Page 39 of Red Queen

Nadia grins. “Gold speaks louder than words, it seems.”

Valeria’s smirk blooms into a smile, though it never reaches her eyes. “Very well,” she says. “Let’s see what we can do about this heart, The Darkened Pulse.”

“Then let’s speak further, by the warmth of your hearth,” I say, moving deeper into the room.

We find seats on rough-hewn chairs by the fire. The flames cast flitting shadows on the walls, their light flickering across Valeria’s features, softening them momentarily.

“Tea?” Valeria asks, her movements fluid as she retrieves a kettle.

“Thank you.” Nadia accepts a steaming cup with both hands.

I take mine, and the warmth seeps through the porcelain, fighting the chill that’s settled in my bones.

Valeria goes to a tall bookcase, her hand pausing over the spines of ancient tomes before selecting one bound in flesh.

A shiver, unbidden, travels down my spine as she opens it, revealing pages yellowed with age.

I can’t help but lean closer, drawn to the forbidden knowledge within. The tome exudes a perception of ancient, forbidden knowledge.

“Tell us about this talisman,” Nadia asks, her voice a gentle nudge in the heavy quiet of the room.

Valeria traces the worn pages as she speaks. “The Darkened Pulse is no trinket. Bound by an eldritch covenant, it shields its keeper from mortal harm. Its magic weaves through their veins like poison, and becomes both armor and curse.”

“Poetic,” I say, “but how does one unmake such a thing?” I pause, clamping down on the urgency clawing at my insides. “There must be a way.”

She slides a finger down the page.

“Destroying the heart’s no easy thing.” Valeria’s gaze locks on the archaic script before her. “It’s akin to catching pixies—intangible, elusive. It requires more than brute force or simple spells.”

“I don’t use a sledgehammer when finesse is needed and unless I’m wasting my time, you’re not a witch who deals in simple potion and love spells.”

Her eyes flicker over me, then back to the page. “Needs must.”

“My needs are the needs of the realm,” I say. “Don’t play games.”

“Please, what does it require?” Nadia leans forward, her brow furrowed.

Valeria breathes out a laugh. “To sever the heart’s dark bond, one must endure the quest and tap into your very life force through primeval rituals.”

“Enough riddles,” I snap, my patience fraying. “Speak plainly, witch.”

The corners of Valeria’s mouth twitch with mirth. “There is no plain speech for such complexity. To undo the heart’s magic requires power that mirrors its depth—a darkness to swallow the light.”

I clench my hands into fists beneath the table, knuckles blanching. “Are you saying it’s impossible, though, witch?”

“Nothing is truly impossible,” Valeria says, closing the tome with a soft thud. Her violet eyes met mine, a flash of something unreadable within their depths. “But there is one forgotten ritual—one of great peril—that could amplify your vampiric strength enough to shatter the talisman.”

“And what would this ritual cost me?” My voice is steady, though a cold dread coils around my gut.

Valeria shrugs. “Risks abound where ancient magics tread, Vampire Queen. This particular incantation taps into forces untamed, unpredictable. These preternatural magics are hard to extinguish.”

“Is there no other way?” Nadia says, her concern wobbling her voice.

Valeria’s gaze doesn’t waver from mine. “If there were, would I not have offered it?”

“Tell me of this ritual,” I demand, every fiber of my being taut like a drawn bowstring.

“Very well.” Valeria moves across the room with purpose. She retrieves several small vials containing powders and liquids of various hues. “But you will not like what you must do, and the ingredients you must gather are rare…”

---