Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
THE HEART OF THE FOREST
I wake in Michael’s arms. His face is relaxed in sleep, light soft on his full mouth, catching the gold in his hair. I drop a kiss on his shoulder.
‘Hey.’ His eyes open, and he smiles. And it’s just this perfect moment as we gaze at each other.
For a moment I let myself imagine how it could be if there was no crown, no world to change.
No Joaquin. If we could stay here together and live our lives, among green leaves and the scent of fresh-baked bread.
He sits up, throwing back the covers. I clutch the quilt, enjoying the view as he rummages in his trouser pockets. He returns to bed a moment later.
‘I have something for you. I meant to give it to you on your birthday, at the ball. But you know how that turned out. I’ve been carrying it with me ever since, waiting for the right moment.
And, well, this feels like it.’ He holds out his hand.
A small velvet pouch sits on the palm. I take it, opening it to reveal a delicate silver ring.
His stormy gaze softens, the way it only does for me. ‘It was my mother’s.’
I tip it into my palm. Tiny silver flowers studded with diamonds twine around an opal, which glimmers with green and pink fire. ‘Are you sure … I mean, I can’t take this.’
Michael takes my hand in both of his. ‘There’s no one else I want to give it to,’ he says, his voice soft, his eyes iridescent in the gold light of morning. ‘Consider it a promise. That I’ll always be there for you. Wear it on whichever finger feels right.’
There’s a lump in my throat as I slide the ring onto my ring finger, on my right hand. It fits perfectly. I look at it, then at Michael.
‘I love it,’ I say. ‘So much.’
‘I love you,’ he says, gathering me to him, taking my hand with the ring and kissing it, then kissing me as we slide down among the feather pillows, the soft sheets, tangling together once more.
A while later, freshly showered, we venture outside.
Morning light slants between branches misted with spring leaves, huge trees like guardians around the edge of the clearing, shading the rows of ivy-shrouded houses.
Children play on green grass, laughing as they kick a ball around.
It’s so beautiful, so carefree, it brings tears to my eyes.
Michael slings his arm around my shoulders as we walk across the clearing, towards a gap in the houses. When I see what lies beyond them, I gasp.
‘They built a town?’
‘The town was already here. Abandoned, the forest growing up around it after the Rising. There are thousands like this, across the globe. It’s how the cells were able to expand.’
We’re at the beginning of a street, more houses visible down side streets leading into the deep woods.
Humans stroll past shops filled with goods, a greengrocer with gleaming displays of fruit and vegetables, a bakery with shelves of pastries and golden loaves.
I pause at one window filled with jewellery and tiny enamelled boxes, just like ones I saw in Old London.
Another shop sells perfume in gilded glass bottles, while another has clothing and shoes.
It’s a world away from the Safe Zone, from the market with its worn and patched stalls, shops filled with second-hand goods.
These are like vampire shops but staffed by humans.
The scent of freshly brewed coffee drifts from a bustling café, tables and chairs filled by people talking and eating.
There’s no illusion here, I realise, as we head further down the street.
It’s what I thought the Safe Zone would be like. But this is the reality I was seeking.
Except…
‘What about the blood?’ I keep my voice low. ‘Surely humans have to give blood, for the Reapers. Or, darkness forbid, they’re not hunting, are they?’
Michael points to a low brick building, a sign with a red flower on it next to the door. ‘There’s a bleeding house in every cell. But it’s voluntary. Most people are happy to donate blood regularly, seeing it as the price to pay to live like this.’
‘A bleeding house? But … if they can’t leave, and they still have to bleed, how is it different from a Safe Zone? Apart from everything being a bit nicer. Aren’t people just as trapped here?’
‘No. Not at all. You can’t leave the network, but it doesn’t mean you’re tied to one place. You can go anywhere in the world, as long as it’s within a Reaper network. Everything is digitally connected, plus there are trade networks bringing in goods, which is why everything is so nice.’
‘This is global? What the hell, Michael? Why couldn’t you tell me?’
‘Look around,’ he says, his voice soft. ‘And think about why.’
I look around. At the children playing, the happy people in the café.
The gleaming shops and comfortable homes.
I think about the small ships I saw, crossing the Channel.
And I understand, even though it stings, why he might not have felt he could tell me.
We barely knew each other in the Safe Zone, and we’d both been betrayed.
I kept my secrets from him, he kept his secrets from me.
‘How do people get here?’
‘You saw the van, in the Safe Zone. The numbers are tightly controlled. Though the network is still expanding, it’s limited by the expanse of forest. Wherever a red flower appears, there’s a connection point. And when spaces open up, people are brought in. They call it “passing through”.’
‘That’s what the red flowers mean?’ I laugh, shaking my head.
This is beyond anything I could have ever imagined.
It explains so much. The humans going missing from the estate.
The woman on the bus, crying about someone she knew passing through.
And Ira… Oh my God. The Dome must be a connection point.
A couple of young women come out of the bleeding house, arm in arm, both laughing. One has a sugary cake in her hand, while the other carries a small paper bag.
‘Did they just…?’
‘Yes.’
It’s so different from the industrialised misery of the harvesting plants in the Safe Zone. No shuffling line of people. No blood ports. And I doubt anyone was offered cakes.
‘I understand,’ I say. ‘I’m still pissed, but I get why it’s so important to keep this a secret. What I don’t understand, though, is how no one has ever found this place, or any of the others.’
‘We’re deep in the woods. Like, miles deep. Vampires don’t fly, so they’d have no way of seeing this place. Even if a cell was discovered, there’s a protocol in place to shut things down immediately and disconnect them from the network, keeping it safe.’
‘There is?’
‘And there’s a reason Reapers have such a fearsome reputation.’
Of course. It makes sense. Vampires stay out of the Great Forest, not wishing to tangle with Reapers. But… ‘I thought all Reapers were vampires. How were you one?’
‘Humans can be Reapers as well. It’s not easy for vampires to go out during the day, even with protection against the light. So they train humans as well.’
‘That’s how you know the Morningstar.’ And how he knew to disable Jessie, when she attacked me.
He says nothing, just kisses my hair, his arm tightening around me as we continue on.
‘So, Reapers lay down their lives to protect the network, and in return humans just have to donate blood?’
‘That’s pretty much it. No boundaries on human/vampire relationships. Just coexistence. Balance.’
‘And that’s how we like to keep it.’ A black clad figure bumps Michael with her shoulder. I can’t see her face, but her voice is instantly recognisable. Cass.
I tense. There’s something off-putting about the Reaper. The mask and goggles don’t help, especially when she turns to me.
‘He showing you around?’
I nod.
‘Good.’ Cass turns her attention to Michael. ‘I missed you, dickhead.’ She punches his shoulder. ‘So, you better not pull another fucking stunt like that again, or I’ll kill you myself.’
Shit. This doesn’t bode well for us getting out of here.
‘Hey, I’m just messing with him.’ The goggled head swings my way once more. ‘I do that to all my lovers.’
‘Ew.’ Michael shoves at her. ‘Stop it, Cass. She already knows we’re related.’
She laughs, her head going back. ‘Fine. Sorry. And I’m sorry about being a dick when you got here, too.’ Genuine affection laces her tone. ‘So, is this your girlfriend?’
‘No,’ Michael says. ‘She’s much more than that.’ He smiles, hugging me closer.
Despite the goggles, I get the feeling Cass has just rolled her eyes. ‘All right, get a room. Have you told her much about the place?’
‘A little,’ I say. ‘It’s … amazing. How things should be.’
‘Yeah. It is.’ Cass pauses. ‘You seen the lady’s shrine yet?’ Her voice softens.
‘The shrine?’
‘Right. Come on.’ She pulls Michael by the arm, dragging us down a narrow pathway, branches either side arching over us so we’re enclosed in green.
The path leads to another small clearing, but there are no buildings here. Just the green woods, echoing with the sounds of spring.
‘This place is sacred to Lady Morvenna, our founder. And the flower that symbolises everything we stand for.’ Cass bows her head.
I shake my head, unbelieving. It was right under my nose, the entire time.
A small statue stands at the centre of the clearing, which is almost perfectly circular and carpeted with flowering plants. Small red flowers.