Malevolenci Page 15

  No, he’s not thinking, Esme realized. He’s sorting through memories. I probably get the same look on my face when sifting through my memories. I can’t imagine what it must be like to hold centuries of memories in your mind – and from hundreds of different people! All those images, smells, sounds…feelings, emotions. It’s no wonder these vamps have gone a little crazy.

  Dax crossed his arms. “The king asked you a question, neck-biter.”

  “Give him a minute.” Esme made a face at her friend.

  The vampire finally looked back at Owen. “Yes, Rylet was Dracu’s seventh heir in the year of the deep bleed.”

  Esme had no idea what he was talking about, and she glanced at Owen, who seemed equally lost.

  The ancient must’ve seen this, and he waved a bony hand to explain. “We trust Rylet.”

  “Ah, good. Like I said, he sent us.” Owen relaxed. “We came to speak with you ancients and see if you could tell us anything that could help us defeat the malevolenci.”

  The upper lip of the vampire’s mouth lifted in a grin, exposing a pointed fang. “We are ageless. We are memory-keepers. We are not warriors, King of the Order.”

  “I understand. But we’re hoping your collective memories might know something more than what’s written in our records.”

  “Of course we know more. We are ageless. We are memory-keepers.”

  “Right…” Owen tried again. “If it’s okay, could you take us to the rest of your coven? This is really important.”

  The vampire glanced over his shoulder at the pool. “We do not accept visitors. We are private. And some things are best forgotten. Our burdens are many. We have carried them here to our eternal grave.”

  Esme shivered.

  Max growled. “But this is the king.”

  “Many kings have sought our secrets. None were meant to know. It is not for this king to know either.”

  Dax scoffed. “You’re still part of the Order, aren’t you? Even if you live down here and hide while the rest of us fight? If you don’t obey the king, I’ll–”

  Esme cut him off with a tense, “Not helping, Dax.”

  Owen wiped a hand over his face, then looked at Esme. He pointed at her and said to the vampire, “This is my alterni. She’s my last alterni. She’s an alterni endi. Do you know what that is?”

  This time, the vampire didn’t have to check his memories. His bloodshot eyes swung to Esme and studied her. “You are alterni endi?”

  She nodded. “I am…unfortunately.”

  The vampire half-turned to gaze at the smoking rift across the pool.

  Owen’s eyes swung from the vampire to the rift and back again. “If you help us, Esme will close that rift before we leave.” He looked at her with a questioning lift of his eyebrows.

  Desperate times, she thought with a swallow. Closing it means the malevolenci will open another one and come fight. That’s always bad. We just lost Benja, and if Max or Dax got hurt, I don’t know… But the vampires probably hate having this rift open here. Getting rid of it might be the best bargaining chip we have. Isn’t it worth the risk, if meeting with the ancients leads to winning the war?

  Esme nodded to Owen, looking at Dax and Max to make sure they’d be up for the battle too. “Yes, I can close the rift.”

  Owen faced the vampire, who stood still, looking at the rift. “I’m sure having that thing open all the time is nerve-racking. If you help us, Esme will get rid of it for you.”

  The ancient turned back to Owen. “Get rid of it? That would be foolish, young king.”

  Owen frowned, then pointed toward the rift. “They’ll attack, but we’re willing to fight for you if it means you’ll help us. The malevolenci only put that here to catch us. They want to stop us from learning whatever you might tell us. I’m sure of it. If they’re so concerned about us talking to you ancients, then that means we must talk with your people.”

  The vampire looked at Esme, then back at the king. “We agree there is much the alterni endi must know. We are memory-keepers. We are guardians. We have centuries to share.”

  Esme felt a chill and exchanged a hopeful look with Owen.

  The vampire’s gaze swung to Dax. “We are the most ancient of the Order, angry pup. We memory-keepers have always fought for the kings, in our way. We will give the alterni endi the greatest weapon in the alt-worlds.”

  Dax shuffled, letting his guard down ever so slightly. “And what’s this weapon?”

  “Knowledge.”

  This wasn’t the answer Dax wanted, but Esme felt her hope rising.

  The ancient turned to face the pool. “But you will not close the rift.”

  Owen stepped beside him. “Are you sure? It’ll be a tough battle once they spring their trap, but after we leave, the malevolenci probably won’t open another–”

  “You know not of what you speak, King of the Order.”

  Owen’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “The malevolenci did not create that rift.”

  Esme now stepped beside the vampire. “Wait, what?”

  “Then who did?” asked Owen.

  The vampire grinned, his fangs reflecting the lightning from the rift. “Your father’s origini.”

  In her spell’s dim light, Esme saw Owen’s mouth drop open. She inspected the rift again. It looked like every other rift she’d ever seen.

  Owen held up a hand for clarification. “Trent Simons opened that rift?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh!” Esme gaped. “Trent created a spell to open a rift into the malevolenci world, and he hid it down here just in case the Order found itself with an alterni endi. That’s why he left that note for Mirth to find – this rift is a secret weapon for our time of desperation. Maybe the best thing to do is take the fight to the malevolenci world. They wouldn’t see that coming.”

  She noticed Owen looking with wonder at the rift across the pool.

  Fighting on the malevolenci’s turf, thought Esme with a shudder. Is this really the way to win? Even if my magic is crazy strong and we took every cavali we had, we wouldn’t have a clue what we’re walking into.

  She faced the ancient. “The malevolenci don’t know about this?”

  “No.”

  She swallowed. “Did Trent know what’s on the other side?”

  The vampire did not answer but dipped a pointed toe in the water at their feet. “Our way lies beneath the water. If alterni endi and king wish to learn more from us, you must come now. Your companions must wait here. Many of us despise half-breeds – their blood is impure. The half-pups would be seen as…a rare treat, if you take our meaning.”

  Behind them, Dax and Max grumbled.

  Owen glared at the ancient. “If their blood is so impure, funny you’d want to drink it.”

  The vampire shrugged his bony shoulders. “Warm blood is warm blood, when you’ve thirsted so long. Surviving on fish blood…” He scrunched his face in disgust, exposing the tips of his fangs.

  Every qualm Esme had ever had about vampires returned in an instant. “Owen, I’m not sure I want to walk into a den of starving vampires.”

  The ancient looked down at her. “We would not dare bite the king or his alterni without permission. Your lives are sacred to us. Never fear.”

  Owen raised eyebrow. “Your call, alterni.”

  Esme sighed and turned to look back at Max and Dax.

  Dax shook his head. “I don’t like this.”

  “Could be a trick,” said Max. “Seems to me a king’s blood would be quite the treat for a neck-biter. And your blood, Esme… Who knows what magic’s done to your blood? The vamps might smell it and swarm.”

  The ancient glared at him. “We would do no such thing.”

  Esme looked across the pool at the rift again. Then she faced Owen. “We have to go.”

  “Okay.” Owen took off his holster belt and walked to hand it, along with his phone, to Max. “Hang on to these, would ya? I don’t want to lose my stuff during our swim.
”

  Dax’s scowl was hard. “My lord, this plan is…bat guano.”

  “Guys, it’s important.” There was his king-voice. “Stay here and keep an eye on that thing.” He pointed at the rift. “If Esme and I aren’t back in two hours, one of you run and explain to Tank and Piper what’s taking us so long. If we’re not back by nightfall and haven’t sent any word, by all means dive in and come rescue us.”

  Dax was only mildly satisfied. With a scowl, he looked at his brother and nodded.

  Owen slapped Max on the arm and turned back to join Esme and her off-putting new friend. “Okay, let’s go.”

  The ancient turned to Esme. “You may wish to use a barrio around yourself and the king. The swim is long for human lungs. We will push you in the barrio to where the river meets our den.”

  They’ve done this before, Esme realized. At least with Trent Simons, I’m guessing.

  Her curiosity blazing, she nodded at the vampire and motioned for Owen to stand with her. This wasn’t the first time they’d shared a barrio, and Esme felt comforted as he slipped his arms around her waist. Standing against him, she lowered a castorca to where the recently burned barrio scar was healing on her thigh.

  “You sure about this?” Owen whispered.

  She nodded and held on to the back of his shirt as she prepared for the burst of pain. After a silent count to three, she released a burst of magic that burned through her pants into the barrio scar. She squeezed Owen’s shirt as her leg burned, but she sent another jolt of magic to strengthen the spell. A wall of cocooning light flickered around them, and a moment later they were in a protective bubble of magic.

  She lifted her head from Owen’s chest and looked over to see Dax holding a light stick. It did nothing to illuminate the cavern, but it was enough to show his worried face.

  I hope they’re okay while we’re gone.

  The ancient’s face moved into her line of sight, and Esme tried not to recoil as the man gave her a fang-y grin. He lifted his bony hands, placed them on the crackling barrio shield, and pushed.

  The entire cocoon tipped and fell into the pool. Immediately, all was pitch black. Esme clung to Owen as they tumbled, and she felt the strange sensation of being underwater without getting wet.

  Being in a confined space underwater has always made me claustrophobic, she thought with a first wave of panic. I can’t even see Owen right in front of me! I… Come on, alterni. Focus on happier times.

  She pictured in her mind the first night they’d spent together. Owen’s cement room in that Order bunker. Climbing under the blankets with him to stay warm. The feel of his arms around her.

  Then there was a sharp push, and she knew the ancient had started them on their way.

  As soon as Esme released the barrio, water flooded around them. Owen had known it was coming and held his breath, but he wasn’t prepared for the brain-numbing coldness. He felt Esme flail in the water beside him, and that was enough to switch his brain back on. He kicked for the surface.

  Owen’s head broke into air, and he sucked in a breath before grabbing blindly for land. A bony hand grabbed his arm instead and pulled him from the water.

  Our ancient friend is stronger than he looks, thought Owen as he lay on the ground, panting for air.

  Esme coughed somewhere beside him.

  “You okay, alterni?”

  “Holy fairy dust, that was cold!” She coughed again.

  Owen smiled and sat up, feeling around until he found her back. He put a hand on her soaked shirt and tried to help her to her feet. They finally stood in the darkness and huddled together for warmth. He rubbed her back while she rubbed his.

  “Hang on, let me try something.”

  Before he could ask, Owen felt her castorcas lift from his back. Esme shifted to put her hands between them, and with a clap she put palm to palm. Owen heard her rubbing her hands together, which seemed natural given the cold, but an instant later her hands glowed with warmth. This warmth spread like rippling heat between them, and Owen felt the freezing water in his clothes warm and evaporate. He saw in the glow that Esme’s black shirt and pants were drying as well, and soon even the water squelching in his boots dried up. The heat was intense but welcome.

  Once dried, Esme stopped rubbing her hands together, and the glow faded and died.

  At least I’m not chilled to the bone anymore.

  The ancient’s accented voice spoke from the darkness. “You may use a light spell, alterni endi, but please keep it as small as you are able. The eyes of those in the den are not as strong as mine.”

  As if you’ve been a trooper about it, thought Owen in annoyance.

  Esme pulled back from Owen, and a second later he squinted from the burst of firelight over her castorca. She weakened the fireball to a single flame, but it was enough.

  The wide stream they’d emerged from was slow-moving but deep. It ended beside them where the water disappeared under the rocky wall, presumably flowing into the pool beyond. The other direction was shrouded in blackness, but Owen heard the faint rippling of water far into the distance. They stood on a natural walkway of stone that ran along the water, and by now Owen was used to the pockmarked walls and ceilings.

  The vampire looked at Esme’s flame. “Are you sure you can’t make your way without it?”

  “We need to see.” The frustration in Owen’s voice was clear.

  “Very well. We await. Follow when you are ready.”

  The vampire turned and disappeared through a crevasse in the cavern wall. Owen and Esme hurried to catch him, and Owen braved going first into the darkness. The wall was thin, and soon he emerged into what he sensed was a wider space. He stepped to the side to let Esme and her light through. Once she stood beside him, they both froze.

  They were in the ancients’ den.

  Hisses reached Owen’s ears from all around this new cavern, and he saw naked, bone-thin, pale vampires resting on ledges in the high walls. The red eyes of the fanged ancients locked on the humans below, and Owen knew they weren’t happy about the light.

  But I wouldn’t stand here in the dark with them for all the goblin gold in the world. They’re like bats waiting for prey.

  “What have we brought us?”

  “We smell warm blood!”

  “Forbidden! Forbidden! No one enters our den!”

  “We are the ageless!”

  “We are the memory-keepers!”

  “We are the guardians!”

  “Forbidden!”

  Esme took Owen’s hand and squeezed, whether to comfort him or to seek comfort, he wasn’t sure. He was sure that his palms were sweating.

  Their vampire guide lifted a pointy fingernail to his forehead in some kind of ancient gesture. “We will explain.”

  With that, he walked to the nearest wall and climbed a set of steps carved into the rocks. This path led him to an empty ledge, and he lay on his side to look down at the humans from his nest. Lifting a bony finger, he pointed to the center of the cavern.

  Owen looked over as Esme moved her castorca’s flame in the indicated direction, and now they saw a giant stalagmite with its top cut off. This formed a stage or platform, and Owen tried not to imagine it as a table waiting for a feast.

  They won’t eat us. We’re sacred…right?

  He took a breath and led Esme by the hand. He heard more hissing and suspected the vampires were watching their every move, but he didn’t allow himself to look around. The stalagmite-stage wasn’t high, so he and Esme climbed up without trouble and stood close together. Esme’s small flame sent light to the shadowed walls and nests around the cavern.

  An ancient called to their guide. “Our heartbeat lost harmony while separated. What has transpired?”

  Heartbeat lost harmony? thought Owen. Oh! These ancients are connected telepathically. That’s why our fanged friend kept saying “us” and “we” even when talking about himself. It’s like these guys share one mind. But they lose connection when not together? That means
they haven’t heard everything we’ve discussed so far. Great. We’ll have to start over.

  Their guide answered, “The dying before us are the King of the Order and…” He paused as if for suspense. “His alterni endi.”

  The shadowy cavern filled with whispers and murmurs.

  “We are the guardians.”

  “We are the memory-keepers.”

  Owen spoke loudly to command their attention. “There’s a reason we’re here. Esme is an alterni endi, and that means we’re close to losing this war. We need to find a way to destroy the malevolenci. You ancients hold more knowledge than all of the Order libraries combined. Your memories stretch back to the beginning of the Order. If you know anything–”

  Voices from every direction cut him off.

  “We know what you seek, king and alterni endi.”

  “We know better than you.”

  “We are the memory-keepers.”

  “We are the ageless.”

  “We are the guardians.”

  Esme spoke up. “The guardians of what? Please, help us. We’re running out of time.”

  “All dying run out of time.”

  “Only we ageless remember.”

  “We are memory-keepers.”

  “We are guardians.”

  “We are ageless.”

  Owen exchanged a look with Esme.

  Rylet was right about them going feral. They’ve lost their connection with normal life – even normal vampire life. They’ve been cooped up with their den-mind for too long. Good gods, do they actually know anything that can help us?

  He thought of a way to steer the discussion, but Esme beat him to it.

  “Trent Simons was here, wasn’t he? He left a note telling me – the alterni endi – to come here. Please, I need to know why he sent me here.” She looked at their guide. “You said Trent created the rift out there. How? Is that how we get into the malevolenci world and fight them?”

  “Only we ageless remember.”

  “We are the guardians.”

  Owen had an idea. “Are you the guardians of the rift? Is that what you guard?”

  “We are the guardians!”

  “We are the guardians!”

  That’s a yes.

  Esme swallowed. “Can you teach me how to use it? Did Trent leave his memories of what’s in the malevolenci world?”