Ignis (Book 2, Pure Series) (61 page)

           
An idea began to form in my mind.

           
"Whatever William is facing right now is because of me, isn't it?" I said after some time had passed.

           
"Do not sound so mournful," Innokenti admonished gently.
 
"You are hardly at fault."

           
I persisted.
 
"But it
is
true."

           
"Yes, whatever contingent of the hybrids that is out there is most likely present because of you."

           
"Innokenti," I began slowly, "if I need to talk to you tomorrow, during the day, is there some way I can find you?"

           
Innokenti stared at me for a long moment.
 
I had the disturbing impression that he could read my thoughts.
 
His next words, however, dispelled that notion.

           
"What is in your mind, little one?"

           
"I can't tell you yet.
 
Can I see you tomorrow if I need to?"

           
"Yes, of course."

           
Mercifully, the wail of the siren suddenly stopped, and silence settled on the throne room.

           
I looked up expectantly.
 
"Does that mean the hybrids are gone?"

           
"I believe it does," Innokenti replied.
 
"Or at least I hope it does.
 
If our side was successful, your William should be back with us soon."

           
I realized that I needed to act quickly then.

           
"How can I find you tomorrow?" I asked, "if I do need to talk to you."

           
I remembered how fruitless my earlier search for Innokenti had been.

           
Innokenti grinned.
 
"You can always attract a vampire with the red elixir of life.
 
Come to the edge of the Wasteland tomorrow and spill three drops of blood.
 
I will come to you then."

           
"Does it have to be my blood?" I asked.

           
"No," Innokenti said, his eyes faintly mocking, "the blood of an animal will do just as well."

           
William suddenly ran into the room, and he was beside me in an instant.

           
Both Innokenti and I rose from the thrones.

           
"What happened, William?" I asked.
 
"You weren't hurt, were you?"

           
"No, I wasn't hurt."

           
"Is Zamochit Village safe, William?" Innokenti asked.
 
"Were the invaders repelled?"

           
"Yes, the village is safe.
 
We have warded off the threat.
 
The hybrids won't be back tonight."

           
"How many of them were there?" Innokenti asked.

           
"There were three," William said shortly.

           
"Was Timofei Mstislav one of them?" I asked.

           
William ignored my question and put an arm around my shoulders.
 
"Come on.
 
We have to get you home."

           
"You haven't answered the young lady's question, William," Innokenti said.
 
"Was Timofei Mstislav present?"

           
"I'll give you a full report when I return.
 
Right now I have to get Katie out of here."

           
William steered me out of the throne room.

           
Innokenti's voice floated after us.

           
"They will not allow you to be together, William.
 
Remember that."

           
William took me by the hand and led me through the dim halls of the castle.

           
The anxious eyes of vampires followed us as we passed.

           
It was strange and wonderful to be walking beside William and to feel the warmth of his hand.
 
I had believed I would never see him again, and yet here he was—he hadn't left me, he hadn't abandoned me.
 
I had him back.

           
"William—"

           
We shouldn't talk in here," he said.
 
"Let's get out of the castle—out of the village—out of earshot."

           
We continued to move through the halls, and once more I found myself crossing the courtyard of the castle.
 
Soon we were on the other side, moving toward the front entrance.

           
William stopped before the massive front doors, and I pulled on my gloves and buttoned up my coat.

           
William gave me a serious look.

           
"The streets will still be dangerous for you," he said.
 
"But I think the attack by the hybrids will have convinced many of the villagers to stay inside.
 
All the same, we should still move quickly."

           
William pushed the massive front doors open.

           
"Ready?" he asked.

           
"For what?"

           
"To run."

           
He picked me up suddenly then, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

           
Before I knew it, we were off into the streets of Zamochit Village, moving at blinding speed.
 
Houses, buildings, figures blurred into one as we flew past them.
 
We navigated twisting, winding streets, and I had to close my eyes several times as we negotiated tight corners.

           
At long last, we approached one of the watchtowers, and beyond that, there appeared to be nothing but darkness.
 
William sped forward into the darkness, and I felt the air around me ripple.

           
William stopped running and set me down.

           
It was hard for me to see, but I looked around.
 
We were standing in the vast emptiness of the Wasteland.
 
I looked back in the direction from which we had come.
 
Zamochit Village had disappeared.

           
"We got out of there more easily than I had expected," William said.
 
"They must all be genuinely frightened."

           
"Are vampires as strong as the hybrids?" I asked.

           
"No, not even remotely," William replied.
 
"Vampires are to hybrids as humans are to vampires."

           
"It's no wonder that they're scared then," I said.
 
"How did you fight the hybrids off?"

           
"I have more power than an ordinary vampire," William said.
 
"And I didn't fight them off exactly.
 
It's more like I scared them with our new weapon."

           
He glanced back in the direction of the village.
 
"We'd better get you home."

           
"I have a bicycle around here somewhere," I said.
 
"But it's a little too dark for me to see properly."

           
"I'll find it," William said.
 
He held out his arm to me, and I took it.
 
Then he led me back toward the road.
 
Soon I could feel its solid surface under my feet, and we began to walk along it.

           
"Wait here," William said after a moment.

           
He trotted down the road and returned with my bicycle.

           
"Thanks," I said, smiling.
 
It was good to be with William.

           
We began to walk down the road again.
 
William was pushing the bicycle, and I held onto his arm as a guide through the gloom.

           
The night was cloudy and cold, and the stars and the moon were out, but their light was dim.
 
All around us was quiet.

           
"Are we far enough away yet to make talking safe?" I asked.

           
"Yes," William replied.
 
"They won't be able to hear us out here.
 
In any event, it's more of a precaution than anything else.
 
Everyone back in Zamochit Village should be too preoccupied at the moment to spy on us."

           
We walked on, and though there were questions I wanted to ask William, I waited.

           
I could tell he was turning something over in his mind.

           
"Katie, I would never do that," he said suddenly.
 
I looked up at him.
 
He was staring down at the road, and lines of strain were visible in his face.
 
"Anton told you that I gave you up in exchange for getting my memories back and being freed of my vampire nature."

           
William looked at me then.
 
"I would never do that.
 
I would never give you up for anything.
 
You have to believe that."

           
"William, when you disappeared it was hard for me," I said slowly.
 
"I thought I would never see you again.
 
I thought you had abandoned me—and abandoned me when I had a price on my head—when I was being hunted."

           
William closed his eyes, as if he felt a sudden pain.
 
"I'm sorry, Katie.
 
I left the letter—I told you to call me any time you needed me.
 
I knew I could get to you in an instant.
 
It never occurred to me that the Sìdh would interfere."

           
"Why did you leave?" I asked.

           
"I thought I was helping you," William said.
 
"Innokenti came to me again.
 
He told me that in addition to the vampires that were after you, someone was building an army of vampire-kost hybrids to come after you, too.
 
But he also implied that he didn't know who was behind it—though I realize now that he never said that explicitly.
 
I thought I could work on defeating the hybrids and try to find out who was responsible for all your troubles at the same time.
 
I had no idea that Innokenti knew all along."

           
"Why did you write me a letter?" I asked.
 
"Why didn't you just tell me in person?"

           
William's jaw worked, but he didn't say anything.

           
"I suppose I was afraid," William said at last.

           
"Afraid of what?"

           
"It's hard to explain exactly.
 
I was afraid you'd be angry.
 
I was afraid you wouldn't want me to go—and I had to go.
 
I had to do what I could for you.
 
I had to protect you.

           
"At the same time I was worried about what would happen when I came back.
 
I was afraid you would forget about me—I was afraid I would come back to find that you didn't want me anymore."

           
William gave me a serious look.
 
"I wrote you a letter because I love you.
 
And I was afraid that I would lose you."

           
"You'll never lose me," I said.

           
William looked at me for a long moment.
 
Then he went on.

           
"I have some questions for you now.
 
Why did you come here to Krov?
 
Why did you come into Zamochit Village?"

           
The hurt, the despair I'd felt when I'd thought William had left me came flooding back, and suddenly I felt like I couldn't breathe.

           
"Originally I decided to come here to look for you," I said haltingly.
 
"But eventually I lost hope."

           
I stopped and drew in a deep breath.
 
"It still hurts to talk about it."

           
I stopped again and went on when I could.
 
"Like I said, I lost hope, but I still decided to come for GM's sake.
 
And then tonight, I spotted you accidentally.
 
And I had to speak to you just one last time.
 
I followed you—I didn't know where you were going—and I wound up in Zamochit Village.
 
I had no idea such a place even existed."