A Shade of Vampire 84 A Memory of Time - Bella Forrest Page 0,69
We certainly didn’t want Petra to be anywhere near Kalon, and the western tower did seem like a safer bet, since it overlooked the raging ocean and limited her options in a worst-case scenario.
I wondered what this would lead to. My instincts told me to be careful, and I’d be a fool not to follow them. Petra Visentis was in town, and that meant trouble no matter what. But she had information, and we needed it more than anything.
Derek
The tower was only halfway up, thanks to Lumi’s swamp witch magic. It reigned tall over the surrounding ruins of a once majestic city, though—a quiet, slender stump that held several rooms used for storage.
I could see the north tower from here. At the very top, Valaine was busy tapping into her past lives with Tristan, Phantom, and Morning’s help. A level below, Time kept Kalon in another spell where deep sleep and death magic slowed down his metabolism in a bid to resist the Black Fever.
As Petra and I stood before the western tower, however, I knew I had to make sure she didn’t go a single foot outside this place. There was a room at the base of the tower that I planned to use for Petra. I needed to keep her away from our people, as well.
“I thought this tower crumbled a long time ago,” Petra muttered, tilting her head back to look up, hands cuffed behind her back.
“We rebuilt parts of it, as you can see,” I said. “It provides a better vantage point at the top. We can see the enemy coming.”
“You fully rebuilt the north tower, as well,” she replied, gazing out into the distance.
“We need that for tactical purposes,” I shot back, my tone clipped. “Is this some kind of recon, Petra?”
Changing the subject worked. I didn’t want her making inquiries about the north tower. She flashed a cold grin. “I’m just curious.”
Like I would believe that… Esme joined us, but I couldn’t see Time anywhere. He must’ve gone back to watch over Kalon. For better or worse, Valaine had backup inside that interdimensional pocket. Kalon was on his own. The night was gradually fading, and a faint light slowly emerged on the eastern horizon, spreading across the starry sky and sending the moon to the other side of Visio.
“Where are my sons?” Petra asked.
“Sofia is talking to Ansel, Tudyk, and Moore right now,” I replied. “It is up to them whether they wish to see you. If they decide against it, I will not let you near them.”
Petra shot me a cold glare. “You won’t keep me away from my boys.”
“Your boys might reject you,” Esme retorted, giving her a nudge. “Better get used to that thought. It’s what you get for killing and lying for an evil cause.”
“What you call evil, we call survival,” Petra said. “You keep professing your opinion about matters you have little to no knowledge of. I can’t see what Kalon ever saw in you. Speaking of, where is my eldest son?”
I wasn’t sure what to tell her, but Esme was quick to answer. “He’s on a mission with Trev and a few others in our group. But trust me, he definitely doesn’t want to see you.”
Lying made sense. It also came easier to Esme, and I appreciated that about her. Usually, the consensus was that good liars made excellent villains, and that terrible liars were so adjusted to telling the truth that deceit was basically impossible for them. But that wasn’t always true. Esme was one of the kindest and most noble people I had ever met—she just had a knack for making things up without getting caught.
She glanced my way and offered a faint nod, while Petra looked up again.
“What are we doing here, Derek?”
“We’re going to keep you somewhere safe and away from our people,” I told her. “I don’t trust you for a single second, and I’ll sleep better knowing you’re here under lock and key. And constant supervision.”
“I’m one person against how many?” Petra scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You should be flattered that I’m not underestimating you,” I replied, motioning for her to go in. Time had the upper levels of the north tower covered, and there were plenty of Seniors for Petra to fight off if she wanted to get there from here, so I didn’t worry too much. Besides, I’d be with her around the clock. Chances were, Esme wouldn’t let the Whip leave her sight, either.