A Shade of Vampire 79 A Game of Death - Bella Forrest Page 0,25
last known hideouts of the Darklings.”
Corbin shook his head. “What do you expect to find there? Those places were raided decades ago.”
“True, but the neighbors are the same. Some of them might know something. They might remember details,” Valaine replied. “You don’t need us here, anyway.”
“I don’t like you going out there on your own, not after what happened last night,” Corbin grumbled. I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at him.
“She won’t be alone,” I said.
“You don’t really count, vampire,” he shot back, waving at the remaining guards, whom he had questioned earlier. “You. I trust you. I know you and your parents. You’ve lost a couple of loved ones to the Darklings yourselves, haven’t you?”
One of the soldiers nodded. “Yes, master commander. We do not meddle with those freaks, and we’re more than willing to prove it.”
“Good,” Corbin replied. “You’ll be shadowing them. Do not leave them on their own, or I will have your heads. And if one of you tries something funny, you’ll see a side of my daughter I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. You’ll be there for backup, if Valaine needs it. Am I clear?”
The six golden guards straightened their backs and bowed briefly. I was a little insulted, but I didn’t exactly mind the backup. If there were Darklings out there waiting to catch Valaine with her guard down again, then these fellas came in handy. My only problem was that I couldn’t exactly trust them with our safety. What if one of them was a Darkling? Then again, I couldn’t prove it. The uncertainty angered me, but we couldn’t stall things for much longer.
Esme and Kalon were busy with Nethissis’s murder. I wanted to get these Darklings out of the way sooner rather than later, so I could join my sister and bring our friend’s killer to justice. These were thoughts I hadn’t voiced in Corbin’s presence. I’d noticed he wasn’t comfortable with the prospect of an Aeternae killer being responsible for what had happened to Nethissis, much like Zoltan and the other Aeternae higher-ups. No one liked belonging to the same species that had produced our friend’s murderer, it seemed.
It made me wonder… was this just their collective pride getting in the way, or did they know something they didn’t want us to find out?
“If anything seems suspicious, I want you to come right back to the palace,” Corbin said to Valaine. “Stay away from the dark alley, and make sure you always have an exit strategy, okay?”
“Father, I’m not five anymore,” Valaine replied.
“Maybe not, but you’re still my daughter, and as much as I hate to admit it, Tristan here has made several unpleasant but good points.” He looked at me. “You’d better keep an eye on her. Valaine tends to wander off, with no regard for her own safety sometimes.”
“I thought I didn’t count,” I retorted, pursing my lips.
“You don’t. But I don’t want you to feel useless,” Corbin said, throwing me a cold sneer.
Valaine clicked her teeth, looking downright annoyed. “You’re both forgetting I’ve won several Blood Arena tournaments. All the tournaments I’ve participated in, actually. I’m not a porcelain doll!”
“Just… be careful,” Corbin muttered, giving her a pleading look. “I need you to come back to me, alive and well.”
For a moment, the animosity between them—that friction that was always present between a stubborn father and a wily daughter—vanished. Corbin and Valaine were equals again. Corbin was her guardian. She was his charge. His most precious accomplishment. His priceless treasure. And they were both vulnerable, visibly pained by the prospect of losing one another.
An hour later, Valaine and I were somewhere south of the palace, close to one of the busiest marketplaces in the city. The people seemed blissfully unaware of the turmoil that had plagued the royal residence last night. They laughed and shopped around the many stalls, loaded with fine silks and beautiful jewelry and rare items that must’ve been brought from all over Visio—judging solely by the unique designs and different materials. They moved around, stopping to taste blood from vendors dressed in crisp white tunics, or to smell the colorful flower bouquets on display, on the eastern corner of the market.
To everyone else, nothing had happened.
They didn’t know about the Black Fever’s first three victims. They didn’t know about the attempt on Valaine’s life. And they certainly didn’t know about Nethissis. It was better that way. The more people were aware, the higher the odds of civil unrest.