A Shade of Vampire 43: A House of Mysteries(27)

The door opened, and Jovi, Phoenix and Field walked in. They all had damp hair, dripping onto their evening shirts. They smiled in our direction and nodded a silent greeting to the Druid and Bijarki. Jovi took a seat next to the incubus, both of them clearly uncomfortable with the arrangement.

“We wanted to know if you’d made any plans,” Field began, directing his question at the Druid. “What will happen once they’re adequately trained as Oracles? Are we waiting for a vision to tell us what to do?”

“We are waiting for a vision, yes. Until then, there’s not a lot we can do,” Draven replied. He glanced over at Serena, as if expecting her to argue with him, but she remained quiet.

“What about the incubi?” Field countered. “Can’t they be of some help, if there’s an entire army ready to bring down Azazel?”

“It wasn’t exactly a big army,” Aida added. “I can’t see them making much of a difference.”

“We can’t rely on the incubi,” Bijarki interjected before Draven could reply. “Most of them, and no doubt some of the remaining force that Aida saw in her vision, are already aligned with Azazel. They can’t be trusted. Too many families have been torn apart by him and the Destroyers. Some family members joined him willingly, while others vowed to fight against him—but then, of course, blood proved to be thicker than water, making many incubi in the army turn traitor to help family members who were already under Azazel’s rule. Kristos and I were betrayed by someone—we were sure of it.”

“And what about your family members?” Serena asked.

“Already lost to me.”

Silence fell over the table, with only the sound of cutlery scraping against the plates. I looked down, busying myself with eating until someone changed the conversation. After a while, I could feel Bijarki watching me. I put down my knife and fork, appetite gone. When I looked up, his gaze was swiftly averted, but I noticed that the Druid was frowning at him. Another warning.

“There must be some,” Field continued awkwardly. “Some incubi who would be ready to fight if need be. What about the chief or leader’s son Aida saw in her vision? He seemed willing to wait for you.” He turned to Draven. “He obviously trusts that you’ll come through for them.”

“He’s Kristos’s brother,” Bijarki replied quietly. “Sverik. He was meant to join us on the mission, but his father found out his plan and forbade it. Sverik was always the favorite son—and their father, Arid, wouldn’t let him join us on such a dangerous mission. And as you heard, he doesn’t trust Draven either. I believe the traitor was in his ranks—perhaps even Arid himself, though I’m not sure what he would stand to gain.”

“But what about Sverik—can’t we somehow get a message to him directly? If they march on Azazel, they’re going to die, right?” Aida looked distraught. It took me by surprise how much the incubus in the vision had moved her with his plight and garnered her empathy. Bijarki looked over at Draven, waiting for him to respond.

The Druid was silent for a few moments, staring into his empty glass.

“Perhaps we can contact him,” he replied eventually. “But we would need to be careful. Is it something you’d be willing to do?” Draven directed his question at the incubus, who nodded.

“I owe it to Kristos.”

“Then we will find a way,” agreed Draven.

“What about the others?” Aida asked earnestly. “Are there any that we can trust?”

Bijarki looked doubtful, and seemed to be contemplating his answer when a strange thing happened. As soon as my gaze settled on him, waiting for what he would say, he looked up at me, his eyes alight, as if I was the only person in the whole world he wanted to see in that moment.

“Bijarki!” Draven snapped at him. The incubus shook his head, turning his attention back to Aida.

“What were you saying?” he asked politely.

Aida, Serena and I looked at one another in confusion. The boys had been sitting on his side of the table, and so hadn’t seen the sudden change come over the incubus. Instead, they were looking at Draven, not understanding where the sudden outburst had come from.

“I was asking if it would be safe to inform any of the other incubi that we’re here, that there might be hope?” Aida repeated herself slowly.

“I don’t think so,” Bijarki replied, focused again, as if the last few moments hadn’t happened at all. “It’s too risky. I don’t know who is loyal to Arid and who is loyal to Sverik. I’ve been away too long, and none of them will trust me, especially when they find out about Kristos’s death.”