Summoning Shadows: A Rosso Lussuria Vampire Novel (32 page)

They began to discuss the matter more heatedly, and I tuned them out as I found myself distracted by my own thoughts. I moved to the fireplace and traced my finger through the dust on the mantel.

“Epiphany.” Nirena’s voice called me back to the conversation. “What are you thinking?” Her eyes narrowed inquisitively as she tried to assess me. The others turned to look at me as well and I ignored the expectation in their gazes.

“Nothing.” I had thoughts aplenty, but none I was willing to share in their midst. None I was willing to share with everyone in the room.

Of course, it wasn’t just them. Some of my thoughts I had not even had time to process myself, let alone share with those I trusted. I returned to my silence, they picked up their conversation again, and I allowed myself to drift on the tides of pondering. Renata had told me to rely on my wits, and so I tried to set aside my battered emotions and do just that.

When they were done, it had been decided. A party would be put together to interrogate all those within the castle. We left Queen Helamina and King Augusten to assemble their interrogation party.

Iliaria’s shoulders were drawn tightly together as we ascended the stairs. I uttered Vasco’s name under my breath and he and Emilio and Dominique followed.

Dominique closed the door behind them.

“Emilio,” Vasco said.

Emilio went to the door and raised his hands, placing them against the door until the room filled with the weight of his magic.

“They will not hear us now. You may speak freely.”

“Good,” Vasco said and thanked him. “What have you thought of, sorella?”

I shifted my attention to Dominique and sat on the edge of the bed. “You were not with Renata when she was captured,” I said, reiterating what I already knew. He nodded and I continued. “What did she tell you, Dominique? Where did she tell you she was going?”

“To speak with the Dracule privately,” he said and I could tell he didn’t understand why I questioned him.

He spared a glance at Iliaria and she shook her head. “Anatharic did not do it, if that is what you suspect. I will give my oath on his loyalty to me.”

“I’ve seen his loyalty to you,” I said. “I don’t think he would do it, either.”

“My lady,” Vasco said, “I mean no offense, but it is far more difficult for Renata to read the intentions and thoughts of a Dracule than another vampire. Are you certain he would not betray us?”

“Very,” Iliaria said, giving him a look that said,
tread cautiously
.

“Then, perhaps one of the other Dracule—” Vasco continued and I interrupted him.

“No.”

“What do you mean, ‘no’ sorella? It is a possibility.”

“No, Vasco. I don’t think Renata was betrayed at all, at least, not without her consent.”

“Are you saying that you think our queen, that your lover, handed herself over to Damokles willingly?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Vasco. Think about it, brother. You know Renata, mayhap not as intimately as I do, but you know she would have put up more of a fight than she did if she seriously hadn’t wanted to be captured. As it was, she put up enough of a struggle to convince them that she was not being dragged away willingly.”

“What makes you think this, colombina?”

“She spoke to me before they left,” I said, trying to remember her words through my emotional upheaval. “She told me to use my wits, Vasco. The next move, she said, is ours.” I shook my head. “I didn’t understand it then. I didn’t understand what she meant by it being a game of chess, but the more I think on it, the better I begin to understand her move.”

“You really think this is a scheme of her own making?” Dominique asked.

“Don’t you?” I asked. “She sent you away to allegedly speak with one of the Dracule, but who? And why would she not tell you who? If she was going to talk strategy with anyone, it would have been her.” I gestured with a hand toward Iliaria. “I think it was a ruse to get you away from her so she could make her move. If you had known what she intended, you would have sought to stop her, I know that, Dominique. If I know that, Renata most definitely does.”

Vasco grunted. “I am not trying to discredit your thinking, colombina, but why would she turn herself over?”

“You heard what Queen Helamina said. This changes things. Renata is changing the game and playing it on
her
terms. She must’ve figured out more than we know. She was right about Damokles not slaying her. If he was going to, he would have done it in front of us to make an example of her.” I ran a hand through my hair to push it out of my face. A piece of the puzzle slid into place. “She’s figured out what Damokles is after.”

“Have you?”

“I think I just did.”

“What is he after, colombina?”

“Us.”

“But Damokles hates vampires,” Iliaria said.

“Really?” I asked her. “Are we so certain of that? He marked Baldavino. He may not have come to his aid when we caught him, but he got close enough to form an alliance with him. He may hate us,” I said, “but he wants us. If he didn’t, he’d have slain Renata and with her, all the vampires she’s created. The others talk of cutting off the serpent’s head, right? All Damokles has to do to destroy hundreds of vampires is execute our maker.” I gestured to Vasco and Dominique. “Yet, here we stand. And now, we know what he’s really after. It has to be us.”

Vasco touched a finger to his bottom lip. “So you’re saying our queen turned herself over to change the game and reveal their hands?”

“Precisely.”

“So now what?” Dominique asked.

“It’s our move,” I said. “We have to figure out a way to get Renata back.”

“Aye,” Cuinn said from behind me. “I’ve an idea.”

“That would be?” Iliaria asked him.

“Send one of the Dracule you trust to find out where they’re keeping her and bring her back.”

He made it sound so simple.

Iliaria stubbornly shook her head. “No,” she said. “It’s too risky. Damokles will recognize anyone I pick to send.

“Bugger.”

“Not necessarily,” Emilio said. “Not if we find someone he doesn’t know.”

“He will recognize a vampire and he will recognize those that are loyal to me, witch. I will not risk it.”

“I wasn’t talking about them.”

“Then what are you suggesting?”

“Someone new. Someone the Dracule won’t recognize.”

“If they’re not Dracule, Damokles isn’t likely to take them. Your magic is far-reaching, Stregherian, but even you cannot alter another’s true form.”

“No, I can mask it, though.”

She shook her head again. “If you used a glamour, a Dracule would smell it. It won’t work.”

“There is someone with a power stronger than anyone in this room has. He can do what I speak of and his gifts run through the blood of both the Dracule and vampires alike. The only problem is that I don’t know how to contact him.”

“You’re mad,” Iliaria said incredulously. “Death? You’re suggesting we find a way to contact the Angel of Death?”

“I am, lady. I cannot truly change another’s form, as you said, but Azrael can. He holds the keys to life and death. He gave your king the ability to make the vampires.” Emilio took his time in motioning at those of us that were vampires. “He has the ability to reshape them.”

“Well bugger me in the arse,” Cuinn mumbled. “The witch has got a point.”

“And what makes you think that Azrael will listen, Stregha?”

“I’m not presuming he will,” Emilio said, “but I’m not presuming he won’t, either.”

“The Dracule fell from his favor long ago,” she said. “I am not so certain he will be keen on hearing us now.”

“That may be well and true.” His gaze that was such a mirror of Vasco’s met mine. “But they are here and his power still courses through their veins.”

An unspoken question lingered in his eyes. I thought I understood it. “I will do it.”

“What?” Vasco didn’t bother hiding his shock. “Do you know what you are saying, colombina?”

“Yes and no, but I will do it. I will beseech Death.”

Iliaria grumbled under her breath and whatever she said was lost on me, for it was not in any language I understood. The intent behind her words, however, was quite clear.

She wasn’t happy with my decision.

“He heard your king’s cries once, Iliaria, and he took pity on him. He created us in the name of mercy. So,” I said, “Let him hear mine and let’s hope for the same clemency.”

“You are sure?” she asked. “There must be some other way to retrieve your queen, Epiphany.”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“You realize that what you’re saying is that you are going to try and chase down the Angel of Death? Even if you do manage to get his attention, that could be a very dangerous thing to have.”

“I know,” I said. It might’ve been a fool’s errand, but I had decided and was resolute in my decision.

What did I have to lose that I had not already lost in some way? I had faced death before. Mayhap, not as a physical entity, but his shadow had been thrown over my human life, and when I was reborn a vampire, I had passed through his veil.

I knew his power every time the sun rose and I did not wear Iliaria’s ring. His very touch had both taken and given much to me.

Who better to beseech Azrael than me?

I made yet another pointless plea for privacy. Iliaria refused to leave me alone, and arguing with her only made her more resistant to my request.

“Do you even begin to know what you are doing?” Iliaria asked from where she stood on the other side of the bedroom.

“No,” I admitted. “I obviously don’t know how to contact Azrael, either.”

“Then how do you suppose to do it?”

That was a very good question and I obviously hadn’t thought that far. “Do you know?” I asked hopefully.

Her elegant brows furrowed thoughtfully. “There are only a few accounts of Azrael appearing to the Dracule throughout our history. Many of the texts were lost during the reign of King Theodosius.”

“Lost?” I asked.

“Destroyed,” she said. “There were once temples in Drahalia. King Theodosius ordered their priesthood disbanded and the temples burned when he took the throne.”

“There were temples to Azrael?”

“To our entire lineage,” she said.

“What about Azrael’s priesthood?” I asked. “Surely, they would know. What happened to them?”

“They reintegrated into Draculian society. Those that were caught honoring our bloodlines were executed by Theodosius. When my mother took the crown, there was little for her to save among the ruins, and many of the old priests remained in hiding. Theodosius had turned most of our society against them,” she said. “They hid their faith out of fear.”

“So you wouldn’t happen to know anyone that had once been a priest in Azrael’s temple?”

Iliaria was dangerously silent, but I knew her.

“Iliaria?” I pressed her for an answer. “Do you?”

“Morina might know,” she said at length. The firelight bathed the side of her face in darkness. “Her father was a priest.”

I sighed heavily. “That’s bloody fantastic.”

Iliaria raised her shoulders. “Choose as you will, Epiphany.”

“I suppose I must speak with her then, if she’s the only one who might know.”

Iliaria frowned, a line forming between her perfect brows. Cuinn muttered a complaint and rolled his eyes. I couldn’t entirely blame him.

Seeking Morina’s aid wasn’t a task I relished.

*

I entered Morina’s chambers to find her standing yet again near the balcony’s doors. This time, she turned around when the door shut behind me. I’d asked Iliaria and Cuinn to let me speak with her alone and after much persuading, they had agreed, so long as they took over Emilio’s watch at the door. If we kept our voices low, we hopefully wouldn’t be heard, as we had no intention of sharing our plans with the others, especially if there was a spy in our midst. We’d already had Emilio provide us with a quiet place to talk earlier. It was too risky to ask him to call his magic yet again, and so Iliaria and Cuinn were also keeping watch.

“I need your help,” I said and leaned against the door.

“Why?”

“My queen has been captured by your cousin and his toadies.”

She didn’t even look at me. “What makes you think I’ll help?”

“I don’t,” I said.

“Then why do you bother asking?”

“Because I’m hoping that somewhere inside you, Morina, you won’t subject me to the same fate you’ve been subjected to.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, her voice dropping close to a growl.

“You know what it feels like to lose someone you love,” I said. “Help me, please. If only for penitence for the harm you’ve already done.”

“I haven’t harmed you. I did not take your queen.”

I moved away from the door as I spoke. “You brought us here, Morina. You brought me here. You left me to die with you. You dragged me into your prison and your hell. You’ve marked me. How can you stand there as if you have done nothing wrong?”