“You of all people should know how the humans in Agripa feel about the Vampyrs.” Cassius’s face flashed in wariness.
Indeed. Given the information the prince’s council had shared, Thalia could send word right to her mother to have her stop the rivers. Once the springs dried up in the forest, it would only be a matter of time before the creature bit more Vampyrs and its poison spread among them. They could effectively wipe out the entire Vampyr population without so much as lifting a finger. Given Cassius’s guarded expression, Thalia had a feeling he thought she’d run right home to the queen to give her the information. This was what she’d been waiting to uncover—the key that would unravel the Vampyr courts and bring them to their knees. And yet …
Thalia’s mind flashed to the conversation she’d had with Camilla. The fact that not every House agreed with what had happened between the humans and Vampyrs all those years ago. How she hoped that the lives of her people could be better—
Thalia shook her head. “Those Vampyrs I stumbled upon in Agripa, the ones who weren’t bitten, what were they doing there, then?”
Cassius straightened. “They were sent to take out the Vampyrs who’d turned. That and see if there is any cure outside of Vaccarium.”
Thalia glanced at Lord Damien. The red-eyed Vampyr stared at her unblinking. She’d killed his brother—killed him without remorse.
Some sort of regret festered in her stomach. He hadn’t been the one who’d left the Scarecrows, and neither had Cassius. All they had been trying to do was stop the spread of poison from further digging its roots in.
“No wonder the prince isn’t around,” Thalia said quietly.
Cassius nodded. “He is trying to find anything that might stop these creatures from killing more of his people.”
“Lord Adrian sounded bitter about it.”
Cassius sighed again, running a hand through his long hair. “The people aren’t happy about what’s going on. They are terrified of even stepping out of their homes and running into a creature or one that has been bitten.” No wonder Irenbis seemed so deserted. Did those Vampyrs holed up in their homes deserve this grim fate? “They don’t believe that the prince truly has their best interests at heart.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the prince has not always been a just or fair ruler. This creature has been in the woods for years. Been allowed to grow and feed on other monsters—to grow stronger. There were reports of something strange brewing in Chaménos five years ago, but the prince ignored it.”
“Why would he do that?”
“He believed the reports were rumors started by the humans to stir up discord amongst the Vampyr courts,” Lord Damien said.
Thalia chewed the inside of her cheek, studying Cassius. Everything was beginning to make sense now. Why the treaty had been struck and why the prince was always gone. Suddenly, the validity of her mission seemed to waver.
“And I fear,” Lord Damien continued, “that the blight of the bitten will only grow stronger. Julian may not have been the only one hiding loved ones who’ve been bitten.”
Cassius’s face darkened. “What do you mean?”
“My father discovered a group of bitten in a barn just outside Sanire, the capital of House Avanerius.” Thalia guessed he had added that last bit for her sake. “A whole family except one had been turned. They were trying to keep it a secret so they wouldn’t all be killed.”
“They’re becoming desperate,” Keegan murmured.
Cassius’s face became a granite mask. “The more Vampyrs that are bitten, the more they’ll do anything to keep their loved ones alive. Including hiding those who’ve turned …” He looked to Camilla. “I need you to go to Lorceium. We don’t have months. Figure out what can be done to speed things along.”
Camilla nodded. “On it.” She went to the window, throwing it open before she stepped onto the ledge.
“What are you—” Thalia started, but Camilla didn’t look back as she jumped.
Then something shot past the window, a cry echoing. Thalia’s eyes widened at the retreating form of a falcon in the distance.
“I need a unit of men who can sweep through the cities, especially those near the border of the forest, to look for anyone who may be harboring a bitten. Can you do that?” Cassius turned to Lord Damien.
The Vampyr inclined his head. “It will be done.” He left, leaving only Keegan as the remaining member.
“What about the prince?” Thalia blurted out.
The two Vampyrs glanced at each other.
“What about him?” Cassius got out.
Thalia met his intense stare. “Isn’t he supposed to be back soon? Surely he can’t expect you all to deal with this and the courts on your own? I mean, you aren’t all the rulers of House Lorenzia. The prince can’t really expect his people to follow his councilors’ orders alone.”
