I nod, frowning. That can’t have been easy. Mistral’s estates are in France. I know he tried to change Michael to vampire, several times, and when it didn’t take, he kicked him out. Once again, I wonder what my mother ever saw in Mistral.
‘But why come here? Why not go to one of the Safe Zones in France? How did you get across the Channel?’
‘I wanted to get away from him. Managed to stow away on a vamp ship, cross the Channel, and made my way east. I don’t know what I was looking for. Maybe it was you.’
‘Stop being an idiot,’ I breathe. ‘Tell me what this has to do with Reapers.’
‘I … it was tough. I kept moving during the day, because I thought it would be safer. I had my blade, and my father taught me to defend myself, even if his methods were … harsh.’ Pain ripples across his expression. ‘I was low on food when I ran into what I thought was a group of humans, near the Safe Zone closest to your estate.’
‘They weren’t humans.’
‘No.’ He shakes his head, looking down. ‘I found out pretty quickly that they were vampires, shielded against the daylight by protective clothing and goggles. I managed to escape them and make it into the Safe Zone. And that’s where I found out they were Reapers.’
My mouth drops open. ‘But … what the hell? Why would they come out in daylight? It’s against every vampire instinct to do so! Shit.’ I stare across the snowy landscape, as though it might give away their secrets. ‘Is this how they’re attacking Safe Zones? Coming in during the day?’ I stand up. ‘I need to let my father know. If they’re planning an attack here, then?—’
‘They’re not planning an attack.’
‘How do you know?’
He gestures to the coaches, to the now deserted Gathering field. ‘There are hundreds of vampires here, Raven nobility, entire battalions of guards. There’s only a handful of them. They’d be wiped out in moments or sent to the Pits. There’s no way they’d attack, not with those odds.’
‘But we can’t just let them go! They must have gone somewhere. These …monstersare literally tearing my people apart, and you’re just sitting there looking smug.’
‘I am not smug!’
‘You are so smug!’
‘E, it’s daylight. Who are you going to get to follow them? They’ll be long gone now, probably miles away.’
‘But—’ My phone buzzes in my pocket. I ignore it.
‘You going to answer that?’
‘Michael!’
‘I bet it’s your mother.’
I stick my tongue out at him as I answer the phone.
‘Have you frozen to death out there or do I need to send a blood dancer to get you?’ My mother’s voice is laced with humour but there’s an undertone of worry.
‘I’m coming back now.’ Because if I don’t, I’m going to kill Michael. I hang up.
‘You’re not going back now.’
‘Why not? I’d rather not still be out here if those Reapers decide to come back.’
‘They’re not coming back. And, even if they did, I’d keep you safe, E.’
I swallow. He’s too damn close to me. ‘How? That blade isn’t going to be much use.’
‘You’d be surprised.’
‘What aren’t you telling me?’ Because I know it’s something. I haven’t forgotten my desire to seek out a Reaper, to find out if they are connected to Lady Morvenna. If he knows something, I want to know it, too.
‘I’m telling you all I can.’
‘Which means you’re keeping something from me.’
