Vampire Girl 2: Midnight Star (13 page)

When the girls bring back a plate of raw steak, I let them know I'm going for a walk, I won't need them for a while, but I'd like to talk with them later if they are around. They leave, and I feed Yami, who acts as if he hasn't eaten in his whole life, though I know for a fact he eats all the time these days. Once he seems satiated, he curls around my neck like a necklace and purrs. I grab a black and red cloak and leave the castle.

The temperature has dropped, as if Fen brought the cold with him when he arrived. I miss the Prince of War, so I look for something else to occupy my thoughts.

I walk around the city and admire the different shops. Most sell clothing and jewelry, Asher's expertise. Women walk in outfits of feathers and flowing silk, the kind I'd expect to see at a fashion show. Men wear dozens of rings on each hand, their necklaces heavy with amethysts and rubies. But I'm not interested in clothes and baubles right now.

Black smoke billows from a stone building, and I smile and walk toward the smithy. A large hammer sits on the counter, and I pick it up, enjoying the feel of the weight in my hand. With one touch it brings back a flood of memories, of Daison and forging iron, of laughter and banter and friendship. Of fire.

I drop the hammer.

A large man—the blacksmith—walks over. "You okay, miss?"

He doesn't seem to know who I am. That's good. I'd like some anonymity right now. "I'm fine, thank you," I say, even as my hands tremble. I try to distract myself. Something catches my eye to the left. A large white tent teaming with people. "What's going on there?"

"The healing tent," he says gruffly. "The new Keeper set it up to tend to those wounded in the recent attack. Heard they're looking for volunteers if you've got any skill that way. Nasty fight that was."

"It was at that," I say. I wish him a good day and walk toward the tent. The new Keeper, Seri, is there, her white dress replaced by a simple grey grown. She bends over a bed, tending to one of the guards injured in the attack. His leg is broken, bone sticking out from his flesh. Seri has men hold him down as she sets his leg back into place. He screams and I cringe, but the Keeper is unaffected. Calm, precise. She washes her hands of blood and moves onto the next patient, a Fae lad who broke his wrist in the water. In Asher's presence she was all nerves and more than a little incompetent, but here she is in charge.

I must admit I am surprised. "Can I do anything to help?" I ask.

She scowls at me, the tips of her Fae ears turning red. "This is no place for a princess." She pauses. Then adds, "Your Grace."

I grunt. "I've heard that before, but I'm a quick learner and not afraid of manual labor or getting dirty. I can clean, carry supplies, whatever you need."

She seems surprised at my tenacity, and cocks her head, studying me. "Very well then, we'll see how you do. Grab a bucket and start emptying out the chamber pots."

I nod and do as I'm told. It's smelly work, and not particularly pleasant, but I don't complain and that seems to impress her more than anything else. Yami, however, is not pleased. He sticks his head in one of the buckets and makes gagging sounds as he pulls out. I laugh and keep working, ignoring the awkward stares of everyone around me.

***

Time passes quickly in the Realm of Pride, as it is wont to do when one stays busy. My ribs heal in a few days due to the potions I take. I see Asher at dinner and sometimes lunch. He has work he's always off doing, and I spend most of my day at the healing tent. The Keeper finally begins to trust me and asks for more help. She even shows me different tools and their names, and eventually begins to teach me about the art and science of healing.

She shows me how and why to cut away rotten flesh, how to set a dislocated joint or broken bone, what creams to use to treat wounds and burns and how to make the simple ones. It's fulfilling work, and hopeful. Maybe if I learn healing, I will be able to save those I love. Maybe I could have saved Daison.

I haven't seen Kayla since I left Stonehill, and I wonder if Fen was right about her not being angry. I have my doubts, and they grow bigger the longer I go without a visit from her. I must remind myself we are at war with the Fae, under attack by the Druids. It's selfish of me to think that visiting would be Kayla's highest priority.

Three times a week, I return to the Crystal Palace as promised for my training with Varis. Most of the time we focus less on magic and more on history of the Fae, their customs and cultures. As the Druid works with me, Zyra trains Yami, and now my little dragon can fly for quite some time before he must rest on my shoulder. We are both growing stronger.

But today is different. Today, Varis forgoes our beginning meditation. Today, he hands me a warm cloak. "We must travel."

"Where?" I ask, wrapping it over my shoulder.

"To the Earth Tribe."

His words fill me with excitement. I've been to the Air Tribe, but not any other.

We leave the cavern and step onto the cold, snowy mountain. I turn to head up the steps towards the gryphon, but Varis does not follow. Instead, he whispers to Zyra, and the silver owl flies high into the sky, disappearing into the glare of the sun. When she descends, she is giant, larger than a gryphon, magnificent and fierce, her long talons and feathers gleaming in the light.

She lands before us, and the gust of wind from her wings nearly knocks me off my feet. Yami can't contain himself. He jumps off my shoulders and flies over to her, his wings a flutter of flurry and excitement.

"This is another form of Zyra," Varis explains. "Yami, you too have many forms that you will someday uncover."

Yami lifts his head higher and preens himself, pleased by the idea that he will grow big and mighty too.

"We're to ride her?" I ask. Varis nods, and a thought occurs to me. "Does that mean I will someday be able to ride Yami?"

Varis smiles. "Someday."

"I'm going to ride a dragon?" I jump up and down like a kid.

Varis chuckles. "Get on the owl, Arianna. Time for silliness later."

I try to contain my smile, and he helps me onto Zyra. Riding a giant owl with no harness is about as uncomfortable and hard as one might imagine. I wrap my arms around Varis and hold on tight, as instructed. Yami wraps around my arm and together we take off into the sky.

I yell with joy.

Flying on Zyra is different than flying on a gryphon.

I don't feel like a passenger.

I feel like the wind.

I become the air. I am the flight. The bird and I are one, and I feel bliss flow through me.

Time seems to stand still, and I do not know how long it takes us to reach the Earth Tribe. We land on a natural bridge that stretches over a canyon. A waterfall falls before us. Giant rocks jut out from the ground, covered in green moss. Vines of red flowers crawl up the stone. More bridges run through the canyon below.

We dismount, and Zyra ruffles her feathers, and they burst into a great gust of wind. The spirit is small once again and perches on Varis' arm.

I shake my head, amazed at this ability, trying to imagine Yami being able to do something similar. I can't wait for our magic to grow more powerful.

A group of Fae approach, led by a woman dressed in brown furs, wearing bones as jewelry. Their skin is copper, not as dark as the Water Tribe, but darker than mine. They fall to their knees before Varis and tap their fingers to their chest, a sign of respect to the Spirits— something I learned in my lessons.

"Druid of the Winds, what brings you to our lands?" the woman asks.

"Rita, I have come seeking Lianna and her spirit, Tauren. They have not shown themselves at the Crystal Palace."

Rita, the leader, looks to the woman on her right in concern, then back at Varis. "The spirit has not returned to the Palace, because Tauren never awoke."

***

Rita guides Varis down the path of the canyon, and I follow. The Earth Fae do not give me their attention, and I wonder if they know I am the Midnight Star. Perhaps they do, and that is why they ignore me.

The path grows more and more narrow along the side of the mountain, and I fear falling off, but I do not voice my concern. This doesn't seem the time to be worried about heights. Or death.

We arrive at the base of the waterfall. It is a small stream, more elegant than the waterfalls in Stonehill, and we walk around the torrent and into a small cavern. An old tree grows there, its vines climbing up the brown wet stone.

"You see," Rita says. "Tauren yet slumbers."

Varis walks up to the roots and lays his hands on them. He puts his ear against the wood and closes his eyes, stilling his breathing.

I know what he's doing and I do the same, practicing the techniques he's been teaching me. I quiet my mind and focus on my breathing to see if I can hear what he's listening for.

"Girl," Rita says, pointing at me and breaking my concentration. "You are the one they call the Midnight Star?"

I turn to face her. "Yes."

"You are false," she says, spitting at the ground in front of me. "Your blood did not awaken our spirit. He still waits for Yami."

I straighten my spine and glare at the woman. "Yami is with me." I say. The dragon stands and stretches on my shoulder, in response to his name.

"Then show me," she challenges.

I look at Yami, and he shakes his head and cowers behind my hair, scared of the woman and her cruel speech. My face hardens. "You have been disrespectful to me and to him. We will do nothing for you."

I walk to Varis, leaving her standing in shock, her jaw hanging open.

Varis stands and turns to us. "By the Spirits... "

He frowns. Something is very wrong.

"Does Tauren still slumber?" I ask.

"No," he says, his eyes scared for the first time since I've known him. "He does not slumber. He was never here at all."

Chapter 10

A FRIEND

"No need to throw yourself at me just yet. We'll have our time together soon enough."

—Asher

I return to
Sky Castle and turn my attention to the Healing Tent. We no longer just treat those injured in the attack, but anyone with ailments. My Druid training is suspended for a few days, while Varis searches for Lianna and Tauren, so I keep busy here. Seri begins to use my help more and more often. Sometimes, she asks me to diagnose a patient. I am often wrong. But a few times I am right.

"You are improving, Your Grace," Seri says.

"Please, call me Ari."

"Ari, pass the water basin."

I do, and she cleans her hands, sighing. The moon is out, and it has been a hard day of work. Shadows loom under her eyes.

"You are very skilled in this," I say. "Seems you are more use here than being Keeper."

She laughs. "Thank you. All my life, I've trained to be a healer. You may not know, because I am Fae, but I am young. Around your age. My grandfather was Keeper, and my older sister trained under him. I did as I wished, and I wished to heal people. I lost my parents to disease, you see. So I practiced with the healers. About a month ago, my sister was wounded, an attack in Stonehill. She died, and all my healing could not help her. My grandfather could not handle the grief. A few days later he too passed. I was the only one left in my family, and so the duty of Keeper fell to me."

I touch her hand. "I'm sorry. I too lost someone in the attack."

She looks up, surprised. "We are complicated people, are we not, Princess? The vampires keep me slave. But the Fae killed my blood. Sometimes, I do not know who is right. Sometimes, I do not know where I stand."

We both share the same struggle. Torn between two worlds. "We will find our way," I say. "
Dum spiro spero
."

She blinks. "What does that mean?"

"While I breathe, I hope."

She nods, a new certainty on her face. "Yes. You're right, Princess.
Dum spiro spero
."

***

The next day, while eating breakfast, Asher informs me it is time to visit Earth. I beam with excitement. I miss my friends, and Es would have just had her gender reassignment surgery. She'll want my support.

But there's another reason I'm excited, and it has nothing to do with visiting Oregon. In order to get to my world, we have to travel through Fen's realm, to the mirror on the outskirts. Which means I get to see him again. It's been weeks, and my longing for him has only deepened.

I'm practically bursting with joy as we step onto Asher's boat to sail north on the winding canals. The sun is high. The breeze warm.

Asher frowns at me. "Excited to see someone, are we?"

I blush. "Well… Wait. Are you… Are you jealous? I know this is your month with me, and we haven't had much time together to... bond."

He chuckles. "No. I'm not jealous. That would be Levi's department, not mine. I just hope you make this choice with your head and not your heart. Nothing good comes from making decisions out of emotion, trust me."

I lay down on pillows, watching the land change before me. "Does this have anything to do with Varis? How you used to be friends?"

He looks away. "It's just a fact. Be smart. Be logical."

I sigh, rolling my eyes. But inside, his words tear at me. I must choose the next king of hell. I must choose, not only for myself, but for an entire kingdom. What if the best ruler is not the one I love?

The air grows cold, and we arrive in Fen's realm. His castle looms in the distance, a giant mass of stone carved into a snow-covered mountain. Baron stands on the shore, awaiting our arrival.

When we step on land, he growls at Asher, then wags his tail and licks my hand.

The Prince of Pride scowls. "Nasty beast."

I smack him in the arm. "Don't be cruel. He's the best wolf in the whole world, aren't you boy?"

Baron grins, licking Yami. The dragon flies on his back and rides the wolf all the way into the city.

"I've got some business in town, so I'll trust you can find your way," Asher says.