“To be the lord of a crumbling castle and a cursed, slumbering people. Truly something to kill for,” Ruvan says dryly.
I purse my lips. “No…it’s not that. You said a human could be given the blood rites and turned into a vampir.”
“That blood lore hasn’t been done since King Solos, and there’s only record of one human being turned. Human blood was too valuable unturned and the cost was too high.”
They’re thinking like vampir, that’s why they don’t see it. That’s how the Raven Man stayed two steps ahead. But I’m catching up.
“Unless this vampir wants to make his own kingdom.” My hands are almost trembling. Though I’m not sure why. Anxiousness? Excitement stemming from the sense of figuring out this puzzle? Fear? “What if the Raven Man is the one who laid the curse?”
“What?” Lavenzia gasps.
“No, think about it,” I say hastily before anyone else can object. “This vampir flees across the Fade and cements his control in Hunter’s Hamlet, where he knows he has a steady supply of blood, of power, and willing servants. You had said there was record of a human group escaping after those experimentations and subsequent losses—what if this vampir is the one who helped them escape? Then he earns their trust by laying the curse,knowingthat it will affect him, but he has a whole stockpile of resources to see himself through. He was going to let the rest of the vampir die off and then turn the people of Hunter’s Hamlet into his new followers without them even realizing it.
“But he didn’t account for the long night and deep slumber. So now he’s been waiting, trying to hunt the vampir—knowing the lord would eventually come to try and beat the curse. And once the lord and his covenant were dead—”
“There would be no one left to wake the next watch,” Quinn whispers in horror. “The rest of the vampir would be locked in an eternal slumber and he could deal with us at his leisure.”
“He wants more than just the lord of the vampir,” Drew says. “He would whisper to me at night and tell me that the vampir were just the start. When he had full control of the blood lore, he would use it to rally the lykin, and then he would kill the Elf King.”
“He wants to rule all of Midscape.” Ruvan scowls, folding his arms. Murder is in his eyes.
I lean forward, over the table, and tap my finger into the center. “Thisis the man who laid the curse. This is the man we’re after. We get this Raven Man and we don’t just free the vampir, but the hunters as well.”
“Flor, we’ll be in the debt of the vampir, then,” Drew murmurs in disbelief. It’s hard to imagine. But I also think it’s true, even if it’d be the last thing the hunters will want to admit.
“Enough, at least, that the hunters might be willing to agree to the ceasefire we spoke of. Because the vampir will be in our debt, as well.” I turn to Ruvan. “That’s your answer. That’s how we win. Kill the Raven Man, end the curse, and give a reason for all of us to make peace.”
CHAPTER36
They’reall silent for an annoying amount of time. I expected them to be as excited as I am. As full of energy, ready to go conquer our foe.
But none of them move.
Until Ventos explodes.
He bolts upright from his chair, sending it toppling. With a roar, he grabs the table edge, hoisting it with every bit of strength in those bulging muscles. Winny is halfway across the room, but Lavenzia, who’s closest to Ventos, seems unsurprised and unbothered. The table falls back to the ground with a thud that seems to rattle the whole floor. I wonder, if he carries on, if we could end up plunging through the floor and back into the old castle beneath us.
“No!” Ventos roars. “No. I will not hear another word of this treachery.” He thrusts a finger in my direction. “You—You were alone with him. You had an opportunity to commiserate. You’re trying to make us turn on our own. To confuse us and—”
“That’s quite enough.” Ruvan slowly rises.
“You’re not going to let her spew this nonsense on your watch, are you?” Ventos balks. So much for whatever trust we’d been building. I sigh. No, Ventos is a hothead. I knew that from the start. He’ll be back to normal in no time if I give him enough time and space.
At least, I hope.
“You saw and heard what I did, Ventos,” I say calmly.
He stills.
“Do you think what she’s said is wrong?” Ruvan demands.
“There is no possible way one of our own would hatch a plan so nefarious.” Ventos shakes his head.
“There were a hundred years of power squabbling as the curse ate away at our people,” Ruvan says gravely. “Men and women who squandered precious time in pursuit of a throne. It is not so hard to believe that one of them might have turned their sights elsewhere. And Solos was not without enemies.”
“You only believe her because you’re bloodsworn. You told us it wouldn’t change you. That you saw her not as atruebloodsworn but as a means to an end. A necessity and nothing more.”
The words sting more than I want them to. They echo what Ventos called me long ago—a tool. There’s no reason for me to hurt this much. Ruvan owes me nothing.
