ChapterThree
Rahz
We spreadour sleeping satchels in a big circle around the room. At the center, Lemon casts an illumination spell, lighting our faces in a hazy golden glow. She’s the first of us to begin to come into her magic, and we’re all in awe of the dancing flame she conjured from seemingly nowhere.
I can’t wait until my magic manifests. Sometimes I feel it inside me, growing big and strong, nearly ready to do my bidding. My hope is to become a powerful mage one day, so impressive that no one would dare bother me ever again.
But like all fae and mixling children, I must wait. Hopefully, not for too much longer, though.
Jindal is next to me, as usual, seated cross-legged on a pile of blankets and twiddling a half-eaten sugar stick between his fingers.
The air in the low room is chilly and damp, but I’m warm in my flannel satchel. All eyes are on me, and for once, I don’t mind. Telling stories is what I’m good at, thanks to my mother’s little library. I want the others to watch. To lean forward, eager for the next detail. To cower at the scary bits. I want all of it.
With a deep breath, I begin, “Once upon a time—”
Vander scoffs loudly. “You think a kiddie tale that starts with ‘Once upon a time’ is going to scare me?”
I scowl. “Yes.”
“Now shut your mouth so we can hear it.” Jindal’s earnest defense sparks a warm flutter in me. I’d already forgiven him for not siding with me at lessons, but now I’m feeling sheepish at having doubted him in the first place. He’s obviously on my side.
“Let’s try this again.” I lower my voice. “Once upon a time, many cycles ago, when the gate between the worlds still stood wide open and our realm was young, a terrible creature crossed through from the other side. A creature with glowing red eyes, a snarling mouth, and teeth as sharp as daggers. He was starving and near to mindless from hunger. But not just any food would do.” I pause for effect. “The creature needed blood. Lots of it.”
Salah and Lemon scoot closer together. Vander isn’t fazed, but this is only the beginning. I’m not worried. I’ll get him.
“The only way to slake his desperate thirst was to kill his victims and drink them dry.” I lick my lips. “He’d already slaughtered so many people in his realm that those who remained had armed themselves. Fought together. Stalked him and forced him to retreat north.
“Night by night, he’d made his way through the snow and ice to the grand gate and our magical realm, where he’d be free to attack our innocent, our vulnerable, our young, and our old. He’d slay them to satiate his endless appetite for blood. That was his plan. But he didn’t know what was waiting.Whowas waiting. For the Gatekeeper stood at the ready, his only job to protect Luminia from threat.”
“Seriously?” Vander again, his bushy brows climbing his forehead. “The Gatekeeper is the hero of this story? We’re supposed to believe that freak is the good guy?”
“Shh.” Salah and Lemon shush him together.
“You’ll have to keep listening to find out. If you keep interrupting me, I’ll stop the story, and we’ll all go to bed.”
To my delight, a chorus of protest sweeps the room.
Vander sneers. “Then you forfeit, and I win.”
Even Basil and Petzyl are annoyed with him. “Just let him finish,” says Basil.
“Yeah, you don’t know what’s going to happen yet,” says Petzyl.
Vander grunts, “Fine,” and folds his arms over his chest.
I shake my head. “The Gatekeeper had never come face-to-face with such a beastly foe, never encountered such otherworldly strength, though he’d heard whispers of the likes of a creature such as this one. A vampire.
“Most of the beings on the other side of the gate are weaker than us, human and short-lived, not a threat to the mighty fae. But on this fateful night, the Gatekeeper would learn of vampires firsthand. A monster capable of drinking blood by the barrel full. A monster whose thirst could never be slaked. A monster whose mind was lost to its demons. Worse even than incubi and nigh impossible to kill.”
We’ve known about vampires on our side of the gate for centuries, but they’re few and far between. None of us has ever seen one. They’ve been tamed since the old legends and integrated into society, but no amount of good manners can make up for the source of their dark power.
Our blood.
A shiver vibrates through me. I’m not the only one affected. Poor Jindal is curled into a tight ball tangled in blankets. His eyes are wide and so, so orange. Like ripened pumpkins and nearly as big. And I haven’t gotten to the worst part yet.
“The Gatekeeper fought valiantly with sword and fists, but no blow could keep the vampire down. No slash could stop the relentless attack of the undead. The creature could not be hobbled. It wouldn’t stop lunging for the Gatekeeper’s throat.
“As the battle raged on, the Gatekeeper grew tired. The scent of blood spiced the air like molten iron from the forge. He weakened and cried out for help, but none would come to his aid, for his castle was filled with slaves. And what slave would risk their own life for that of their master?”
