Marked for Death

Chapter 23

A chill had settled over the Mournland as the sky grew darker, and the changeling feared the girl might catch a cold. Te’oma had not packed a bag for Esprл before leaving Kandler’s house. There hadn’t been time, and the girl had only what she wore on her back.

Esprл had slept throughout most of the journey into the Mournland. Tan Du’s control over the girl’s mind had kept her in half a stupor during the few times she’d awakened. It kept her from screaming and drawing Kandler and the knights to them-or any of the other monsters that stalked this forsaken place.

The girl was awake now though. Tan Du needed her to speak to punctuate the statement he planned to deliver to the justicar and his friends. “Keep her quiet until then,” the vampire had ordered.

Te’oma had watched the vampires fade into mist then picked up her everbright lantern and raised its front shield just enough to show her the way to where the girl lay on the ground. The changeling knelt down and roused Esprл by stroking her long, blonde hair. The girl woke as if from a pleasant dream she didn’t want to leave behind.

“Mommy!” Esprл said as her mind wandered back to her. The word sent strange flutters through the changeling’s heart.

Te’oma, in the guise of the girl’s elf aunt again, clapped a hand over Esprл’s mouth and shushed her. “You must be quiet, sweetheart, or we are all doomed.”

Esprл’s eyes widened. In the light escaping from the lantern, the whites showed all the way around. “Aunt Arnaya?” she said, but the hand over her mouth muffled the rest of her words.

“Yes,” Te’oma whispered. “I’m here. You’re safe.” She glanced into the darkness. “And we’ll stay that way as long as we keep quiet.”

The girl nodded and reached up to pull Te’oma’s hand away. The changeling clamped down harder. “I can let you speak,” she said to the girl, “but only if you swear to keep it to a whisper.”

Esprл nodded seriously, and Te’oma removed her hand. “What’s happening?” she asked in whisper so soft that Te’oma had to strain to hear her.

“We’re in the Mournland,” Te’oma said. Esprл drew in a deep breath for a scream, but the changeling clamped down on her mouth again before she could let loose.

“Esprл!” Te’oma said. “This is a matter of life and death. You must be quiet.”

The girl’s eyes widened even more. After a while, she nodded, and Te’oma removed her hand again.

“Why are we here?” the girl asked in a small voice.

Te’oma reached out and felt Esprл’s soft, round cheek as she searched for the words that would comfort the girl. “These are desperate times.”

“How did we get here?” Esprл asked as she took Te’oma’s hand. “The last thing I remember is…” The girl shuddered and fell silent.

“Yes.” Te’oma nodded. “We are prisoners of those creatures now.”

Esprл sat up and glanced around. “Where are they now?”

Te’oma grimaced and wished the girl would just sit quiet and stop asking so many questions. Why couldn’t she just enjoy the illusion of an aunt and niece sitting together in the dark?

“They’ve gone off to speak with your stepfather.”

“Kandler!” Esprл’s voice started to rise, but she clamped down on it before she finished the word. “Where is he?”

Te’oma stood up and pulled the girl to her feet. Just on the edge of adulthood, Esprл was barely a head shorter than the changeling. Her piercing blue eyes scanned the darkness for any break in the black.

“There,” Te’oma said, pointing behind the girl.

Esprл turned and saw three rods of silvery light in a valley below, dancing together in the darkness. Shadowy shapes moved through and around them.

“There,” Te’oma said again. “Do you see the figure closest to us? That’s Tan Du, the leader of the vampires.”

“Is he terribly dangerous?”

“He likes to think he is.”

“Will he kill us?”

Te’oma frowned. “Let’s hope not.” She put an arm around Esprл’s shoulders and drew her close. It felt good to comfort the girl, even if she knew she was leading her like a lamb to the slaughter. The two watched the scene in the valley below.

“What’s going on?” Esprл asked.

“Tan Du is trying to make a deal for your life.”

“What about you?”

Te’oma said nothing. The girl actually cared for her, and for a moment words left her.

“What about you, Aunt Arnaya?” Esprл looked up at the changeling.

Te’oma let a wistful smile spread across her lips. “Your stepfather doesn’t know me, dear,” she said.

Esprл looked back out at the scene below and leaned into the changeling. “Don’t worry Aunt Arnaya,” she said. “Kandler won’t let you down.”

“Ah,” Te’oma said. “Here comes your cue. Tan Du needs to prove you’re still alive. He’s raised his hand to signal us. When he brings it down, call out to your stepfather.”

Esprл squinted at the figures near the flickering silver lights. When she saw the figure’s arm fall, she looked to Te’oma, who nodded at her. “Kandler!” the girl said at the top of her lungs. “I’m all right!”

The shout echoed off the walls of the valley, and the words bounced back and forth until they died.

Te’oma pulled the girl closer. “Well done,” she said to Esprл. “Now keep quiet again.”

The girl pressed her lips tight, but it wasn’t long before she opened them again. “Shouldn’t we try to escape?” she asked.

“Where would we go?” Te’oma asked. Inwardly, she smiled at the girl’s spirit. She was a fighter, this one. “In this horrible place, we’re safer with the vampires than we would be without them. They, at least, have some reason for wanting us alive.”

“What’s that?” Esprл asked.

Te’oma did not answer. As the two watched, a fight erupted in the valley. They could not make out most of the details, but they heard the screams of pain and anguish as they rang throughout the valley.

“We could go now, Aunt Arnaya,” Esprл said. “We could ride straight down there and help.”

Te’oma shook her head. “It’s too dangerous,” she said. “We could get killed. We’ll wait here until we know who’s won.”

Esprл started to protest, but Te’oma cut her off. “I didn’t come all the way here just to lose you again.”

Te’oma held the girl close as they watched the fight below. It was over in a matter of minutes.

“What happened?” Esprл asked. “I can’t tell.”

“Patience,” Te’oma said. “We’ll find out in good time.”

As the words left her mouth, Kandler’s voice rang out. “Come back! Come back and fight! Give my daughter back!”

Esprл sprang out of Te’oma’s arms and started down the hill toward the voice. Before she got three steps, Te’oma tackled her to the ground. The changeling fell on top of the girl and wrapped her hand over her mouth to stop a scream.

“Quiet!” Te’oma whispered in the girl’s ear. “Be quiet, or you’re dead.”

The changeling cursed her luck, the mighty Vol, and most of all Tan Du. The vampire was the purported leader of this mission, but his arrogance had consistently cost them lives. Now, she knew, it had robbed her of the girl’s trust.

Once Esprл got her breath back, Te’oma removed her hand.

“You’re not my aunt, are you?” Esprл whispered.

“What makes you say that?”

“She would want me to live.”

Te’oma growled in frustration as she resumed her natural form. She grabbed Esprл and turned the girl around to face her. “You’re a clever girl,” she said, “but that doesn’t change a thing. I’m still the only friend you have here.”

Esprл stared at Te’oma, taking her all in. “How do you figure that?”

Te’oma stood up and dragged Esprл to her feet. “I want you alive, which is more than I can say for Tan Du. If he had his way, we’d just tote your body along with us.”

“I may still have that chance,” Tan Du said as he materialized from the darkness, his face still glowing with light.

Esprл screamed in shock and fear.

The vampire strode forward blind and smacked the girl across the face. She fell to the ground, bleeding from her cheek. He licked his fangs as he stood over her, his eyes shut tight against the light still flowing from his face.

“Get her up and on your horse, changeling,” Tan Du said. “If she utters another word, I’ll tear out her throat-and yours, too.” He turned to mist again and hovered near the horse to wait.

Te’oma scooped Esprл from the ground, placed her on the front of her saddle, then slipped in behind the girl and spurred the gelding forward. “Don’t worry,” she whispered into the girl’s ear as they took off at a gallop. “I’ll keep you safe.” She surprised herself with how much she meant it.