A Shade of Vampire 80 A Veil of Dark - Bella Forrest Page 0,51
whatever reason, we have to be careful. They could see us coming from miles away. Hence our slow pace here.”
“I wonder how old this tunnel is,” I said, looking around.
The walls were black, polished almost to perfection. The air was cold and humid, a sign that there was a stream of water flowing somewhere nearby. Occasionally, old tree roots burst from the ceiling and reached deeper underground, working through the cracked stone floor.
“I’d give it at least a million years,” Sidyan replied. “Maybe more. And it’s been used quite a lot, too.”
“What do you think we’ll find when we do reach the Darklings?”
Maya came over, stopping in front of Sidyan and licking his hand. “Ah. She’s found another Reaper trace,” Sidyan said as he followed her. She led him a few yards ahead, to a jagged rock. Using his scythe, Sidyan tried to locate the Reaper energy sliver she’d signaled by licking his hand. I had to give the ghoul credit—she was exceptionally well trained. It gave me hope for other ghouls. Maybe there was a way to give them purpose again, instead of letting them loose to hurt innocents or destroying them altogether. After all, Herbert and his cohort had more than proven themselves during the Hermessi apocalypse. “Here it is,” Sidyan said, his blade lighting up white for a moment.
I followed his gaze and saw the luminescent thread tucked between the jagged rock and the hard ground. He picked it up with the tip of his scythe, closing his eyes for a moment. I had a full view of his profile against the black backdrop of the tunnel. His nose was perfectly straight, his lips full and neatly contoured. His brows furrowed over his dark, starry eyes, and he always looked as though he was thinking about something truly profound.
Sometimes, I found myself wondering what went through his head. What did a Reaper even think about? Did Reapers ever sleep or dream? I doubted it, since they were practically dead. But their energy levels were still somewhat limited. Surely, some rest would be required now and then. I’d asked Sidyan about it, and he’d told me to mind my own business. He definitely wasn’t the sharing kind.
“It’s Seeley,” Sidyan said, opening his eyes. “He’s leaving these traces deliberately.”
“Probably hoping another Reaper will come through and find them,” I added, trying not to get too excited. It was an easy trap to fall into.
“Something tells me everything that’s wrong with Visio is connected to the Darklings,” Sidyan replied, looking at me. “Including the absence of ghosts and Reapers.”
“The Darklings are taking them all?” I asked, pursing my lips as I tried to wrap my head around the concept.
We kept walking, side by side. Maya went ahead. My little magic light orb hovered above, lighting a path for us.
“Think about it. The Darklings have ghouls and death magic. They’ve certainly got Seeley, and Rudolph’s team. They’ve probably kidnapped other Reapers, too,” Sidyan explained. “What if they let the ghouls free so they can eat the souls of people who die here on Visio?”
“To what end?” I wondered.
“To keep them well fed? Maybe even obedient.”
That, of course, just brought on more questions, but none would be answered here, in this dark tunnel. Sidyan glanced up, and I could almost hear the wheels in his head turning, thoughts brewing.
“Do you hear that?” he asked. I shook my head. He sighed and whistled, drawing Maya back. “Stay with Lumi,” he said to her. “I’ll be right back.”
Without another word, he vanished, and Maya and I were left on our own, both of us wondering where he’d gone. I gave her a soft smile, her big, beady black eyes fixed on me.
“I haven’t said this aloud, but I am sorry for what happened to you,” I said. “You were just a kid. Too young to be given the responsibility of a Reaper. I understand why Sidyan is so protective of you. He feels guilty.”
Maya purred, lowering her head.
“For what it’s worth, I think I would’ve done the same, if I’d been in his place. I would’ve found you souls to eat,” I added. Her interest was piqued, her gaze finding mine again. “That being said, chances are we’re going to bump into ghouls when we do find the Darklings. I really hope we can count on you, honey.”
She let a low growl out from her throat, sitting upright and cocking her head to the side.