Page 6 of Dark Master's Redemption

“For as long as need be.” Clariss turns to face Ariana and me. As Curio and Lady Eiseth come into our group also, Clariss gestures at the beautiful cage her barrier has formed inside the ice chapel. “This is a sacred space. The Moon Dome is one of our most hallowed places in the Citadel and contains much good energy. Your bound Mentale will be safe here until my father can find a solution for him. I will have people monitor this space night and day for any change in the barrier; if there is, I shall repair it at once. But you may come visit and see him anytime. Indeed, it would be good for you to come here whenever you can, and be with him, talk with him. The difficulty now will be returning his humanity, rather than containing him. Only you two,” she looks pointedly at me and Ariana, “can help him with that.”

“Thank you, Clariss.” Curio steps forward, embracing his sister and kissing her cheeks, then clasping her hands. “You do not know what this means to us.”

“To all of us,” Lady Eiseth says as she reaches out, clasping Clariss’ hand with a kind of sisterly love beaming in her mist-grey eyes.

“He is beloved to you all.” Clariss gives a sad smile now as she gazes around our group. “Very well. I will do everything I can for him and urge father to do the same. He is often bitter in his ways; true love has graced him only once in his life, and now that love is gone. Do not be surprised if he is jealous of what you share. Curio and I shall encourage him, though. Won’t we, brother?”

As Clariss beams at Curio, I see the doting older sister in her manner, and the adoring younger brother in his. As he tucks her beneath his arm, he kisses her cheek, then glances around all of us, taking the lead now that we are welcome in his home.

“Come, friends. Clariss and I will show you to quarters fit for the royalty you are,” Curio says as he beams. “Though things are dire right now, I have faith we will bring our beloved Quinn back. For he is nothing if not stubborn; somewhere, deep down, he is fighting to return to us. I know it, in my heart of hearts.”

“We’ll get him back.” Eiseth is firm as she glances between Curio, Ariana, and me. “I will do everything I can to help, including giving all the aid my Dark Haven can provide in Florence’s time of need. I will rouse my troops and return to Devina, for I know which of Quinn’s allies can be trusted and which cannot. You three stay here; do everything you can for Quinn. Get him back. And we will smash our enemies upon the Vampire Council or otherwise. And bring all of Vampire and Fae-kind into the Light at last.”

“Thank you, Eiseth,” Ariana says as she reaches out, taking Eiseth’s hand and squeezing it. “Quinn needs his allies right now, in addition to our love, to bring him home.”

“You are the best of the Fae, Eiseth,” I say now, Eiseth’s words so passionate that my heart swells.

“Don’t tell anyone that.” She smiles at me, as her pearl-grey eyes glint now. “To the world, I am Vampire, and Vampire I will remain… until it is time for the Dark Fae to rise. And achieve our equality, together.”

The Lady Eiseth gives us all a deep nod now, turning and taking her formidable warrior’s presence out of the ice hall. It strikes me then, that we have a vast ally on our side. I wonder about who she really is, this fierce warrioress from Britannia who has so many ties to places and people of legend. But then Curio clears his throat, beckoning for us to leave the hall.

“Come. Let us get you all settled in. And we shall see what tomorrow brings.”

As Curio leads the way out of the ice chapel, we follow. But I pause as I see Quinn’s Revenant swirl from the corner of my eye. Turning back, I face him, watching his red eyes glow through the barrier. He’s close, right in front of me, though none of his swirling, black tentacles of Night touch the barrier.

“We will save you, I promise,” I say to him now as we watch each other in the night. “We will find a way to bring you back from this last edge of darkness. With everything we have, we will.”

I see no flickers of fire now in Quinn’s inky darkness, or recognition that I’ve spoken. As his red, malicious eyes stare at me, I feel only a sensation of hunger on the other side of our bond. The beast has taken Quinn, but I know Lady Eiseth and Curio are right; we will do whatever it takes to bring him back. As Ariana returns to me, taking me by the hand, I send my promise to Quinn via the depths of my heart, hoping it will reach him.

I think I see a flash of onyx in those eyes, just for a moment.

But then the moment is gone, and Ariana is leading me away.

So we can all finally rest.

3

READY

Night has passed and dawn is rising, as Lucca and I are shown to a beautiful sky-pinnacle in the Dark Winter Fae citadel. An apartment in the city, the three-floor abode is lovely in the rising light; frosted glass walls below give way to twisting, clear pinnacles with lofted rooms for taking in the city far above.

Curio and Clariss take their leave with promises to return after we’ve rested, and Lucca and I find ourselves alone. Our comforts have been provided for; elegant, warm clothing like Clariss’ are ready in a walk-in closet of ice that sparkles from the garments within. A sumptuous breakfast waits on a sculpted table of ice nearby.

Rather than chilly, the artful space is warm, the surfaces pleasant to touch, though they’re all made of ice. Decorated with the curling, fanciful sigils and script of the Dark Winter Fae, this place is a haven for those who seek solace. It’s solace we need now, as Lucca and I gaze around, heaving twin sighs.

Sad to the depths of our hearts, despite the beauty all around.

“What madness.” Lucca gives me a tight, wry smile now that we’re alone. He scrubs a hand through his ash blond hair, sinking to a sleek mink chaise as he unbuckles his tall Victorian boots. “To think that just earlier tonight we were in Rome, facing off with the Vampire Council…”

“It feels like a decade since then.” I sink to a seat beside him. There’s a tray of glossy ice on a sleek end table nearby; a bottle of some clear spirit and two glasses are on the tray, and Lucca pours for us. As he hands one to me, we don’t clink, just sip. As the sweet, unknown alcohol warms my insides, a sigh leaves me.

I slouch back against the settee—tears sliding down my cheeks.

“Hey, hey…” Lucca puts an arm around me, pulling me in as I cry. I cuddle against him, half in his lap now as I tuck my feet up on the chaise. My Vampire couture is sodden from the snowstorm, and so is Lucca’s. I pick at the wilted lace and taffeta as I cry, my heart heavy and my outlook bleak.

“I don’t know what to do. I feel so lost…” I say as Lucca comforts me, rubbing a hand on my shoulder.

“I don’t either.” He gives a weary chuckle as he kisses my temple, then sinks back against the chaise, curling me close. “Quinn was always the one with a thousand plots for any occasion. The rest of us are just… adrift, without him.”

---