I noticed a pile of pelts in the corner of the painting. The longer I looked, the more details unveiled themselves to me.
Ruelle, being the most beautiful of the four, was easy to pick out from her striking features. She had one sword sheathed on her back and one drawn as she kept a lookout.
Older and more developed than her sisters was Lorana. Sparks flew from two stones in her hands as she worked on a small fire in their makeshift camp.
The youngest girl—Isley, I believed—was holding a small bouquet of flowers. Thin purple lines streaked across the belled, yellow petals. I recognized the henbane immediately. It was known as the truth-flower. A fickle plant that was forbidden to be grown in Illica.
A frail arm was draped over Isley. The final sister must have been Aveen. A prominent shadow loomed behind her, but I didn’t interpret it as a menacing presence. It was a protective presence.
I ruminated on the hidden details of the illustration a moment longer before Oddo urged me forward.
“Those were their darkest days. Hiding and hunting. Feeding and fighting. But eventually they settled. The sisters very carefully and strategically began turning humans. It took over fifty years, but they slowly built what we know today to be the first Hive.” Four rectangular banners of equal size hung in front of us now. “And as I said at the beginning, each of us is a descendant of those sisters.”
Oddo gestured to the emerald banner with a golden mountain peak woven at its center. “Lorana, the matriarchal sister. Her gifts are leadership, charisma, and a natural influence. Her descendants become our figureheads, like His Majesty.”
I suddenly understood Rhazien’s affinity for emerald clothing and decorations. It was a sign of his lineage.
“Truth seers descend from Isley.” He gestured to the white banner. Blue threads wove into geometric shapes surrounding an open eye. “Those made from her bloodline are scholars and judges.” The red banner featuring two clashing, golden-threaded swords needed no explanation. “Leagues of fierce warriors have descended from Ruelle. The Warrior Queen. Her descendants are the most common among us.”
I immediately categorized Dommik and even Vaspar as descendants of Ruelle.
The final banner was black with interwoven gold and silver threads. The fabrics swirled together like a tendril of smoke. “Aveen was gifted with the ability to summon and shift. Our priestesses are the descendants of Aveen. They are the coveted few who can perform the binding ceremony.”
My body stiffened and my mouth went dry at the mention of the ceremony. I shifted my weight next to him, willing my mind to remember nothing needed to be decided yet. I wasn’t in danger, and could relax. A deep breath brought the smell of leather and pine.
“Are you well, my lady?” Dommik’s low voice rumbled behind me.
“Yes,” I rasped before clearing my throat and nodding over my shoulder to him. “Yes,” I said more clearly this time. “Thank you, Commander. Oddo, please continue.”
Dommik’s receding boots echoed through the hall. I licked my lips before forcing a permissive smile.
The young master blinked an assessing look at the Commander, then to me. “Not all vampires are in complete harmony with their inheritedgifts. Take Gorvin, for example. Based on your interactions with him, which Original would you guess he’s descended from?” He folded his hands in front of his body and waited.
“Gorvin seems…” I selected my descriptive words carefully. “Observant. Orderly.”
Oddo nodded, chuckling to himself.
“Lorana.” The confidence in my answer withered with Oddo’s sly smile.
“It’s an educated guess, but no. He’s a descendant of Ruelle, five times removed, so the warrior trait isn’t as prominent. That happens the further you are from an Original. The gifts you may inherit become diluted.”
It would be impossible not to wonder who descended from which Original every time I met someone new from now on.
“Is it…rude…to ask about it?” I leaned forward and wondered aloud.
“That’s a very considerate question. I wouldn’t say it’s rude, but some vampires can be protective of their lineage and may become defensive. My advice? Let someone share freely if they feel comfortable. I wouldn’t pry.”
“Understood.” I nodded and turned back to Ruelle. “What was she like? After she got her revenge?”
“Fierce as ever with her new gifts, and to my knowledge, she never much cared for men after that. Even as sustenance.”
“Is she…still alive?” I stammered.
Oddo bobbed his head side to side as he considered his answer. “She is. In a sense. They all are.” I cocked a brow. “But that is a lesson for another day.”
“How was your lesson, my lady?” Alba asked as if inquiring about my ongoing vampire lectures were the same as discussing the weather.
“Overwhelming.” I exhaled, running a hand through my hair.
