Dracula's court asked for the map before it had finished dripping his daughter's blood.
It lay inside the receiving basin with Vick's thumb holding one corner in a memory that had already happened. Twelve roads shifted across the skin. Each entered a vampire border, crossed no gate anyone could name, and ended at the same prison square beyond the edge.
Archivist Maud set three blank copy sheets beside the basin.
"Two border stations vanished this season, and I need those roads copied."
Her left sleeve carried the stitched names of both stations. Maud had asked for more guards six times before the first loss. Dracula had approved them after the second, which made her demand inconvenient and fair.
He put one finger on the nearest blank sheet.
"Copy nothing until the map survives one honest border test."
