“Very,” I say through gritted teeth.
I quickly let go of him, as I feel my face turn a bright red, not that Jodelle notices. Her attention is solely on the dhampir.
“Alright, let's go!” Faas exclaims.
My hands reflexively grip Thom’s jacket in surprise as the beast starts to move, and the suddenness of it catches me off guard for a moment. My throat tightens, and a lump forms as I force myself to act as if none of this affects me. I try to sneak a glance at Jodelle, but Faas’s broad back and shoulders block my view. Relief ripples through me at the realization she hasn’t witnessed this fearful response either. His horse leads the way, and the rest of us follow in line.
Our trip takes longer than I expected. We make stops every hour, giving the big beasts a chance to rest before we keep going. We stop at nearby creeks that Faas says are safe, fill our bottles with fresh water, and sleep out in the open. Faas takes out a soft cotton blanket from his bag and hands it to Jodelle. I scold myself for not thinking of that kind of thing sooner. Even though I'm used to hiking for multiple days, traveling with my mother and sister, and carrying gear, I didn’t realize we'd be on the road for more than a day. Jodelle snuggles up against me, wrapped in her blanket. I’m grateful for the warmth radiating from her into my body.
After four days, we reach our destination without much trouble. We ran into some vampires along the way, but the sight of Faas and their awareness of my magic kept them at bay. Even Jodelle tells me that, despite her traumatic experience with the vampires who held her captive, she isn’t as afraid anymore. The idea that some of my magic seeped into her being is enough to make her feel safe. It’s a pleasant thought.
Faas gently pulls the reins, stopping his horse, which I learned is namedVassago. The big beast only listens to the dhampir. As Thom helps me off his horse, I carefully observe Vassago, noticing the differences between it and the other horses. He towers over the others, and where his eyes werenearly black before, I now see the red swirl in them. Faas gets off his horse as well, petting it softly and whispering into the beast's ear. He lifts Jodelle from its back and sets her down, catching my glance and my confused expression.
“I feed it my blood, hence the red,” Faas says matter-of-factly, an explanation that only raises more questions, which I don’t dare ask.
“Vassago is part demon, part horse,” Thom says softly, leaning into me. “It’s a marvelous creature. Only dhampirs can ride them; not even blood witches or vampires attempt it. Needless to say, neither do we humans.”
“Where did it come from?” I ask, sucking in my breath.
Thom shrugs. “It’s rumored these demonic Mustang breeds are forged in a fire of flames that are bright red and coal, at the Blackened Peaks, then blessed at the remains of a church building that was once owned by The Light, at Rabburgis. And then, it’s drowned in The Lake of Ebon, because when it dies, it activates its demonic side.”
“What the fuck?” I spin around, facing Thom. “That’s madness. So, it’s actually dead?”
“What else did you expect? The horse is part demon, of course, it’s dead, just like his owner.”
He folds his arms behind his head, looking at me, and I’m unsure if he’s mocking me. I glance at the horse, the prominent muscles, its coat glistening in the sun. I shake my head and leave Thom behind, going over to Jodelle. I kiss her on the forehead.
“I’m so proud of you, baby,” I say.
“This was so much fun,” she says, beaming. “I love horses. Vassago is so sweet.”
I force a smile, pressing my lips together. I refuse to tell her she just rode a half-demon beast.
“Welcome to Verdant Fields, everyone,” Faas's voice booms, and we all look at him. “Keep in mind we’re here to scout for new weaponry, don’t get corrupted, and don’t lose yourself in there,” he reminds his men.
“And you two, stay close to me.”
He looks at us, then spins on his heel and walks toward the buzzing city. The four men who traveled alongside us disappear in the crowd. I intertwine my fingers with Jodelle’s and pull her into me, feeling slightly afraid of what we’ll face, the buzz and energy feeling different from Valorya—more malevolent.
A vampire greets Faas, seemingly appearing out of nowhere—a vampire trick—his eyes darting between the dhampir and us, with unease clear on his face. His gaze fixates on Faas.
“Pale Rider, what brings you back to Verdant Fields?” he inquires.
“None of your damn business,” Faas says, pushing the trembling vampire aside, who’s now visibly shaking. I watch him scurry away, speaking into other vampires’ ears, their faces all turning toward us. It’s evident that Faas, despite his nickname, is not a welcome guest here.
“So… Pale Rider, you’re kind of famous around here, aren’t you?” I ask gently.
Jodelle clings to me as she takes in the city with wide eyes, clearly shocked at the display of blatant violence and abhorrent treatment of humans. I am as well, but I do my best to suppress my emotions and not let them show.
“For all the wrong reasons, son. I used to frequent here often. Don’t taunt me, Fynn.”
His menacing smile reveals pointed teeth, with canines built to tear flesh. I nod.
We weave through the streets, darklings making way for us, afraid we might touch them, and as I watch them scatter, my confidence grows. It’sIthey should fear most, not Faas. It’smytouch that will set them ablaze, andmywill that can turn them into nothing more than forgotten ash carried by the wind. I straighten my shoulders, and my tall frame draws attention here and there.
“Oh my god,” Jodelle gasps.
She fingers my shirt as she presses her face into my chest. I wrap my arm around her and look at what has upset her. Then I see it. A naked child, a little girl, probably three or four years old, is strung up like a piece of meat, a sharp hook protruding from her ankle, a thin line of blood dripping down. Now I hear her cries of pain and distress, the constant city hum making individual sounds hard to distinguish until you focus on them. The child is still alive, and a woman holds up her hand as a man, a human, both of them seem to be human, places several gold coins in it. She glances at the child, tears in her eyes, then slips away into the streets and creatures.
