Page 33 of Vows Forged in Blood

The journey goes by in a blur, my mind too full and my body too tense to care much about the trip. The temperatures are much lower here, true winter already creeping in. We still have two months, maybe three, before it hits the camp. I wonder what Dahlia will think of it, having only ever lived in the south of Braxhelm. Has she ever even seen snow?

I push the thoughts away and focus on the task at hand.

“There have been no attacks on the village?” I ask the elder, though I already know the answer.

“None, High General,” the man replies. He’s at least eighty, with deeply tanned, wrinkled skin and eyes so dark brown, they look nearly black. There’s endless wisdom in them, and kindness.

“But you say you’ve seen Revenants?”

“Yes, sir. More than one crew has reported seeing them near the Great Bear.” The Great Bear, we have been told, is a caveon the far edge of the large lake. The mouth is lined with jagged rocks that look like giant fangs, and the formation of rocks above resembles a nose, eyes, and even ears—all together, it looks like a giant bear, jaws gaping menacingly. “But they’ve never made any move to attack, and have never come across the lake as far as we’re aware.”

“How close to the cave were the crews who made the reports?”

The elder rubs his chin. “We do not go near the Great Bear, it is a cursed place, but the crews were close enough to know what they were seeing. Black claws and fangs, red eyes, gray skin.” I tense, knowing deep down that they had indeed seen Revenants. But what in the seven hells were they doing here? I suppose the Great Bear might be a good place for a nest to hide, but no attacks in the area at all doesn’t make sense. And choosing somewhere so remote isn’t really the typical behavior of the Revenants. They’re bloodthirsty, always hunting and tormenting humans. It’s their nature, so to be this close to prey and not hunt? It makes no sense.

“Have there been any disappearances? Not outright attacks, but any members of the village going missing? Any news of those who live in the wilderness beyond the village’s borders having issues or being taken?”

“Accidents happen on the boats and out in the wilderness, High General,” the elder says pragmatically, “but nothing like what you’re thinking. We have no reason to believe the Revenants have been living in the Great Bear for any great amount of time, nor that they ever came near our lands.”

“Is there anything special about the cave?” Elias asks, and I can practically see the gears working inside his mind.

“Nothing that we would know of. The oldest tales of our people say that there were dark magics inside that cave, that people who went there were never heard from again. We do notgo to the Great Bear.” His voice is firm and final. I nod and share a look with Elias, both of us knowing that whatever is going on here, it can’t be good.

“We will go to the Great Bear,” I say simply. “We leave as soon as possible.”

“We’ll prepare the boats,” the elder says, beckoning towards a young girl.

I incline my head in thanks. The girl is young, his granddaughter most likely, and her heart is beating wildly as she steps closer to her grandfather, Elias, and myself. She risks a glance at me and her eyes widen, her pulse thundering. My chest clenches painfully. Her eyes are nearly the same shade of green as Dahlia’s, though this girl’s don’t have the beautiful gold flecks that make Dahlia’s eyes sparkle.

I clench my jaw and force the thoughts away. We thank the elder again and we ready to depart.

“What the fuck do you think they’re doing out there?” Elias asks as he eyes the lake warily. It seems to go on for ages and ages, and while those old myths about vampires being unable to cross large bodies of water are rubbish, Elias hates boats. He loves the sea, but hates being outonit. It’s always amused me.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “More distractions?” I shake my head in frustration, not really believing it even as the words pass my lips. I can just make out the shape of the Great Bear far in the distance, a dark mass against the burning orange light of the setting sun. I have no idea what we might find, and the elder seems to think that the Revenants have gone, but I prepare for battle all the same and instruct my men to do the same. They’re all busy strapping on armor and checking their weapons when a sword catches my eye.

“Thaylin.” The vampire quickly snaps to attention.

“Yes, High general?” she asks, bowing her head, her silvery-blonde warrior braids slipping over one shoulder.

“Is that a Clayburn blade?”

“Yes, sir. Dah—LadyDahlia,” she quickly corrects and my lips almost quirk—of course Dahlia would refuse to allow her friends to call her by her rightful title—“asked her father to do me the great honor of forging one of his legendary swords for my use.”

Of course she did. Though I’m avoiding her, it doesn’t mean that I’m not learning about my mate. One thing that I know above all else is how fiercely she loves. To be counted in that number would be a great honor, indeed.

“What is her name?”

“Reaper’s Lady,” she says, smiling reverently at the blade, but she quickly clears her throat and adds a quick, “sir.”

“A good name for a great blade. Do it the justice it deserves,” I say and she bows her head again.

“Of course, High General.” I nod and stride away, disquieted by the warmth Dahlia’s gesture to this vampire spreads through my chest.My mate is kind.She is kind and good and loyal, and I can’t even acknowledge that she’s mine.My hands curl into fists at my sides, and I join Elias on one of the three small boats setting out to take us all across the lake.

“The only thing out there is water. And fish. And more fucking water,” Elias grumbles, eyes darting around like he’s preparing for an attack. “Gods, how big is this fucking lake??”

“There has to be something more than that.”

“Maybe you’re right about the distraction,” Elias says, gripping the edge of the boat so tightly the wood groans beneath his fingers. “Drawing you away from the pass? From the camp?”

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