“I don’t know.”
“Never. It never works that way. It’s all in the Guild library.”
“Well, that explains my ignorance, I guess. They never let me read the books.”
“They couldn’t, you see. Because they didn’t know if you were the true match for Ryet. They really didn’t think it was going to work. But now that it has?—”
I stop listening because I remember more of what Paul said that day we were in the purple and he was trying to explain what would happen next. “If you take your girls to the Guild, they will be safe and so will you. And not only that, Syrsee, they will reward you for coming home to them and let you read the books.”
I finish for Tristin. “They will let me read the books.”
“They will want you to know everything.”
“So that’s why you’re here? To take me back to the Guild?”
“Not just you. Ryet must come as well.”
A little pain stabs my heart once again. Because this is the catch. I can go home. I can read those books that were forbidden to me. I can learn all the secret things. I can have all the knowledge of my history. But only if I bring Ryet with me.
It hurts, I’m not gonna lie. It hurts. Because this is just yet another trap.
“What do you think Ryet would say if I told him this story?”
Tristin gives me a small shrug. “He would… be suspicious. I would, if I were him.”
“But… if he wanted to make me happy, he might relent, don’t you think?”
Tristin smiles. “Probably.”
I let out a long sigh. I knew it was too good to be true. They don’t care about me. They don’t care about Ryet. They care about power.
“Do you think he likes you?”
“Who?” I ask.
“Ryet.”
“Does he like me… as a person? As his food? As his friend?”
“As his lover?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
“Well, I think he does like you. And you’ve been gone for a while now, so…” Tristin stands up, smiling at me, his job here done. “I’ll see you out.”
I stand up too. “What am I supposed to do now?”
“Convince him, Syrsee.”
“Why can’t you just come take him? Why do you need me to deliver him?”
Tristin scoffs. “Is that a real question? He’s avampire, Syrsee. A baby one, but still. He’s more powerful than he realizes. He has no idea what he is or what he can do. There is no way we could take him if he didn’t want to come. He would just… kill us all. And he wouldn’t even have to make a decision to do this. It would just happen. It would be instinct. We need him towantto cooperate.”
“And that’s where I come in.” I force this to come out neutral, but that’s not how I feel. I resent this entire conversation.
“Yes.” Tristin smiles, happy and content that I am seeing things his way. The Guild way. He walks over to the door and opens it for me. I get up and I’m just about to walk through it when he asks one final question. “What should I tell Zusi?”
I close my eyes, forcing myself to remain calm. Then I open them and look at Tristin one final time. “Tell her… goodbye.”
Then I walk out.
