“Kaspar, you know as well as I do that the apothecary probably has no answer for this. Octavia is experiencing something, as well. Her hearing has been affected recently, and now I am drained ofenergy.”
“Heightened abilities you were each blessed with when turned,” he mused while he poured some liquids from thecarafes.
“I am not certain they areblessings.”
“None the less, they are yours to bear,” Kaspar grinned, and then his face grew serious. “Something dark has entered your world, my friend. What else do you comeseeking?”
“Aside from trying to find out why I am so tired, I was going to ask you what your thoughts are on Octavia’s newestgentleman.”
Kaspar laughed and sat down across fromme.
“You usually have a fine grasp on the young men. Do you not like what you see with thisone?”
“That is the problem, Kaspar. I cannot see anything at all on him. And oddly enough, since his arrival, I have beentired.”
“That is peculiar,” he admitted and frowned. “What is the boy’s name?” Kaspar asked and began swirling his finger through theliquid.
“River Kulver,” Ireplied.
Kaspar froze and stared at me. I raised my eyebrow at him. I could tell that he knew of thatname.
“What is it,Kaspar?”
Kaspar looked at the iron plate and assessed the fluids he moved around with hisfinger.
“River Kulver…he is the reason for your energy drain and Octavia’s issues. River is a hybrid. The hybrid’s presence can skew non-traditional vampire’s advanced gifts. Such as your energy, sight, andhearing.”
“He is awhat?”
“A hybrid. A special vampire.” Kaspar paused long enough for me to close my mouth that was hanging open. “River Kulver is the bastard son of Lochlaan Mortas,” Kaspar’s fingers moved through the fluid on the plate. “Lochlaan had forbidden River’s mother from keeping the child. She was ordered to drown the boy. Lochlaan does not recognize the boy as his. River is not a young man. He is well over three hundred yearsold.”
“Wait, before you go further, I think you might be misreading. Remember, Octavia has the ring of Darick. While she is alive and wears the ring, no vampire can get onto the castle grounds, let alone into the castle. The Halo of Darick is still inplace.”
Kaspar stared at me and then slowly shook hishead.
“Full vampires cannot cross onto the Darick grounds. River is a hybrid. He is the only one that exists. Think of him as similar to you and Octavia. Both of you have vampire traits and characteristics, though neither of you are full vampires. River is thesame.”
“Is Octavia a hybrid? Am I ahybrid?”
“No. Neither of you are from vampire lineage. You and Octavia are different than River. He is…one of a kind. For centuries there have been stories in the woods about this hybrid existing. Though, no one had seenhim.”
“How did he become a hybridthing?”
“His father had relations with someone outside of the Carpe Noctemclan.”
I wiped the perspiration from my brow and glanced at the foggedwindow.
“Klyn, a storm iscoming.”
“I know. I can feel it. I need to getgoing.”
“Klyn, wait the storm out.Stay.”
“I will befine.”
Kaspar sighed and gathered some vials with thick liquid, then thrust them in myhands.
“These should last you for a little while. Mix a tiny drop with your morning tea, and it should fend off anything that your hybrid friend might beemitting.”
