A Shade of Vampire 81 A Bringer of Night - Bella Forrest Page 0,44

water, guarded by gold-armored soldiers. I remembered the weapons we had stored in it—specifically, the pulverizers. Those would come in handy if we crossed paths with the Darklings again. In fact, they were the only advantage we had against their Reaper scythes.

“We should go through here,” Kalon said as we stopped at a small junction of battered roads. The path he indicated would lead us deeper into the city through a lesser-known residential area mostly occupied by poor Rimians and Naloreans. The buildings were in disarray, the paint peeling off, the shutters old and shoddy. “It’s the fastest way to get to my house without anyone noticing.”

I’d informed Tristan of my position as soon as we’d entered the city. He knew where I’d be by sundown. I hadn’t mentioned Zoltan’s capture to Kalon yet, however—probably due to my internal turmoil regarding his honesty. I did wonder what Kalon might say once he learned that Zoltan had been captured. Throughout my many musings on this topic, I’d wondered if Kalon had known more about Zoltan, too, and not just the Darklings. Had he known that Zoltan was responsible for Nethissis’s death from the beginning?

“Esme.”

His voice brought me back. I was still struggling with my options where Kalon was concerned, but by not talking about these problems, I was driving a wedge between us.

“Yes, Kalon, I’m sorry,” I said. “I’ve just heard from Tristan. They caught Zoltan.”

This was supposed to be a deciding moment for us, dictated exclusively by his reaction to the news. I should have told him yesterday, the moment my brother had reached out. In hindsight, it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. Kalon smiled, and tension seemed to leave his frame as he relaxed in the saddle.

“They caught him,” he repeated after me. “They caught Zoltan. That’s amazing. That is excellent news! Where? How? Is your brother okay? Valaine?”

I nodded, giving him a weak smile. There was nothing about his demeanor that suggested deceit, and it made me feel terrible. “About fifty miles north of Astoria,” I said. “They lost a lot of troops in the process, and they couldn’t capture the rest of the Darkling horde, but they got Zoltan. They’re bringing him back into the city for judgment.”

Kalon smiled as though he’d been given the greatest news ever. He beamed like the sun itself, beyond the hazy spell that enveloped Visio, Rimia, and Nalore. He appeared genuinely pleased with this development—unlike Ansel, who frowned and glanced off to the side, concern clouding his expression.

“It’s a good way to start the day, don’t you think?” Kalon clicked his teeth as he spurred Lightning into motion. I followed him up the alley, and we made a series of turns through the neighborhood until we reached the Visentis mansion.

“He’s going to pay for what he did,” I said after a while. “Every single Aeternae who has consorted with the Darklings will pay for their crimes. Whether it’s lying, keeping their secrets, acting or killing on their behalf… they’ll all suffer.”

I hoped to elicit a reaction from Kalon with this statement. Annoyingly enough, it was Ansel who threw me a nervous glance. Kalon didn’t reveal even an inkling of concern. We got off our Vision horses as one of the valets came down the stairs of the mansion and took the creatures up the side alley. I heard horses neighing nearby and assumed there was a stable waiting for Midnight and Lightning.

Kalon threw Ansel over his shoulder, then turned around to face me. “Okay. You’re about to meet the rest of my family,” he said sternly. “They’re not immediately friendly types. I kindly suggest you let me do most of the talking until I get them to agree about Ansel’s future options. My siblings might be more forgiving than I am, and I don’t want Ansel to get off easy after everything he’s done.”

“I’m right here with you,” I told him.

Looking up at the house, I suddenly felt small. Even insignificant. It was the tallest construction on this block, with a sloped four-sided roof and thick columns descending to the entrance stairs. The façade was covered with sturdy wood panels, the windows tall and wide. We ascended the stone steps as two Rimian servants opened the giant red double doors.

Architecturally speaking, the Visentis mansion stood out. Imposing, dark, and luxurious—much like its owners—and radically different from Kalon’s old house. It wasn’t as monumental, but it still left a lasting impression on its beholders. It even made my stomach