“Heather has discovered it works best when near a portal.” Holly sneers, “But might I say, it is an odd time to be—”
“It’s her!” Rosie shouts, pushing her phone into my hand. I raise the screen to my eyes, reading off the series of letters.
Hm … she is clever to have written in code, though not being able to make out the words is certainly a dilemma. As my eyes flick across the strange collection of letters, I find myself with more questions than answers.
Holly groans, casting a sideways glance at the humans. In a mere moment, her posture changes from that of a younger sister to the captain of Eclipsica’s army.
“It seems you will be staying after all,” she says with a resolute nod,
“Oh, good,” Clara says, seeming to have second thoughts now that the decision has been made.
Rosie plays the voicemail and I cringe at the sound of cracked whispers and conversation. It cuts off before we learn anything of relevance and the room snaps into action.
We have found ourselves in the library. The books and trinkets that once lined the table are swept aside in favor of maps of the kingdom. Holly hurriedly puts pieces on a board, drawing lines between territories with a furrow in her brow. If Heather were here, she’d say something quippy like, “This is the weirdest family game night I’ve ever been to.” But she is not—and myhands do not stop shaking without her fingers interlaced in mine.
Knowing Mother would not be keen on the idea of a large group gathered in her sanctuary, we do something equally upsetting: moving her portal down the steps into the castle. It is a larger space where plans can be drawn and will fit our rag-tag collection of humans and faeries. While Widow has returned home, Oak, Ruby and Holly bicker amongst themselves on how to proceed. Rosie and Clara play the voicemail again and again, listening for clues, and await more messages. I tirelessly attempt to decode the text message, but it is no easy task. I would expect nothing less of my clever little flame. Still, the more I look, the less it makes sense. I have written it on paper, scrambling, unscrambling, and trying to sort the code, to no avail.
“Could you decipher this?” I say, passing it to Rosie and Clara who are far more tech-savvy than I. Perhaps it is a secret language for those who communicate using devices, like GIFs or emojis.
“Oh! Got it!” Clara says instantly My theory stands correct. “It’s all typos. SOS help Vampire King got me, safe for now, left voicemail—I’m sorry, y’all have vampires?”
Typo.Something I will study when the situation is less dire.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Holly replies. “And it seems their king has taken a liking to Heather. If I remember correctly, Mother sat them next to each other last season. They could not have spoken more than a few times!”
“That is all it would take,” I say through gritted fangs. My flame is too charming for her own good, though she might not always know it.
King Magnus…
Of course, I noticed the way he looked at her the last time we were in Eclipsica. Desire, Admiration,Interest.Though jealousy had turned my blood molten, I could not blame the poor fool.When in the presence of a goddess, how can one do anything but worship her? But this… this will not be forgiven.
“He summers at an estate in the Dragonfly Court,” Holly says, placing a piece down on the map. “His mother was of their court, but if he is in his own domain that will be … tricky.”
“Does he have any faerie abilities?” Ruby asks. “I am fairly versed in the gossip of the Moth Court, but … vampires cannot typically do things like fly. We should know what we are up against.”
“Unknown.” Holly paces. “We will need to gather intel. Mother will know if any missives have come, and, yes, Pepper’s expertise will be needed.”
“Missives?” My head spins. Why wait? My claws scream for blood and the feel of her skin. Sprout sits on top of my feet as if to prevent me from springing into the air.
“It would not be uncommon to receive a ransom,” Ruby explains, giving my hand a light squeeze. “It will be okay.”
“Can we circle back to the ‘tricky’ thing?” Clara asks. “Why would it be harder to get to the vampires than the … uh, dragonflies?” She shoots me a pleading look, as if asking me to explain. I can do nothing but shake my head.
“Their castles are deep in the shadows, of course,” Holly says, gesturing across the map. “Not only do they ward their lands, but shadows move with the moon; they exist everywhere and nowhere and cannot be reached without a portal or invitation.”
“Oh, the shadows.Of course.” Clara’s blinks her eyes feverishly and eases herself into the nearest chair. I do not believe she is coping with this well, but then again, neither am I.
“I thought vampires were the ones who had to be invited places,” Rosie remarks, furrowing her brow.
“Yes, that does sound like a rumor that would be convenient for them to spread,” Holly sighs. “With their close ties to the Dragonfly Court and access to portals and magic, they are themost likely to walk among you. The veil is thinner in the vampire’s domain.”
“So, they could be…”
“Anywhere,” I answer grimly, clenching my jaw.
“Including our world?” Clara asks, and we watch as my sister gives an uncertain nod. We do not seem to be making progress, despite the new information. Not only does it all seem nonsensical, but it is hard to focus on the sound of each voice with the entire group speaking at the same time.
