“Keep your eyes open. Walk quietly and keep your heads moving,” I toldthem.
The blue sky had begun to darken with clouds, and the temperature dropped considerably. I knew that the boys were watching as we walked, but my gaze was focused ahead of us and close to the ground. I prayed that we would make it to Derwin’s before anything happened. At least then, we would be armed. Right now, we had nothing on us to fend anyoneoff.
“Stop!” Seanhissed.
All of us stopped, and my eyes scanned the forest. I saw no sign of fog, so in that sense, I feltrelieved.
“There is movement just ahead and to the left,” Seanwhispered.
“Where?” Octavia asked as her hands gripped mybicep.
None of the other guys could see what Sean was seeing. I did something that I have not done before; Isquinted.
“Bloody hell, Sean,” Imurmured.
I opened my eyes wide and then squinted again. Off in the far distance, perhaps five or six hundred yards away, was a witch tending to her kettle. I informed the others of what Sean had seen, and then we continued ourjourney.
The rain had begun to fall, and although I was trying to focus on our surroundings, I was growing more concerned with the fact that we were all wet and cold. I looked over my shoulder at them and saw the white and gray wisps escaping theirmouths.
“Not much further,” I announced as we forgedahead.
It was noticeably darker when the soft yellow glow of Derwin’s lantern came into view. I led us forward, and with a hopeful feeling in the pit of my stomach, I rapped on his door. We waited for a moment, and then the door pulled open and Derwin stood there with a smile on hisface.
“About time you showed up,” Derwinjoked.
“Derwin!” I laughed as we clasped hands andembraced.
“I see you brought some guests. Come inside and out of the weather. I have a fire on,” Derwin said and steppedaside.
I stepped back and gestured for Octavia and then the boys to go inside. I walked inside last, and as I closed the door, I glanced in the direction of where Merc and I used to live. I wondered if he was still aroundhere.
Derwin set a stack of towels and blankets on the table and then moved a wooden chair close to the fire. He dusted off the seat and gestured to it while he looked atOctavia.
“For you, my lady,” hesaid.
“Thank you, Derwin,” Octavia said kindly and sat down. “River mentioned that you were like a parent to him. Forgive my asking, but are you also avampire?”
Derwin snorted as he poured warm tea in some chargers and carried them over two at a time. I draped a dry blanket around Octavia’s shoulders, and then made sure the guys each got ablanket.
“I assure you, my lady, that I am not a vampire. I just am quite good at ageless potions.” Derwin smiled briefly and then added, “I cannot say that I was a very good parent to him, but I kept my eye on him,” Derwin admitted and then winked at me. “River is a special man,” Derwinadded.
“Derwin,” I began and tried to cut himoff.
“River has it in him to make Dreyle a better place for many people,” Derwin said, ignoringme.
“Do you mean the prophecy?” Octaviaasked.
Derwin looked at me before he nodded atOctavia.
“Yes. It is not known exactly what River will do, but the stars have deemed him important. Originally it was said that River would benefit his father, Lochlaan, which is why his father kept him around. But as the years went on, the belief that River would do something of benefit to his father became more clouded. He reacted differently to the Curse of Demons than hisbrother—”
“You have a brother, River?” Seanasked.
“No, not by blood. I grew up out here in the woods, along with another boy. His father was also a member of the Carpe Noctem, but his mother was not. Therefore, he was unwanted, too,” I quickly explained to theboys.
“River and Merc were like brothers. Both of them had the Curse of Demons placed on them,” Derwinsaid.
“That is the curse that made sin eating my destiny,” I told the boys. They knew about the sin eating already, but now they knew it was the result of a curse from myfather.
