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“There is nothing to see?” Leonid asked as he gestured to the land below them.
“Yes, but also I need to speak with you.” Malack stood uncertainly for a moment, and then with obvious effort, he spoke. “The Vampyre Council are working with the Drakhyn.”
“You are mistaken,” Leonid snapped, immediately thinking of his wife.
“I think Kateryna is innocent,” Malack assured him. “I do not think she knows, but the others? All are tainted.”
“How can you be so sure?” Leonid asked suspiciously. He turned to look outwards but noticed that Malack kept his attention on the door.
“It happened about three years ago,” Malack said hurriedly. “They began to close the Court to other Akrhyn, but kept calling the Made back. The Vampyre Council refused to hold Court to the Great Council twice.” Leonid looked at him in surprise but gestured for Malack to continue. “I was here, I had taken leave of my post in the Southern Headquarters and returned for some relaxation.”
“Here? This mountain makes you feel relaxed?” Leonid asked sceptically.
“It used to. We could come and go freely, there were balls, social events, training for the Made.” Malack frowned as he spoke. “There are many places in this mountain where a Made can be alone and find peace.”
In a way, Leonid agreed with him. Yes, it was a bustle of activity, but if you knew where to look, then you could find solitude within the mountain. Hot springs too, if you were willing to travel down far enough. “So, what changed?” he asked.
“It was not obvious at first, but visiting Made were not permitted to leave or were delayed from leaving. The ones that did not question were given positions within the Council. Some of the new positions I have never even heard of before,” Malack scoffed. “Those who did question were given tasks to work. Hunting parties. The scouting parties became smaller, and more and more of us fell to the Drakhyn.”
“Drakhyn are not known for coming this far north,” Leonid said softly. “The land is bare, and they have no interest in our females.”
“I know, but trust me, old friend, their numbers have been growing.”
“This does not tell me why you believe the Court to be compromised.”
“I began to notice that more of my friends fell and the meetings with the Council took longer. Then, realising there was a pattern, I followed them. They went to the chambers down in the depths of the mountain. Down to where the cells are.” Malack hurried on when he saw Leonid about to speak. “Kateryna was never with them, that is why I began to follow them.” He looked to Leonid for a moment before fixing his attention on the door. “I believe Drakhyn visited them there.”
“That is a wild allegation,” Leonid said carefully.
“I thought I had imagined it, so I followed them when they left. There is a tunnel below the mountain, did you know?”
Leonid frowned as he thought about it. “It caved in eons ago.”
“It is open, my friend.” Malack looked down at his feet. “Three Castors came, and they went down…they never came back.”
“They portalled out?”
“I put in enquiries. They were all reported to have died in combat.”
“What colour was their Cast?” Leonid asked quietly.
Malack gripped his arm. “They were Pure Cast, Leonid,” he whispered.
Leonid considered the words. Pure Castors were not known for being in the field or carrying out tasks for the Made. They most certainly were not known for combat. “She knows nothing?”
“I spoke with Kateryna a year ago,” Malack told him. “She thanked me for raising my concerns and has not spoken to me since.”
“Nothing was investigated?” Leonid pursed his lips together as he swallowed his disappointment.
“No.”
“And you bring this to my attention today, why?” Leonid asked.
“I think the queen has been waiting for you,” Malack admitted. He pointed out to the land that stretched below them. “And because I need to know if I am in the stages of fading, or is that really out there?”
Leonid turned sharply to look outwards once again. The snow had stopped almost magically, and the landscape below them was now clearly visible. Only he was not looking at bright white snow on land that was barely travelled. He was looking at a vast swarm of darkness. “By the Ancients,” he whispered as his eyes struggled to take in the sight in front of him.
“It is there?” Malack sounded both relieved and disappointed. “I was almost hopeful I had started to pass.”
