Chapter 32 Ivy
thirty-two
Ivy
Ivy’s heart pounded in her chest she and Finare approached Drachen’s house. The windows on the upper floor were illuminated, but after sending Ozias in to conduct a covert search, he confirmed the house was empty.
Ozias led them to an unlocked window at the rear of the house. It was frozen in place from years of disuse, but Finare wrenched it open with his strength.
Ozias flew through the opening first, followed by Ivy, with Finare climbing through the window last. The room they stood in appeared to be unused.
Cobwebs filled the corners and dust littered the surfaces, and the only things of interest in the room were a series of crudely constructed wooden targets.
Ivy wondered whether this was a place where Killian trained.
“Do you want to check upstairs, and I’ll look down here?” Ivy asked Finare. He nodded in reply and Ivy looked towards Ozias.
Keep watch out front. If Drachen returns, come to me straight away. The Erath flew back out the open window.
“Good luck,” Finare whispered as he moved towards the door. His hand brushed Ivy’s as he passed.
Ivy followed Finare out of the room and started inspecting the rooms on the lower level.
She was perturbed by the house’s unwelcoming atmosphere—it was as dark and twisted as Drachen himself.
The structure was made of stone and was furnished in rich, dark shades that felt pretentious rather than inviting.
Although food wasn’t a necessity in a Vampire household, Ivy discovered a well-appointed kitchen.
It led to a dining room, where a large wooden table dominated the space, with ten high-backed chairs.
Elaborate candelabras were positioned at either end of the table and a decorative chandelier hung over the middle.
Ivy wondered how often Drachen entertained guests.
Ivy moved on and passed a room whose door was shut and locked. While she could have tried to force the door, or called Ozias back to check the room, she felt the answers she needed weren’t beyond this door. She continued down the hallway towards the front of the house.
The hallway led to the front door, but there was another closed door to the left. As Ivy walked towards it, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She placed her hand on the handle and was relieved to feel no resistance as she turned it.
The door swung open, and the pervasive smell of rot filled her nostrils. Alarm flooded her mind, and she called to Finare before proceeding. She heard his hurried footsteps and felt his warmth at her side a moment later.
A set of stairs beckoned them downward, and their footsteps echoed through the darkened chamber as they descended. At the bottom of the stairs, a wide space opened out before them, and when Ivy’s eyes adjusted to the low light, she realised they were in a basement.
It was a desolate and disconcerting place.
The floor was littered with dirt and debris.
The room was ringed by a series of support pillars, but the centre of the room was unobstructed, which drew Ivy’s focus to a sight that made her heart stall in her chest: a stone bier with a wooden coffin positioned atop it.
Ivy walked slowly towards the coffin, and her skin began to tingle as she neared it. She moved towards the top end of the coffin, while Finare closed in on the opposite end. She watched as Finare ran his finger across the top of the coffin and tapped it gently.
“This is Zarserian Ebony.” The concern in Finare’s tone heightened Ivy’s alarm.
“What does that mean?” Ivy’s gaze shifted to Finare’s face and noted the strange expression that it bore.
“It’s a type of wood that’s only found in a part of Cevoria called Zarsere. It’s said to be as hard as stone and unbreakable.”
“Does Drachen sleep in this thing or something?” Ivy furrowed her brow as she looked between Finare and the coffin. Finare circled it, inspecting it more closely. He stopped when he found a lock on the side and ran his finger over it.
“I don’t think so.” Ivy’s heart jolted when he added, “I think we’ve figured out where the Hunter has been all this time.”