Chapter 39. Old Ghosts. #2
My heart ached as I dropped beside the barrels. My back met the stone wall as I looked at the Moon, wondering if Francis could see it too.
“Ah.” Gabriel took a seat beside me, keeping a reasonable distance: to my amusement. “I’m sorry for what happened. I’m sure you and Francis will soon reunite,” he offered.
“If Kane doesn’t attack by tomorrow,” I whispered. “I am going back to the palace myself. We can’t wait longer than that.”
“No,” Gabriel sighed, and I worried I’d made a mistake sharing my secret plan with him. “You won’t go by yourself,” he added. “I will go with you.”
A soft smile tugged at the corners of my lips, my hand falling atop his. “Thank you, Gabriel.”
“Of course, Lia.” He smiled back before returning his gaze to the Moon.
Heavy steps emerged from the corner of the forge, two broad shadows appearing before where we sat.
“You’ve been out here for a long while,” one of the twins said, his eyes surveying Gabriel for injuries.
“We just wanted to make sure you were—” The other twin continued.
“Alive?” Gabriel suggested, laughing.
“Uh... well, yes.” The twin itched the back of his neck.
I rolled my eyes when both men stared at me.
“Apparently my blood is too filthy for her taste.” Gabriel chuckled, giving my shoulder a slight nudge—as he had often done when we were children.
The gesture brought comfort to my mind, as though we were still sitting underneath the willow tree by the palace, listening to one of Brian’s lectures.
“I think the water is ready.” A man with dark brown hair walked out of the forge. His face crossed with fear when he saw the distance between me and Gabriel.
“It hasn’t even been an hour.” Gabriel got to his feet; I followed after.
My eyes planted on the barrels, not believing the peculiarity I witnessed. The water shone crimson—the most unnatural crimson I’d ever seen. The blinding color made my eyes water the longer I stared, yet I had no strength to avert my gaze.
“Bring the swords,” Gabriel instructed the men; a half smile tugged the corner of his lips upwards.
The men rushed inside, their hands filled with heated swords and daggers when they returned, leather gloves wrapped around each hilt. They all looked at Gabriel for further directions as they stood by the barrels.
“Quench it as you normally would.” He shrugged, disappearing into the forge, leaving me alone with the four strange men as they quenched each blade.
“How do we know the Royal steel works?” A random man called after Gabriel before his gaze fell onto me, sending a shiver down my spine. “I’m merely jesting.” He offered me a toothless smile.
Gabriel reappeared from the corner moments later, two blades in each hand.
“It works.” He pushed past me, shielding me from the man’s view.
“Stop wasting time and get to work.” He dipped his sword into the crimson water until the blade took up the golden tint.
It sparkled under the Moonlight, reminding me of my old sword.
The men followed his lead, submerging their weapons, turning it into Royal steel. The fear from their eyes, as they looked at me, ceased.
“I think I will go,” I whispered to Gabriel, without averting my gaze from the, now armed, men. “Roxanne should return any moment now, I am sure they will need help.”
“I will see you later, then.” Gabriel nodded, noting my distress as he glared at the men. “Be safe,” he offered when I turned the corner, escaping through the forge.
The dark corridors of the castle were empty, as most had spent this time resting. The Barren’s walls stood naked from any paintings, the floors black as the darkest of nights.
The usual nauseous smell of coldness slowly turned to spring’s freshness: though it did nothing to the sickly aroma of irises that still enveloped this castle whole.
I walked past the library, refusing to go back to my old room, as my plan worked its way through my mind.
Whether or not Kane would attack by tomorrow, I had to act. Alone, or with Roxanne’s help—it mattered not. Only Moon knew what had already been done to Francis; I would not wait longer, no matter what Roxanne ordered.
The moment the sun set over the horizon, I would find a way to escape before anyone woke. Perhaps the Wurdulacs would send their forces here before I made my way to the Royal palace. Perhaps I would get lucky and the palace would stand empty at my arrival.
The halls filled with chatter the more steps I took. My brows furrowed as I followed the noise, straight into a citadel of the castle—the place that Wurdulacs would soon be trapped in.
Roxanne and Tamira stood in the center of the citadel, surrounded by hundreds of Faris’s warriors.
“Take any room available,” Tamira instructed the newcomers. “Return here in half an hour for your orders for this battle,” her voice banged through the open space, reaching every ear.
When no one moved at Tamira’s command, Roxanne yelled, “You’ve heard her. Move!” She shook her head as vampires slipped through the doors of the castle, rushing past me.
I stood against the wall, searching for familiar faces in the crowd as the vampires poured into the wide corridors.
When my eyes landed on the two familiar figures walking past me, I rushed after them.
“Florence,” I pulled her from the sea of vampires.
The woman turned, her eyes filling with relief as her hands wrapped around my neck. “Cordelia,” she breathed, her hands squeezing me tightly.
“I missed you.” I returned the gesture. My eyes closed when I brought her closer. The familiar smell of wildflowers and sunshine erupted within my senses, filling my lungs with relief.
We stood in an embrace as the warriors’ steps disappeared into the distance. The now empty halls quieted.
“Are you hurt?” Florence pulled away, eyeing my—wrapped in cloth—arm.
“No, it’s nothing.” I shook my head, surveying her for injuries. When I found none, I continued, “They needed vampire blood for the Royal steel. That’s all.”
“I was so worried,” Florence sighed, her eyes closing when her hands wrapped around me anew.
“Let’s go,” Roxanne’s voice echoed through the hall. “We have much to discuss,” she added quieter, searching every direction for unwanted ears.