kalon for a moment, whose attention was captured by movement in the arena.Workers were doing last-minute checks of the red clay ground, as the tournament wasabout to begin. There were twenty thousand people present for these matches, themajority of them Aeternae. It wasn’t difficult to spot the Rimians and the Naloreans,though. With such different physiognomies, they simply stood out, even when they woreVisio’s elegant garb.

“Have you learned anything new since last night?” I whispered, wary of any Aeternaeoverhearing us, as I occasionally glanced back at Derek and the others. They were allnicely dressed, blending in and apparently smiling—but those were our polite smiles.Thoughts simmered beneath the surface, and I couldn’t blame them. We were all soincredulous after GASP’s previous experiences with foreign civilizations that we simplycouldn’t accept a good thing when we saw it.

Tristan shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, when Kaloninterrupted. “The first match is about to begin,” he said, demanding my attention.

I gave my brother a brief nod, then leaned closer to Kalon. I’d made it my mission toget close enough to him to gather information, but, at the same time, I dreaded thethought of sharing such a close space with him. He rattled and excited me, all at once…

Two people emerged in the arena, while the announcer came up on the extendedstage. The fighters were dressed in leather and chainmail. The Aeternae champion wastall, well above his species’ average. His black hair was long and braided down his back.Amber eyes scanned the entire arena until they found Kalon next to me. He smirked,contempt clouding his expression.

“Do you know him?” I asked.Kalon sighed. “Demetrius.”“He doesn’t seem friendly.”

“He isn’t,” Kalon replied dryly, watching Demetrius with interest.His opponent was a Nalorean, big and burly and seemingly capable of putting up a

good fight against someone like Demetrius. The announcer, a slender, white-hairedAeternae, extended his arms, revealing his fangs as he smiled. It riled up the crowd, aspeople started cheering, whistling, and clapping.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” the announcer shouted. Those sound enhancement panelsworked incredibly well. I could hear him as though he was standing right next to us.“Welcome to the semi-final rounds of Visio’s fourteenth tournament this year!”

The cheers got louder. Below our stall, young Aeternae women were laughing andwaving at Demetrius, who couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge them. He only had eyesfor Kalon, and not in a good way. My stomach tightened, and for a brief moment, Iactually worried about him—Demetrius looked as though he would’ve loved nothing morethan to tear his head off, spine and all.

“Today’s first match has Demetrius of the Mefithi dynasty facing off against KrassusSenda of Nalore!” the announcer continued. Demetrius got plenty of applause and goodwishes, but Krassus, on the other hand, did not seem like a fan favorite. He didn’t care,either, as he sauntered across the red clay to meet Demetrius in the middle.

The Nalorean carried a massive, double-edged battle axe and a solid steel shield withobsidian inlays. He struck me as perfectly capable of chopping even the most ambitiousAeternae into little pieces, but his mere participation in the event was still… odd.

“So, if Krassus wins this tournament, he’ll have the option of becoming an Aeternae?”I asked, watching as the two fighters circled one another.

“As soon as the bell rings, the fight will begin!” the announcer said, pointing at a giantbronze bell mounted on a pillar next to his stage. “It need not be to the death, but if thatdoes come to pass, we shall have a feast tonight, right here in this arena, to honor thosefallen!”

That really made the crowd happy, as they cheered and clapped and burst intoraucous laughter, their excitement rippling across the bowl and making Demetrius grin.He probably saw himself drinking a cup of blood tonight, to honor the soon-to-dieKrassus. At this point, I genuinely wished for Krassus to win, just to humiliate that giantass.

“Yes, he will have that option,” Kalon answered. “But I hear he’s more interested inopening his own business. The tournament provides enough compensation to do that.There might even be enough gold left for him to buy an island off the west coast, if hewants to.”

“That sounds like quite a fortune,” I said. “I just hope he wins.”Kalon shot me a grin. “I take it you don’t like Demetrius much, huh?”“He has that kind of face.”“What kind is that?” Kalon asked, his eyes narrow and glimmering with intrigue.“The kind that asks for it.”“It?”“The ass-whipping of the century. The decapitation of the millennium. I don’t know,

anything that’s violent and gruesome enough to take him down. That arrogance is

nauseating,” I said. It made Kalon chuckle.“I should bring you to these fights more often.”“Just don’t expect me to cheer for you,” I replied, pointing at dozens of Aeternae

women around the box stalls who were eating him up from afar, fluttering their eyelashesand smiling, hoping they’d get his attention. “You’ve got plenty of fangirls here.”

Kalon leaned in closer again, cutting off my breath once more. “I’m not interested inthem or their cheers.”

“I’m still not cheering for you,” I said bluntly, my face burning. His breath tickled myface.

His gaze dropped, and it took all my strength to stop myself from licking my lips. Whatan inconvenient reflex this was! “I don’t want you to cheer for me. But I hope my victorywill make you smile. It’s something worth fighting for.”

“And if you lose? If you die?”“If I lose, though the chance of that happening is slim, I hope you’ll at least tend to

my wounded ego. If I die, however, I hope you’ll shed a tear for me,” Kalon said in aserious tone.

The electricity between us was so intense that the air seemed to crackle. I wasspeechless as I tried to understand what Kalon’s endgame was, where I was concerned.He was too close for me to think properly, though, and I could almost see him gettingcloser. Any minute now, our lips might meet. But why would he do this?

Suspicion rattled me. Was he being genuine in his hot-and-cold approach, or was hefollowing a hidden agenda? As much as I enjoyed our subtle little games and back-and-forths, I needed to be careful with Kalon. He could be genuine, or he could be a fantasticthespian looking for a crack in my armor. The announcer broke through my train ofthought as the bell was rung. “Let the fighting begin!”

Kalon and I moved back, watching the match unfold in the arena. I could breatheagain, relaxing slightly in my cushioned seat.

Demetrius was fast. Too fast for someone like Krassus, I realized, as the Aeternaedashed left and right like a fleeting shadow. It was impossible to predict which angle he’duse to strike from. Krassus didn’t look intimidated, though, raising his shield and movingaround a lot in order to make it harder for Demetrius to attack him.

The Aeternae had a long sword and a smaller, oval shield to use against Krassus. Hesidestepped several times before he went in for the first hit. The Nalorean was quick onhis feet, despite his large size. He brought his battle axe down, and Demetrius’s shieldbarely withstood the blow, forcing him down on one knee.

What Krassus lacked in speed, he made up for in strength. My heart thundered as Iwatched this violent dance between an Aeternae and a Nalorean. For a moment, I hopedI’d see Krassus win, but Demetrius swerved around and drove his sword into theNalorean’s side. Gasps erupted from the crowd as Krassus cried out in pain.

Demetrius didn’t stop there. He pulled his blade back and stabbed him again.“I yield,” Krassus shouted.Screams tore through the audience when Demetrius didn’t listen and rammed the

sword through Krassus’s spine. I could almost hear the vertebrae cracking, shattered by

the smooth, sharp steel. Watching in horror, I didn’t even realize I’d gripped Kalon’s handon the armrest between us.

Krassus came down hard, blood gushing from his mouth as he fell, flat on his face.“Stop!” the announcer screamed. “Stop, Demetrius! No!”But Demetrius wasn’t done. By the time the red-leather-clad staff ran to stop him,

he’d already delivered a fourth blow, killing Krassus on the spot. Kalon cursed under hisbreath. Behind me, Derek and Sofia were livid. Amal was stunned. Nethissis bared hercopperhead fangs, unable to control herself.

A low, collective hiss made me shiver. I looked around and saw that most of theAeternae had their fangs out, as well, scowling at Demetrius for what he had done.Glancing down, I noticed Kalon’s claws coming out, slowly extending from the tips of hisfingers. “Kalon…” I murmured, and he stared at me for a moment, boiling with rage.

Demetrius was satisfied. He dropped his sword and shield, raising both arms in acelebratory fashion. But no one clapped. Not a single soul dared to commend him forwhat he had done. It was the law pretty much anywhere in this universe and the next,that one could not strike an enemy or an opponent after they yielded. It was nothonorable. It was a most despicable and cowardly thing to do.

It seemed to have thrown the announcer for a loop, too. Acheron was dark, simmeringangrily in his seat. He didn’t like it, either. Danika, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care,checking the rings on her fingers as if she’d been watching a boring talk show on publictelevision.

“How is that allowed?!” Tristan gasped, unable to take his eyes off the fallen Krassus.“He yielded!”

Valaine sighed, shaking her head with disgust, as silence settled across the BloodArena. “It’s not allowed. If they let Demetrius through to the final, it will taint the entiretournament.”

“Outlet for violence or not, we must still abide by the rules,” Petra said from the boxstall next to us. “Demetrius did us all a great disservice just now.”

“Will he be disqualified?” I asked, looking at Kalon. “Arrested? It’s basically murder!”“I don’t know. The referees will decide,” he replied. “The tournaments are outside the

general scope of our laws. It’s been like this for millennia. Anyone entering thesecompetitions agrees that their life is on the line the moment they set foot in the arena,and that they may not make it out of here alive.”

“That’s disturbing,” I said. “So he could walk away with breaking tournament rules andkilling someone?” The thought made me want to vomit.

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” he muttered.The referees were three individuals sitting behind the announcer on the stage. One

was an Aeternae, the second was a Rimian, and the third was a Nalorean. They werecurrently talking between themselves with angry hand gestures, pointing the occasionalfinger at Demetrius, who stood over Krassus’s corpse, grinning and waiting for a verdict.

“This wasn’t about winning the match,” Kalon realized. “This was about killingKrassus, from the very beginning.”

There was movement in the pits that surrounded the fighting area, where other

champions awaited. One of them, a tall and muscular Rimian, jumped up and rushedtoward Demetrius with his twin short swords out. The color drained from Kalon’s face ashe recognized him.

“No… Trev, don’t!” he shouted, but the Rimian fighter couldn’t hear him. He was tooangry. His blades thirsted for the Aeternae’s blood.

“Who’s that?” I asked.But Kalon no longer heard me. He jumped out of his seat and over the box stall’s

edge, then made his way down the steps so fast, it looked as though he was flying. In theblink of an eye, he reached the bottom, pulling the angry Rimian back from what wasbound to turn into a bloody tragedy.

Demetrius welcomed the challenge, but the staff in red leather kept him away fromKalon and the Rimian. I watched, my jaw close to the floor, as the entire thing turnedinto a mindless brawl, with multiple fighters jumping in to avenge Krassus’s wrongfuldeath. Soon, silver guards breached the arena and enforced a faint sense of order, whilethe rest of us could do nothing other than experience blood-boiling outrage.

“What the hell just happened?” I managed, glancing at Valaine—the only one whocould clarify this baffling moment.

“That’s Trev Blayne,” she said, nodding at the angry Rimian, who was now listening toKalon as he tried to talk some sense into him. This was a side of Kalon I hadn’t seenbefore. He clearly had more than one way of surprising me. “He used to serve theVisentis dynasty. He was Kalon’s squire for a long time.”

“And now he’s fighting in the tournaments?” I replied.Valaine nodded. “He wants to become an Aeternae. Trev and Kalon are close friends,

which is why Kalon didn’t enter this tournament. He never fights when Trev is competing.And Trev never fights in Kalon’s tournaments, either.”

“Because one of them will die if they lose the final,” Tristan concluded.“Exactly. And Trev is an exquisite warrior. I can see him ending up against Kalon, if

they fight in the same tournament,” Valaine explained. “And they’re too fond of eachother to risk that.”

“Has Trev won other tournaments before?” Tristan replied.“This is his first, and he’s been doing a remarkable job. However, if Demetrius is

allowed into the final after what he just did, I’m afraid Trev will not live to experienceimmortality,” Valaine said. “He’s good, but he’s not as good as Demetrius.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, please calm down,” the announcer shouted, a message meantfor all those present, including the fighters, the silver guards, the referees, and thebuzzing audience. “We’ve reached a decision,” he added.

It was enough to render everyone silent. Demetrius’s smirk wavered, as if a part ofhim knew he might not exit victoriously from this fight. It was up to the referees, though,and I worried they might favor him, still.

In the meantime, Kalon convinced Trev to move back, escorting him up the steps andtoward our box stall. Whatever he was telling the Rimian, it seemed to soothe himenough to get the twin swords back in their sheaths.

“Demetrius of the Mefithi dynasty!” the announcer said. “You committed murder. Your

opponent yielded, and you killed him, nonetheless. You have dishonored your family andthe Blood Arena!”

“What?! No! It’s a fair fight! I won!” Demetrius snarled, his face red with anger.“He yielded!” the announcer replied. “The referees have spoken! You are therefore

disqualified from this tournament and barred from participating for the remainder of theyear!”

Demetrius bared his fangs in a menacing fashion, prompting some of the silver guardsto turn away from the fighters they were trying to keep at bay. They were ready tointervene if Demetrius decided to do something even stupider than what he’d alreadydone.

“People die in these tournaments! It’s not fair that I get punished for this!” he said,unwilling to let this go. He was being berated and humiliated in public. Of course hewasn’t going to drop the issue.

“On top of that, you will pay reparations to Krassus’s family, since they won’t beseeing their father again,” the announcer added, his tone flat, unimpressed byDemetrius’s tantrum. At least they held on to their values and stood up to monsters likehim. I had to appreciate that.

“You’re joking.” Demetrius chuckled.“He yielded, you brainless tree stump!” Trev shouted from above. “You deserve this

and much worse! Be thankful you just get to shell out some gold coins!”“You’re just lucky you won’t be facing me in the final,” Demetrius snapped, pointing an

angry finger at the Rimian, who smirked.“I would’ve enjoyed killing you. It’s a missed opportunity.”“I’ll see you outside then, and give you another shot,” Demetrius hissed.“Enough!” Kalon replied. “Take your penalty with whatever dignity you have left! You

killed a Nalorean after he yielded. It will forever besmirch your house and your honor.”“How many fighters participate in these tournaments?” I heard Tristan ask Valaine.“Hundreds. From smaller houses and dynasties, too, not just from the high seven,”

she replied. “These usually end in people getting maimed. Indeed, sometimes they getkilled, too—especially the Aeternae. You’d be surprised at how feeble many of us arewithout our claws and fangs. We’re too used to having them, so weapons feel heavy andclunky by comparison.”

“I can’t believe the Aeternae do this just for the thrill of maybe dying,” Sofiamurmured.

“It’s all they have left,” Valaine said. “There are also great honors and fortunes for thewinners. Those matter, too.”

“It’s clearly a cultural thing,” Tristan replied. “I get it. I don’t have to like it, but I getit.”

“Valaine fights in the tournaments, as well,” Petra chimed in, smiling at us. Her humorwas quick to sink when Demetrius’s voice boomed through the arena.

“Mind your own business, Lord Visentis. I have no interest in dealing with fatherlessbloodsuckers such as yourself!”

The silence that followed was death-like. My blood froze as I watched Kalon’s

expression shift and darken into something almost unrecognizable. Trev was by his side,and he put a hand on Kalon’s chest in a bid to stop him from doing something he mightregret.

“Kalon,” Petra called out, her voice smooth and cautious.But Kalon didn’t hear her. He didn’t hear anyone. Demetrius had offended him deeply,

and I had a feeling that he wasn’t going to get out of here without being torn to pieces bythe very Aeternae who’d stopped Trev from avenging Krassus’s death.

“That’s very unwise of you, Lord Mefithi,” Kalon said, turning around to look down atDemetrius, whose smirk broadened. He was itching for a fight, and he struck me as mind-numbingly reckless.

Kalon was right. Demetrius had not come here to win. He’d come here to kill, whichwas never a sign of a good or honorable fighter. It was the makeup of a psychopath, andnow I worried that Kalon had become his new center of interest.

“What are you going to do about it?” Demetrius asked.The announcer clapped his hands once. “Enough, please! You have done enough harm

to this arena today, Demetrius. You are banned from entering this sacred space until theend of the year. Guards, escort him out. A decree will be issued, demanding that he paythe family of the slain Nalorean.”

Demetrius scoffed, sneering at the guards who approached him with caution. Theyknew him well enough to consider him a risk, even in these circumstances. Nevertheless,he obeyed and made his way up the steps.

The worst part was yet to come, though, as he was about to pass Kalon and Trev.“Kalon!” Petra shouted, but she still couldn’t get her son’s attention. Demetrius had

pushed the right buttons in him.As he reached Kalon, Demetrius whispered something. Kalon didn’t react, letting him

go up the stairs in the company of the silver guards. As soon as he reached the edge ofthe arena bowl, however, Kalon smiled. “Demetrius!” he shouted, prompting thedisgraced fighter to turn around. “I’ll see you at midnight under the full moon, in BlackSquare. No weapons. To the death.”

My stomach churned.“Kalon, no!” Petra croaked, her eyes wide with fury and outrage—but not fear for her

son’s life, which struck me as rather odd.Looking around, I noticed Valaine was displeased, but also unconcerned. Chances

were that I was more worried about him than anyone else. Probably because I’ve neverseen him fight.

“I look forward to it,” Demetrius said, then vanished from sight.Kalon and Trev exchanged a few more words before they came up to our box stall.

With everything that had happened, I didn’t even see the staff members who picked upKrassus’s body and cleared the fighting space.

The announcer said something about a couple of Aeternae-only fights coming up,separate from the tournament and part of a different competition, but I didn’t pay muchattention. I was too busy wrapping my head around what had just happened, mystifiedby Kalon’s reactions and the prospect of him fighting Demetrius to the death.

I’d only just met Kalon, but I reserved the right to dislike the thought of him dying.Even if it bothered me a little more than it should’ve.

T

T R I S T A N

heir laws and the way in which they could be dodged through thetournaments bothered me, but, like Derek had reminded us—it wasn’t our

business. This wasn’t our land. We had no right to tell them what they could or couldn’tdo.

Witnessing Krassus’s murder had opened my eyes, though. I could see that Valainewasn’t happy with the referees’ decision, either. Not to mention Kalon, who was stillboiling. Worst of all, he’d accepted Demetrius’s duel challenge. Understandably, thedinner atmosphere was gloomy and tense, as the full moon was tonight. After dessert,Kalon would walk out and fight Demetrius.

Acheron and Danika kept it low key for the evening. Just us and them, along withValaine, Corbin, Kalon, Petra and Zoltan, as well as one representative from each of theother noble dynasties—including Demetrius’s father, Clayne Mefithi, whose presence Ididn’t yet comprehend, given today’s events. Beryn and Maylin had also joined, a Rimianand a Nalorean, respectively, who’d become Aeternae. I had trouble not staring at them,as they had more in common with vampires than they did with the Aeternae. They’d beenturned, which was quite rare here on Visio.

Words were scarce across the dinner table. Amal kept quiet throughout, barely eatingthe grilled vegetables and fruit tarts that followed. Nethissis pushed the raw meat cubesaround her plate for a while, disgust still casting shadows on her face. Derek and Sofiadid not refuse any of the mind-expanding blood, but I could tell they didn’t enjoy theflavors and the sensations that came with them as much as yesterday.

Esme didn’t have anything to say, either. Not out loud, at least. I knew her mind wasfrazzled. She hated the system. She would’ve gladly seen Demetrius’s head lawfully cutoff for what he’d done in the Blood Arena. And she was worried about Kalon dueling him.

“Things will go back to normal,” Valaine said to me, her voice low as she poured moreblood in my crystal goblet. “Once Kalon is done with Demetrius, true justice will beserved.”

“That’s another loophole, right?” I asked, connecting the dots. “Demetrius got awaywith murder in the Blood Arena, and Kalon will kill him and walk off scot-free with aduel.”

She nodded. “Our laws are flawed, I know. But changing them takes a lot of time and

many votes, which are extremely difficult to get. For all our progress, the Aeternae do notcope well with change. We see reason and order in what we’ve put together. I know it’snot a comforting thought, but for what it’s worth, incidents such as this don’t happen veryoften.”

“Do you trust Kalon to finish Demetrius off tonight?”Glancing to my left, I noticed Esme listening. She stared at her glass, with Kalon next

to her, but she was definitely paying attention to what Valaine was telling me. “Kalon is atrue champion of the Blood Arena. One of the few who have yet to suffer defeat in thetournaments. He got his ass kicked early, which hardened him for the more dangerousfights that followed. Demetrius is an up-and-comer, but his arrogance will be the death ofhim, eventually.”

“Not to be rude, but Kalon’s quite full of himself, too,” I replied, smiling.Valaine’s black eyes twinkled with amusement. “That’s only on the surface, Tristan.

There’s a lot you don’t know underneath. Sides of him that will surprise you.”There were sides of her I’d yet to uncover. Esme could handle Kalon. She could get to

the bottom of it if she wanted to. Valaine was a different challenge altogether, andtonight she looked stunning in her black dress. The skirt and bodice were made of satin,and a lace bolero with long sleeves drew beautiful contrasts with her pale skin. Severalrows of pearls covered the base of her neck, and her hair was pulled up in an artful bun,luscious and black and perfect.

“So, Maylin, Beryn… you two were made Aeternae,” Derek said, breaking the awkwardsilence that had reigned over the dinner table for the past half-hour. “When did thathappen, and how?”

Beryn had been in his mid-sixties when he chose to become an Aeternae, and hewould forever carry the fine lines, the wrinkles, and the long, white hair that hadbetrayed his age at the time. Unlike most Rimians I’d seen, however, Beryn was tall andrather well built, reminding me of Trev Blayne, Kalon’s friend. He smiled, wiping theblood from the corner of his mouth with a black silk napkin.

“I earned it,” Beryn replied. “I worked hard. I amassed my fortune.”“And he was able to buy himself an Aeternae ticket to… eternity.” Maylin chuckled, her

nose high. She was a curvy Nalorean woman, with pale skin and an hourglass figure,further outlined by the tightened blue velvet corset of her dress. She wore her paleblonde hair in a loose braid down her back, with diamonds and pearl strings tied aroundthe tail.

“Don’t be jealous,” Beryn said, giving her a sideways glance. Maylin had been in herearly twenties when she was turned. Her youth and arrogance seemed to have persisted.Beryn shifted his focus back to Derek. “Yes, I bought my transcendence. It took me yearsto make the decision. Unlike Maylin here, who killed people for it.”

That drew some glares from our crew as we looked at her. Maylin smirked. “I won atournament in the Blood Arena. Everything I did was justified.”

I wanted to believe that that made it all right. But it didn’t. It was still wrong. Not yourbusiness, remember?

“Did you fight in the tournament for this opportunity, specifically?” Sofia asked, and

Maylin nodded, beaming with pride.“I almost didn’t make it into the final,” she replied. “To be honest, though, I did train

with some of the greatest fighters among the Aeternae.”She looked at Corbin when she said that, which led me to draw a reasonable

conclusion. “You trained her,” I murmured, gawking at Valaine’s dad. It didn’t take longfor me to remember that Valaine fought in the Blood Arena, too. “I suppose you trainedyour daughter, as well?”

Corbin sighed, crossing his arms. It made him look too big for his seat at the table,but he didn’t seem to care. “Maylin showed promise from the very first day she came tome for help. I was ready to maim her just to prove she didn’t have what it takes for theBlood Arena, but she surprised me.”

“I knocked him on his ass, is what he’s saying,” Maylin interjected, and emptied herchalice, reaching for the half-full pitcher.

“That’s an exaggeration.” Corbin chuckled, though I could still sense the strain in histone. Maylin didn’t fear him one bit, but he still had to assert himself. He was the mastercommander of Visio’s armies, after all. “As for Valaine,” he added, frowning at hisdaughter. “I had no choice. If she was to win these tournaments, I had to make sure shelearned everything it took to be undefeatable.”

“He trained Kalon, as well,” Valaine said. “My father is, by far, one of the greatestwarriors of the Aeternae.”

“And one of the most seasoned, as well. Almost a million years spent fighting for anddefending our empire,” Acheron replied, smiling at his friend. “Long before Danika and Ieven sat on this throne, before we were even born, Corbin has had nothing but theempire’s best interests at heart.”

“You’re too kind, Your Grace,” Corbin replied.“How many Rimians and Naloreans turned into Aeternae are there?” I asked. “I

suppose you keep a record, don’t you?”Danika smiled. “We do. Approximately five thousand.”“Will their children be born Aeternae, too?” Amal asked. I’d almost forgotten what her

voice sounded like. She’d been quiet and brooding for so long.“No. Unfortunately, those who are turned do not inherit the full scope of our species’

genetic pool. Their children will manifest some Aeternae traits, such as enhanced sensesand heightened reflexes, but they will have to be turned, as well, if they wish to be likeus. Otherwise, they will be mortal.”

“So, you have children of your own?” Amal asked Beryn and Maylin.They both nodded, but they didn’t seem too keen to answer. I had a feeling it was a

touchy subject for them.“Mine were born before I was turned. I’ve had to watch them die of old age,” Beryn

said, sadness heavy in his voice. “I’m looking after my great-great-grandchildren now.They will soon be gone, as well. No one in my family has wished to be turned, thoughthey have had that opportunity, thanks to me.”

“They don’t want immortality?” I replied.He sighed. “No. They think it’s unnatural.”

“The Aeternae are obviously not offended by this mindset,” Petra sought to assure us,while Zoltan eyed us carefully from his seat next to her. “We understand that noteveryone appreciates a forever life. It does have its downsides, which Beryn here hasexperienced on a deeply personal level.”

“Watching your loved ones die around you, not just other Rimians and Naloreans,” Imused. “Yes, I understand. What about you, Maylin?”

“I had my twins after I was turned. One of them wished to become an Aeternae, so Ihelped him secure the riches he needed. The other… she chose to age and leave me andher brother,” Maylin said, lowering her gaze.

“Hold on. So, you have to pay to become an Aeternae?” Nethissis asked.“Most of the time, yes,” Petra said. “You see, the gift of becoming an Aeternae is

incredibly precious. Immortality is an honor we cannot bestow on just anyone. Thepretenders must prove that they will do what it takes; they must prove that theyunderstand what a privilege it is.”

“Few have been the cases in which a turning has been simply… gifted,” Zoltan added.“Usually, the Rimians and the Naloreans must pay a hefty price. Fortunes that many donot have. Beryn is a good example. The second option is through the tournaments, thepath Maylin took. Risking one’s life for the sake of living forever.”

“Either way, we’ve earned our seats at the table,” Beryn declared.It drew Danika’s ire, though she kept her composure and grace. “We, the Aeternae,

have been nothing but respectful toward you and all the others we’ve turned.”“True. But it doesn’t mean you like us,” Maylin cut in with a cold grin. “After all, we’re

intruders into your way of life. Someone allowed this to happen all those years ago, andyou know you can’t change the laws now. Not without stirring an uprising. Five thousandof us is no joke, is it?”

Suddenly, previously unknown tensions between their species began to arise. Therewas bitterness coming from the Aeternae. If Maylin was right, it meant that the Aeternaedid not really want to turn others, but they did it anyway, due to old laws and traditions.

“You’re talking nonsense,” Danika muttered.“We like almost everybody,” Acheron added. “But if you’re going to be rude and

gratuitously mean, Maylin, we can always rescind the dinner invitations.”Maylin feigned shock, while Beryn pinched the bridge of his nose. I had a feeling this

wasn’t the first time she was stirring trouble here. “Oh, no… Then where will I go for allthe cheap theatricals? Goodness gracious!”

“What Maylin means to say is that not all the Aeternae approve of other species beingturned, regardless of the laws of the land,” Beryn said, his tone clipped in a bid to temperthe former Nalorean.

Maylin scoffed, but she didn’t engage Danika or Acheron any further. Clearly, respectfor the Lord and Lady Supreme could only stretch so far for creatures like her and Beryn.They weren’t afraid to speak their minds, and I was willing to bet it was because they’dbeen turned, thus standing a better chance against their makers.

“It’s natural that there are disagreements between your species,” Esme replied, tryingto recalibrate the mood around the table. “The Aeternae are the supreme predators, the

top of the food chain, and the ruling class, while the Rimians and Naloreans arecomfortably subjugated and subservient. When one ascends from a lower to a higherlevel, that’s when the more uncomfortable truths come out. I think it’s okay for you all todisagree on certain things. To not like one another, even. I’d have been more suspiciousif you were trying to sell us some utopic fantasy in which everybody gets along witheverybody.”

Acheron laughed. “I like you, Esme Vaughn. You speak your mind without fear. It’s arare quality in people.”

“Yes, she’s quite the firecracker, isn’t she?” Petra said, her eyes small and chargedwith venom as she looked at my sister. I didn’t like her. I didn’t like her one bit, and thefact that she wasn’t hiding her animosity toward Esme was all the more concerning.

Kalon shot his mother a cold stare. “She’s infinitely superior to most of the Aeternaewomen I’ve come across. Present company excluded, of course,” he said, and it wasenough to soften Petra’s expression.

I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to see him stick up for Esme, though I did wonderwhat Petra had in mind regarding my sister. This was something I’d have to investigatelater down the line. Maybe tomorrow night, when Esme and I had agreed to do ourinvisible tour of the palace, unsupervised.

Valaine smiled. “As you can see, we’re not a perfect society. Not even a perfectspecies, as much as we’d like to think otherwise.”

“Perfection is overrated, if you ask me,” I said to her. “There’s more charm andexcitement in a family drama or a territorial skirmish than in permanent peace andharmony. I don’t think we’re designed for such dreamworlds, anyway.”

“We definitely aren’t,” Zoltan replied. “Hence our Blood Arena and predilection fordeadly duels.”

“You know what? I’m going to go ahead and say it, since no one else will,” Acheroninterjected, looking at Kalon. “You handled yourself very well today, Lord Visentis.”

“I’m thankful for your grace and righteousness.” Clayne Mefithi finally spoke. The restof the noble Aeternae had been murmuring among themselves at the other end of thetable, occasionally smiling and nodding at anything that Danika and Acheron had to say.They didn’t seem all that happy to be with us tonight, but to be honest, I didn’t reallymind that. It meant that maybe they had something to hide. I was always a fan of a goodmystery. “And I apologize for the offense that my son committed today. I cannot stressthat enough.”

Unlike his son, Clayne was a slender Aeternae, with ginger curls and bright greeneyes. Kindness radiated from him like scorching heat waves—the complete opposite ofDemetrius. How had his son turned out to be such a bloodthirsty psychopath? I didn’tbelieve in the nature of monsters. I was firmly convinced that they were made, not born.Demetrius couldn’t have been designed evil from his mother’s womb.

Kalon gave Clayne a faint nod. “I know you bear no responsibility for his actions, LordMefithi.”

“It’s why I invited him for dinner tonight,” Acheron said. “What happened in the BloodArena should stay in the Blood Arena.”

“Only it won’t,” Petra cut in, still angry about the duel. “Call off your fight withDemetrius, Kalon, before it’s too late. Let him pay Krassus’s family and be done with it.”

“You think gold will make Krassus’s children feel better?” Kalon shot back. “Whatwould you do if someone killed me after I yielded in a tournament, Mother? I guaranteeyou’d want their head on a spike. You wouldn’t take anything else from them.”

“It’s bad enough I have to watch you fight in those mindless tournaments,” Petrahissed. “There are better things you could do with your time. A Nalorean died, and thereferees drew their conclusions. Leave it at that!”

Clayne shook his head slowly, staring at his crystal cup. “I must apologize. It’sbecause of my son’s poor decisions that you’re arguing right now. I do not wish to causemore strife in your family.”

“Don’t worry about it, Lord Mefithi,” Kalon replied, eyeing his mother. “The highpriestess simply has trouble understanding that she no longer controls her son. Her sons,actually. Our youngest brother might still be in her grasp, but he’ll grow out of it, too.We’re allowed to make our own destiny.”

“Speaking of which,” Zoltan said. “Lord Visentis, there is a council meeting I’d like youto attend sometime next week. It involves some administrative changes around thepalace and its neighborhood. I think the high priestess has wanted you to get involved inaffairs of the empire before.”

I remembered Valaine telling us that Kalon didn’t have a specific role assignedanywhere, but that he’d been groomed to someday become Lord Supreme. Of course,there were doubts that the Nasani dynasty would step down anytime soon, but it hadn’tstopped Petra from channeling all her resources into making sure that her son was morethan ready for the challenge.

It was also interesting to hear about Kalon’s brothers. I hadn’t met any of them yet,but I figured that would happen soon. The family dynamic of the Aeternae was certainlypart of my area of interest, from an anthropological point of view.

“It would be my pleasure,” Kalon replied after a long pause. It seemed to please hismother, who leaned back into her tall chair and took a long sip of spiced blood from aflute-shaped crystal glass.

Beryn cleared his throat, drawing our attention. His eyes were fixed on Derek andSofia, and his expression made me feel somewhat uncomfortable. I didn’t need to be asentry to sense the mild aggression coming off him. My instincts were quite sharp.

“So, have you found what you were looking for?” he asked.Derek frowned, looking slightly confused. “What do you mean?”“You can’t tell me you expect us to believe you’re just visiting. It’s a tad absurd, given

that I hear you’ll be running blood tests on our people soon,” Beryn said.Danika straightened her back, suddenly uncomfortable. Acheron’s eyes threw darts at

Beryn. Hell, no one at the table liked where this conversation was headed—including ourgroup. Maylin, on the other hand, was smiling. She and Beryn must’ve talked about thisbefore dinner.

“Where did you hear that?” Danika asked Beryn.“Word travels fast, Your Grace,” Beryn replied. “I see you’re not denying it.”

“We’re simply trying to understand the similarities and the differences between ourspecies,” Derek said, calm and reserved in his approach.

Beryn grinned. “It doesn’t have anything to do with whatever made you into a day-walker then, huh? Because we all know you got it from one of our own.”

Danika rolled her eyes. “I see gossip is still running rampant.” She glanced at Acheron.“See, darling? This is why I’ve been advocating for smaller dinners and fewer guestslately.”

“I agree,” Acheron replied, raising an eyebrow at Beryn. “One of us, Beryn? One ofwhom, exactly?”

“Why, the Aeternae, of course,” Beryn said.“I don’t think you’re in a position to question what Derek and his team do with the

blood we give them,” Acheron declared. “You were turned. From a heritage point of view,you don’t get a say in this.”

“No, but I just want these foreigners to be honest,” Beryn replied. “I just want them totell us that they came here for the day-walking cure. Judging by what they’ve said so far,frankly, it did not take a master linguist to figure it out.”

“Beryn doesn’t like pussy-footing much.” Maylin chuckled, thoroughly enjoying this.Sofia exhaled sharply. “It’s true. We came here because our search for the day-

walking protein brought us to Visio.”It didn’t surprise Danika or Acheron. Zoltan seemed a tad displeased, at best, but he

wasn’t shocked, and neither was Petra. In hindsight, it did make sense that they’d figuredit out on their own, as much as we’d tried to convince ourselves otherwise. But I didwonder what had made them draw the conclusion, since they definitely didn’t know aboutour tracking magic.

“We didn’t want it to be the main objective of our visit, though,” Sofia added. “We aregenuinely fascinated, in awe of your civilization and what you’ve accomplished here. Forus, it’s always a pleasure to explore new worlds. As you all know by now, this isn’t ourfirst foray into interstellar exploration.”

“I appreciate your candor,” Acheron replied. “Rest assured, we are not in any wayupset or offended that you did not tell us immediately. It does make sense that youwould want to help your people evolve, so they may walk in the sunlight without fear ofdying.”

“See, Beryn? We like to be civil with our guests,” Danika said, sneering at the formerRimian. “If you were trying to start a diplomatic conflict, I suggest you go back to thedrawing board and try something smarter. On the other hand, if all you intended was toembarrass our guests, I must say I’m thoroughly unimpressed.”

“Your Grace, I simply advocate for the truth, no matter how uncomfortable,” Berynreplied, apparently dissatisfied with the end result of his jabs. There was clearly somesort of endgame on his mind. And I felt uneasy not knowing what that was.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what brought you to the conclusion that we came herebecause of the day-walking protein? We did not lead the conversation there,” I said. “Infact, we let you draw the conclusions for yourselves, out of respect.”

Valaine’s hand covered mine over the armrest of my chair. No one else saw it, but I

was compelled to look at her. She frowned, silently signaling me not to dig any deeper.However, it was too late. I’d already asked.

Acheron smiled. “Given you had the technology and the magic to come all the wayhere, we figured you must’ve had something to help you trace that protein back to ourworld.”

“Seems rather simple, doesn’t it?” Danika added.Then why was I not convinced? The thought of having been spied on crossed my

mind, and the implications troubled me. This wasn’t the time or the place to addressthem, but I was determined to speak to Esme about it—she looked as concerned as Iwas, likely making the same connections.

These people were fascinating. But they were also hiding things from us, things thatcould mean the difference between our mission’s success or failure—and possibly trouble.

“I

E S M E

think your white-haired scientist here should take blood samples from differentAeternae,” Petra said after a long and not so comfortable pause. She confused me withher mood swings, going from hot to cold, from helpful to hateful, in milliseconds. “Withyour permission, Lord and Lady Supreme, I will be more than happy to grant Amal fullaccess to the palace’s study rooms so she can analyze all the samples and identify theprotein needed for the vampires’ day-walking cure.”

Acheron nodded enthusiastically. “I’ll gladly give you some of my blood, if you wish.”“Your Grace, surely there is no need for that,” Zoltan replied. “I and my colleagues will

donate on your behalf.”“Nonsense. The Nasani blood is pure and ancient. One of the first dynasties

established on Visio,” Acheron said. “I will donate, and that’s the end of it.”“You can take mine, as well,” Danika added, though she didn’t sound as excited as her

husband. Even so, their willingness to help us wasn’t just surprising. It was downrighthumbling and heartwarming. For all their secrecy and double meanings nudged beneaththeir words, the Aeternae were definitely eager to support our quest. It was selfless.

“I suppose I don’t need to tell you that you people can have my blood,” Kalonmuttered.

“Thank you,” I said, genuinely grateful to have his support in this endeavor.“Heck, I’ll give some of mine, too,” Maylin conceded. “I’m curious to see what

differences you draw between my blood and that of an original Aeternae.”“Indeed, that would be an interesting study,” Zoltan realized, smiling with delight.

“We have yet to develop techniques such as yours for the analysis of blood.”Amal nodded. “I will gladly assist with whatever you may need,” she said. “If we can

help get you closer to a cure for the Black Fever, while we’re here, you have our fullsupport.”

“It is the least we can do, in return for what you’re giving us,” Derek added.Last time we’d spoken to GASP, earlier this morning, they’d warned us to be careful.

They’d also expressed interest in getting to know these people better. Rose hadsuggested that we could even try to forge an alliance with Visio and its principates—thesecret here was to not interfere in their form of government.

The Aeternae did not seem like the kind who would easily renounce their privileges,

and, as much as Rose and the others disliked Derek’s counterarguments on the topic, itwasn’t our place to destabilize three planets after millions of years of mostly peacefulcoexistence. There were plenty of things we didn’t like about their world and the waythey treated the Rimians and the Naloreans, but it was their world. Not ours.

I could already hear our people in GASP squealing from joy, though, upon hearing thatthe Aeternae were more than willing to help us by giving their blood for studies and tests.So far, our mission was turning out to be quite successful.

Even so, I couldn’t shake off the worry that something might go wrong. That someonemight do something to spoil the rapport we’d managed to achieve with the Aeternae.Beryn had already tried to put a wedge between us, and the others must have learnedfrom his experience. One of them might try again, harder the second time around.

“I would appreciate a scientific pursuit of the Black Fever,” Petra said. “For too longwe have battled it. For too long we have buried our loved ones because of it. If thatTa’Zan fellow was able to find you a cure against the burning sunlight, then surely, youcan help us come up with something to at least prevent another outbreak.”

“How frequently does the Black Fever return?” Amal asked.“The last time was five thousand years ago,” Clayne replied. “I lost my wife then.

Demetrius was only five years old at the time.”Maybe the absence of a mother might’ve had something to do with the rot that had

clearly warped Demetrius’s brain. Most psychopaths had some kind of motherly issue atthe root of their festering darkness. I considered this informational tidbit a piece of abroader puzzle.

“The cycle is approximately every ten thousand years,” Petra said. “We’re not due foranother outbreak just yet.”

“Approximately five thousand years left, then,” Amal concluded.To my left, Kalon sat still, following the conversation. A muscle ticked nervously in his

jaw, his gaze fixed on his mother. There was something here, something unspoken andfilled with anger. Was Petra lying, perhaps? I would warn Amal later tonight, for sure, justso she’d be careful when dealing with Petra.

“Your aid will be much appreciated,” Danika cut in. “But I think we must make theterms of this collaboration clear from the very beginning.”

Derek was once again caught off guard. “I’m sorry. What do you mean?”“Well, you’ve told us about your GASP federation and how you’ve made friends all over

the place, earlier today, if you remember,” Danika replied. She was right. Derek and Sofiahad mentioned GASP and our endeavors during blood drinks with Acheron and her afterthe tournament, after having decided to tell them more about us. “Upgrading worlds,changing governments, defending the defenseless and so on. It’s very noble what you do,but the Lord Supreme and I have already discussed this, and we want you to keep thisGASP malarkey all to yourselves.”

“I still don’t follow,” Derek said, his brow furrowed.Acheron put on a flat smile, leaning over the table. “We’ll give you the blood. You’ll

help us with a cure for the Black Fever. That is where our partnership ends. You will nottry to change our world. You will not bring others from your planets to ours. We are not

interested in diplomatic ties and intergalactic brotherhoods. We want Visio and its empireto be left alone.”

Derek and Sofia looked at each other for a few seconds, then searched our faces for areaction. I gave them a soft nod, as did my brother.

“GASP doesn’t wish to interfere in any way, but we’ve proven ourselves more thaneffective against threats that nearly wiped out entire galaxies,” Derek said.

“That’s all good and everything, but it’s still a no from us,” Acheron insisted, his tonesharp. “We’ve been here for too long on our own to have anyone come in and try topolice us in any way. We wish to preserve our culture and our laws. It’s why we put thehaze around our planets.”

“We wouldn’t even dream of destabilizing your empire, we just—” Sofia tried toexplain, but Danika cut her off.

“You can’t have it both ways here, Sofia. We know that you and your people are notexactly thrilled with the arrangements that we’ve made with the Rimians and theNaloreans, after we conquered them. We know that you would try to change that, thefirst chance you get, because you’re all nice and self-righteous. We like you, sure, but wedon’t want you butting in. No one does.”

This was awkward, but I could see where they were coming from. Things had beenmuch worse on Neraka before our intervention—who was to say that one or more ofGASP’s senior officers couldn’t convince the others that we should step in and tell theAeternae to change their laws and free the Rimians and the Naloreans? Danika was right.We had made it our mission to protect other supernatural species. To defend those whocould not defend themselves.

But we also needed the protein in their blood, so we could all walk in the sun again.We couldn’t have both, and our people had had enough wars and conflicts and disastersto last them a lifetime. For once, we were better off focusing on the protein, instead oftrying to forcibly reshape an entire world that seemed to function quite well on its own,as flawed as it was in its laws and traditions.

“I understand,” Derek said. “You have my promise. No other GASP members will everset foot on Visio, or Nalore, or Rimia, without your direct permission. In return, we willcontinue with our exchange. Your blood and our support in finding a cure for your BlackFever, hopefully before it comes back.”

“And you have my word, Derek Novak,” Acheron replied. “No one will harm you orstand in your way while you pursue your mission to give day-walking to all the vampires.You are welcome here, and it is still a pleasure to host you and your team.”

People nodded and murmured their agreement around the table, while Kalon leanedcloser so only I could hear him. “See? Isn’t everything better when we all get along?”

I shot him a cold stare. “You should try that with Demetrius before you end up deadtonight.”

He grinned, genuinely amused. “You’re worried about me?”“It would be a shame for the high priestess to lose a son like this.”“Right. You’d feel sorry for my mother,” Kalon replied dryly.“I’d feel sorry for you, too,” I said. “There’s nothing more tragic than dying.”

“There is. An eternity without love or honor,” Kalon said immediately. “Compared tothat, dying is a relief.”

He sounded as though he spoke from his own experience. Maybe his arrogance andsense of superiority were merely a thin surface beneath which he’d been hiding for toolong. Maybe he welcomed the thrill of dying tonight. I didn’t like the thought.

The more I was around him, the more questions I had. The more I wanted tounderstand him, to breach the outer layer and reach the core of Kalon Visentis. Hopefully,I’d get my chance before tonight.

C

E S M E

lose to midnight, Kalon invited us to witness the duel. His mother refused. “I willnot watch my son be killed,” she said.

“What if I win?” he asked.“I refuse to even consider the risk of you losing. I can’t,” Petra insisted. “You come see

me when it’s done, so I know you’re alive. Otherwise, I shall brace myself for the worst.”She walked out of the palace square, where a carriage awaited to take her home.

Danika and Acheron had retreated to their chambers, and the rest of the dinner guestshad also scattered. Derek and Sofia, Tristan, Amal, Nethissis, Corbin, Valaine, and I werethe only ones left willing to accompany Kalon to the duel. Even Demetrius’s father hadexcused himself, likely mentally preparing himself for the terrible news that might follow.

He knew Kalon well enough to understand that his son’s odds had been drasticallyreduced the moment the duel had been agreed upon. I couldn’t even imagine how gut-wrenching it all had to be, especially since Lord Mefithi had been nothing but kind andapologetic.

A group of ten gold guards escorted us all to the Black Square, which was about half amile away from the palace. The area had been cleared, as duels normally demanded acertain amount of privacy. The square itself was beautiful, with cobblestone andmanicured hedges and neatly trimmed flowering trees. Streetlamps cast their warm lightover the narrow street that framed Black Square, and we could only hear a few distantvoices nearby.

Most of the buildings in the area were administrative edifices, already closed off andshuttered, but I knew the people were curious, trying to get as close as possible to atleast catch a few glimpses of the duel.

Corbin offered himself as the referee. “Demetrius would not dare refuse,” he said.“Thank you,” Kalon replied as we entered the enclosed green space, where Demetrius

was already waiting, joined by two oversized Aeternae friends.“Took your sweet time.” Demetrius chuckled, though his anxiety was beyond obvious.

Beads of sweat trickled down his temples, seeping into the ruffled collar of his shirt.“Thought I’d give you the chance to back out,” Kalon replied. “Clearly, your common

sense died along with Krassus today.”We stayed back, while Kalon and Corbin walked toward the center of the green space,

where the duel would take place. Demetrius moved to greet them, while his friendsstayed back. He pointed a thumb at them over his shoulder. “Hope you don’t mind. Ineeded some witnesses, in case you decided to try something funny.”

“What, like killing you after you yield?” Kalon smirked. “Unlike you, I fight honorably.”“I’ll be the referee,” Corbin interjected, his tone clipped. He was big and imposing

enough to make Demetrius, who offered no objection, smile faintly.“Fine by me.”Kalon sighed. “Last chance to back out, Demetrius. Are you sure you want to go

ahead with this?”“I’d love to,” Demetrius said. “And if I back out now, you’ll tell everyone I’m a coward.

I won’t let you have the last laugh. Besides, I’m younger than you. I can take you down.”“Taking me down is one thing; killing me is something else entirely,” Kalon said.Corbin cleared his throat. “All right. Take your positions. You know the drill. No

weapons are allowed. No foreign objects. No cheating. Fight to the death, and may fatehave mercy on you both.”

I held my breath, watching as Kalon and Demetrius moved closer, with about ten feetof space between them. They’d both settled for pants and white shirts, since theywouldn’t need much else in this duel. Demetrius was slightly taller, but Kalon wasn’t evenremotely bothered. His Blood Arena prowess was part of the reason why Demetrius wasquite worried. He’d allowed his ego to call the shots, and it was too late to turn backnow.

His friends watched from behind, though they didn’t seem as concerned. Maybe theyhad faith in him. I had a feeling they would soon be disappointed.

“On my mark,” Corbin announced.“What odds do you give Kalon?” Tristan asked Valaine.She shot him a cold grin. “Lord Mefithi has a son to bury tomorrow.”I felt sorry for Lord Mefithi. For Demetrius… not so much. Not after he’d killed Krassus.

There were two types of creatures I had absolutely no mercy for—traitors and murderers.They were beyond forgiveness, for their motives were always selfish and simply awful. Iunderstood the casualties of war. I even accepted tournament and duel deaths. Butgratuitous violence such as what he’d inflicted upon Krassus today, I could not forgive.

We were all quiet as Corbin marked the beginning of the fight, bringing his arm down.“Begin!” he shouted.

Demetrius and Kalon circled one another at first, gauging movements and reflexes.Kalon took his time, unwilling to rush into it. Demetrius, on the other hand, was eager toget this over and done with. He lunged at Kalon with his long claws but missed him byinches.

Kalon dodged his attacks repeatedly but did not engage otherwise.“What is he doing?” Nethissis murmured.“He’s examining Demetrius’s approach,” Valaine whispered. “He never rushes into it,

especially with a potentially deadly adversary.”“So, you think Demetrius has a shot at killing Kalon,” Derek concluded.“The chance is there, but I don’t know. Kalon’s got too many years in the Blood Arena

in comparison to Demetrius,” Valaine said.Demetrius was relentless in his offense, but Kalon’s defense was practically effortless.

It looked like a dance. One was pushing, the other was pulling back. They swervedaround and moved back, light on their feet. Demetrius took it as a sign of weakness.

“You’re afraid,” he hissed.Kalon grinned. “I’m terrified.”Demetrius bolted toward him, roaring as he tried to slice him open. Kalon moved,

ever so slightly, and caught his wrist. A split second later, he drove his claws intoDemetrius’s side. Blood gushed out. He’d nicked an artery, for sure.

“Whoa,” I breathed.“Kalon’s precision is surgical,” Valaine said.I nodded slowly. I could certainly see that.Demetrius pulled his arm back. Blinded by rage, he came at Kalon head on but

missed. In fact, he spent the next five minutes failing to even scratch Kalon, who simplydodged his attacks. He made it look so easy.

“He’s wearing him out,” Tristan said.“Demetrius bled fast before his wound healed,” Sofia noticed.Valaine smiled. “Exactly. That’s what Kalon does. He hits the vital points, going for

blood loss. It weakens his opponent.”Demetrius’s breath was ragged, as it became increasingly difficult for him to keep up

with Kalon. He lunged at him again, but Kalon darted past him and drew more blood, thistime slicing through the ribcage.

“You bastard!” Demetrius growled, covering his wound. His shirt was alreadydrenched in crimson. Still, his friends didn’t give up hope, watching the fight with wide,almost sparkly eyes. “I’m walking out of this place tonight!”

“Don’t hold your breath,” Kalon replied and went in for his first direct attack.Something silvery glimmered near Demetrius’s waist as he moved. My heart stopped.

A knife. He had a knife. Heat spread through my throat as I tried to speak up, but thewords refused to come out. I gripped Tristan’s arm, hoping he’d see it too.

He followed my gaze and went pale. “He’s armed!” my brother shouted.Too late. The blade swished and entered Kalon’s stomach, and I gasped. Kalon

grunted from the pain, as Demetrius sneered with delight.“Foul! Stop, Demetrius!” Corbin snarled.It all happened too fast for me to register everything. Corbin darted toward them,

while Demetrius raised his clawed hand to further debilitate Kalon. But Kalon was quickto grab Demetrius’s throat, as he used his spare hand to pull the knife out.

“Demi, watch out!” one of his friends cried out, instantly realizing what was about tohappen.

By the time Corbin reached them, Kalon had already dropped the knife. Demetriustried to fight him, but he was choking under his grip. Kalon exhaled sharply as he drovehis hand through Demetrius’s chest.

“Oh, dear lord,” I managed, covering my mouth. “Holy…”A moment passed in the heaviest of silences as Demetrius stared at Kalon in disbelief.

It was too late to do anything. Kalon’s hand had broken through the skin, the flesh, andthe bones, having taken hold of Demetrius’s most prized possession.

“End of story,” Kalon hissed as he withdrew his hand, pulling out Demetrius’s heart.My stomach convulsed, but I couldn’t look away. Demetrius’s friends screamed. Amal

gasped. Demetrius collapsed on the ground, no longer breathing. His skin faded to asickly off-white, blue rings settling around his eyes as he bled out on the short grass.

Corbin stilled, his lips pressed into a thin line.Kalon stood there, holding Demetrius’s heart. Staring at its final, weakened beats.

Blood trickled from his hand, like liquid rubies. As if suddenly brought back into the realworld, he turned his head to look at us.

“I had no choice,” he mouthed, his lower lip shaking slightly.As fearless a warrior as he was, Kalon still experienced regret. He took no pleasure in

killing someone, even in these circumstances, where Demetrius had certainly had itcoming. Kalon dropped the heart, wiping his hand on his shirt. Red flowers bloomedacross the fabric, as he took several deep breaths.

“It’s okay,” Corbin said to him. “You won the duel, fair and square.”“I had no choice,” Kalon repeated himself.“He gave you no choice,” Corbin replied. “Demetrius cheated. He chose to die as

dishonorably as he lived.”Valaine stepped forward. “If you ask me, Lord Mefithi is better off without a son like

him. You did the right thing.”Demetrius’s friends were livid, but there was nothing they could do, especially since

the master commander himself had refereed the duel. “It’s not fair,” one of themmurmured.

“Krassus’s death wasn’t fair, either,” Kalon retorted.The second Aeternae pointed an angry finger at him. “You killed Demetrius over a

filthy Nalorean, Kalon. You’re a traitor to your kind!”Kalon moved like lightning, gripping the Aeternae by his throat. “Unless you want me

to remove your heart as well, you will apologize for uttering such insults,” he said, hisvoice low and deadly. “Demetrius challenged me to a duel, and he lost. Better get usedto it.”

“Don’t,” Corbin said, placing a hand on Kalon’s shoulder. “He’s not worth it.”“I know.” Kalon sighed, letting the Aeternae go.He and Corbin walked away, leaving the two friends to care for Demetrius’s body and

his discarded heart. Valaine was the first to reach him, throwing her arms around his neckas she pulled him into a hug.

“That was close,” she said. “He could’ve done much worse!”“But he didn’t,” Kalon replied, gently pushing her back with a soft and thankful smile.

“It’s over now. Justice has been served.” He stopped in front of our group, pulling hisshoulders back. “And that is how one wins a duel, even when dealing with a cheater.”

“Does that happen often?” I asked, my brow furrowed.“You’d be surprised,” he said. “Pat an Aeternae down all you want. They’ll still find a

way to hide or pick up a weapon from somewhere, if they feel like they’re losing.”

“Desperation clouds one’s judgment,” Corbin replied, shaking his head in dismay.“Kalon’s right, though. It’s over. That’s all that matters.” Valaine sighed.Indeed, it was over, and my opinion of Kalon had shifted considerably. Suspicion

battled increasing curiosity in the back of my head, as I decided I needed to know moreabout him. I wanted to understand him better. There were definitely multiple layers tothis guy. I just had to be careful as I peeled away at them.

But nothing that had happened tonight would bring back Krassus, whose death wasstill unfair. His children would go on to live without him, and that broke my heart. Visiowas much more complicated than I’d thought, I realized, and I was barely scratching thesurface here. Who knew what else this place had in store for us?

I’d have to find out.

T

E S M E

he next morning, after the GASP briefing held by Derek through SemperTelluris, I made my way into the palace’s training halls, still reeling from the

duel I’d witnessed in Black Square. Kalon was a veritable killing machine, but he also hada heart—kinder than the one he’d ripped out of Demetrius’s chest with his bare hand,anyway. I’d never forget that moment.

A bit of sparring would clear my head, for sure. I’d seen the armor and weaponry usedin the Blood Arena, and I knew I’d seen something similar here, as well, since many ofthe noble dynasties displayed them inside the palace—testaments to their champions’prowess in combat, something for those training in these halls to aspire to.

There were five spaces designed for fighting practice, each of them boasting crystalglass displays filled with trophies and medals. Sets of armor dating back eight hundredthousand years adorned the dark walls, as did shields, swords, spears, and other sharpweapons used in the Blood Arena. The noble dynasties could afford the intricate detailsand master craftsmanship of steelwork, and so every piece shown was truly a work of art—chilling, impressive, mesmerizing art that honored violence.

I’d opted for a sportier outfit today, already tired of fitting into corsets and bodices.Not that they bothered me, since they were infinitely more comfortable than whathumans had worn during their Victorian days, but I did prefer pants to anything else.Zurah had been kind enough to select a black leather set, comprised of tight pants and avest, to which she added a loose-sleeved white shirt. My hair was braided back, and I hada black leather cloak on my shoulders, ready to pull up whenever I went out in the hazysunlight.

On this occasion, however, I took it off and left it on a corner chair. I took my timeadmiring the weapons that were on display, as well as the ones mounted on woodenpanels, ready to be used in training. Unlike the trophy rooms, these halls were wide andspacious, the floors covered in a thick material that mimicked marble, though not asslippery, and was perfect for rapid steps with just the right amount of sliding.

I knew Tristan would spend the first half of his day in the library, so I chose to warmup a bit and practice some moves. It wasn’t in my nature to be stationary for more than aday or two. The energy tended to gather and form pressure points in my joints andmuscles, and all that needed to be released one way or another. It was also a good way

for me to stay in shape. It had been a while since I’d fought or even sparred withsomeone, so it felt nice to have this entire training hall at my disposal.

Picking up a pair of slim short swords from one of the panels, I took my time admiringthe engraved stylized vines on their luscious steel blades. The hilts were simple, madewith ivory, and the handles were neatly wrapped in hide strips, which gave them anexcellent grip. They were also light, but I could still feel the smooth weight in my hands—enough to warrant a swing or two in the air, just so I’d understand them better. I’d madethis a tradition of sorts. Feeling the weapon before using it. Slashing left and right,swinging and dancing with it, finding its best angles.

Shortly after I got used to the swords, I settled in front of a wooden dummy, takingmy time to remember all the weak and potentially deadly spots. In the Aeternae’s case, itwas usually the head. How quickly could I decapitate one of them, if push came to shove?I’d seen Demetrius in the arena and during the duel. I’d seen Kalon fly down the stairs toreach him, and I’d seen him defeat the bastard. They were fast. Insanely fast, much likethe vampires.

“Looking to kill an Aeternae anytime soon?” Kalon’s voice startled me.I turned around to find him standing in the training hall’s wide doorway. He was clad

in a short leather tunic, which was tightened around his waist with a silver belt. His thighmuscles twitched beneath his extremely well-fitted leather pants. Little silver rings jingledfrom the sides of his knee-length boots. He was definitely dressed for trouble. Also, hemust’ve read my mind, because I had just been wondering what it would have been like ifI’d been the one to take Demetrius’s head off.

“No, just practicing,” I replied. “It’s a shame for me not to use a training hall whenthere are five of them. Who comes here, usually?”

“The master commander, the occasional golden guard,” Kalon said. “Valaine and Ispar here a lot, as do other tournament champions.”

“What about the silver guards?”“There are training barracks about a mile from the palace.”I nodded slowly. “Have you come to practice, as well, or were you just stalking me?”“Why can’t it be both?” Kalon chuckled. He walked across the hall and stopped in front

of the weapons panel. “You’re a fan of twin swords?”“Yeah. I like to use both hands in combat.”“No shield?”I shook my head. “I usually have steel guards on my forearms to block any direct

hits.”He pulled a longsword out of its wall-mounted scabbard. The zing of metal against

metal sent shivers through my body, making my skin tingle. It was one sound I wouldnever get tired of, though I hoped I’d hear it less and less, since it invited violence.

“I prefer the big ones,” he said. “It takes a little bit of time to swing them effectivelywith just one hand, but when you get there…”

A smile stretched across his lips, while I gripped the swords a little tighter. What astrange reflex this was.

“Why don’t the guards carry any weapons?” I asked.

Kalon moved around me, slowly, sizing me up while he switched the longswordbetween his hands. “They don’t need them,” he said. “They’re Aeternae. I thought lastnight had clarified that for you.”

I blushed. “Fangs and claws are enough, then…”He stopped, bringing his spare hand up next to his face. He parted his lips, and the

fangs slipped out, long and sharp and glistening, almost begging to tear into one’s veins.This was the first time I was seeing them up close. Last night, he’d moved too fast for meto take it all in. His claws grew like small nail-shaped blades, and he wiggled his fingersbefore he hit the wooden dummy next to him.

The poor thing was broken in half, splintered beyond repair. The pieces fell on thefloor as Kalon withdrew his claws and fangs. “More than enough,” he replied.

I had to admit that I was still quite impressed. It took considerable strength to dosuch damage with one’s bare hands. If his claws could destroy a dummy with one blow, Iwondered what he could do with his fangs.

“So that’s why there are no weapons allowed in Aeternae duels, huh?” I asked.“If it’s between Aeternae, yes, no weapons whatsoever, despite the stunt Demetrius

tried to pull. Otherwise, if it’s a mixed confrontation—say, between an Aeternae and aNalorean, or two Rimians or whatever—then no claws and fangs, only weapons, much likein the tournaments. It’s about evening the playing field.” He stilled, raising his eyebrows.“Would you like to spar, Esme? The blades are all blunt here, for training purposes.”

I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. “Sure. Let’s see what you’ve got, Lord Visentis.”That wasn’t my self-confidence beaming. I had already seen what sort of fighter he

was. There was a reason why he’d earned his reputation as one of the Blood Arena’scurrently undefeated champions. That alone said enough. But I was still curious about histechnique and agility with weapons, which I had yet to observe, especially given hispreference for the longsword, which was not an easy weapon to master.

“I’ll go easy on you, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Kalon said.“Oh, snap, I forgot. You don’t know,” I replied.“Know what?” he asked, taking an attack stance as he raised his longsword with both

hands, the tip of its blade pointed at me.“About my military training.”Without giving him the opportunity to respond, I dashed forward. He moved into a

defensive position, anticipating my attack, but I slid to the side and swerved around him.Suddenly, his back was wide open.

I brought one sword down, but he was quick, moving like a shadow, as he turned andblocked my hit with his blade. Steel kissed steel with a dull clang, and I jumped back andwent in for another blow.

Kalon defended himself almost effortlessly at first, but my stamina soon prevailed. Wewaltzed across the training hall, swinging our swords at each other. He managed tosmack me over the arm twice, the flesh burning from the brief but heavy blow. I wasfaster and lighter on my feet, but his technique was illustrious.

His use of the longsword gave me a good runaround, as well. I wound up with myblades crossed in front of me, holding his back. Kalon smirked. “Military training. And

what else? They don’t teach you this in the army, do they?”I chuckled and kicked him in the stomach. He fell backward, taken by surprise, but got

up quickly and charged at me with a full swing. I dodged and slid to my right, swiftlyturning around so I could always see him coming.

“I’ve picked up a few more things along the way, I suppose,” I said, panting andhaving the time of my life. “Different tribes that my brother and I have studied havedifferent traditions and fighting styles. You learn a little bit from everyone, in the end.”

He came at me again, and I continued to escape his attacks. I wondered how long itwould take to wear him out. Soon enough, our physical differences began to emerge. TheAeternae lasted longer in direct combat. I was the one getting tired, while Kalon kept atit, his breathing ragged but his energy still way above mine.

His ability to foresee some of my movements didn’t help. Then again, he’d foughtplenty of people in the Blood Arena. He must’ve learned some patterns. His experiencewas superior to mine, in that aspect.

“You’re very good,” Kalon said, as we circled one another around the broken dummy.“Though there is always room for better. I could train you.”

Did I want him to train me? Why the hell not? I had a lot to learn from Kalon, clearly.And he was offering. I doubted Crimson, the one responsible for champions like Valaineand Kalon, among others, would’ve spared a moment of his time to teach me, and I’dmade it my mission to never pass up an opportunity to learn something.

Sweat trickled down my temples. “You would train me out of the goodness of yourheart?”

“Why is that so hard to believe?”“Because you’re not an easy creature to read,” I said.He stopped, his brow furrowed as his blue eyes darkened. I wasn’t sure what to make

of his reaction. Had I insulted him? Had I pointed out an uncomfortable truth, perhaps?“Nothing in this life is easy,” he replied and kicked the wooden dummy so hard, it

bumped into me. I lost my balance and focus.It was all it took for Kalon to move like a flash of lightning as he jumped over the

fallen dummy and pushed me against the wall. Before I knew it, my swords were on thefloor, and his forearm pressed into my throat, while the tip of his blunt sword poked me inthe stomach.

For a moment, neither of us dared to move, paralyzed by what had just happened. Hisface was inches from mine, and I had a hard time making sense of anything. Sweatdripped from my eyebrow, forcing me to shut one eye. His breath brushed against myskin.

The face I made with one eye closed must’ve been funny, because Kalon laughed ashe pulled back and offered a polite bow. “My apologies, Esme. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and eyes with the back of my sleeve, my cheeksablaze and my limbs trembling from the adrenaline. Kalon packed a solid punch, for sure.There was delightful danger lurking inside me, and I’d merely gotten a glimpse of it.

“I, for one, hope you didn’t go easy on me,” I said.He shook his head. “Not at all. I wouldn’t have wanted to offend you.”

“Hah. That’s considerate. Thank you.”“The offer stands,” he said, his eyes glimmering with anticipation. That black leather

looked wicked on his athletic form. My mouth was dry. “I can train you. Help you improvecertain skills. Your speed is exquisite, and your technique is certainly varied, but you needto tie it all into something more fluid.”

I thought about it for a moment. For as long as I was here, I could certainly spare anhour or two a day training with Kalon Visentis, one of the Blood Arena’s highly acclaimedchampions. I had nothing to lose, only to gain from such an arrangement.

“Is there an endgame here?” I asked him, tired of all the guessing I’d done from themoment we’d met. If I was to trust him with my training, I had to be able to look at himand not see a potential enemy.

Kalon grunted, a shadow settling between his eyebrows. I’d made him angry, and Ialmost regretted raising the question, but it had to be done. Like a band-aid, it had to beremoved quickly. The pain was sharp, but it would only last a split second before thebenefits emerged.

“I resent the implication,” Kalon said, his voice rough and low.Had I been paranoid this whole time? He was clearly offended, and the last thing I

needed was Kalon Visentis holding a grudge against me.“No offense intended,” I replied. “But, like I said, you make it difficult for me to trust

you. After all, we’ve only just met, Kalon. If I’m to trust you with anything, my trainingincluded, I need to be able to… you know, trust you.”

As if suddenly enlightened, Kalon seemed to relax, his shoulders dropping slowly. Hisexpression changed, and a faint smile danced across his face. “Sometimes, taking achance on someone is all it takes to change your life for the better,” he said. “I made itclear last night that I value honor above anything else. I see potential in you as a fighter,and I wish to amplify it, that’s all. You can choose to say no, or you can pick up yourswords and get ready for another round, Esme. It’s pretty simple.”

Kalon didn’t feel the need to justify himself. This was the best I would get out of himregarding his trustworthiness. Then again, what should I have expected? I had nevertrusted anyone outside my family who’d ever told me to “trust them.” Anyone who saidthat raised a red flag in my book. So what more did I want from Kalon, in this instance, interms of reassurances?

Nothing. Settle for what you got.And I did. With a brief nod, I picked the twin swords up and took my defense stance.“All right, then. Show me what you’ve got, teacher,” I said.

I

T R I S T A N

lost track of time in the library. Having planned to only spend the first part ofthe day in here, I was quickly absorbed into the dozens of leather-boundvolumes that documented the Black Fever and its devastating effects in

painstaking detail. Derek and Sofia were busy with Amal in one of the study rooms,having collected enough Aeternae blood to begin their tests and analyses, while Nethissiswas busy compiling a more comprehensive report of our first couple of days here.

Esme had mentioned something about the training halls, and I didn’t mind herkeeping busy like this at all. I did appreciate the freedom we had as guests in the palace.Of course, I knew everyone was watching us—servants, valets, handmaidens, goldguards. They all had their eyes on us, as did the nobles living in the many other rooms ofthis enormous building. But we were respectful and didn’t bother anyone. From thatangle, I didn’t see anything wrong with my scholarly endeavor. Besides, I neededsomething to wipe away the memory of the bloodshed I’d witnessed last night in theBlack Square.

Everything in this place was meant to be read. I assumed the more delicatedocuments were kept separately, in a secure and secret location.

Reading about the Black Fever was more emotionally ravaging than I’d imagined. Itwas one thing to hear about it killing millions of Aeternae every ten thousand years, andsomething else entirely to take in the accounts of doctors and shamans who had foughttirelessly against the disease’s rapid spread.

It was late afternoon, and I’d reached the fifteenth such document, enclosed in a thirdvolume surrounding the Black Fever. Its author, Merus Corinth, had been on the forefrontof the outbreak five hundred thousand years ago—though, to be honest, I had alreadylost count of those before him. There were just too many.

Merus talked about the first symptoms, which he’d witnessed in his own daughter. Thefever set in at first. The Aeternae girl’s skin had become pale, and she’d begun to loseweight while she burned on the inside. Eventually, she could no longer get out of bed.

By then, fifteen more cases had been identified in the capital city, and many more inthe provinces and even in the principates, where thousands of Aeternae were stationedas part of the government forces and administrative personnel—the Aeternae might’veconquered and subdued Rimia and Nalore, but that didn’t mean they could just let the

locals handle their affairs. No, the Aeternae were deeply embedded in the core of eachprincipate, approving laws and regulations, signing treaties and trade deals with Visio andon behalf of Visio. Personally, I found that a little shady, but it was still none of mybusiness.

“By the third week of fever, Clara’s skin was almost translucent, the veins black asthey spidered across,” I read from Merus’s account. “ I put a needle in a thicker one. Mydaughter didn’t feel a thing, too weak to protest, anyway. Blood came out, but it was nolonger of the crimson color. Instead, it was as black as ink, and as thick as oil.”

Flipping the page, I found an illustration in which Merus had done his best to describethe extraction process with a large, metallic syringe.

“In her fourth week, Clara could no longer consume blood. I’d barely managed to feedher a few ounces every day, but she couldn’t stomach that anymore. I tried giving herwater, and, while she did take a few sips, it resulted in a violent fit of vomiting.Everything that came out of her was black and gooey.” I kept reading but was forced totake a pause, breathing deeply. “You poor thing.”

“Tristan?”Valaine’s voice echoed through the library. For a moment, I thought I’d merely

imagined it, though I would’ve welcomed her presence to soothe some of the gloom thathad taken over. Reading about the effects of the Black Fever was downrightheartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and everything in between.

It made the Aeternae’s decision to keep drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood all themore difficult to stomach, given the risks that they subjected themselves to. It dawned onme then that maybe part of the reason they allowed the consumption was knowing thatthe Black Fever would break out every ten millennia. Maybe they did it to preventoverpopulation? No, that didn’t make sense. The Aeternae’s birth rate was low, anyway.

“Tristan,” Valaine said, tearing my attention from the yellowed pages. She wasstanding next to my study table, watching me with a mixture of curiosity and concern.“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying much attention to the world around me,” I replied,offering an apologetic half-smile. My mood was already elevated, merely upon seeingher.

She’d settled for a simple red dress with a black bow at the base of her neck. Itsoftened the contrast between her pale skin and her dark-as-night hair. She pointed atthe chair next to mine.

“Mind if I sit?” she asked.“Not at all, please,” I said.“Where are the others?”I thought about it for a moment, as if catching up with reality. Merus’s writing wasn’t

just compelling but also surprisingly engaging. I’d imagined losing myself in a goodfantasy story, certainly not in a paper describing the effects of the Black Fever outbreakfrom five hundred thousand years ago.

“In one of the study rooms, with Aeternae blood and all that jazz,” I replied, smiling.“My sister’s probably trying out all the weapons in the training hall.”

“And you’re here, all by yourself,” Valaine said.I shrugged. “I like books.”Perhaps I should’ve come up with something wittier, but to be honest, I had a hard

time focusing whenever Valaine looked at me. She leaned over the book, frowning as sherecognized the text.

“Merus Corinth,” she murmured. “You’re reading about the Black Fever.”“I admit, I’m fascinated. Though I wouldn’t want to witness an outbreak of it, myself,”

I said. “I’m just trying to understand how it’s been going on for so long, and why you’reall still drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood, despite the risks.”

“We’ve already explained why. You’ve experienced it yourself.”“Even so, I’m sorry. I have a hard time with the concept. Every ten thousand years or

so, the Black Fever comes back and kills a million Aeternae, if not more, and yet you keepdrinking the blood, even though you know the risks.”

Valaine nodded slowly. “It’s hard to accept, I know. I suppose we simply prefer therisk—given the long windows between outbreaks—to living an eternity without tasting theblood of Rimians and Naloreans. And then there’s the question of weakness. Animal blooddoes not give us the strength we’ve grown accustomed to. The strength we need to keepthe empire united and unbreakable.”

“Yeah. You’ve mentioned that. I just… It’s an obvious cultural difference,” I said.“Have you lost anyone to Black Fever, yourself?”

Her gaze lowered, lingering over Merus’s swirling capital letters at the beginning ofeach long paragraph describing Clara’s descent into darkness and death. “My mother.Shortly after I was born. She was one of the last victims of the Black Fever five thousandyears ago.”

“I’m sorry,” I replied. Losing a loved one like that had to be one of the worst thingsanyone could ever experience. Even so, Valaine spoke in favor of drinking Rimian andNalorean blood. “I can only imagine how hard it is to grow up without a mother.”

“I wouldn’t know, since I didn’t have one,” she said, wearing a sad smile. “But Iappreciate your kind words.”

We didn’t say anything for a while. My gaze wandered across the remaining two pagesof Merus’s account. Valaine noticed, pointing at the last passage. I read it out loud.

“After she stopped eating, Clara began to wither. She was down to the bone, her skincracking. Black blood began to seep through, and soon she was coughing it up, as well.Everything inside her was liquefied and corrupted, beyond repair, beyond healing. All Icould do was give her essence of the yellow poppy, which eased her pain and let hersleep. By the eighth week, she was gone, and so was my bloodline, for I had already lostmy wife, and bringing Clara into the world had been a miracle.” I paused, taking a deepand almost painful breath. I could practically feel his grief piercing through the words andstabbing my heart. “Poor Merus.”

“If you can help us beat the Black Fever, I think Visio will forever be in your debt,”Valaine said. “I believe your resources are greater than ours, where scientificdevelopment is concerned. Our magic has done little to nothing against the outbreaks.Yellow poppy has been the only improvement over the past two million years.”

“I would love nothing more, but we’re still about five thousand years away from thefirst symptoms, aren’t we?” I asked. “From my understanding, the Black Fever goescompletely dormant for ten millennia, and it is almost impossible to identify during the offperiods. Or am I missing something?”

Valaine nodded slowly. “You are. Can I trust you?”I blinked several times, surprised by her response. There was just so much to unpack

in just a few words. But I had to be honest with myself on this, otherwise I wouldn’t havebeen able to be honest with her. Could she trust me? Would I even think to betray her?

What if I’d have to choose between breaking her confidence or that of my team? I’dhave to figure it out, eventually. For the time being, I settled on being honest in the shortterm. “You can trust me, Valaine. I wouldn’t do anything to deliberately hurt or jeopardizeyou,” I said.

She got up, motioning for me to follow her. “Then come with me. And promise youwon’t tell anyone about what I’m about to show you, until I speak to the others. Youneed to see this, in the meantime.”

“See what?”She didn’t answer.We left the library and moved through several narrow corridors I hadn’t even known

about. They were part of a restricted area of the palace, I realized, noticing the absenceof servants. Gold guards patrolled the hallways, but they didn’t engage with us. Theyfrowned at the sight of me, of course, but Valaine was quick to give them brief nods, as ifto say, “It’s cool, he’s with me.”

We went down a spiraling staircase, and the lights dimmed, reduced to mere amberflickers on the dark limestone walls. Eventually, we reached the underground of thepalace’s south side, where a sprawling infirmary had been set up. The hall itself washuge, filled with beds that had been neatly lined up in tight rows.

The entrance was reinforced with black steel gates, on which a lock hung, claspedbetween the links of a thick chain. Valaine produced a key, which she used to get usthrough. Only as we got farther did I fully understand what I was looking at.

“There is something the high priestess didn’t tell you,” Valaine said. “To be fair, barelyanyone knows about this.”

“About this room, you mean?”At the far end, three Aeternae were unconscious, lying in their beds, with wet cloths

on their foreheads. A Rimian nurse cared for them, wiping them down and trying to keepthem as comfortable as possible. It didn’t take long for me to quickly recognize thesymptoms.

“About them,” Valaine said, nodding at the Aeternae.Their skin was pale, almost white as a sheet of paper. The glow of life was gone from

it, replaced by the pastiness of a sickly nature. Black veins traveled down their slenderbodies, which had been partially wrapped in delicate, white silk ribbons, probably tomake them more comfortable. The Black Fever victims—two young males and a female—were in and out of consciousness, barely aware of their surroundings.

“Wait, I thought…” My voice trailed off. “This is what you meant. It’s starting earlier,

isn’t it?”Valaine sighed as we reached the three beds. The nurse offered us masks, which we

used to cover our mouths and noses. “These are the first,” she said. “They fell last week.”“Is this any good?” I asked, pointing at the mask on my face.The nurse nodded, looking stern and pensive. “The Black Fever usually spreads

through touch and blood. The mask is more of a precaution. Make sure to keep yourdistance,” she warned me, then scowled at Valaine. “You shouldn’t have brought theforeigner down here.”

“He and his people might be able to help. Just don’t tell Petra or anyone else aboutour visit yet. I’ll need to consult with my father before I speak to the Lord and LadySupreme about this,” Valaine replied.

“So, they know,” I breathed.“They know. Petra is trying some new mazir spells to slow the Black Fever’s progress,

but the results have been minimal, at best,” Valaine explained. “We need your help, nowmore than ever, while it’s still early. While we can still beat it, before it becomesunstoppable and claims too many lives.”

Amal would certainly have her hands full, I thought. And so would Nethissis. Based onwhat I’d read about the symptoms and how the disease manifested, it was a complicatedproject to undertake, one which required both the scientific advances of Strava and thepower of the Word. Maybe a combination of these could finally bring the Black Fever to ahalt.

“Have you identified the source yet? The carrier?” I asked.The nurse shook her head. “No. But we are doing health tests this week,” she said.

“We’ll use it as an opportunity to see if the carrier is in the palace.”“I take it the Aeternae are from here, then,” I concluded.“Young maid and two squires,” Valaine said. “Their parents have yet to be notified.

We will have to tell them soon, but they will be sworn to secrecy, in order to avoid masspanic.”

“Why is it happening sooner?” I replied. “The cycle seemed pretty specific.”“We don’t know.” The nurse sighed. “But we are not prepared for this.”Valaine turned to look at me. “Do you understand why we need your help?” she

asked. “We’re a proud nation, and we do not do this often, but we need you. Even theLord and Lady Supreme will admit it. We dare not say it aloud, in front of people, andmany among our nobles still refuse to acknowledge it… but…”

“I know,” I said, giving her a soft smile. “You need us. I’ll have to tell the crew aboutthis, though. They need to understand what they’re getting themselves into.”

“Yes. Just keep it within your group. No one else knows I’ve brought you down here,except Lina here,” she replied, glancing at the nurse.

I didn’t have words left in me. After the horrors I’d read about in the library, afterseeing victims of the Black Fever with my own eyes… how could I say no to Valaine?Naturally, I wouldn’t have dreamed of guaranteeing any kind of result, given that this wasa disease we knew so little about. But we could still try, and I knew that Amal andNethissis would pull out all the stops to cure this disease.

They had Amane and Lumi within reach, thanks to Telluris, if they needed additionalsupport. We could send blood samples to Strava through GASP; we could even advocateto bring more witches to Visio in order to work faster against this emerging outbreak.Despite what Acheron and Danika had said last night, I figured curing Black Fever wasmore important than keeping an extra five or six GASP members away from Visio.

Valaine had taken a great risk telling and showing me all of this. It couldn’t have beeneasy, and I had to appreciate her determination—or was it, perhaps, desperation? Eitherway, she needed me, and I couldn’t allow myself to let her down.

Without even thinking, I took Valaine’s hands in mine in a bid to reassure her. “We’llhelp you. We’ll do whatever we can. You have my word.”

Relief lightened her expression, her black eyes filled with warmth and flickers of hope.Nobody deserved to go through this. We needed to make this nightmare stop for theAeternae.

T

S E E L E Y

he evening set over Visio in deep shades of red and purple that streakedacross the sky. I stood on the rooftop of the east wing, just above the guest

rooms where Derek’s crew had been lodged. I’d spent most of my time split betweenshadowing the team and looking in and around the city, searching for some clues as towhy there wasn’t a single Reaper working here.

To my disappointment, my search had not yielded any results. All I had was radiosilence and zero answers. It angered me, so I’d taken a moment out here, to just collectmy thoughts and replenish my energy. Omniscience was tiresome, especially when Derekand his people split up and I had to dart around, making sure I didn’t miss anything.

I’d seen the Black Fever victims, and I’d witnessed the Blood Arena murder, as well asthe duel that followed. No other Reaper had shown up for Krassus or Demetrius, so I’dreaped them myself, not wanting to leave any wandering souls around. Visio wasanything but perfect—that much was clear. Their intentions seemed good, though theirpolitics were oppressive. Nicely packaged and well remunerated, but oppressive. LikeDerek had said, though… it was their business, not mine. My issue was the absence ofReapers, which made no sense, and the confusion coming in from the higher circles onlymade things worse. I couldn’t move away from the crew to start reaping anyone whodied, so my society had to come up with a solution soon. In the meantime, I had tocontinue my search for answers.

How could three planets—three, not one, because the same thing was happening onRimia and Nalore, as I had recently learned—slip through the cracks of our system? Howcould millions of creatures not be carted off to the underworld upon their deaths? Thiswas mind-boggling!

Exhaling sharply, I glanced around the palace. The view was as dreamy as they came,lights flickering through thousands of windows, smoke rising from the tall chimneys, andthe sky gradually darkening overhead as the city prepared for slumber. The streetlampswere dim, shadows dancing across the cobblestone, down the alleys and boulevards linedwith boxed trees and neat sidewalks. The occasional carriage drawn by Visions clickedand clacked through the neighborhoods. Couples and families and friends retreated totheir homes. Tired Rimians and Naloreans moved through the streets, their eyes halfclosed as they stopped by the baker’s or the market for last-minute groceries, just before

the closing bells rang.This was a peaceful city. Silver guards were all over, watching, listening, doing their

best to keep the people safe—and not just the Aeternae. I’d seen Rimians and Naloreanssaved from street violence, as well, on the outskirts and in the less pleasant parts of thecity. However, I needed more time for a proper assessment, and more Reapers.

The latter were currently being gathered and sent my way, so I wasn’t going to behere on my own for much longer. I knew Tristan and Esme weren’t planning on doingtheir secret explorations till much later in the night, but I also knew Nethissis was runningout of patience. I’d heard her talking to Eva over their Telluris connection. She suspectedsomething foul beneath the pretty-looking surface, but she wasn’t sure what it was thatbothered her.

If only I could tell her about what I’d been dealing with. I zapped into her room, tofind her standing in front of a tall mirror, wrapped in a dark red silk robe. Her handmaidenhad just finished drawing a hot bath, stopping in the doorway with a polite smile.

“Milady, your bath is ready,” the Rimian girl said.“Thank you, Lory,” Nethissis replied, without looking away from her reflection.As the handmaiden left the room, Nethissis breathed out, tension gathering around

her, the air troubled and supercharged. She wasn’t going to just stand around for muchlonger, merely observing the Aeternae, the Rimians, and the Naloreans. She’d drawn herconclusions already, and she’d shared them—not only with the crew, but also with Eva,her closest friend.

Nethissis was convinced that the Aeternae were hiding something. Based on thehandmaiden’s warning not to explore the prohibited sections of the palace, I knew shewas preparing to do just that. Only, unlike the others on her team, Nethissis had theability to turn into a small copperhead snake, able to move freely through the darkcorners and nooks, to explore and get to the bottom of the mystery.

For a moment, I wondered if my issue and hers were related. What are the odds thatthey’re not? I asked myself. Over a thousand years as a Reaper had taught me that therewas rarely such a thing as coincidence.

“Okay, here goes,” she murmured.Her bones cracked. She grunted and gasped as her body changed. The copper scales

on her skin spread, and her form shrank into that of a snake. The silk robe dropped onthe floor, now empty. The reddish brown head poked out from between the soft folds, heramber eyes glistening in the candlelight. Nethissis was ready to explore, and I was inawe of her snake form. Even like this, she was beautiful, slithering across the floor as thedark brown spots danced along her body.

Her forked tongue slipped out. She analyzed the smells, the chemical composition ofeverything around her, and I was compelled to follow as she snuck under the door.Nethissis wasn’t a regular, large copperhead like the ones I’d seen on Earth. No, she wassignificantly smaller, but that allowed her to sneak around virtually unnoticed.

Maybe my instincts were right. Maybe we were both searching for the same thing, so Idecided to stay close to her, just in case. I wasn’t allowed to interfere in the affairs of theliving, including hers, but I doubted I’d be able to resist the temptation. This wasn’t just

anyone. This was Nethissis. I’d gone to great, unethical lengths to stop her from dying asa sacrifice to Eirexis. I wasn’t going to let anything happen to her on Visio, either.

She moved through the hallways, keeping to the shadows. Leaving the morepopulated sections of the palace behind, Nethissis made her way into the west wing,descending a service staircase. The access doors to it had been locked, but that didn’tstop the feisty little copperhead. She slipped through and reached a dark, damp, andfilthy corridor—the complete opposite of everything I’d seen above in the palace.

We were underground now, and I realized I hadn’t seen this area before. It wasstrange and cold, with barely a flutter of pale light at the far end of the hallway. Waterdripped down the walls, forming puddles over the stone floor. There were many doorsalong this corridor, most of them locked. I peeked through some of them—empty cellswith rotten wood benches; dark pantries, their shelves loaded with jars and tin boxes,each smellier than the other; and storage chambers filled with old armor and swords andshields, dating back two to three million years ago, at least.

Nethissis kept moving, constantly testing the air with her tongue. She’d caught thescent of the pantry chemicals, as she, too, had checked these rooms out, albeit briefly.There wasn’t anything that either of us could consider a red flag.

At the end of the corridor, a maze of narrow hallways opened up, each leading in adifferent direction. To say that I was intrigued would have been an understatement. Itwas time to hone my omniscience again. My energy levels were pretty low, but I had justenough for a nighttime exploration task. I split into three versions of myself, the weakerone staying with Nethissis. In her snake form, she was practically impossible to spot, andwe had yet to come across any signs of life.

It quickly became a challenge for me to focus, as my two other selves continued theirquest through the adjacent corridors. More cell rooms, stinky pantries, and storage boxes.More dampness and darkness. More water dripping down the rough stone walls. Soonenough, we were both on to something.

Guards patrolled these underground sections. Not silver or gold, but black-armoredguards, with short swords and belts loaded with small leather pouches, different fromother soldiers I’d seen so far. They moved slowly up and down the corridors, occasionallychecking the heavy locks on each of the doors. What could they possibly have in here thatrequired armed protection? It didn’t make sense, since I’d checked the rooms myself.

Nethissis hid in a wall nook for a few minutes as a guard passed her by. His bootsthudded across the floor, sending cold echoes through the hallway. She came back out,raising her neck to get a better look at the guy. I quickly realized that she had goodreason to be curious. These weren’t regular Aeternae guarding the place. They were allformer Naloreans, big and burly and pale of skin, but with fangs and claws and Aeternaereflexes, prompting Nethissis to be extra careful in her endeavors.

Normally, they only allowed Aeternae to handle palace security, so why was this placedifferent? It still fell within the palace’s jurisdiction. Hell, even the armor was identical towhat I’d seen on the upper levels, except for being black. They had the same crests anddecorative motifs etched into the shoulder and chest plates.

I continued shadowing Nethissis on this side, while my other two versions moved

farther away. It seemed as though the corridors reached out and away from one another.We ended up in another, tighter hallway, lined with solid iron cell doors. It felt different,compared to what we’d observed until now.

Strange noises emerged from inside these rooms. Sounds I didn’t immediatelyrecognize. A loud, spine-tingling shriek pierced through the corridor, and Nethississtopped cold upon hearing it. We both looked around, trying to identify the source, butthere was nothing in sight.

Staying back, I tried to go through one of the iron doors. To my surprise, I couldn’t.Something warded my Reaper form, forbidding my entry. My stomach churned. Thiswasn’t good at all. In fact, this warranted additional concern. Determined to peek intothis room, I didn’t even notice Nethissis was gone until it was too late. She’d slitheredaway, undeterred by the shriek, while I’d been left standing in front of a door I couldn’topen or pass through.

To my frustration, it wasn’t the only one. Every single cell on this block was wardedagainst me. Determined not to let the Aeternae get away with whatever it was they werehiding, I decided to break open one of the doors. Nothing they had put together couldkeep me out for good.

“Kelara, can you hear me?” I reached out through my telepathic connection.“Dream, for Pete’s sake, enough with the…” Her voice trailed off. “Seeley. Yes. I’m

here.”Our link was weird. I’d never been able to hear her like this, before she’d even

become aware of my contact. Something was changing among the Reapers, and I wasn’tsure what it was, or who was responsible. And it was the least of my concerns right now.

“I was right. There’s something iffy going on here,” I said. “They’ve got locked cells inthe underground. Warded against Reapers.”

My other versions came across similar rooms, also protected against me and my kind.They were also neatly sealed, and I knew even Nethissis, wherever she’d gone now,couldn’t sneak through. Whatever this place was, it warranted an in-depth investigation,and I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. I needed backup, and I needed it quickly.

“How is that possible?” Kelara replied, out of breath.“I don’t know. How’s my team coming along? How soon till they get here?” I asked.“They should be with you by morning. I’ve put Rudolph in charge.”“Seriously?” I croaked. “Sidyan was much better for this job. He’s got experience with

dark places and Reaper wards. Rudolph’s more… corporate.”Kelara sighed. “Be thankful. No one wanted to go to Visio for you. Sidyan is busy, but

Rudolph said he will lead a team your way, as soon as he’s done with a mass reaping. Adisaster is about to hit one of the worlds in his care tonight. He’ll head your way rightafterwards. It’s better than nothing, Seeley.”

“Yeah, we need Death back at a hundred percent so we don’t have to deal with thiscrap again,” I said, shaking my head as I stared at the symbols that had been engravedinto one of the cell locks. “This is ancient Reaper magic, Kelara. What’s it doing in theAeternae’s possession?”

“I’m not sure, but we don’t want to go marching in on them,” she replied. “Death says

you need to be careful and discreet. If something is going on there, it needs to beinvestigated without spooking any of the possible perpetrators—whoever they may be.”

“Yeah. I get it.” Looking around, I watched another guard pass me by, his bootsthudding and splashing through the puddles. “I’ll speak to you in a bit.”

As the telepathic connection closed, I realized I had more questions than answers atthis point. I knew there was something going on here, something aimed against Reapers,but I wasn’t sure what, and I didn’t understand what the Aeternae’s involvement was,either.

Taking my scythe out, I decided to do a little bit of work on the lock. It might’ve beenwarded against me, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t at least try to override the magic andlook inside. I summoned my two other versions, for it would take all the energy I had leftto focus on the lock.

Using the tip of my scythe, I scratched away at some of the symbols on it. I’d needsome time, but I was confident I could open it eventually. Whatever they were hiding inthese cells, it was important enough to want to keep even Reapers out of here. Thisentire development begged a new question, though, on top of the many others: Howwere the Aeternae aware of and even knowledgeable about Reapers and their magic?

Soon enough, another question poked me, and it beckoned me to stop everything thatI’d been doing. If there was Reaper magic in this place, how safe was someone likeNethissis down here, even in her snake form? Catching up with her became moreimportant than this door. I had to find a way to get her out of here. Then, I could comeback to fiddling with the spells they’d put in place.

S

S O F I A

tarlight glimmered in the night sky outside, as the shades had already beenpulled from the study room windows to reveal a most breathtaking sight. Below,the city unraveled with its twinkling windows and streetlamps. Above, the night

offered a full view of its endless indigo ocean, ruled by a giant pearly moon.Derek and I had been by Amal’s side for most of the day. We’d spent the morning

helping her collect blood samples from both Danika and Acheron, as well as Petra, Kalon,Zoltan, and even Corbin. Amal had decided that it was enough to work with, for the timebeing. She’d brought her equipment back from the shuttle, and she’d set it all up on thetables here.

Microscopes, a centrifuge, vials and coolers, and a plethora of devices and tools sheneeded to study and identify the protein in the Aeternae’s blood, by drawing comparisonsto Derek’s. We’d gone over everything we’d seen and learned so far, and Nethissis hadalready sent a first report back to GASP with operational details. As far as I could tell, wewere on the right track, and were thrilled to have gained the Aeternae’s support on this.

If, at first, we’d been reluctant to tell the Lord and Lady Supreme about the protein,Beryn’s malicious intervention during last night’s dinner had actually helped clear the air.It had felt awkward for a splinter of a moment, at most, but reason had prevailed on bothsides of the discussion.

“It’s going to take a while for me to identify the protein,” Amal said after hours ofpainstaking study. “Their blood is so rich and different. I’ve spotted at least twentyenzymes that could be used in life-saving cures.”

“How is that possible?” I asked, getting up from my overly comfortable armchair.Derek was flipping through a manuscript he’d borrowed from the library, a series ofpapers on the benefits of drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood. Despite their lessadvanced technological state, the Aeternae had studied things profoundly, as best asthey could.

“I’m not sure, but I think it might have something to do with the kind of blood theydrink for sustenance,” Amal replied.

Derek nodded in agreement. “I think she’s on to something,” he said, pointing at themanuscript. “Here, it says that all the Aeternae who have tried to live solely on animalblood have developed various weaknesses and dysfunctions. There’s definitely a health-

related reason speaking in favor of them drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood. Maybe itdoes much more to their blood than they thought.”

“It’s a strong possibility. Most of these enzymes do not seem to belong here,” Amalmuttered, staring through the microscope at another batch of blood drops. “First of all,from what I’ve gotten so far, I can tell you that you won’t find these enzymes as they arein Rimian or Nalorean blood. They are the product of their blood absorbed into theAeternae’s.”

“That’s why you asked your handmaiden for a sample,” I mumbled, slightly amused.My mind had wandered all over the place, and I hadn’t paid attention to everything thatAmal had been up to during the day. We all trusted her to handle her affairs with as littleinterference or support from us as possible. “To make comparisons.”

“Yeah. There is definitely something about the Rimian and the Nalorean blood,something we won’t find anywhere else. But it’s the Aeternae’s blood that processes thebest from these two species, as far as the enzymes are concerned. I’m sorry I took awhile to study Rimian blood, but I had to be sure.”

“These enzymes you mention probably form the foundation of their rapid self-regeneration, as well,” Derek said, flipping through the manuscript’s pages. “This alsotalks about wounds healing much more slowly if the Aeternae subsists solely on ananimal blood diet.”

Amal gave us a brief nod. “Everything they are is thanks to Rimian and Naloreanblood. The Lord and Lady Supreme were truthful when they said they simply couldn’trevert to living off animals. It would weaken them.”

“It would leave the door open for rebel factions to grow.” Derek sighed. “Everythingthey’ve built would rush down the drain. I guess risking a Black Fever every ten thousandyears is worth it, if we look at the greater picture.”

I walked over to the service table, where a valet had left a full pitcher of freshNalorean blood for us to dine on. We’d politely rejected a dinner invitation from the Lordand Lady Supreme tonight, since we had our blood work to focus on. Frankly, therewasn’t much that Derek and I could do to assist Amal, but we’d decided to stay with herfor her own protection, more than anything else.

As reasonable as we’d tried to be in our discourse and assessments, we knew wecouldn’t fully trust the Aeternae, even the upper echelons of their society. There wereeyes on us almost at every corner—guards, nobles, servants… they all had an interest inwatching us, in studying our movements. It was our duty to make sure Amal madeheadway with her projects, and that we didn’t spend too much time on Visio. Mostimportantly, we had a day-walking protein to walk out of here with. Naturally, ourscientific work was of paramount importance for this.

I poured myself a glass and one for Derek. We took our time with the blood, allowingthe memories and foreign sensations to rush through us. Lost summer dreams. Secretsthat the Naloreans we’d drunk from had never revealed to anyone. Thoughts of days longgone. The emotion of calm anticipation as night came with its starry indigo skies…

Every time we drank Rimian or Nalorean blood, we got closer to understanding whythe Aeternae could no longer conceive an existence without it. “I feel like I’ve been living

a lie with the animal blood.” Derek chuckled softly.Amal gave us a curious look. “Mind if I take some blood samples from you?” she

asked. “I want to compare them to earlier versions, prior to you drinking from Naloreansand Rimians. I’m curious about whether you process those enzymes like the Aeternae.”

“Sure. But what about the protein?” Derek replied.“Still working on it,” she said, pointing at a device. Its dull whirring had become part

of the background noise, and I hadn’t even paid attention to it. Still going, the device hadbeen breaking Danika’s blood down, searching for the day-walking protein. It was alengthy process. “I’d like to look at these enzymes in the meantime.”

“What do you think of this place, so far?” I asked Amal, while she took out a syringeand drew blood from Derek’s vein.

She thought carefully before she responded, gazing through the windows for a longmoment. “It’s beautiful. It’s… romantic, even, with its hazy sunlight and star-ridden nightsky. The city is superb, an architectural masterpiece that makes me want to see more ofVisio—more cities, more towns and villages. From our shuttle, I could tell that they havesome truly breathtaking landscapes out there. The people are interesting, to say theleast. I find the whole empire thing a bit chilling, but hey, they made it work for them.”

“What about the Aeternae?” I replied.Amal shot me a cold grin. “I don’t trust them, if that’s what you want me to tell you.”“Why not?” Derek shot back, somewhat amused.We’d all talked about these people, over and over, but this was the first time we were

getting some candid thoughts out of Amal, who’d stayed away from sharing her personalopinions, having chosen to stick to the facts and the figures.

I wanted to hear what she had to say, knowing that Nethissis was probably alreadyroaming through the palace in snake form, and that Tristan and Esme were hours awayfrom popping invisibility pellets and checking out the hidden parts for themselves.Naturally, Amal’s impression was equally important. Even without Amane by her side, shewas a brilliant and logical creature, sometimes trumping our more emotional reactions.

“They’re hiding things from us,” Amal said. “Not because they fear us. I think it’sbecause they just don’t want us butting in. Acheron made it pretty clear last night. Hedidn’t say those words without a reason. He’s worried we’ll stick our noses where theydon’t belong.”

“What kind of things do you think they’re hiding?” I asked, genuinely intrigued by herassessment.

“Things they’re probably ashamed of. Their deflections and rules don’t betray a fearfulnation, but rather one that has bent the rules of ethics, more than once,” Amal replied.

Derek crossed his arms, leaning back into his chair. “Do you think we’re dealing withanother Neraka scenario, in any way?”

Amal shook her head. “No. The Rimians and the Naloreans are willing. They’ve beenindoctrinated to comply, and they will react poorly to change, if you propose it. Mind-bending was literally mind control, and the Imen had no choice, no defense against aMara’s influence. This is where Neraka and Visio stand drastically apart. The Rimians andthe Naloreans have free will, no one is mind-bending them. They’ve been raised into a

system where the Aeternae rule, and they get paid well for giving their blood to them.Maybe someday they will rebel against the system. But as long as the Aeternae consumetheir blood, they will be too powerful to stop.”

“Do you think we should intervene, nonetheless? Bring over the whole of GASP?”Derek asked. We’d already talked about this, and we’d agreed not to even consider suchan option. I figured Derek was trying to get into Amal’s mind, more than anything.Invading Visio had never been on the table.

Amal sighed. “No. It’s not our world. We can’t go around policing the universe as wesee fit. If the Rimians or the Naloreans ask for our help, maybe we can discuss it with therest of GASP. Other than that, no.”

“I see. Thank you, Amal. I appreciate your input. I’m glad we brought you with us onthis journey,” he said, smiling at her.

“I hope I don’t let you down,” Amal replied.“About the enzymes… Amal, do you think we could use them back home, for various

cures?” I interjected, now standing next to her and the microscope, where she’d placed anew sample from Derek.

“I think so, yes. If we’re smart about this and help them cure the Black Fever, ourchances of establishing a blood trade with Visio will grow significantly,” she said. “Ofcourse, we wouldn’t need more than a few gallons every month to synthesize cures,especially if the witches help us. But we could do a lot of good with the enzymes I’vecome upon so far. We could easily upgrade our healing potions, too. There is a lot ofuntapped potential here, well beyond the day-walking protein.”

There it was. The key conclusion I’d been floating in my own mind about all this. Asuncomfortable as their social and political system made me feel, I couldn’t deny itsbenefits. Most importantly, I couldn’t ignore the fact that our progress was directlydependent on our ability to “play nice” with the Aeternae and to respect their wishes.

It was quickly becoming obvious that their blood had many wonders to offer, testingour ability to compromise and to set our GASP values aside in order to reap the kinds ofbenefits that could change Earth and the whole federation forever. At the same time, Icouldn’t stop wondering… what was it that they were hiding from us?

A

T R I S T A N

fter visiting the Black Fever patients, Valaine and I slowly made our way back tothe more populated areas of the palace. The evening had set in, and all thecandles and oil lamps had been lit, their flames flickering across the elegant

tapestries and marble panel walls.Everything was dressed in a soft yellow hue, making me feel like I’d walked into an

ethereal dream, amber glimmers warming my eyes. I couldn’t get my mind off what I’djust witnessed, though. The Black Fever was making a comeback, sooner than expected,and the Aeternae were not ready for it. Then again, one could never truly be ready for adeadly plague to just swoop in and kill hundreds of thousands of people, no matter howmany times it had already happened in the past.

“Do the Lord and Lady Supreme have any plans for this?” I asked Valaine as wewalked through one of the main corridors leading to my chambers. She’d been kindenough to escort me, and I didn’t mind it one bit. I found that I enjoyed spending timewith her—there was a gentle tranquility about Valaine that somehow made everymoment worth more. “I mean, any contingency at all?”

“Besides the quarantine in the infirmary halls? Not really, no,” Valaine replied. “Theywill probably instruct the silver and the golden guards to watch out for symptomsmanifesting among the people. And messages will be sent to all the physicians, as well.”

“Hopefully, Amal and Nethissis will be able to work something out, in terms of a cure,or at least a vaccine, to prevent contamination,” I said. “But we’ll definitely need you toget the Lord and Lady Supreme to approve our intervention. Amal will likely requestblood samples from the sick Aeternae.”

“And they’ve yet to admit we have any sick Aeternae to begin with,” Valaine remindedme, nodding slowly. “I’ll request an audience with our leaders, first thing in the morning.”

“I’m sorry this is happening again,” I offered. “Given your personal loss to BlackFever.”

She sighed. “I think it was easier growing up the way I did, not having met my motherat all. I probably would’ve missed her a lot more, had we actually known each other.”

“You can’t truly miss what you’ve never had, right?”She gave me a faint smile. “So to speak. Yes.”Shadows moved at the end of the corridor. I stilled, the hairs on the back of my neck

rising. Reaching out, I stopped Valaine from moving forward, and she gave me a confusedglance. My instincts were on fire, the air moving and brushing against my face. Somethingwas coming, but I wasn’t sure what it was, exactly.

“Tristan?” she asked.“Wait,” I whispered, my muscles twitching, my stomach tightening with anxiety. I’d

rarely had such sensations rushing through me. Esme would call it a weird sixth sensewhenever it happened. I was her personal danger radar, my instincts picking up ontrouble shortly before it crossed our paths. I’d felt this way before so many times, it wasimpossible to ignore or to brush off as just a fleeting thought.

A blade left a sheath with a bloodcurdling zing, somewhere behind us. Glancing overmy shoulder, I saw four figures dressed in black bolting toward us, long knives swinging. Ipulled Valaine to the side and quickly turned around to face them. My fangs and clawscame out as they attacked us.

“Watch out!” I shouted, as two of the attackers went straight for Valaine’s throat.Their faces were painted in black and gold, making it hard for me to spot their eyes or

any kinds of memorable features. They looked like butterflies’ wings cloaked in black, andthey instilled fear in me.

Valaine dodged their attacks and ripped through one of their cloaks with her extendedclaws. The other two came at me, and I instantly remembered all my defensive training. Ididn’t use it as often as Esme, but I wasn’t entirely rusty. I swerved around and caughtone of my attackers by the back of his neck.

Putting all my force into that hold, I yanked him back and bit into his throat, tearing itopen with my fangs. Blood gushed out as he screamed in agony, but I wasn’t done. Igrabbed his knife and cut off his head, adrenaline bursting through me. His body fell tothe floor, limp and bleeding out.

The second guy rushed back to take me down, but I tossed his friend’s head at him,distracting him for the briefest of moments. I dashed forward, still holding the knife andready to ram it into his throat, but he managed to jump back. I missed him by inches.Still, he didn’t dare attack me again.

Instead, he tried to go after Valaine, who was still fighting the other two. Withouthesitation, I moved to help, stabbing one of them. Boots thundered through the hallway.The attackers withdrew quickly, including the guy I’d just injured, who held his bleedingside and cursed under his breath.

Behind us, golden guards emerged and charged at them. The fiends ran off, light ontheir feet, moving like whispers in the semi-darkness. One of the soldiers stopped tocheck on us, while the others went after the attackers, who turned right into one of thecorridors and vanished from sight.

“Milady, are you all right?!” the guard asked, his eyes wide.Valaine had a few scratches on her, but they healed as quickly as they’d been

inflicted, leaving mere droplets of blood behind. “I’m okay,” she said, breathing heavily asshe looked at me. “Tristan?”

I nodded. “I’m fine. Took one of them down,” I replied, pointing at the fallen attacker.“Who the hell are these people?”

The guard crouched in front of the body and turned him over, revealing his paintedface. He recognized the colors immediately. “Darklings, milady,” he said to Valaine, who,in turn, sucked in a breath.

“This isn’t right,” she murmured, then raised her voice in anger. “How did they make itall the way inside the palace?!”

“I… I don’t know. All the entry points are heavily guarded, milady. They must’ve foundanother way,” the guard managed, taken aback. He was as surprised by thisdevelopment as Valaine, though clearly not as ignorant as me.

“Alert the captain of the golden guards,” Valaine ordered him. “And have this bodytaken to one of the spare study rooms. I’ll send word for my father. This is unacceptable!”

“Yes, milady. Right away,” the guard said, and ran back up the hallway toward themain stairs that led to the ground floor. I remembered seeing a captain’s officesomewhere down there.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked Valaine.“I’m fine, Tristan,” she replied. Exhaling sharply, she stared at the body. “You killed

him.”“I had no other choice,” I said. “It was either me or him. Who are these people?”She looked at me, fear burning in her dark eyes. “You weren’t supposed to even hear

about them. I’m sorry.”“Please, Valaine, tell me the truth. I almost got killed tonight. These knives are good

enough to chop a vampire’s or an Aeternae’s head off with minimal effort,” I said,dropping the blade on the floor. It fell with a clang on the smooth marble, bloodspattering across. Killing someone made me feel terrible, but rationalizing it as self-defense stopped me from spiraling into any form of regretful despair.

“They call themselves Darklings,” Valaine said, leaning back against the wall as shecaught her breath. She was a good fighter, definitely worthy of the Blood Arena. She’dheld two attackers back with just her fangs and claws. Chances were she’d have takenone of them down, but three could’ve eventually killed her, had I, then the guards, notintervened. These “Darklings” were seasoned assassins—it wasn’t hard to tell, judging bytheir movements and stealth. We hadn’t seen them coming until they were right behindus. “They’re… I’m not sure what they are, besides evil Aeternae with a hidden agenda.They’ve always gotten involved in the empire’s affairs, and they know nothing butthievery and murder.”

“What are they after?”“I’m… I’m not sure. Tonight, they wanted to kill me, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you

why. It’s the first time their attention was directed at me,” Valaine replied. “They havebeen responsible for several high-profile assassinations, including a Nasani Lord Supreme,before Acheron’s reign. Whenever Visio looks toward progress, the Darklings just show upand start killing key figures in the government or even in the noble dynasties. If it wereup to them, we’d all be drinking the Rimians and Naloreans dry, without anycompensation, without any regard for their civil rights… They’re monsters. Bloodthirstymonsters.”

“They drink people to death?”

“Yes. And it’s a horrifying thing to do. Whenever a Rimian or a Nalorean shows upwithout a single drop of blood left, we know… we always know it’s because of aDarkling.”

“Valaine, there are a lot of things you people don’t seem to know as well as youshould. The Black Fever, the Darklings… is there anything else I should know about?” Iasked. “Anyone else who might be gunning for you or me or my team?”

She shook her head, tearing up. “No. I’m sorry, Tristan. I didn’t… I didn’t think they’dmake it into the palace. It’s the one place they haven’t touched in centuries, and I haveno idea how they got past the security checks. It’s strange, and I will, of course, speak tomy father and the Lord and Lady Supreme about this.”

I pointed at the dead attacker. “Do you recognize him?”“No,” Valaine said, shaking her head. “This is the first Darkling we’ve caught in over

three thousand years. He’s dead, sure, but he can still help us investigate the matterfurther.”

We heard soldiers somewhere in the distance, running and shouting. They must’vecaught a trail for the Darklings. I knew Derek and Sofia needed to be told about this, assoon as possible. The presence of Darklings was an unexpected factor that could easilyspoil our operation here. The worst part was that they’d just tried to kill Valaine, thedaughter of the empire’s master commander and leader of the armies.

This was a targeted assassination attempt, and it had to be taken beyond seriously.In my experience, such incidents occurred when there was a political agenda in play.Someone’s interests required that Valaine be killed. But why?

Looking at her now, I couldn’t immediately think of a reason. She was a kind creature,though ruthless and calculated in her defense. It was probably why they’d sent fourpeople to kill her, instead of one or two. But they could’ve waited until she was aloneagain, so… why did they attack now, while I was still with her? Were they trying to raiseawareness regarding their presence in the palace, perhaps? Were they looking to spreadfear-inducing rumors?

Their attack came at an inopportune time, as the Black Fever was returning about fivethousand years sooner than it should’ve. I had a feeling we’d come to Visio at the worstpossible time in its modern history, but it was too late to turn back now. If anything, Iwanted to get to the bottom of it all even more, as more pieces of this gigantic puzzlecame to light.

T

E S M E

raining with Kalon had drained me of most of my energy. I’d never imaginedhe’d be such a ruthless drill sergeant, but the social and the sparring

versions of him were two diametrically opposed personas. The Kalon who’d taken meriding and who’d joined me in the Blood Arena had been charming, intriguing, andmischievous. The Kalon who fought me in the training room was ruthless, methodical,and strict.

I was still wrapping my head around the two, my muscles sore and my knees a littleweak, as Kalon escorted me back to my chambers. We hadn’t spoken since we’d put theblunt swords away back in the training room. It wasn’t because we’d run out of things tosay or because of a falling out or whatever… no, we’d exhausted ourselves to the pointwhere talking could’ve basically knocked us out. We were beyond tired, smiling like twoof the happiest creatures who’d ever lived.

Personally, I loved this kind of fatigue. A hot bath would soften my muscles and relaxmy joints, and everything would ache in the morning, but I reveled in the sensations. Thiswas my body telling me I’d given it a lot to work with, throughout most of the day. We’dplanned on training for a couple of hours, tops, since Kalon had insisted that he couldimprove my form. Lo and behold, it was close to midnight when we made our way backto the first floor, where my room awaited.

“Thank you for today,” Kalon said, throwing me a sideways glance. “It was fun.Unexpected, but fun.”

“What exactly was unexpected?” I asked, smiling.“The whole thing. I don’t know why, I just didn’t see you as the fighting type,” he

replied, genuinely amused. The coldness had gone from his blue eyes, and, for a splitsecond, I felt as though the sky had been captured in those irises, and not the frost I’dseen before. “Don’t get me wrong, it was a pleasant surprise. You and Valaine have morein common than you think.”

“How so?”Golden guards rushed past us. They seemed upset, nervously looking around, as if

searching for someone. I glanced over my shoulder, watching as they split into twogroups, going left and right down other corridors.

“I can see you doing well for yourself in the Blood Arena,” Kalon said, his brow slightly

furrowed as he, too, noticed the guards’ anxiousness. “I also think we’ve managed toimprove your technique a little bit, bringing some of those styles you’ve picked up closertogether.”

“Thank you for that,” I replied. “I do feel like I’ve got a better grip on the twin swords.Oh, and you’ve definitely helped improve my spear game. Seriously, thank you.”

Footsteps echoed through the hallways as more golden guards emerged, spreading indifferent directions, some barking orders at the others. They were giving each otherinstructions—check the east wing, go up a level, cover the west wing, check the southentrances, and so on. Something had happened, and based on the befuddled look onKalon’s face, we were both out of the loop.

“What’s going on?” I asked, feeling my skin tingle, a nervous feeling creeping its wayinto my consciousness.

“I’m not sure,” he muttered.We made it into our chambers’ hallway, where Valaine and Tristan were waiting. They

both seemed shaken up. There was a body on the floor, clad in black, blood poolingbeneath him. Two golden guards split from a small group patrolling this section, carryinga gurney. They loaded the body onto it, while Kalon and I rushed toward Valaine andTristan.

“What happened?” Kalon asked Valaine.Her arms were crossed, her eyes were dark with anger, and her lower lip quivered,

ever so slightly. “Darklings,” she said. “They made it inside the palace.”Kalon didn’t say a word at first, but I could tell that he was appalled. He didn’t hide his

revulsion, and rage made his hands shake a little. He looked at my brother. “Were youhere?”

Tristan nodded. “They came from behind. Four of them.”“Did they say anything?” Kalon replied.“Hold on,” I said, moving closer to my brother. “Are you okay, Tristan?”“Yeah, I am, don’t worry.” He sighed. “We both got off easy, just a few scratches that

have already healed.”“It could’ve been worse, but Tristan here is an excellent fighter,” Valaine said. “He

took one of them down.”We all stared at the dead fiend as the guards carried him away. “Where are they

taking him?” I asked.“One of the spare study rooms. Our physicians will try to find out who he is, or at least

where he comes from,” Valaine said.“Why did they attack you? What are Darklings?” I insisted. I had too many questions,

but I tried to focus on the main ones for the time being, as my heart thundered angrily,wrestling with my ribcage. My brother had just evaded death, and that was a feeling thatalways brought out the worst in me, because I hadn’t been around to keep him safe. Theone thing that gave me comfort was exactly what Valaine had pointed out: my brothercould do well on his own; I just didn’t like it when things got to that point.

Valaine gave me a brief rundown about the Darklings, though it didn’t answer any ofthe follow-up questions I’d already prepared. The Aeternae had been dealing with them

for a long time, but there wasn’t much knowledge about their organization. They werebloodthirsty monsters, that much was undeniable. And they’d managed to sneak into thepalace.

“Why did they target you?” I asked Valaine, and she shrugged in return.“As I was telling Tristan earlier, I honestly don’t know.”Kalon didn’t say much, but his expression betrayed many emotions. He was well

acquainted with the Darklings, but I wasn’t sure to what extent. He didn’t like theirintrusion, and he certainly didn’t take well to the idea that they’d tried to kill Valaine.

“Have you summoned your father already?” he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.“He’s on his way. As you can imagine, he’s livid,” Valaine replied.“I can certainly see why,” Kalon said. “Let me take you to the throne room. We must

speak to the lord and lady at once. It cannot wait until the morning.”“Might as well call an emergency council meeting,” Valaine said.“You’re damn right we’re calling an emergency council meeting. The Darklings just

tried to kill you!” Kalon snapped. “Come, I’ll walk with you.”A sense of urgency gripped my throat. “Kalon. Would you like us to do anything? Do

you need our help?”He and Valaine stopped for a moment, as he turned around to look at me. “Go to bed,

Esme. It’s late, and you should rest,” he said. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”“Maybe we could—” My brother tried to offer his assistance, but Kalon cut him off.“With all due respect, this is a matter pertaining to the Aeternae’s governance. It

doesn’t concern you. Please, go to your chambers and lock your doors. There will beadditional guards on patrol throughout the night, for everyone’s safety.”

Kalon and Valaine walked away, leaving me with Tristan outside my door. A fewminutes passed in tense and heavy silence as we listened to the voices echoing throughthe palace. The search for the Darklings was still ongoing, but I had a feeling they’dalready fled. If I were them, I’d have gotten out as soon as I’d botched the assassinationattempt. The whole place was too hot for a second try. They’d have to wait for it all tocool down again.

“Darklings. Seriously?” I grumbled, frowning at Tristan.“Yeah, it’s not something they’re particularly proud of.”“Anthropologically speaking, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise,” I said. “With a

nation this big and powerful, there was bound to be dissent among its people. It’s justthat I would’ve expected to see rebels fighting for the liberation of Rimia and Nalore… notassassins looking to wreak havoc and to drink people dry, like mindless animals.”

Tristan nodded once. “We need to find out why they were after Valaine. Maybe sheisn’t telling us something.”

“Kalon is definitely holding back.” I scoffed.“Where were you all day?” he asked.I blanked out for a moment. Why did I feel guilty for spending the whole day with the

very Aeternae I’d just criticized for being secretive? Yeah, the irony did not escape me.“Training. With Kalon.”

“All day?”

“Where were you all day?” I shot back.It was Tristan’s turn to be awkward. That was the downside of our sibling relationship.

We knew each other too well, and it was difficult to actually win an argument of any kind.“In the library.”

“Dork.”“Seriously, Esme?”“So you were here with Valaine when she was attacked?”He sighed deeply. “She… She showed me something tonight. Something no one

outside the royal circle knows.” I waited for him to tell me what it was that she’d showedhim. When he didn’t continue, I poked him. “Ouch!”

“Talk,” I said firmly.“I promised I wouldn’t tell,” Tristan replied, practically offended.I smacked him over the shoulder. “Talk!”“Dammit, Esme!” he hissed, and pulled me into his room, locking the door behind us.

“The Black Fever is coming back,” he whispered, worried that someone might hear us.The news hit me like a battering ram to the chest, knocking the air and the sense out

of me. “Wha… What?” I managed, my knees surrendering as I dropped into one of thelounge armchairs. My pulse was racing, as a million worst-case scenarios began to form inthe back of my head.

“Three infected Aeternae, so far,” Tristan said. “They’re keeping the situation secret,to avoid mass panic. The victims are quarantined in a basement infirmary, below. I sawthem.”

“Isn’t it a little… early for the Black Fever?” I croaked.He nodded again. “It is. Five thousand years too soon, and it’s strange, to say the

least. Valaine will speak to the lord and lady about this, about us possibly helping them. Imean, they’ve already said we could try finding a cure—they just didn’t mention theyalready had three Aeternae affected.”

“This is all too weird,” I said. “The Darklings, the Black Fever… It’s… I don’t know,there’s something missing from this picture. Something big and important enough tomatter. We need to find out what that is.”

“Should we go stealth?”I shook my head. “Not tonight. Even with the invisibility pellets, we risk bumping into

golden guards. There’s a lot of them out there right now. No, tomorrow is better, oncethe atmosphere relaxes in the palace.”

I would’ve given anything to go stealth tonight, but the risk of being discovered wastoo great. We couldn’t take that chance, not after what had just happened. The Darklingsmade the Aeternae flinch—at least the ones we’d seen, anyway. The Black Fever was nolonger a distant issue, but an immediate threat. We’d certainly found one hell of amoment to show up.

“Turns out Visio isn’t as pretty as we’d thought,” I murmured.But I was determined to get to the bottom of this, before the mystery swallowed us

all. That was the trouble with lies and secrets. They festered, they ate away ateverything around them, and eventually they came to light and destroyed lives. I just

didn’t want ours to be among the casualties. A thought occurred to me, quite contrary towhat I’d said less than a minute ago. I let a deep breath out, and Tristan was quick tonotice the shift in my expression.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.“I’m thinking we could pop an invisibility pellet and at least attend that emergency

council meeting,” I said in an undertone. “It might be worth listening to what they haveto say about all this, in our absence.”

A devilish grin bloomed on his face. “Sometimes, I think you’re actually able to readmy mind, sister.”

“Ha, ha, funny. Dork,” I retorted, pushing myself back into a standing position, myknees still rickety. “But yeah… we should. I mean, if we’re going to go to Derek and Sofiawith this, we might as well get a fuller picture. Don’t you think?”

“I agree,” he said, and took out a couple of pills and red lens glasses from a secretpocket in his vest. “One for you, and one for me.”

I

N E T H I S S I S

was staring at a locked door, a massive thing made of black iron. I’d lost trackof how many left and right turns I’d made to get here, but the air was foul. Itreeked of danger and dead things, and I knew I’d found something. The only

problem was that there was nowhere for me to slip through, even as a copperhead.The door was expertly sealed. I felt cold as strange sounds emerged from beyond.

Low whispers and growls that seemed familiar, yet I couldn’t exactly place them in aspecific memory. All I knew was that I’d heard it all before. In a different place, adifferent setting. My skin tingled, my scales stiffening as I tried to keep myself calm whileI searched for a way in. Out of all the doors I’d gone past, this was the one with all thejuicy stuff. I knew it.

Footsteps startled me. I moved away, nestling inside a small nook in the stone wall.As the figure grew closer and larger, my breath hitched. It was Zoltan Shatal, and keysjingled on a heavy ring in his hand. He was well aware of where he was and what he wasdoing, and that fired up all sorts of alarm bells inside me.

He stopped in front of my mystery door, and I poked my head out to get a better look.He picked out a key from the ring and used it to let himself in. For a brief moment, I hada choice to make: stay back and report to Derek and Sofia on what I’d seen so far, whichreeked of suspicious behavior, or keep going and sneak inside with Zoltan.

The reasonable Nethissis would’ve called it a day right here, right now. But I wasnever known for being reasonable or reserved in my actions. Unrepentant, I snuckthrough the open door, seconds before Zoltan shut it behind him. Hidden in the corner, Ifound myself inside a narrow corridor leading into a massive, circular room with a lowceiling.

The sounds I’d heard earlier were clear, now, and they filled me with dread as I finallyrecognized them. Ghouls. There are ghouls in here.

Zoltan walked into the room, and I followed, moving slowly and carefully as I analyzedthe entire scene. My blood froze at the sight of four ghouls, with wrought-iron collars andchains keeping them tethered to the left side of the room. Symbols were engraved on thebands, and I was instantly furious, recognizing the art. Reaper magic.

The creatures hissed and snarled and communicated between them. The amber lightfrom wall torches reflected across their almost translucent skin. But these weren’t

ordinary ghouls. They were huge bastards, with bulging muscles and thick necks andclaws that could cut through a person like perfectly sharpened swords.

And Zoltan was well aware of them. He wasn’t bothered or fearful, and that just mademe break into a cold sweat as I slithered along the right side of the room, keeping to theshadows. Up ahead, three prisoners had been chained to the wall. They were Rimians,skinnier than most and beaten to a pulp.

Their eyes were swollen, and they could barely see through the red-and-purpleeyelids. Blood crusts covered their injuries. Their clothes were caked with dirt and stainedwith blood. They’d been tortured, repeatedly, and my heart broke for this predicamentthey’d found themselves in. Two black armor guards stood to their right, their gazeswandering between them and the ghouls, who kept snarling and begging to be freed. Ididn’t need to understand their language, when their desperate twitches and jumps saidso much.

“Have they said anything yet?” Zoltan asked the guards.They both nodded. “We’ve thought about letting one of the ghouls loose,” one of them

replied. “Maybe they’ll be willing to speak if a ghoul is chomping on their legs.”“No. Not yet,” Zoltan said. “I’ll give them one last chance.”Holy crap, this was a torture chamber, and their instruments of choice were ghouls,

kept under control with Reaper magic. How was this even possible? Where had theygotten this kind of knowledge? Did any of the Reapers know? Did Death know? I couldn’tuse Telluris in my snake form, but I was definitely going to reach out to Taeral for this.Someone needed to bring Death up to speed here, because something terrible wasbrewing in the basement of Visio’s royal palace.

I wondered if Danika or Acheron knew about this… of course they did. They had to.This was literally happening in their house. They had to know.

Zoltan stopped in front of the three prisoners, annoyingly calm. “I’ve been asking youto tell the truth for a week, now. I’m not sure how much more your bodies can take,” hesaid. “As you might’ve already noticed, I haven’t fed the ghouls. The moment I let themloose, you’re the ones they’re coming for.”

The Rimians, three young males, didn’t even look at him. They kept their brownish redeyes fixed on the dirty, wet floor, their bodies shaking from the cold. I could only imaginewhat it all felt like.

“First, they’ll eat you alive. They’re accustomed to raw flesh. Then, they’ll eat yoursouls. By the time they’re done with you, there will be nothing left. No body. No spirit.Nothing,” Zoltan continued, matter-of-fact in his approach. “Is that really how you want itall to end?”

“We don’t turn on our people,” one of the Rimian boys replied, his voice raspy andweak.

“Tell me who your leaders are, and I will give you a quick and easy death. Take me tothem, and I will bestow upon you riches that your kind has never even gazed upon,”Zoltan insisted. “My offer still stands.”

“Screw you, bloodsucker!” the second Rimian spat.Zoltan shook his head. “Civility is such a rare thing to find these days.”

The guards smirked, definitely enjoying the show. With no other option left, Zoltanselected another, smaller key from his ring and walked over to the ghouls. “Very well. Noone can blame me if I go ahead with this. I’ve tried everything. Bribery. Torture.Reasoning with you people is almost impossible. That fact that you have the audacity toclaim that you have rights beyond what we give you is downright ridiculous,” he said,then looked at the ghouls. “Sit. All of you, sit.”

Like obedient dogs, the ghouls’ hinds hit the floor. Their muscles twitched, burstingwith anticipation, but they did as he asked.

“Do not move until I tell you to move,” Zoltan added as he used the smaller key tounlock their chained collars. As soon as the irons fell off, I saw the symbols burnt intotheir translucent skin. More Reaper runes. From my experience, those had something todo with the ghouls’ behavior, much like the collars. This whole thing reminded me of theNerakian pit wolves. The daemons had used swamp witch magic to subdue their houndslike this. The similarity between Death and Word magic did not go unnoticed.

The ghouls waited, as they were told, while Zoltan stepped back, one hand in hispocket. He threw the Rimians a dark glance. “Last chance, Aemilius. One last chance totell me the truth. Who is trying to put together a Rimian rebellion, and who, among mypeople, is funding their movement?”

“I will die a thousand deaths before I tell you,” the Rimian identified as Aemiliusreplied. “If your own kind don’t want to rule us anymore, who are you to stand in theirway?”

“I won’t cut off an entire empire because of the stupid self-righteousness of a few,”Zoltan said and smiled at the ghouls. “Go on. They’re all yours.”

In an instant, the four ghouls pounced on the Rimians. Screams tore through theroom. I slithered back, horrified by what I was witnessing. Bile rose up in my throat. Ilooked away, unable to watch anymore, as the ghouls fought over and dismembered theRimians. I heard the flesh tear, the bones break and pop from their joints, the bloodgurgle… It was too much.

The guards stepped back, not willing to stand too close to a bunch of ghouls feeding.Zoltan seemed unaffected, turning his back on the bloody, awful scene, as the screamswere muffled, swallowed by a most violent death.

“What do we do next?” one of the black armor guards asked.Zoltan shrugged. “Find me more of them. It’s only a matter of time before they start

to break,” he said. “Look in the taverns, late in the night. That’s when they like to meet.When they think we’re all asleep, without a care in the world. The fools.”

“The food is rioting.” The other guard chuckled, apparently enjoying the view as theghouls feasted on the Rimians’ bodies. I was utterly disgusted, staring at the bastard whoreferred to them as his food.

I hadn’t seen such wretchedness in a very long time, and I had a hard timestomaching it—the irony wasn’t lost on me, since my own species used to feed on theflesh of incubi and succubi. But we’d evolved since. I needed to get out of here. Derekand Sofia needed to be told about this. Whatever this was, it wasn’t normal, and itcouldn’t possibly be sanctioned by the Reapers.

I looked away from the sneering guard and found myself peering into the eyes of aghoul. My heart stopped, as I saw my reflection in its big, beady black eyes. One of thefour fiends had spotted me, and I was suddenly defenseless. The only thing I could dowas bite and inject all of my venom into it, but… what would that do?

Without hesitation, I tried to slip away, but the ghoul caught me. In a flash,everything I’d wanted to say and do, everything I’d experienced and everything I’dwished I’d experienced fluttered before my eyes, as cold hands closed around my body.

My neck snapped, and the same death that had swallowed the Rimians devoured mein an instant.

“H

E S M E

ow did Darklings get inside the palace?” Danika asked.She sat on her throne, next to Acheron’s, while Corbin, Valaine, Kalon, Petra,

and the captain of the golden guards stood at the bottom of the platform that elevatedthe Lord and Lady Supreme over the massive room.

Tristan and I had hidden behind one of the pillars, watching and listening as theemergency council meeting took place, unbeknownst to anyone else inside the palace.Secrecy had shrouded the whole affair, keeping it out of the reach of all the other noblesand servants who dwelled here, who called this place their home.

I took comfort in knowing they couldn’t see or hear us, but the uneasiness refused tolet go of me, as if this could all go south in the blink of an eye. As if we had absolutely nocontrol over the situation.

“We’re not sure, Your Grace,” the captain of the golden guards said sternly. “But I willinvestigate and—”

“Wrong answer.” Danika stopped him. “You shouldn’t have set foot into this meetingwithout an answer. You’re relieved of your duties. The master commander will appoint anew captain of the golden guards, first thing in the morning.”

The captain was stunned. “Your Grace, I beseech you to—”“Enough!” Acheron snarled. “Get out! Now, before I have your underlings escort you

into the basement!”Dread took over the disgraced Aeternae, who offered a curt bow and practically flew

out of the room, leaving several confused golden guards behind, by the door. Acheronpinched the bridge of his nose, clearly frustrated.

“Your Grace, if I may?” Petra said, abnormally serene given the gravity of thissituation. Danika gave her a brief nod, allowing her to speak. “The Darklings are acomplicated and difficult issue, as you well know. I doubt the blame for tonight’s incidentrests solely on the shoulders of an incompetent head of security.”

“No, but since I have no Darklings around to punish, I’ll take it out on the next bestperson,” Danika replied dryly. She was one fierce lady, and I couldn’t exactly fault her forher judgment. Chances were I would’ve done the same, had I been in her diamond-studded shoes.

“Your Grace, what do we do, going forward?” Valaine asked. “What if I’m not the only

one they’re targeting?”Danika and Petra exchanged glances, and no one else seemed to notice. My stomach

clenched, and I couldn’t figure out why. Something about this felt off. As off as everythingelse that had caught my attention until now.

“You’ll have two golden guards with you at all times,” Corbin said to his daughter, hisbrow furrowed beyond repair. He was angry. He was seething, just beneath the surface,working so hard to keep his temper under control. This was his daughter they’d tried tokill. His wrath would’ve been justified.

“I don’t need bodyguards,” Valaine replied, hands balled at her sides.“Clearly, you do,” Kalon interjected. “For the first time in a long time, your father and I

are in agreement, Val. You need protection, whether you like it or not.”“They didn’t kill me, did they?”“That’s because you had Tristan by your side!” Acheron cut in. “Had the vampire not

been there, the Darklings would have destroyed you, and you know it. You understandhow they operate. You’re aware of the damage they’ve inflicted on us, on our nobledynasties, on some of the empire’s brightest minds!”

“How do we stop them?” Petra sighed, not quite sympathetic toward Valaine’s difficultsituation. “Not to be a spoiler of all things fun, but we’re dealing with an earlyreemergence of Black Fever, as well. Our plates will be full soon.”

Danika rolled her eyes. “I think we’ll have to talk about this with the vampires. If thatFaulty creature of theirs is any good, we might finally get a cure for the Black Fever. Asfor the Darklings… I don’t know. It’s hard when we can’t even identify them.”

“That’s been our problem for eons,” Corbin muttered. “The Darklings have no identity.It’s like they’re bred specifically for this clique, and nothing more. There is no record ofthem anywhere, no information, nothing.”

Acheron groaned, leaning back into his throne. “Corbin, my friend, I need you to lookinto this Darkling issue. Have Kalon and the new captain of the golden guards assist you,”he said, then looked at Petra. “You, High Priestess… I need you to play nice with thevampires. Tell them about the Black Fever victims and see how they can help. Okay?”

“Your Grace, I doubt they can do anything to—”“For once in your life, do as you’re told!” Acheron’s voice thundered across the room,

making Petra freeze on the spot. His outburst was so unexpected that not even Danikacould immediately recover from the shock, staring at her husband with a loose jaw.

I was slightly amused by this dynamic. Acheron had come across as the dashing kingtype, but boy, he had plenty of fire to dispense when he was thrown into the worst ofmoods.

“Where is Zoltan?” Danika asked.Kalon glanced around the room, fixed in our general direction, and my heart beat a

little bit faster as I held my breath. His ears moved, and he took a deep breath, while Imade myself even smaller behind the marble column. This didn’t feel right.

The corner of his mouth twitched, and I could swear he could tell I was here.To my relief, he didn’t follow up on whatever had made him suspicious. Instead, he

shifted his focus back to Danika. “Probably snoring his wife out of bed again. You know

he’s knocked out before midnight on days like these.” He chuckled.“Get him out of bed, then,” Danika replied. “He needs to know what happened.”Kalon nodded. “Right away, Your Grace.”“Everyone else, we shall see you in the morning,” Acheron replied. “It’s been a long

day and an even longer night, already. Rest is paramount, if we’re to succeed in defeatingany of our foes, be they Darklings or the Black Fever.”

Danika eyed Petra. “Remember, High Priestess. The vampires are our friends.”She sounded rather disingenuous, and Petra didn’t seem to buy it, either.

Nevertheless, she complied, bowing before the Lord and Lady Supreme as she made herway out of the throne room, followed by Kalon, Corbin, and Valaine. The guards openedthe doors for them, while my brother and I moved around the column to keep a safedistance.

As he passed us by, Kalon looked our way again. But since he couldn’t see anything,he just sighed and kept walking.

“What is it?” Petra asked him.A knot formed in my stomach, tightening with each second that passed. “Nothing,”

Kalon replied. “I’m just looking forward to getting out of here. This whole Darklingincident has really botched my mood.”

“Speaking of, I’ve instructed the cleaners on my way in. The hallway outside thevampires’ quarters has been cleaned,” Petra said. “It’s the most unfortunate time for ourguests to be creeped out.”

“Yes, the last thing we need is for them to go away because of this,” Valaine replied.“I’m confident they can help us with a cure.”

Petra scoffed, but she didn’t respond. Kalon, however, didn’t let go right away.“What’s wrong, Mother? Don’t you trust the vampires to finally end the Black Fever, onceand for all?”

“If only it were that easy, my dear,” Petra said, as they walked out and left us behind.Acheron and Danika retreated to their chambers through a side door. Soon enough,

the lights were blown out, and the room succumbed to darkness. Tristan and I stoodthere, trying to process everything we’d just heard.

Minutes flowed slowly. I welcomed the night’s embrace, closing my eyes for amoment. I caught a whiff of Kalon’s scent—crisp and masculine, with an inkling of leatherand spiced vanilla. Had he sensed us earlier? After all, an Aeternae’s hearing was muchlike a vampire’s. Maybe he’d heard my heart beating…

Shaking the suspicions away, I looked at Tristan. “You know we need to tell Sofia andDerek, right?”

He nodded slowly. “We’ll do it in the morning,” he said. “The danger has passed, fornow, and I doubt the Darklings will be back again anytime soon. I don’t want anyonehearing voices and talking in our rooms, this late in the night… if that makes sense.”

“Oh, it makes all the sense in the world,” I replied. “It can wait until the break ofdawn, for sure.”

“We’ll have to alert the rest of GASP, as well.”“Hold on. Let’s talk to Derek and Sofia first. Remember the core of our mission, okay?”

I reminded him, though I didn’t like this any more than he did.“It’s weird,” he muttered.“Yeah, well, if we were expecting everything to go smooth and peachy, then we’re the

ultimate idiots,” I said, chuckling bitterly. “Come on, let’s head back and get some shut-eye. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”

As we snuck out and returned to our rooms, I realized that our morals would soon betested. Something was plaguing the Aeternae, and it wasn’t necessarily the Black Fever.We didn’t have all the pieces in the puzzle, but we had enough to understand thatsomething dark and dangerous lurked beneath the surface.

My only concern was whether it would engulf us as well.

A

N E T H I S S I S

s soon as I came to, a crippling ache burst through me, as the reality quickly setin. I’d died. A ghoul had killed me, and I was staring down at my body, a limpand crooked copperhead, as the fiend poked it with its claw.

Horror swiftly took over. I covered my mouth, remembering that the ghoul mightnotice me any moment, now. A thousand thoughts darted through my mind, but nonemade sense. I simply had no time to adjust to this situation, to fully comprehend how thishad all come to pass, and what I’d have to do, going forward.

“What did you do?” Zoltan snapped, spotting the ghoul as it fiddled with my lifelesssnake form. It felt as though I was watching Tejus’s Lucifer with a dead bird he’d justcome across, back in The Shade. The ghoul’s instincts were offensively similar. He’d justkilled something he didn’t need to kill, and now he was… playing with my friggin’ corpse!

Zoltan came closer, frowning at the sight of it. I slowly moved back, hoping the ghoulwouldn’t see me just yet. The others were too busy devouring the screaming souls of theRimians. Just my luck, I thought, to witness both their physical and spiritual deaths.

“Where did this come from?” Zoltan wondered aloud, while the guards watched from asafe distance. The ghoul sat on its hind legs, its beady eyes following its master as hepicked up a cane that had been used to torture the Rimians, long before I got here.

He poked my serpentine body with its slim end and gasped when it shifted back intomy humanoid form. My heart broke, over and over, as I saw myself for one last time. Myeyes closed. My neck bruised, bones pushing against the skin at an unnatural angle. Myskin pale. The luster of my copper scales gone, reduced to a faint reddish brown. Thatwas what happened to a Lamia if death caught her in snake form. The body returned toits original form…

“Oh, dear…” Zoltan mumbled. “This isn’t good. This isn’t good at all.” He turned tolook at the ghoul. “What the hell did you do?! Where’s her soul? Did you eat it?!”

The creature seemed confused, until the mention of my soul seemed to activate itshunger, nostrils flaring as it turned its deformed head and finally saw me. The horror I’dfelt before amplified to the point where every thread of my spirit froze, stiffened by therealization of what would come next.

The ghoul had seen me, now, and it was hungry for my soul. A delicacy for itsdefected species.

“No… No, you don’t get to treat me like one of those Rimians,” I hissed.Snarling, the ghoul lunged at me, and I didn’t have the speed to move back before he

caught me. His claw came down and struck me hard. It hurt profoundly, in ways I’d neverimagined before, as I found myself on the cold, hard floor, pinned and unable to getaway.

“No!” I screamed, though Zoltan and the guards couldn’t hear me. I was dead, afterall. I’d only be deader, if the ghoul had his way.

“Eat it and let’s get this over with,” Zoltan said. “We have a body to dispose of.”“Wait, why don’t you let the ghoul eat that, too?” one of the guards asked.“A disappearing swamp witch who can turn into a snake invites her colleagues poking

around. A swamp witch found dead outside the palace will keep them away from thebasements. Obviously,” Zoltan replied.

The ghoul’s fangs were huge, its jaw gaping as it came down to eat me. For amoment, I thought this was it. This was my end. This was how I’d go out, without anyoneknowing what really happened to me. And it tore me worse than anything the ghoulwould do to me…

Something flashed between us. The glint of silvery steel caught my eye.A scythe’s blade swept through and decapitated the ghoul, instantly turning it into a

shapeless mass of glimmering ashes. The other fiends yelped at the sight of Seeley,standing above me.

“What in the living hell…” My voice trailed off. I’d just survived the ultimate death.Powered by that unexpected concept, I scrambled back farther away from Zoltan and theloose pile of ashes that the ghoul had left behind.

Zoltan frowned and quickly whispered a spell. Its words sounded familiar. His eyes litup as he revealed Seeley to the living. Like me, the Reaper was shocked beyond repair.

“Ah, there you are,” Zoltan said, beaming with delight. “I haven’t seen one of you in avery long time!”

“Seeley…” I managed.He looked at me, and, for the longest of seconds, time stood still. We knew each

other. There had been something between us, a fleeting thought. A distant “what if” thathad never come to fruition. I hadn’t seen him since we’d defeated the Hermessi’s ritual,and yet here he was, standing here in his black suit, with his galaxy eyes focused on me,grief twinkling inside.

“Nethissis,” he whispered. “I’m… I’m sorry. I’m too late.”“What’s going on?” I asked.He briefly glanced at Zoltan, who seemed confused but immediately realized the

ghoul had failed to eat me. “We still have a loose soul, fellas,” Zoltan said.“I’m not sure,” Seeley replied, looking at me again. “But I need you to get out of

here.”“No, I can’t leave you—”“Run and don’t look back!” Seeley snapped, raising his weapon.Despair took over at the sight of another scythe coming out from between the dark

blue folds of Zoltan’s coat. Seeley didn’t see it coming, either.

“You’re not the only one with nifty toys,” Zoltan hissed and uttered another string ofReaper magic words.

Seeley reached out and pushed me so hard, I flew back through the narrow corridor,then the door. Ghouls snarled and thumped into it, but they couldn’t get through. They’dbeen limited to that room, so all they could do was angrily scratch at the black iron,unable to reach me.

My breathing was ragged, fire burning in my chest, as I tried to wrap my head aroundwhat had just happened. Seeley had somehow come here, and he’d saved me from aghoulish death. He’d said he’d been too late, which meant… he knew I was here?

Chains jingled and clanged across the floor inside the round chamber. Shaking like aleaf, I pulled myself closer to the door, listening to the movements inside.

“Put the ghouls back on their leashes,” Zoltan said. “I’ll handle the Reaper.”“You can’t kill it, can you?” one of the guards asked.“No, you oaf, but I can make sure he never sees the light of day again,” Zoltan

replied.“Seeley…” I whispered, almost touching the door.My hand trembled, and I couldn’t even cry. My eyes stung, but tears didn’t come out.

All I could do was struggle with the mixture of pain, agony, and helplessness, as I knelt infront of the iron door, coming to terms with every single event that had brought me tothis particular moment.

Seeley was inside, somehow captured by Zoltan. The Aeternae had knowledge ofReapers and Death magic. They had dungeons and at least one Reaper scythe. They hadghouls under their control, using them as mindless flesh- and soul-hungry beasts.

And I’d gotten myself stuck right in the middle of it all, with my neck snapped and thelife snuffed out of me. How the hell would I get myself out of this predicament?

“What about the Lamia’s soul, sir?” the second guard asked.“It’s just a soul. It can’t do anything. The veil between the world of the living and that

of the dead is abnormally thick here,” Zoltan said. “She won’t be able to break through.It’s part of the reason we’ve been able to do our honorable work for so long.”

Honorable. What a weird choice of word for a creature as despicable as Zoltan Shatal.I should’ve known that he was up to no good. I should have seen this coming, somehow.I should have paid attention!

Hopelessness threatened to break me down into little pieces. I understood theunforgiving reality. I couldn’t have seen this coming. I couldn’t have even guessed thatthere were Aeternae here who dabbled in the dark arts of Death magic. Where’d he getthe scythe from? Zoltan wasn’t a Reaper. How’d they captured the ghouls? How long hadthey been doing this? What was their endgame? What were they trying to do?

Look at you, all dead and still investigating.What other choice did I have? A thought hit me like a cold draft. If Seeley had come to

save me, where was the Reaper assigned to carry me into the next world?My death wasn’t natural…It certainly hadn’t felt natural. But I had no answers. I only had a ton of questions, a

Reaper trapped in a cell with four ghouls, and a creepily knowledgeable Aeternae, and

only my soul to move around. I couldn’t even reach out to Sofia and Derek.What would I do? What could I do, from this moment onward?If this was what Zoltan was into, then my friends, my crew… they were in danger, and

they didn’t even know it. I had no time to grieve my own death. I had to do something.Anything. I had to find my way back to the surface and protect my people—includingSeeley. Out of everyone, he needed my help the most now, and I had to come throughfor him.

I

D E R E K

could only see a thin beam of light as it escaped through the pulled curtains. Itwas morning, and I’d slept like a log. My dreams had been an amalgam ofunsettling things, of some of my worst fears coming true.

I’d found myself embroiled in secrets and deadly plagues. I’d lost my team. I’d stoodin front of their tombs, having to explain to their families and friends what had goneawry. What had killed them. I swallowed back the knot that had been filling my throat,finding relief in knowing that it had all been a dream. A terrible, terrible figment of mysubconscious, and nothing more.

Sofia stirred in my arms, the satin covers shuffling like textile whispers over our barebodies. She raised her head slowly, her sleepy eyes searching my face.

“What’s wrong?”I couldn’t help but smile, thankful that I had her to wake up with. “Just a bad dream,

my love,” I said, running my hand through her hair.Her lips found mine, and she melted in my embrace, a blaze quickly kindling between

us. We rolled between the sheets, chuckling and kissing and exploring each other’sbodies.

“I know I say this a lot, but I love you,” she whispered as I rolled back on top, pinningher down. I kissed her deeply, tasting the sweet ambrosia of her lips and inhaling hersummery scent.

“I love you more,” I said, covering her face with fluttering kisses.“But we need to get out of bed,” she said, scrunching her nose. “The kids will be

banging on our doors soon.”I stilled, narrowing my eyes at her. “What makes you say that?”“We’re on a foreign planet with the original vampires and a horde of unanswered

questions. Do you really think we’ll get a moment’s worth of peace in this place?” Sheraised an eyebrow, making me laugh.

Last night’s dream was nothing more than a fuzzy, distant memory. My only hope wasthat it would stay that way. I kissed Sofia again, unwilling to return to reality just yet. Itfelt so nice to be here, lost between layers of satin… just the two of us.

“Five more minutes?” I asked innocently.She pursed her lips, and all I could think of was kissing her again. “Three?”

A solid knock on the door spoiled it all. I groaned, hiding my face between her neckand collarbone. “No…” I grumbled.

“Sorry, my love. I called it.” She giggled, just before the second knock.“Coming! Hold on!” I shouted, already irritated by the prospect of a third knock.

Reality was calling, merciless as always.We jumped out of bed and slipped into our silky robes. Sofia opened the door,

welcoming Esme, Tristan, and Amal into our lounge. Candles still flickered over thefireplace, which was all the light we’d left burning overnight. I would’ve pulled thecurtains open to welcome the sunlight, but only Amal and I would’ve been able to enjoyit. It reminded me of why we were here in the first place, and suddenly the thought didn’tseem that bad anymore. Soon enough, we’d all be able to enjoy sunny mornings.

“Morning!” Sofia greeted them, but the looks on their faces struck me hard.“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Where’s Nethissis?”Esme sighed. “We don’t know. She wasn’t in her room.”“Well, maybe she’s out for a stroll,” Sofia suggested, though her smile was already

fading.“That’s not all,” Tristan said. “We need to talk. There’s something going on here, and

it’s more complex and fractured than we originally thought.”I invited them to sit down and spent the better part of an hour listening to their

accounts of yesterday, learning about the Black Fever’s unexpected return and theDarklings’ attack in the process. By the time Tristan and Esme were done, I genuinelyand wholeheartedly regretted getting out of bed. This was not how I’d planned to startthe day.

Our progress with the day-walking protein was going to be slow, by default, given thework Amal had to put into it. For us to deal with the Black Fever and murderous Darklingsand who knew what else the Aeternae had been keeping to themselves… well, it justdidn’t feel right. On top of that, I had a nagging feeling that these troubles were only thebeginning.

“I mean, where do we draw the line, Derek?” Esme asked. I’d tuned out, and I hadn’tcaught the first part of her statement.

“What do you mean?” I replied, rubbing my face, hoping I was still stuck in that nastydream which I no longer remembered—I only remembered the uneasy feeling that it hadleft me with.

“I know the core objective of this mission is to get the day-walking protein,” Esmesaid, “but what about everything else? We said we’d help them with the Black Fever, too,but… last night, Tristan got caught in the crossfire of a Darkling conflict. Where do westop being explorers, and where do we begin being GASP agents again?”

“Frankly, I’m worried about Nethissis,” Amal murmured, her orange eyes wide and soexpressive, she nearly broke my heart. “It’s not like her to vanish like this. Last night, shewent out in snake form to search this place. She would’ve checked in with us, at least.She would’ve said she found nothing… or whatever.”

“Amal has a point,” Esme said, adding to her previous argument. “If somethinghappened to Nethissis, then the Aeternae are involved, and we need to do something

about it.”This was quickly devolving into something far worse than anything I could’ve

dreamed. We had to be careful with how we proceeded. As nervous as Nethissis’sabsence made me feel, I couldn’t disregard the protocol we’d set up for this place. Pacingthe room, I listened as Sofia and the crew exchanged impressions and assumptions.

It didn’t take long for me to reach a conclusion.“Listen, we can’t go out guns blazing,” I said. “Whatever we do, we must be cautious

and diplomatic. These are Aeternae, and their existence is extremely important to us. Wewon’t jump to conclusions, because they’ve been nothing but kind and welcoming.Reserved, sure… but they haven’t done anything to hurt us.”

Sofia nodded. “Derek is right. We cannot fault all of them for something we have yetto investigate. Have you tried Telluris with Nethissis?”

“Of course,” Amal said. “I can’t even feel her.”“We’ll certainly help them with the Black Fever,” I replied, looking at her. “I suppose

you won’t have a problem with that?”She shook her head. “No. But I could really use Nethi’s help for this,” she said. “We

need to find her, Derek. Something doesn’t feel right.”“We’ll start our search right away,” I concluded, keeping many other concerns at bay.

Nethissis going missing was big and troublesome enough as it was. My heart couldn’t dealwith more for the time being, at least not until we got her back, safe and sound. “We’llreport this to the golden guards, and Danika and Acheron, as well. We’ll let everyoneknow she’s missing.”

Tristan frowned. “We can use a tracking spell,” he said.“True, but we need to see their reactions, before anything else,” I replied. “You and

Esme are right. We need to know who we’re dealing with.”Amal got up. “I’ll go fetch the ingredients from her room,” she said. “I know she left

her backpack behind, because she went out in snake form.”“We’ll meet you back here,” Sofia said, walking her out. As soon as she shut the door

and turned around, she let a deep sigh roll out. “Derek… what are we going to do?”Glancing at Tristan and Esme, I knew I couldn’t let them down. I couldn’t let any of

them down. I stopped by the fireplace, watching the flames die in the candle stumps, oneby one.

“We take this one step at a time,” I said. “First, we find Nethissis. Then, we deal witheverything else.”

R E A D Y F O R T H E N E X T P A R T O F T H E J O U R N E Y ?

Dear Shaddict,Thank you for reading An Origin of Vampires!The next book—ASOV 79: A Game of Death—releases August 15th, 2019.Pre-order your copy now for convenience and have it delivered automatically to your

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R E A D M O R E B Y B E L L A F O R R E S T

HARLEY MERLIN

(Fantasy/romance/adventure series)

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)

Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)

Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)

Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)

Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)

Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)

Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)

Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)

Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)

Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)

HOTBLOODS

(Supernatural romance. Completed series.)

Hotbloods (Book 1)

Coldbloods (Book 2)

Renegades (Book 3)

Venturers (Book 4)

Traitors (Book 5)

Allies (Book 6)

Invaders (Book 7)

Stargazers (Book 8)

THE CHILD THIEF

(Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

The Child Thief (Book 1)

Deep Shadows (Book 2)

Thin Lines (Book 3)

Little Lies (Book 4)

Ghost Towns (Book 5)

Zero Hour (Book 6)

THE GENDER GAME

(Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

The Gender Game (Book 1)

The Gender Secret (Book 2)

The Gender Lie (Book 3)

The Gender War (Book 4)

The Gender Fall (Book 5)

The Gender Plan (Book 6)

The Gender End (Book 7)

THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK

(Action-adventure/romance. Completed series.)

The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)

The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)

The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)

The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)

The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)

The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6)

The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)

A SHADE OF VAMPIRE SERIES

(Supernatural romance)

Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story

A Shade of Vampire (Book 1)

A Shade of Blood (Book 2)

A Castle of Sand (Book 3)

A Shadow of Light (Book 4)

A Blaze of Sun (Book 5)

A Gate of Night (Book 6)

A Break of Day (Book 7)

Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story

A Shade of Novak (Book 8)

A Bond of Blood (Book 9)

A Spell of Time (Book 10)

A Chase of Prey (Book 11)

A Shade of Doubt (Book 12)

A Turn of Tides (Book 13)

A Dawn of Strength (Book 14)

A Fall of Secrets (Book 15)

An End of Night (Book 16)

Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero…

A Wind of Change (Book 17)

A Trail of Echoes (Book 18)

A Soldier of Shadows (Book 19)

A Hero of Realms (Book 20)

A Vial of Life (Book 21)

A Fork of Paths (Book 22)

A Flight of Souls (Book 23)

A Bridge of Stars (Book 24)

Season 4: A Clan of Novaks

A Clan of Novaks (Book 25)

A World of New (Book 26)

A Web of Lies (Book 27)

A Touch of Truth (Book 28)

An Hour of Need (Book 29)

A Game of Risk (Book 30)

A Twist of Fates (Book 31)

A Day of Glory (Book 32)

Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians

A Dawn of Guardians (Book 33)

A Sword of Chance (Book 34)

A Race of Trials (Book 35)

A King of Shadow (Book 36)

An Empire of Stones (Book 37)

A Power of Old (Book 38)

A Rip of Realms (Book 39)

A Throne of Fire (Book 40)

A Tide of War (Book 41)

Season 6: A Gift of Three

A Gift of Three (Book 42)

A House of Mysteries (Book 43)

A Tangle of Hearts (Book 44)

A Meet of Tribes (Book 45)

A Ride of Peril (Book 46)

A Passage of Threats (Book 47)

A Tip of Balance (Book 48)

A Shield of Glass (Book 49)

A Clash of Storms (Book 50)

Season 7: A Call of Vampires

A Call of Vampires (Book 51)

A Valley of Darkness (Book 52)

A Hunt of Fiends (Book 53)

A Den of Tricks (Book 54)

A City of Lies (Book 55)

A League of Exiles (Book 56)

A Charge of Allies (Book 57)

A Snare of Vengeance (Book 58)

A Battle of Souls (Book 59)

Season 8: A Voyage of Founders

A Voyage of Founders (Book 60)

A Land of Perfects (Book 61)

A Citadel of Captives (Book 62)

A Jungle of Rogues (Book 63)

A Camp of Savages (Book 64)

A Plague of Deceit (Book 65)

An Edge of Malice (Book 66)

A Dome of Blood (Book 67)

A Purge of Nature (Book 68)

Season 9: A Birth of Fire

A Birth of Fire (Book 69)

A Breed of Elements (Book 70)

A Sacrifice of Flames (Book 71)

A Conspiracy of Realms (Book 72)

A Search for Death (Book 73)

A Piece of Scythe (Book 74)

A Blade of Thieron (Book 75)

A Phantom of Truth (Book 76)

A Fate of Time (Book 77)

Season 10: An Origin of Vampires

An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)

A Game of Death (Book 79)

A SHADE OF DRAGON TRILOGY

A Shade of Dragon 1

A Shade of Dragon 2

A Shade of Dragon 3

A SHADE OF KIEV TRILOGY

A Shade of Kiev 1

A Shade of Kiev 2

A Shade of Kiev 3

A LOVE THAT ENDURES TRILOGY

(New contemporary romance)

A Love that Endures

A Love that Endures 2

A Love that Endures 3

THE SECRET OF SPELLSHADOW MANOR

(Supernatural/Magic YA. Completed series)

The Secret of Spellshadow Manor (Book 1)

The Breaker (Book 2)

The Chain (Book 3)

The Keep (Book 4)

The Test (Book 5)

The Spell (Book 6)

BEAUTIFUL MONSTER DUOLOGY

(Supernatural romance)

Beautiful Monster 1

Beautiful Monster 2

DETECTIVE ERIN BOND

(Adult thriller/mystery)

Lights, Camera, GONE

Write, Edit, KILL

For an updated list of Bella’s books, please visit her website: www.bellaforrest.net

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