A Shade of Vampire 80 A Veil of Dark - Bella Forrest Page 0,34

do we go now?” I asked.

“My lake house is the closest, actually, about fifty miles southeast of here,” Kalon said. “We can rest there for the night and head back to the palace first thing in the morning. Trev doesn’t need us, and I need to get Ansel home. Our mother will want to have words with him.”

He shot Ansel a most murderous glare.

“I’m sorry this is happening,” I murmured. “You don’t deserve any of it.”

“It’s nothing compared to what others have suffered at the hands of Darklings. It’s fine, Esme. Thank you for the kind thoughts.”

As strange as it sounded, I could feel Kalon pulling away from me. It was as if this whole Ansel problem had quickly turned into a wedge, cramming itself between us. The attraction was still there, of course, but it all felt hampered by Ansel’s presence.

I hoped it would only be a temporary setback, because my heart was already pounding. I was fearful that this might become an opportunity lost—the kind that only comes once in a lifetime. At least it gave me an even bigger axe to grind with the Darklings.

They had turned into quite the thorn in my side, and I was eager to yank them all out.

Tristan

By nightfall, our convoy had already reached the Green Road, headed toward Astoria. The Crimson guards stayed with us at all times, but the gold and silver soldiers were sent out to check each settlement along the way.

We’d covered fifty villages and small towns thus far. In some instances, the troops had come back with blood on their glistening armor. They’d come across Darklings, and it had gotten violent, fast. Unfortunately, they had yet to bring any of them back to us in one piece. It no longer struck me as odd, having seen what lengths the Darklings were willing to go to, in order to protect their faction.

Some villages were untouched and completely oblivious to the threat. From there, the soldiers had returned with flasks filled with fresh blood from the Rimian locals. We had our supply carts, as well, but the gesture was well received, nonetheless.

Corbin led the way, sullen as usual, likely still trying to process everything that had happened, everything that my sister and I had uncovered since Nethissis had been murdered. Zoltan Shatal had been a trusted servant of the empire. His betrayal had to sting.

Valaine stayed by my side as we rode our Vision horses up the Green Road. I could see where it had gotten its name from. It looked like a wide emerald path, flanked by lush forests, its edges evergreen with shrubs and sprawling bushes. The air was clean and crisp, cricket-like insects chirping from the darkness of the woods.

I’d just spoken to Esme about her whole adventure near Tromb, and I had to admit, even I was stunned by the developments. Valaine was equally flabbergasted.

“I still can’t believe it,” she murmured after a long and heavy silence. “Ansel, out of all people…”

“Should we tell your father, too?” I asked, briefly glancing ahead. An entire battalion separated us from him, and I didn’t mind it one bit. Corbin had a tendency to hover and scowl at me whenever I spoke to Valaine. This Aeternae man was the epitome of an overprotective father, for sure.

Valaine shook her head. “No. Not yet,” she said. “He will have no mercy for Ansel. He isn’t the kind who cares about a traitor’s last name. Besides, Kalon’s brother is young. He couldn’t have been with the Darklings for too long. Maybe there’s still hope for him.”

“He’s not talking yet.”

“Yet,” Valaine replied, giving me a half-smile. “I’m sure Kalon frightened him nearly to death. I can only imagine the anger and heartache he must be feeling right now. Rest assured, Kalon will get the truth out of him, eventually. Ansel just needs to understand that the Darklings are not his friends. That he’s better off with his family.”

“I’m surprised to see you so hopeful. He’s basically a Darkling himself, and the entire faction is determined to kill you,” I said.

Valaine exhaled. “I’m angry with Ansel, of course. I’ve known him since the day he was born. I’ve watched him grow up, like Kalon’s other brothers. It hurts to accept that he’d be willing to cut my head off as a sacrifice to the Black Fever, but… I can also see there is still hope for him. Young minds are impressionable and easy to sway back, too. Whatever dark path they’ve led Ansel