Focus.
I snapped my head up scanning the room carefully. I couldn't afford to just sit here spiraling. This wasn't the time or place to be panicking. Scott and Zoë were out there in a city full of wizards, with no idea what they were walking into.
I downed the rest of my water in one gulp, set the glass down, and slid off the stool. "Thanks again for the water," I said to Riley, who grunted in response. K was already deep in conversation with someone else, his back to me.
I pushed through the tavern doors and stepped out into the heat. The sun was still high, blazing down on the red dirt streets. I pulled my collar up and started walking,
keeping my head down, trying to look like I belonged.
The market wasn't hard to find. On the way, I passed workshops with open doors, the sound of hammers ringing out from inside. Houses built from that same pale and smooth material rose on either side of the street, their windows dark and shuttered against the heat. A few children ran past me, laughing, with their bare feet kicking up clouds of dust. I walked faster.
It only took about ten minutes before I rounded a corner and the market opened up in front of me.
It was chaos. Beautiful, noisy, and overwhelming chaos. Colourful stalls lined the streets in every direction. Bright fabrics and strange trinkets spilled out onto the ground. The smell of roasting meat mixed with the scent of spices I didn't recognize.
People moved through the crowd in waves, shouting and laughing and haggling.
Butchers stood behind tables piled high with cuts of meat much larger than they were.
Weapon stalls gleamed with rows of polished blades and strange devices I didn't
want to get close to. Paper shops displayed stacks of thin, hand-bound books and rolled scrolls.
And everywhere, everywhere, there were people.
I spotted them without much difficulty. Scott and Zoë stood out like sore thumbs with their clothes and stiff postures. They were talking to a baker who stood behind a stall stacked with round loaves of dark bread. Scott was gesturing with his hands, while Zoë was nodding, but I could see her eyes scanning the crowd.
I pushed through the crowd, dodging bodies and ducking under outstretched arms. Every time I passed a wizard, I held my breath and prayed they wouldn't look too closely at me.
"Scott," I hissed, grabbing his arm.
He spun around, startled.
"Darmian?" Scott's eyes widened. "What are you doing here? It hasn't been two hours
yet."
"We need to move," I said, my voice low and urgent. "Now."
Zoë's expression shifted. "What happened?"
"I'll explain later. We need to find somewhere to hide."
Scott opened his mouth to argue, but I was already pulling them away from the baker's stall. I spotted a shop nearby, with a wooden sign swinging in the breeze. It was a clothing shop. Exactly what we needed.
"Follow me," I said, dragging them toward it.
We slipped inside, careful to avoid the wizards stationed around the market. The shop was small, with narrow shelves packed with bolts of fabric and piles of folded garments. Three other customers were inside, elderly women who barely glanced at us as we entered.
The shopkeeper appeared in a flash, a round man with bright eyes and an even brighter smile. "Welcome, welcome!" he exclaimed, his voice practically bouncing off
the walls. "What fabrics are you looking for? We have silks, wools, cottons, anything you could possibly need! Are you looking for something specific? Something tailored? Or is it something—"
I held up a hand, cutting him off. "Do you have any clothes ready-made?"
His face lit up even more. "Of course! We have everything! The next room is full of them. You can try as many as you like, take your time, no rush! The selection is
wonderful too. I guarantee you'll find something you love."
"Thanks," I said, already steering Scott and Zoë toward the back.
The next room was smaller than the main shop, with bare wooden walls and a single window that looked out onto a narrow alley. Piles of clothes were everywhere. Some were heaped in corners, stacked on shelves and scattered across the floor in careless
mounds. Tunics, trousers, coats and cloaks, all in different colours. It was like staring at a rainbow. I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding.
"Okay," I said, turning to face them. "We need to talk. And we need to change."
"Good idea," Scott said, sniffing his shirt. "We smell like dust bunnies in this heat."
"But before that," I said, slowly, "you guys should know, I know where we are. I think I do."
Scott and Zoë exchanged a glance. Then Scott let out a short sigh. "Yeah, we kind of figured that out already, man."
I blinked. "Wait. You did?"
Scott crossed his arms, leaning against a stack of folded silk. "I mean, ever since we woke up in that desert, it was pretty clear we
weren't in Maine anymore. Hell, I didn't think we were even on Earth anymore. Weird
devices, outdated clothes, and everyone we've talked to acts like cars and phones are some kind of fever dream."
Zoë nodded. "We've been asking around. Carefully. Not too obvious, just… feeling things out. The way people talk about this world, it doesn't match anything we learned in history class. Add in the wizards everywhere, the strange technology, and the fact that no one has ever heard of the United States…" She met my eyes. "Unless the three of us are somehow having the same hallucination, this seems like the pocket dimension. The one Dracula sealed them in."
I stared at them for a moment. "Okay. So you already figured that out."
"Barely," Scott said. "So what news do you have? Can't be as bad as this, right?"
I shook my head. "I have worse news."
"Worse than being trapped in a pocket dimension full of wizards who want to kill us?"
"The wizards know we're here."
The words seemed to hang in the air.
"How?" Zoë asked, her jaw tightening ."How could they know? We just got here."
I held out my hand. "The orb. Let me see it."
Zoë hesitated, then reached into her pocket and pulled out the orb, placing it in my palm. I turned it over, examining it, but nothing had changed.
"I think the orb gave away our location when we traveled through it," I said. "Like a signal, or a beacon."
Scott ran a hand through his hair. "So they know we're here, but they haven't found us yet?"
"Not yet." I pocketed the orb. "They know we're in this region, but not the exact location. They're already on the move though. I ran into the head of this town and her deputy. The deputy is a wizard, and he's already been told to look for three vampires
matching our description." I paused. "And they're looking for a magical artifact too."
Zoë's eyes narrowed. "The orb."
"Yeah."
Scott swore under his breath. "But there are wizards everywhere out there.
Shouldn't they be able to detect the orb? Sense the magic or whatever?"
I shoved it into my pocket. "I don't know. Maybe there's no magic left in it. Maybe it broke when we traveled through the portal. Or maybe…" I trailed off, not wanting to finish
the thought.
"Maybe what?" Scott pressed.
"Maybe they're baiting us. Letting us think we're safe before they close in."
Zoë exhaled slowly. "That's not comforting."
"It's not supposed to be." I looked at them both. "We won't be able to leave this town for at least this night. The deputy is doing a background check on me, so we can't leave the city until he clears me."
Scott stared at me. "You let a wizard put you on lockdown?"
"I didn't have a choice! He was getting suspicious and I had to give him something or he would have started asking more questions."
Zoë pinched the bridge of her nose. "How did you even get yourself into this situation?"
"It's a long story," I said, my voice tired. "And I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to blend in. We have to ditch these clothes, they stick out too much." I gestured to the piles of clothes around us. "Start looking."
Zoë left the room while Scott and I grabbed a few items and retreated to opposite corners of the room.
I held up a tunic made of a heavy, woven fabric in a deep charcoal grey, with simple stitching along the collar and cuffs. The trousers were a lighter shade, rough but sturdy, and a belt of worn leather was wrapped around the waist. I pulled off my shirt and pulled the tunic over my head. It settled against my shoulders, roomy but not
loose. The trousers fit well too, hugging my hips and legs without restricting
movement. I tucked the tunic in, fastened the belt, and looked down at my reflection in the window.
I looked ridiculous, but I felt like I belonged. For the first time since I'd woken up here, I looked like I could walk through the market without drawing any stares or weird looks.
Scott on the other hand was struggling with his pants. They were too long, the cuffs pooling around his ankles, and the waist hung loose despite his best efforts to cinch it. He scowled, yanking the belt tighter. "Why do you get the only pair that actually fits?"
I shrugged, a small smirk tugging at my lips. "Some of us are just blessed."
"Blessed? You grabbed the first shirt you saw and it fit like a glove. I've been through twelve pairs of trousers and they're all either too long, too short, or made for someone with thighs
like tree trunks."
"Maybe you shouldn't skip leg day."
Scott threw a bundle of fabric at me. I caught it, laughing. "Shut up and help me find something that doesn't make me look like I'm wearing my dad's clothes."
We spent the next few minutes rummaging through the piles, Scott tossing aside pair after pair with increasing frustration. Eventually, I found a pair of dark brown trousers that seemed close to his size. Scott pulled them on, glaring at the cuffs as they fell just above his ankles.
"I'll take it," he muttered.
We called Zoë to come back in for her turn, while Scott and I returned to the main shop to settle the bill. The shopkeeper beamed at us, rubbing his hands together.
"Ah! You've found some wonderful pieces. Those tunics are from a special collection actually. Hand-woven imported fabrics, the finest craftsmanship in the Sanguine Expanse. They are, of course, slightly more expensive than our standard offerings."
I sighed. "How much?"
"Fifteen gold kryn," the shopkeeper said cheerfully.
I blinked. "Fifteen what?"
Scott leaned in, his voice low. "Kryn. That's the currency here. Gold kryn."
"Oh." I did the math in my head, trying to figure out if fifteen was reasonable or insane. I had no frame of reference since I had no idea what things cost in this world. For all
I knew, I could be getting robbed blind.
I leaned toward Scott. "I think we're getting ripped off."
Scott nodded slowly. "Yeah. I got this."
He straightened, crossing his arms and fixing the shopkeeper with a look that could have frozen fire. "Five."
The shopkeeper's smile faltered. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Five. That's our offer."
"Five?" The shopkeeper laughed, a nervous, high-pitched sound. "My friend, the fabrics alone cost me more than that. The craftsmanship, the stitching, the special dyes, I'm doing you a favour selling it for only fifteen."
I whispered to Scott. "There's no way he's giving us a whole speech over some second-hand clothes."
"Five," Scott repeated, his voice flat.
The shopkeeper's smile vanished completely. He launched into a passionate explanation about market prices, taxes, and the crushing weight of the new quotas from the capital. He gestured wildly at the clothes, at the shop, at the ceiling, as if the building
itself could vouch for his honesty.
I actually started to feel bad for him. "C'mon Scott, let's just give him the money and be done with this," I said.
But Scott wasn't giving in that easily. "Nine," he said finally. "That's our final offer."
The shopkeeper rubbed his chin, then eyes, watching us closely. He was clearly weighing his options, calculating whether he could squeeze more out of us or if he should just take the deal and be done with it.
Finally, he sighed. "Nine it is. But only because you're new customers."
Scott grinned, extending his hand. The shopkeeper shook it, his expression a mixture of resignation and grudging respect.
Just as they finished, Zoë stepped out from the back room. Her new clothes fit her perfectly, the dark green tunic complementing her skin and the trousers falling just right. She looked like she had walked out of a portrait of this world, like she had always belonged here.
The shopkeeper looked at her, then back at Scott, his face beaming once again.
Scott groaned. "Time for round two."
***************
The sun was beginning to set by the time we reached the lodge. The sky had shifted from that harsh, unforgiving blue to a deep, bruised orange that made the red dust of the streets look almost beautiful. The air was cooling, just slightly, carrying a faint breeze that smelled like water. I found that strange, because we were in the middle of a desert.
Scott yawned beside me. "I'm not sure what's more surprising," he muttered, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "The architecture in this place, or the fact that there's a river in the middle of all this sand."
I followed his gaze. The lodge was tucked between two narrow buildings that rose three stories high, their windows dark and shuttered. The river ran behind them, a thin ribbon of dark blue that caught the dying light. It was small, barely more than a stream, but it was there.
The lodge itself wasn't much to look at. Two stories, maybe, with a flat roof and a sign that swung gently in the breeze. It reminded me of the kind of motels you'd see off a highway back home, the ones with the neon lights flickering and rooms that
smelled like old cigarettes. But here, there was no neon. Just a warm, yellow glow spilling from the windows.
We walked inside. The lobby was small and cluttered. A worn rug faded beyond recognition covered most of the floor. The walls were lined with mismatched furniture: a sagging armchair, a crooked table, a lamp that looked like it had been repaired a dozen
times. Behind a wooden counter sat a tired man, and next to him was a woman with dark hair and an expression of profound disinterest cleaning her nails with a knife.
We walked up to the counter. The man didn't look up.
"I'm looking for a room," I said. "Val sent me."
The man's eyes flicked up, then back down. "Name?"
"Darmian."
"How many rooms?"
I paused to think. Three vampires. That was what the wizards were looking for. If I asked for three rooms, it might raise suspicion if they ever came to check the lodge.
"Two," I said. "Just two."
The man grunted, reaching under the counter for a pair of keys. He slid them across the wood without a word. The woman beside him didn't even glance up from her nails.
The lady stood up, finally deigning to acknowledge our existence, and gestured for us to follow. She led us down a narrow hallway with walls covered in old paint, peeling at the edges. The air smelled like dust and old wood.
She stopped at a door, unlocking it with a heavy iron key. "First room," she said, her voice flat.
I looked at Zoë. "You'll take this one while Scott and I take the next."
Zoë nodded and stepped forward, peering inside. The room was small, almost bare. It only had a bed with a thin mattress, a wooden table, a single chair and a window that looked out onto the river. Light came from something suspended from the ceiling by a thin wire that resembled a lightbulb, but I could tell it wasn't one after looking
carefully.
She turned to me, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "See you in the morning."
"Get some rest," I said.
She slipped inside, closing the door behind her.
The lady led us to the next room, unlocking it with the same practiced motion. I stepped inside. It was identical to Zoë's, except the window was facing the street instead of the river.
"There are no kitchen services," the lady said, already turning away. "And the bath isn't open until 8 AM. Don't break anything." She walked away without waiting for a reply.
Scott and I stood in the doorway, staring at the room. It was sparse, almost prison-like, but after everything we'd been through it looked like paradise.
Scott shuffled in behind me, rubbing his eyes. "I think I'm going to pass out," he mumbled. "I haven't slept since…" He stopped, his face darkening.
"It's been a long day," I said quietly.
Scott collapsed onto the bed sinking into the thin mattress. He groaned, closing his eyes. "You know, I aways thought the first time I'd sleep in another dimension, it would be in some amazing palace with silk sheets and servants bringing me breakfast."
I snorted. "Sorry to disappoint."
"Story of my life." He cracked one eye open, looking at me. "You going to sleep?"
I shook my head. "I'm not tired. I'll take the chair."
Scott pushed himself up on his elbows. "No way. You need rest too. We've been running all day."
"I'll be fine," I said. "I've gone longer without sleep."
"That's not the flex you think it is."
I laughed despite myself. "Just lie down. I'll wake you if anything happens."
Scott stared at me for a moment, his eyes searching my face. Then he sighed, dropping back onto the pillow. "Fine. But if you start hallucinating, it's not my fault."
"I'll keep that in mind."
The room fell into silence. The glow of the orb hummed softly above us. Outside, the noise from the street slowly filled the room. I sat in the chair, watching him. His breathing
slowed, his face relaxed. Within a few minutes, he was asleep.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. The glow of the orb cast long shadows across the walls. Outside, the night was settling in. It hadn't been long I slept, before waking
up to find the wizards. And after the dream I had before then, I wasn't even sure I'd be able to fall asleep even if I tried.
My mind wandered to Dorian. He was going to find out I lied, there was no stopping that. It was only a matter of time. When he'd looked into my story, he'd find nothing.
I closed my eyes, listening to the noise outside. I couldn't leave the town. The walls were too high to climb, and even if I could, there were guards everywhere. People would see me. They'd raise the alarm and I'd be caught before I even got close to other side.
Horses. I would need horses. Something fast that could put distance between me and the wizards. But where would I get horses from? The money I had was almost finished, I had no.connections, no idea how anything worked in this world.
I opened my eyes and looked at the orb sitting on the table. The only way home was through that orb. I knew it. I could feel it in my bones. But it was dead, and I had no idea how to bring it back.
"Eclipse," I whispered, hoping against hope.
Nothing.
I sighed, rubbing my temples. There was so much to think, so many things to plan. But my mind was too tired and disorganised.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I froze.
My head snapped toward the door. My heart began slamming against my ribs.
Who was it? A wizard? Dorian? Had they found me already?
I looked around the room, my eyes darting wildly. I could escape through the window. It wouldn't be a long fall, so I'd spill onto the street and escape.
But what about Zoë? What
about Scott? I couldn't leave them behind.
Another knock. Louder this time.
I forced myself to breathe.
If it was a wizard, or if it was Dorian, would they still be knocking? Wouldn't they just kick the door down?
I stood up slowly, bracing myself. I moved toward the door, my footsteps silent on the creaking floorboards.
There was no peephole on the door, so I was hoping for the best at this point. I reached for the handle. Turned it. Pulled the door open a crack.
And standing there, her dark hair catching the faint moonlight, was Val.
I positioned my body in the doorway, blocking her view of the room behind me. My heart was hammering, but I kept my face neutral and my voice steady.
"Val," I said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
She tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips. "I came to check in on you." She paused, letting the words hang. "And your friends."
I felt my blood run cold, but I forced a chuckle. "Friends? What friends?"
Val's smile widened, but there was no warmth in it. "The boy and the girl who came into the lodge with you. I already checked with the innkeeper before I came up." She crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe. "So you don't have to pretend."
I held her gaze, my mind racing. Does she know? It felt like she did somehow. And if she actually did, what was she planning to do with that knowledge.
"Alright," I said slowly, my voice dropping. "So what? I came to town with my cousins. And since you said I can't leave, they're staying with me." I shifted my weight slightly,
ready to spring into action if necessary. "So what do you want?"
Val looked at me for a long moment. Then she laughed.
"Relax," she said. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk."
I studied her carefully. She was unarmed. She didn't have her bow or arrows behind her back. Just her coat and her calm, steady presence. That didn't mean she wasn't dangerous, but it meant she wasn't here for a fight.
"About what?" I asked.
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned and walked further down the hallway, her footsteps silent on the worn carpet. I watched her carefully, as she stopped at the end, pushing open a door that I hadn't noticed before. She glanced back at me, gesturing for me to follow.
I hesitated for only a moment before stepping out of the room. I made sure the door clicked shut behind me, then followed her down the hall.
The room she led me into was larger than the one I'd been given. It was cleaner and more elegant, the walls painted a warm cream color, and the furniture was well-made and well-maintained. A small table sat in the center, surrounded by two chairs. The
window looked out onto the river, the water shimmering in the moonlight.
Val gestured for me to sit. I took the chair across from her, crossing my arms on the table. My body was tense, coiled like a spring. One swift knock to her skull would put her out, I thought. But I held back, waiting. "So what is this place," I asked.
"This is where I have my, 'unoficial' meetings," she said, crossing her legs.
I watched her curiously while she leaned back in her chair, studying me with those sharp, amber eyes. She looked almost lazy, like she had all the time in the world.
"I know you're not just a vampire," she said, her voice casual. "You're the one the wardens are looking for."
My heart pulsed, but I managed to keep my face neutral. I let out a short laugh. "You woke me up just to tell me that?"
Val smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "There's no point denying it, Darmian. You see, part of my training taught me how to pick up on little habits. How to investigate using inference and evidence. For example, you mentioned Fenwick. That's not a place
that exists in any record I've ever seen. You also mentioned an inactive warden base which is impossible, because every warden base in the realm has been operational for centuries. Something which every native in the realm already knows. And your clothes." She gestured at my tunic. "I have to say, these are better now, but the ones you arrived in were like nothing I've ever seen."
I didn't respond. My jaw was tight.
She continued, her voice still calm. "And lastly, I kept observing the way you spoke. The way your mouth moved. One of the perks of being an archer is a keen eye. It's hard to hide those fangs while speaking isn't it?"
I sat there, my hands gripping each other under the table. She had me. Every angle, every lie I had told, she had picked apart with surgical precision.
"The two people you checked into rooms with, your 'cousins'," she continued. "The boy and the girl, they're vampires too, aren't they? That completes the three the wardens are looking for." She tilted her head, a flicker of amusement crossing her face. "I have to say, booking two rooms was smart. It made it look like there were only two of you. But I found out anyway."
I racked my brain for any excuse, any way to talk my way out of this. But there was nothing. She had already laid out the evidence. Denying it would only make me look stupid.
I let out a slow breath. "If you know all of this," I said carefully, "why haven't you tried to kill me? Or arrest me?"
Val leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Because I'm not here to hurt you." She paused. "Depending on how you answer my proposition."
I stared at her, my mind spinning. A proposition? What kind of proposition could she possibly have for a fugitive vampire?
She reached into her coat and pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. She slid it across the table toward me. I didn't touch it.
"I want to help you," she said. "But I need something in return."
I stared at the folded paper on the table, then back at Val. My mind was racing, trying to understand what game she was playing, but her eyes were calm.
"What's the proposition?" I asked slowly.
Val leaned forward. "Before I tell you that, I want to know who you really are. You and your friends. The truth, all of it."
I studied her for a long moment. She wasn't reaching for a weapon, or calling for guards. She was just sitting there, waiting for me to speak.
I took a breath and started talking.
I told her everything. About the real world. About how the wizards used to rule until Dracula and the vampires overthrew them and sealed them in this mini-dimensional plane. I told her about Earth and about cars, planes, phones and the internet. About science and technology and how far humanity had come without magic. I told her about Crescent College, about the CVC, about the night the wizards attacked and
killed almost everyone I knew.
I told her about the portal orb and how we escaped through it, landing in the middle of the Sanguine Expanse. About hitching a ride to Drybrook and meeting her in the tavern.
She listened to all of it without interrupting. Her expression never changed, but I could see her eyes moving, processing, filing away every detail. She asked a few questions about the portal orb, about how many wizards attacked and about the sleeping spell, but mostly she just let me talk.
When I finished, I sat back, waiting for her reaction. For disbelief, or even anger. Maybe she would call me a liar and take me to Dorian.
Instead, she just nodded slowly.
"So this world is a prison," she said, more to herself than to me. "And we're the prisoners."
I opened my mouth to respond, but she held up a hand.
"Don't." Her voice was calm, but firm. "I don't need you to feel sorry for me. And I don't think it's fair to call one world real and another fake." She met my eyes. "As far as I'm concerned, this world is as real as the one you come from. The people here are
real. The lives we live are real. The struggles we face are real. I'm not bothered by the idea that my ancestors were sealed with the wizards. It doesn't change anything."
I blinked, caught off guard by her response. "You're not angry?"
"What would be the point?" She shrugged. "The past is the past. I care about the present. And in the present, I have a problem that I think you can help me with." She held out her hand. "Let me see the portal orb."
I hesitated, then reached into my pocket and pulled it out. I placed it in her palm. She turned it over, examining it carefully.
"This is an older model," she said finally. "It's not broken, just out of power. Portal orbs need a magical charge to work. A wizard would need to recharge it."
My heart sank. "So we're stuck here."
"For now," she said. "But even if you somehow managed to get back, would it really solve much? The wizards operate in this reality. The authorities in your world wouldn't be able to stop them." She set the orb on the table between us. "So I have to ask you something, Darmian." She leaned forward, her eyes locking onto mine. "Do you want to run back home? Or do you want to actually fight them and stop them from doing worse?"
I looked at her, thinking about everyone I had lost. What they'd taken from me.
"I want to kill them all," I said, feeling my blood pressure rise. My voice came out flat and hard. "Every single one of them."
Val smiled. "That's the spirit."
She tapped a device strapped to her left wrist: a sleek, silver band with a small, glowing crystal set into the center. A projection flickered to life above it, shimmering in the dim light. It was a map. A detailed, three-dimensional map of a vast landscape, with mountains and rivers and cities marked in glowing lines.
I looked on in amazement. "What's that?"
"An advanced tracker," she said. "It covers the entire territory of Vespera."
She zoomed in, the image shifting smoothly. The map expanded, showing a massive desert dotted with small, glowing points. "This is the Sanguine Expanse." She pointed to one of the dots. "And this is Drybrook."
I stared at the projection, my mind struggling to process what I was seeing. A digital map of an entire world.
Val continued, her voice dropping slightly. "The summit I attended earlier today wasn't just about the quotas. That was the public reason. The real reason was to discuss preparations with the other town leaders. For the rebellion."
I looked up sharply. "Rebellion?"
She nodded. "The wizard king, the one elected by the Warden Council two years ago, has been dictatorial right from the day he began. He banished a town head and replaced him with a warden administrator. And six months ago, he started increasing the quotas. Resources. Weapons. Supplies." She shook her head. "The wardens have always been arrogant,
but this is different. This is just oppression."
She zoomed out, scrolling down to the far south. The projection shifted, revealing a
magnificent city with spires and towers, all gleaming in shades of silver and gold. It was beautiful and intimidating at the same time.
"This is Orithis," she said. "The capital. The seat of the wardens. The wizard king rules from here."
I studied the image, my mind racing. "So the town leaders… they're planning to fight back?"
"Some of them," she said. "Not all. Some are too afraid. Some are too loyal. But enough of us are willing to stand up against the wardens." She looked at me. "That's where you come in."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
Val's fingers danced across the projection, zooming out from Orithis. The image changed, revealing a vast and varied landscape. She moved her hand westward, and the beautiful city gave way to something else entirely: rivers snaking through green terrain, clusters of settlements hugging the water, and the faint blue of a distant sea.
"This is the Riverveil Delta," she said. "The region with the most rainfall. Coastal towns, fishing villages, trade routes that stretch across the water. They're prosperous, but they're also vulnerable. The wardens control most of the shipping lanes."
She zoomed out again, moving southwest. The landscape shifted once more, becoming rugged and mountainous. Long fields of crops stretched between the peaks, dotted with towns that clung to the valleys.
"Verdant Crags," she continued. "The region with the most minerals. Iron, copper, silver, even a few rare ores that the wardens use in their weapons. The people there are tough. They have to be, living in those mountains. They're also the most likely to join the rebellion. They've been squeezed the hardest by the new quotas."
She zoomed out and moved southeast. The terrain flattened into a vast grassy savannah, golden and endless, with fields of grain stretching to the horizon.
"Elysian Prairie," she said. "The most fertile region in all of Vespera. They grow enough food to feed half the realm, and the wardens know it. That's why they've been increasing the grain quotas more than anything else. The people there are angry, but they're also scared. They have the most to lose."
I stared at the map, trying to process everything. So many regions and towns under the control of the capital.
"The Expanse, the Crags, and the Prairie cover most of the realm's population," Val said. "But as of now, only the Sanguine Expanse and Verdant Crags are moving forward with plans for the rebellion army. The Prairie is still on the fence. They're not
convinced it's winnable."
"Why would they be?" I asked. "If the wardens have been ruling for centuries, what makes anyone think a rebellion could work?"
Val didn't flinch at the question. "Because the alternative is slow death. These quotas will keep increasing. The oppression will keep tightening. Eventually, there won't be anything left to fight for. People are starting to realize that."
I looked at the map again. "What about Riverveil Delta?"
Val tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Like I said before, the Wardens control most of the ships stationed there, and the army is heavily outnumbered and equipped with inferior weapons. The plan is for the rebellion forces to strike there first, disrupting the Wardens' coastal transport because once the war begins, a land blockade will be inevitable."
She let the map fade, leaving only the dim glow of the orb above us.
"But the issues with the rebellion are many," she continued. "We have logistics problems. Buying large amounts of weapons will alert the Wardens, so we have to smuggle them in small shipments over time. That takes patience and luck, and we're running out of both."
She paused, ticking off points on her fingers.
"Then there's food. Once the war starts, the wardens will target transport routes. That means each region needs enough supplies to last the duration of the war, and that's assuming the war doesn't drag on for years."
I nodded slowly, my jaw tight.
"Then there's the leadership issue," she said. "The regions can't even agree on who should take the seat of power if the wizards are overthrown. Some want a council. Some want a single leader. Some want to keep the town system but remove the warden's authority over it. Every region has its own idea of how things should work."
"And manpower," she added. "The wizard king is versed in all aspects of magic. He can't be defeated with simple weapons or normal strength. We would need someone who can stand against him. Someone who isn't human." Her eyes met mine. "That's where you come in."
"A vampire," she said slowly, "fighting against the wardens. That's not something you see every day. In fact, I don't think it's ever happened before. You could be a rallying point. People would follow someone who's already survived the Wardens once. You could be a symbol."
I shook my head. "I'm not a symbol. I'm just someone who got thrown into a mess he didn't ask for."
Val's lips curved into a knowing smile. "That's exactly what makes you a symbol."
I let out a long breath, running my hands through my hair. My mind was spinning, trying to process everything she'd just told me. A rebellion. A war. A whole world on the brink of collapse.
"What happens if I refuse?" I asked.
Val didn't answer immediately. She just looked at me, her amber eyes steady and unblinking. "You already know the answer to that question," she said quietly. "I'm putting myself in serious trouble just by allowing you to stay here even though I know what you are. That's treason, Darmian. If the Wardens find out, they'll execute me, and anyone else who helped you. I didn't do that just to let you walk away and pretend none of this is happening."
I sighed, looking down at my hands. "So I really don't have a choice."
Val shrugged. "You always have a choice. But some choices are easier to live with than others. You said it yourself that you've got a bone to pick with them. This is your chance to show you really mean it."
She stood up, brushing off her coat. "Dorian isn't here because I sent him on a task to keep him busy. But once he's done, he'll find out your lie. He'll come for you. And when he does, I won't be able to protect you."
I met her gaze. "So what are you suggesting?"
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She slid it across the table toward me.
"Varesh," she said. "The town you claimed you were heading to. Since that was your fake story, I might as well make it true. I need you to deliver a message for me. One of my contacts there is waiting for information about the rebellion. You'll give him the message, and then you'll wait for further instructions."
Val paused at the door, her hand resting on the frame. She didn't turn around.
"You'll get more instructions from the innkeeper tomorrow. There'll also be horses waiting for you when you wake up," she said. "Three of them. Saddled and ready."
I opened my mouth to tell her I had no idea how to ride one, but she kept going.
"Wake up early and get a head start before Dorian arrives. He's thorough, but he's not an early riser. If you're gone before the sun's fully up, you'll have a few hours of
lead time."
"Where do I go once I reach Varesh?"
She glanced back at me, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Look for the red spot. You'll know it when you see it." She stepped through the door, then paused one last time. "Good luck, Darmian."Then she was gone, her footsteps fading down the hallway.
I sat there for a long moment holding the folded paper in my hand. The room felt suddenly empty without her presence. I unfolded the paper and read it.
It was an invoice. A detailed list of swords, crossbows, something called "fire lances,"
and several other items I didn't recognize. The quantities were large. The destination was Solmere, a town three cities away from Varesh.
I folded the paper carefully and tucked it into the inner pocket of my vest. Then I stood, pushing the chair back, and left the room.
The hallway was still dark and quiet. The only sound was the faint creak of the floorboards beneath my feet. I made my way back to the room I shared with Scott, slipping inside as quietly as I could.
Scott was still asleep, sprawled across the bed in a position that couldn't possibly be comfortable. His mouth was slightly open, and a soft snore escaped his lips with every breath. He looked younger in his sleep, the tension of the day finally drained from his face.
I sat back down in the chair by the window, overlooking the street. My mind was racing,
turning over everything Val had told me. A rebellion and a war. A world in danger of collapse. Now I was in the middle of it now, whether I liked it or not.
I thought about Marcus and Mackenzie. About Ms. Judge. About everyone I had lost. Their faces flickered through my mind, each one more painful than a fresh wound. I wasn't doing this for the rebellion. I wasn't doing this for justice or freedom or any of the noble reasons Val had talked about. I was doing it because I wanted to hurt them badly. I wanted to make the wizards pay for what they had done. I wanted to tear down
their empire and watch it burn. If this was the way to do that, then I would take it.
I closed my eyes, letting the exhaustion finally wash over me. The chair was uncomfortable, but I didn't care. I was too tired to care about anything.
I was invested now, which meant going home was no longer the priority. That was fine by me. There were wizards to kill, and for the first time, I found myself looking forward to it.