The main gate of town materializes around us. I’m clutching Ventos and Drew each with a death grip. But the vampir staggers and stumbles. He coughs inky blood, resting his hands on his knees.
“Ventos?”
“The bastard.” His crazed grin is stained black. “He thought those meager barriers could stop me?”
I hate to pressure him when he’s so obviously struggling but… “We can’t stay here. We have to keep moving.”
Ventos nods and takes my hand once more. He looks toward the fog of the marshes and the world spins then collapses into shadow.
Only to re-materialize with a pop.
Again and again, he moves us. On the fourth time, Ventos staggers. Magic flares and shadows unfurl from him, but they dissipate on the wind. He drops to his knees, sinking into the soft earth of the marshes. Blood coats the front of his armor from his coughing and sputtering.
“Why is this happening? Is it because you’re moving two people?” I rest a hand on his shoulder.
“That’s hard enough…but no…the fortress had a barrier not unlike the castle’s. Even poorly made…it—” He coughs up more blood. “It was enough to wound me as I forced us through.”
“The vampir that has taken the form of the raven made a barrier?” I ask to clarify.
Ventos nods weakly, eyes still focused ahead, as though he’s gathering the strength to move us once more. But no magic curls into existence. The air is still. I wonder if he’s taking the brunt of the wounds onto himself, sparing Drew and me.
“That must have been its den. Whoever the bastard is, he had the sense to try and keep away other vampir who’d want to kill him for turning against our kind. I should have known better.”
I take the vial from my pocket and stretch out my hand. “Here.”
“No, that’s for—”
“It won’t matter to Ruvan if we die here. Take it and get us back to safety,” I say firmly. Ventos searches my steely expression. “Listen, I know the hunters. They are going to canvas these marshes and the sun is almost up. Your powers are weakening as the moon sets. You won’t be able to get us back to Midscape soon, and I’m afraid of what will happen if we try and stay here.”
“But—”
“Your wife needs you alive. What good is making her a new world if you die here?” I thrust the vial into his chest and he stares at me, stunned. Maybe it’s cruel of me to bring her up. But we all have people we’re living and fighting for. “Take it.”
“Half.” He snatches the vial with a grumble. It’s so small that Ventos must pinch it between his thumb and index finger. How daintily he raises it to his lips is juxtaposed by the exhaustion of the massive man, the black blood that has oozed down his chin. He takes a single sip and his eyes go wide.
I know that feeling. Something in me, awoken by the elixir, sustained by Ruvan, still yearns for it. But I don’t give in to those urges. Not even now, when Ventos hands me back the half-empty vial. Even though part of me wants to drink from it, I close the container tightly and return it to my pocket.
Ventos stands, stronger than before. His muscles bulge, engorged. I take his hand and we continue our flight to the safety of Midscape.
* * *
The sun has just crestedthe horizon as we land in the receiving hall of Castle Tempost. I collapse on the ground with a heavy sigh. Ventos, of course, is no worse for wear thanks to the elixir still surging through him.
“Stay here, I’ll get the others,” he says. Before I can reply, he’s gone, moving with vampir speed that I can barely keep up with using my human eyes.
I finally, slowly, release Drew’s arm. The steady rise and fall of his chest floods me with relief. He’s still unconscious, but it looks like the wound left by that wretched bird has finally stopped oozing blood.
“You’re lucky you were unaware for all that,” I mutter. “It’s not something you would’ve wanted to deal with.” I draw my knees to my chest, wrap my arms around them, and rest my cheek atop. “You’re going to be so cross with me when you wake up and you see where I’ve brought you.”
But he will wake up. I’ve saved him from certain death by bringing him into the halls of the vampir. It seems so backward I bite back a laugh.
“Floriane.” My name on Ruvan’s tongue startles me from my thoughts. He stands in the door, flanked by Quinn and Callos. Much to my relief, he looks no worse for wear than when I left. Ventos is nowhere to be seen. Ruvan’s expression bounces between relieved, joyful, and agitated. Unfortunately for me, it ends on the last as his eyes dart to Drew. “Have you lost all of your better senses?”
I stand. “If I had left him there the hunters would’ve killed him.”
He storms over. “Now the withering will kill him.”
“We can return him to the other side of the Fade,” I say calmly.
