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“The book should not be in the wrong hands. It’s dangerous.” Sylvan pronounces it as though it’s the solution to everything, and he straightens. “Since that was vampire magic, perhaps the vampires have started working for Orion.”
Caleb crosses his arms and glares while Maddy gapes at the Fae. “Well, aren’t you captain obvious?”
Cora barks a laugh and clamps her mouth closed mid-burst.
“The only chance we have to beat Orion is gone. What are we going to do?” Maddy scrubs her hand over her face and shakes her head. She’s hungry again, and her middle is hollowing out, clenching with all the fury building in her.
“The vampires probably want the book now that the Faeries are back in the mortal dimension. Faerie magic is another thing, apart from the Cure, that can make vampires go extinct.”
Maddy frowns, but she’s glad for the distraction from her already growing hunger. “What do you mean?”
Cora and Sierra stand nearby, listening without speaking. Sylvan clenches his jaw as though he couldn’t be persuaded to speak no matter what.
“It’s the same reason you couldn’t use the Fae magic and the portal book,” Caleb says. “The magic inside it would have attacked you just because you’re a vampire. That’s not unique to that book, it’s always true of Faerie magic and vampire blood.”
Maddy thinks for a long moment. “So, maybe the book has something they need.”
Caleb nods. “There must be something in the book that will allow the vampires to harm the Faeries.”
“Maybe it’s related to the reason Orion trapped Nim in her coma.”
“Quinn said it was Orion’s retribution,” Caleb says.
“But maybe that’s not all it is.”
Caleb strokes his chin, and his expression turns thoughtful. “The book also contains the location of the weapon we need to use to kill Orion.”
“But if the vampires want to use the weapon against all Fae, not just Orion, then maybe they’re hoping to find the weapon and use it themselves.”
Maddy and Caleb fall silent, each one lost in their own thoughts.
“So, what should we do?” Sierra ventures carefully.
Caleb grunts, then sighs. He smells of iron but like iron from a stone, not like blood. It makes him seem determined as he’s faced with the inevitability of whatever it is.
Maddy’s eyes widen as she understands what Caleb means to do.
“I don’t think we have a choice. We have to go after the book.”
“You can’t be serious,” Maddy hisses, her upper lip curling. The surge of feeling makes her returning hunger rear its ugly head again, shaking her focus for a moment.
Sierra glances from one to the other. “What are you two going on about?”
It’s Cora’s turn to gasp.
Caleb ignores her, giving Sierra a hard look. “We’re going to confront the vampires.”
* * *
The Orderof the Knightly Rose isn’t a group to be trifled with, but Maddy and Caleb don’t have much choice. The group of hunters are the only ones who will stand up to the vampires if the vampires decide to attack them. Maddy’s been a hunter for a long time, and now she’s basically a walking ball of H-A-N-G-R-Y. Even so, for the first time, nervousness and doubt rear their ugly heads.
Sierra, Cora, and Sylvan all stayed behind in Veritas with Nim and Blaise. Maddy doesn’t want them to come along, anyway. This will be the first meeting since Maddy’s change. Going to a secret order of vampire hunters as a vampire, well, it’s likely to be one heck of a reunion.
Nevertheless, Maddy’s throat feels dry, and she has her first attack of nerves since Vera turned her into a vampire—a vampiric vampire hunter. She rolls her eyes. Of course this is her life.
An hour later, they’re in the great hall, surrounded by members eyeing them with suspicion, and in front of the current leader of the Order: Marlowe. Maddy clasps her hands together in front of her, hoping none of the other hunters can see her hands shake. Caleb hasn’t spoken at all since being led into the great hall.
“You may speak,” someone says.
