was as if her roommate, you, your girlfriend and your roommates had never even thought of it. Which is really terribly odd, don’t you agree?” Senka asked.
I hadn’t ever thought of it and now that she’d pointed it out, I didn’t know why. I couldn’t recall ever even considering asking Ariel for a prediction. I shrugged. “I suppose it is,” I said, baffled.
“I asked her why that might be. Her answer—she felt that she was right in the middle of something really important, something brilliant. And when that occurs, the Seer is as blind as everyone else, and at some level, you all knew it. Absolutely fascinating,” Senka said.
“Do you know how old I am, Declan?” she asked. Uh oh. Danger. Danger.
“No ma’am. And I wouldn’t ever presume to guess,” I said.
She laughed, her dark eyes holding me in place. “Suffice to say I am the oldest of my kind. Living this long is not easy. In fact, most Darkkin die by their own hand soon after they reach five hundred years or so. Boredom and loneliness. One must find new and interesting things to keep life… spicy. In all my years, never have I lived in a more interesting time. Do you know how I spend the majority of my time?”
I thought about it carefully, pretty sure where at least some of this was going. “Dealing with the fallout of the Battle and Emergence?”
“Exactly so. Christian and Tatiana have thrown our society into upheaval and chaos. Darkkin across the planet either fear for their lives or rally for battles they are certain are coming, or want to start. Mortals flock to religion, or their politicians, demanding to be protected from the Darkkin who have lived among them forever. For hundreds of years, I led the Coven in suppressing all knowledge of vampires from the mortal world to prevent just this upheaval. And now it is all for naught.”
She seemed strangely okay with that fact. “How do you feel about that?” I asked, maybe unwisely.
She looked at me archly. “When Tatiana was born, many prophecies were made. The end of Darkkin, the ascension of Darkkin over mortals, the end of days, even the second Coming. I didn’t believe in any of those. But I knew something was coming, something vast. So while many feel I should be enraged over the Emergence and I should be punishing Tatiana and her Chosen, I have done nothing of the kind. Do you know why?”
“Because anyone who gets in the God Hammer’s way doesn’t survive?” I asked.
She laughed. “Something of the sort. I don’t fear for my survival, young warlock, but I don’t believe it is wise to side against the One God’s champions. So I put out the fires and I watch, guide, and temper my people. I calm them down and if that doesn’t work, I cull them from the Coven. This is not the time to react from fear or anger. It is the time of careful thought and even more careful maneuvering. Christian has a way of overcoming everything thrown at him. Part of it is the extraordinary people he draws to him and surrounds himself with. You are obviously the latest.”
The witch, Veleslava, said something rude in her language. Janek sucked a breath and Senka glanced at her companion before looking back at me.
“Vel is of the opinion that you are nothing special. That you are all hype. She complains that you haven’t even tried to smash her fire.”
I looked at the orb of fire. Sorrow’s spell was now ripe with absorbed power, the shield almost gone. Reaching forward, I lightly tapped the burning ball with my left index finger, absorbing the spell and snuffing the flame at the same time.
“She may be right. I have no way to judge these things,” I said as I leaned back, my eyes on Senka, but my peripheral vision watching the witch. Her mouth hung open a bit and Senka looked amused.
“I, on the other hand, have over a thousand years by which to judge,” Elder Senka said. “I am very glad to have met you, young warlock. Take care of yourself and your friends, especially young Ariel. Many factions covet the powers of a Seer. And remember, Christian and Tatiana are impervious to much, but those they surround themselves with are not.”
Janek touched my arm at the same time that I came to the conclusion my audience was over. Fine by me. As welcoming as she was, I hadn’t for a