“Not really.”
“Oh?”
“When King Solos made the blood lore, he sought to strengthen the bodies of the vampir. By adding onto our blood time and again with the power of others, until we could subsist completely off what few things we could grow, hunt, and forage in the mountains of our lands.”
“But I’m not—”
He interrupts me with a knowing smile. I don’t even have to say,a vampir. “Your blood has been marked with mine; some of the fortifications I have extend now to you.”
Marked.
I am marked by him. Even long after our bloodsworn comes to an end and the curse is broken, all experiences—all we are—remains on our blood. But what will it mean when we end the curse…When. I will it into the world.
What happensafterfor Ruvan and me?
I don’t know. That’s a question I’m not ready to search for the answer to. I have enough I’m trying to sort through as it is.
Ruvan releases my hands. “Your metal is glowing white. I’ll give you some space and leave you to it.”
“You don’t have to,” I say before he can leave.
“Are you sure? If you need time—”
“I’ll tell you what I need.” I try and offer him a reassuring smile. “Assuming I know it.”
“We’re both figuring this out as we go,” he agrees.
“Oh, speaking of figuring things out as I go, I have something I want to share with you. I found it yesterday—two days ago? Before you fell ill.” Time is blurring together with all that’s happened and how little sleep I seem to need now. “It’s back here…” As I move, opening the door to the blacksmith’s office and retrieving the ledger and my dagger, I tell him of my discovery and experimentations. When I finish, the dagger and ledger are on one of the tables between us.
“Incredible,” Ruvan whispers.
“You really think so?” I ask uncertainly. “Even though it might have drawn power from me and put you in that state?”
“I’m fine, and this discovery is more than worth any pain I must experience.” With a few words, he alleviates all my guilt.
“What do you think it does?” I ask.
“I don’t know…but I know someone who might.” Ruvan straightens away from the table and starts out of the forge. I already know who he’s going to retrieve, so rather than calling after him, I seize the opportunity to appreciate him walking away. Then, wearing a smile I don’t bother fighting, I turn back to the forge with renewed purpose.
CHAPTER27
Callos asks justshy of a thousand questions. Even after I tell him the entire story of how I found the office, and all my work, he still probes. When he does finally fall silent, he stares intently at the dagger and the ledger for several long minutes. Long enough that I return to striking while I wait.
“A moment,” is all Callos says before he runs from the room in a blur.
“How often does he get like this?” My throat is sore from answering all of Callos’s questions.
Ruvan chuckles. “Often. At least when something has captured his imagination. He’s our resident scholar and archivist. What Jontun was to Solos, Callos is to me.”
“I see.” I check on the metal melting in the forge.
“And what is our smith working on now?”
It’s odd to hear myself called a plain smith and not a forge maiden. I don’t dislike it. It further eases the pressure that was always pushing down on my shoulders.
“I’m seeing if I can smelt another silver variant.”
“Yet another metallic breakthrough in the span of two days?” Ruvan folds his arms and leans against one of the tables. He sounds impressed and pride swells in my chest.
