But he can do magic.
I hold out my hand to show my gratitude. The natural hierarchy between us should make him jump to take my grip.
He only turns away and rejoins the ranks.
“Satisfied?” Dagan asks from behind me.
I turn up to the monster. He’s not as strong as I thought he would be, either. His strength is only a few small segments above mine. If a season passed in which I fed and he didn’t, I’d match his strength.
“Yes,” I say. “My thanks.”
He grunts and nods. “Now we go. I’ll let you roam free for now. But if you try anything…“
He draws his thumb along his throat in a slicing gesture.
I hold both hands up. “Say no more.”
The surrounding vampires chuckle. A chill runs down my spine.
“I owe my life to you all,” I say. “I will not do anything that shows ingratitude.”
Dagan looks me over. “We’ll see about that. Scouts!” he calls. “Ahead! The Crypts await!”
We all take off at a dead run into the woods.
Chapter Twenty-Six
JAMES
The sun starts to rise hours later. When the first tendrils of light creep into the sky, Dagan veers off and leads us into a series of underground caves.
He knows this land better than I do. I’ve never had much of an interest in exploring the area past The Haven’s boundaries.
Now, I wish I’d taken more initiative in the past.
A hundred questions buzz through my mind. Why are we traveling on foot? What is our destination?
Logic tells me there must be a plane, or maybe a set of vehicles, waiting for us in a secret clearing ahead. How else would we return to The Crypts?
The other curiosity is the strength—or lack thereof—of these vampires. None, save for Dagan, are more powerful than I. Yet if they came on Father’s orders, shouldn’t they all be as strong, at least, as the vampires I’d encountered in The Crypts?
Something about this rescue rubs me the wrong way. I feel more vulnerable in this company than I did in my cell waiting to become one of The Convicted.
Though maybe that’s because I understood the motivations behind Mother’s decision. Right now, I have no true idea if I’m being led to safety or slaughter.
“We rest here,” Dagan announces suddenly, gesturing to a small piece of flat rock. “We wait for the sun to set before moving on. That means ten hours of each other’s miserable company. I expect order—” he looks at me in a meaningful way, “—and silence. Riyu, seal us in.”
The vampire who’d freed me from the collar breaks off from the group and walks back to the exit. He mutters more words of that language I do not know. A flash of blue bursts from him. For a split second I see a phantom seal wrap across the gaping entrance to the cave.
“None will see us now.”
He turns around and quietly joins the others.
They all sit, start to unpack and stretch out. Dagan takes his spot on the largest rock. Then he starts to file his nails.
I look around. Nobody makes eye contact. I might as well be invisible for all the attention I get.
After an hour, I approach Dagan. He’s lying back with his eyes closed. I stand by him for a few moments, waiting for him to acknowledge me.
When he doesn’t, I resort to clearing my throat.
He cracks an eye open. “What do you want?” he growls. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”
“About quiet?” I ask. “Yes. But now that we’ve stopped, there are things I have to know—”
“The only thing you have to know, Prince,” Dagan sneers, “is that we are your rescue party. We’ve come to bring you back. Past that?” His eyes take on a dark gleam. “You’ll find that out after we reach The Crypts.”
“Except we’re going over land,” I say. I cast a glance the way we came. “I don’t know if you’re aware, but my Mother values me highly. If you think we can afford to stay still—”
“Look, little Prince.” Dagan stabs me in the chest. I grunt and narrow my eyes. “I don’t appreciate being told how to do my job. The way I see it, you got yourself caught. We got you out. If you cannot even take care of your own safety, why would I take your advice on this matter, or any other?”
Pompous ass, I think. I put on my most endearing smile. “I’m not doubting your abilities. I’m simply offering a perspective you might find valuable—”
He cuts me off with a stern look. “I asked for silence. Do you see any of the other vampires testing me on that? No? Do you know why?” He brings his face close to mine. “Because they all know what happens to dissenters in my company. So don’t test me.”