Page 22 of Slaying the Vampire Conqueror

No. Not yet.

But I’d give him something.

“The Arachessen are more effective and persuasive than you can possibly know,” I said haltingly.

“I’ve had plenty of experience with cults.”

I hated how dismissively he called us a cult.

“They’re worse,” I bit out. “Worse than you can imagine. They see everything. As long as I remain in Glaea, it’s only a matter of time before they find me.”

“I already told you that?—”

“You can’t protect me from them.”

He laughed.

Outrightlaughed, from deep in his chest, like what I’d just saidwas the funniest thing he’d ever heard. The sound was rough and unpracticed, like he did it very rarely.

I was a bit offended on behalf of my Sisterhood.

“You laugh because you don’t know them,” I said.

“I laugh because you don’t know me.”

He straightened, crossing his arms over his chest. “I told you, Sylina, I do not lie. If I say it, it is true. I protect my people. If you’re one of mine, the Arachessen will not touch you.”

Such hubris. And yet, he didn’t say any of it with the boastfulness of a bragging commander. He said it as if it was nothing more than fact, and his presence radiated not cocky showmanship but steady truth.

Hebelievedit.

That was strange to me, that a man who recognized the power of the Arachessen—recognized their ability to make trouble for him—would still be willing to cross them on my behalf.

It was confusing.

I let out a sigh, showing him all my reluctant consideration, carefully measured. “I don’t understand how you can make that promise.”

“You don’t have to understand. You just have to seer.”

He stepped away from the rock, extending his hand, the question silent but obvious:Deal?

I drew my lips thinly together. The thought of taking his hand sickened me.

But those were the feelings of Sylina, Arachessen spy. Not Sylina, desperate fugitive.

I took it. His grip was rough and calloused.

“Good,” he said firmly. Like that was that.

He released my hand, and I felt his skin burning against my palm long after. He leaned against the rock again, arms crossed, taking me in.

“Now,” he said, “about the seering.”

Atrius’s army was,apparently, so active right now because they were preparing to leave and continue on theirconquering path. He told me this flatly, in simple fact. He withdrew a crumpled piece of parchment from his pocket and flattened it best he could against the smooth side of the rock, revealing a map of Glaea. He pointed to a city-state just north of here: Alka.

“You know it?”

“Of course.”

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