Chapter 15
Esiree
Lailanor’s expression was riddled with concerned displeasure.
The severity of which I ignored when I dismissed her from the private dining hall and encouraged Lord Tempus to take a seat directly next to me.
Not at the other end of the long table, no, I wasn’t going to push my luck that far.
Rumor would spread quickly of another man seated in Vastion’s chair.
We continued our conversation while he drank his morning ration and I nibbled at a handful of truly delectable, sugared pastries.
I enjoyed his company immensely. He was the only vampire I’d encountered in the Heart that had actually showed an interest in me.
He asked about my homeland and my family.
Even pried into stories of my youth, declaring I was a mischievous little fiend.
Talking about Father and Ari made me feel normal for the first time since arriving.
Although I danced around any subject that might tip him off to my family’s particular interests, I shared more than I had with Vastion.
Simply because Tempus had actually asked.
He made me laugh; he was sarcastic and witty.
He wasn’t afraid to make a jape or two at the other nobles’ expense, even going so far as to poke at Mina and Orin.
Lailanor kept trying to check in on us, and each time I’d tell her we didn’t require her assistance, sending her on her way.
When we’d found ourselves at the end of a long line of conversation, the morning running into the brunch hour, he asked me, “Would you like to see some parts of the Heart that I’m betting Commander Orin did not show you? ”
Tempus held out his hand in gesture and I placed mine in his palm, moving to stand and step away from the table.
The hope of an adventurous day ahead welled in my chest. One where I might be able to pry some important answers from my new friend.
He released my hand and politely looped his arm through mine.
“Come, come.” He ushered me forward. “You look like you could use some fresh air.”
Gods, wouldn’t that be lovely, I thought.
Something that would grant me more than the sliver of my private balcony.
The Heart, as uniquely stunning and confounding as it was, still bore the distinct traits of a cave.
The air was musty and stale. The sea water clung to the rocky inlet, creating swirls of salt and seaweed in my nose.
I often wondered how much time would pass till I could ignore the scent.
Tempus released my arm when we departed the royal wing, too wise to be caught touching the queen. Touching what belonged to Vastion…
Every step through the winding city of the Heart reminded me what a labyrinth it was, though the sight of twinkling firelight was a welcome one.
In the distance, musicians played, their joyful songs echoing along the cavernous ceiling above.
Small, thin boats moved along narrow waterways that weaved their way deeper into the cave.
It seemed to me transporting people and supplies could be achieved through easier methods, given their significant physical abilities, but they did not seem to flaunt them.
Tempus led us farther and farther away from the bustling noises of the city and its citizens, our surroundings quieting with each step forward till we faced a steep, rocky staircase.
“Ugh,” I groaned. “More stairs?”
He smiled at me. “Well, I could carry you, but I would like to keep my hands intact.”
Always so playful, and yet his remarks indicated he knew that he was dancing a fine line—one that, if not managed carefully, could end very poorly for him. I supposed it could end very poorly for me, too…
I stared silently, gazing up at the distance and once again regretting my shoes and attire.
“I promise it’s worth it.” He nudged me enthusiastically.
“It better be,” I grumbled, beginning to take my first steps forward. “Or this tour will not continue,” I threatened.
The muscles in my legs burned with each stride, and my lungs were tight, grasping at air.
The sound of my heavy breathing was obnoxious to listen to, and so I commanded Tempus to fill the silence of our climb with stories of how the Heart’s construction came to be.
If I had to hear the evidence of my own struggle any longer, I was going to give up.
My aching feet were moments away from convincing me to let him carry me, especially since it seemed we were the only ones making the absurd climb, leaving no one to witness his trespass.
When we finally reached the landing, there was naught but a poorly lit stone wall. Nowhere else to go. A dead end.
“You…” I huffed, trying to get out the rest. “You made me climb all this way to look at a wall?” Anger wrestled with my exhaustion.
My hair was matted with my own sweat; drops of it pooled between my breasts, making my gown feel damp.
Tempus, on the other hand, didn’t appear the least bit exasperated.
Trying to catch my breath, I had a brief moment of fear, realizing I’d essentially let a Vampyr stranger sequester me alone with no defenses and no one nearby to aid me, even if I screamed.
Which I couldn’t do successfully even if I wanted to, since I was so Gods-damned tired. Maybe this was his plan all along...
I took a few small, fearful steps backward as he crossed to the wall.
He gripped a short, wooden ladder, dragging it into place before climbing the handful of rungs to press his palms against the ceiling.
Darkness made it impossible to tell what exactly he was attempting until, suddenly, the faint glow of daylight beamed in above him.
He lifted a piece of the ceiling, folding it over and out, revealing a square-shaped exit.
“Oh, lucky me. Another gloomy day. Now I’ll be able to escort you properly.”
I glanced up in wonder at the sky—the vast, open sky—staring back at me.
Lord Tempus climbed up, disappearing momentarily before instructing me to be careful, then he reached down and extended his hand to pull me up.
I emerged from the Heart of Eventide into the sunless landscape, my senses paralyzed by the wonderment of a cool, mist-filled breeze sweeping the tall grasses toward the mossy earth.
Below there had been only dampened light and the musk of wet stone, but now, birthed from that sunken sanctum, I inhaled deeply and welcomed the scents of wildflowers and sedge.
My eyes squinted, struggling to adjust. One step forward into the thick grass, and a gust of wind swept past me, blowing my dress and hair into a tangle.
My heart rejoiced as the welcome smell of flora and fauna assaulted my senses.
I felt like I was stepping into freedom after days of being shackled to darkness.
I took a few lightheaded steps, trying to get my bearings on where we were.
Behind us were acres of lush green, ahead of me the edge of a cliffside looking out over the sea.
We were above the Heart. Outside of the Heart.
Gods, he had broken me free of that cave.
Finally. I could feel my eyes prickle at the overwhelming emotion.
Tempus gave me space but hadn’t lifted his gaze from me, not once.
“Ahh, there it is.” He admired my expression. “The color is already returning to your cheeks.”
Each gust of wind hugged my frame, and I wasn’t certain I was ever going to be convinced to climb back down that hole.
“What is that?” I pointed at the hidden door in the ground we’d emerged from.
“Why have you brought me here? Are we even allowed to be here?” Suddenly, the realization that I’d left the Heart without permission was weighing heavily on me, and the possibility of consequences were beginning to ignite more fear than being alone with a vampire.
“I can smell your concern; you needn’t worry.”
Despite his attempts to calm me, his words did little to actually quell my anxiety.
“These doors are mostly used to move trade goods in and out of the Heart. There are a handful of them hidden along the cliffsides.”
My eyes spanned the distance to my left while I pondered just how many of these were hidden beneath the thick grasses.
“Oh,” I said, lost in thought. “I figured maybe it was an escape route.”
Tempus cocked his head, giving me the first uneasy look all morning.
“Don’t worry,” I assured him. “I won’t use them for that.”
“Is there a reason we’d need to escape the Heart?” he questioned more seriously, his change in tone jarring. Had he found my assumption threatening, and was asking on behalf of all Vampyr?
The silence between us felt awkward and heavy, so different than our light and easy conversation that had otherwise consumed the morning.
Everything about the encounter felt like a warning, but in my nervous unpreparedness I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“No, I was just wondering if Queen Kesna came up here.”
I waited with bated breath to see how Lord Tempus would react to her name, especially since Lailanor so gravely warned me from uttering it. And the fact that I didn’t know if she had actually disappeared…
This earned me an arched eyebrow. “What interest have you in our former queen?”
“I know very little…” I trailed off. “The humans weren’t told much,” I added, trying unsuccessfully to conceal my frustration. Maybe if I didn’t seem so eager he’d actually give me answers.
“Is there something specific you’d like to know, or are you simply taking a general interest in Vastion’s former wives?” His teasing tone returned, and my shoulders finally relaxed.
“The histories show she was not queen very long,” I said, recalling what I’d been told since I hadn’t even been alive during her reign.
“Yes, it was a most unfortunate loss. She was greatly beloved by all and gone too soon.”
“She didn’t go missing?” I prodded carefully.
“No, she fell ill abruptly and passed quickly. There was nothing we could do.”
“That’s convenient,” I mumbled quietly.