Page 32 of Betrayed in Blood
I lowered my gaze and tugged my shirt down, trying to get my bearings. “Good to know.”
“If you wanted to speak to me, why didn’t you call? I left my number with Devon.”
“He gave it to me. I was just having a hard time picturing you with one.”
She snorted, and I glanced up in time to see her grin. “What’s the emergency? You couldn’t wait a couple of days?”
“Lucas found the book.”
Her gaze lowered to the single sheet of paper on the table, but she made no move toward it. “Where was it?”
“The book itself is still with Philipe Renaud, but we have a copy of the original. Lucas translated the first half, which was written in ancient vampiric. It’s the last half we’re having a problem with. It’s written in a different language.”
A single brow arched, and Colantha circled the table, her gaze still on the page.
“Is there a dreamwalker language? We think there might be, and if so, is this familiar to you? Can you read this?”
Colantha sat in a chair but didn’t say anything as she continued to stare at the page.
I glanced down at my hands, not realizing I’d been rubbing them. I stuck them under my legs and leaned toward Colantha. “Apparently, all the good stuff is in the second half of the book. Or we hope so, assuming we can find anyone to interpret it.”
Colantha nodded at the page. “May I?”
“Yes. That’s why I called for you.”
Her lips twitched as she picked up the page. I couldn’t find a drop of emotion as she read. Could she read it? Did it say anything important? I didn’t have time to think any further.
It hadn’t been more than a minute or two before she placed the page on the table and poured a cup of tea from a tea service that hadn’t been there a second ago. She held up the teapot and looked at me. I nodded. Once the second cup was poured, we sat back and sipped. Then, Colantha shared what she knew.
“Dreamwalkers, like vampires or shifters, are their own species, so yes, we have our own language. Over time, there have been various versions. But at the time of this writing, our language had, what you might say, consolidated with only minor variations depending on which of the seven tribes you belonged to. Some of our elders still speak the language, but for most, the language has been lost.”
“Because of the purge?”
She nodded. “It’s much easier to blend when you speak the prevalent language of where you live. It was our language or evidence of it that made it easier for the vampires to find us.”
“From my understanding, Philipe Renaud and his mate, Fiona, who is a custodian, have searched thousands of books in search of any with the same language. They believe they found one that’s similar, but other than theDe første dage, they have no—I think it’s called a codex—that can be used for translation.”
“No. I doubt many books in our language exist anymore, though I know where one or two might be.”
She was being coy. There were probably a lot more than one or two, but I understood her reticence, even with me.
“Can you help us translate the second half of theDe første dage? We would also need a second book in the same language, or as close as possible, so the Renaud custodians can confirm the authenticity of the text’s words. Without it, we have nothing to take to the Council.”
“Perhaps.” She glanced at her watch.
“Before you go—” I had no idea when she would just disappear. “Are you aware of a dreamwalker community in Spain?”
Her eyes widened for an instant, but no other expression gave away her thoughts. But I didn’t think she was surprised.
“There are small communities spread around the world. No more than thirty or so. Can I ask how you discovered them?”
“It was more like they discovered me.” If she could be evasive, so could I. I trusted Colantha, but she held her secrets close, and there was a great deal about dreamwalkers she hadn’t shared. “Do you know about the fertility problem in vampires?”
She nodded but didn’t respond other than to finish her tea.
“Are you aware of a vamp compound where they don’t have a fertility problem?”
She set down her cup and stood. “I’ll see what I can find to assist you with the translations. Expect me soon.”
