Page 53 of The Star's Sword

He took my hand and pulled me to the cathedral again, faster this time, but even though my heart was pounding, I felt okay, knowing he and my friends were all with me.

“We’ll go check in with the blood workers, and then we’ll get Simon to force those gossips to recant, and have him print something that clarifies your story, with witnesses.”

As Sam continued to elaborate on the next plan of action, I felt my chest unclench slightly.

After all, my friends and I all knew the truth.

That had to matter right?

18

“Iwon’t change the printing,” the vampire at the main press building merely pushed reading glasses up his nose and stared down at me like I was something under his feet. “Especially when we’ve said only the truth.”

“I told you, it’s not—” I tried to cut in, but Zadis was already shoving forward, even past Samael.

“Now, you listen here, you pompous little—”

“Zadis,” Samael said. “Stand down.”

I saw a slight blue glow around Zadis as the thrall effect was activated, and he was forced to release the vampire and step back.

“Selis, I’m sure you can make an exception,” Simon said, standing to my other side and smiling gently at the printer. “For a friend of mine.”

Selis looked at Simon. “Is it an order? A requirement to stay at the keep?” He folded his arms. “In that case, maybe I should publish something else about your favoritism towards her. Everyone can see that.”

Simon’s brows lowered, and a rare, angry expression flitted across his face briefly, before he was calm again. “Everyone here knows that Cleo is my good friend. Everyone here is alive because I protect them.” He folded his arms back, raising to full height and intimidating the press vampire. “Anyone who wants to hurt her can leave.”

Selis scowled. “So you would choose her over all of your friends, some of whom have served you for years?”

“She is the Morningstar,” Simon said. “Her blood has rejuvenated this entire settlement and saved countless lives.” He pointed to one of the recent papers, hanging off the counter. “And you’re telling lies about her. Obvious lies. I’ve never seen her eat a baby.”

Selis raised an eyebrow. “Just because you haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.” He slapped a hand on the newspaper. “If you’re so good, Cleo, why are there so many stories about you? If it’s all lies, why so many? It’s all vampire society has been talking about for months.”

I frowned. “It’s Vasara.”

“Please,” Selis said, rolling his eyes in a huge, exaggerated motion. “Vasara is the kindest, most decent celestial we have had visit us in a long while. She’s an eighth realm celestial but not too good for us vampires. Why would she have any reason to talk about you? I’ve never known her to gossip.”

“It’s likely she gossips in the back rooms with vampires who then spread the gossip far and wide as if fact,” Samael said darkly. “And why? It’s obvious. Because she’s jealous of Cleo.”

Selis sneered. “Don’t be ridiculous. Vasara is a shining beauty and the real Morningstar. She has no reason to start rumors about the fake one.”

Sam’s teeth grit together so hard I could practically hear it, and behind me, Zadis was cracking his knuckles, making Selis send him a concerned look, just for a second.

But then Selis turned back to me and his malice reappeared. “With everything I know about you, you should be glad I don’t throw you out.”

Simon sniffed the air. “Be careful of blood betrayal, Selis. Cleo is the main donor to the settlement. I smell her on you now.”

Selis froze for a second, then scoffed again. “Impossible. You only think that because you have her blood confused with Vasara’s. Cleo claims to donate, but who even sees her, other than when she’s faking donations? It’s Vasara’s name on the barrels, according to the workers, so that’s what we’ll be going with.”

Briefly, I wondered if the workers had been paid off.

Simon’s eyes narrowed, and when he looked at me, it felt like he might have the same thought.

“Fight me if you want to on this,” Selis said, folding his arms stubbornly and glaring down at us haughtily. “But if you ban everyone who likes Vasara from your keep, if you force us to choose Cleo, you’ll have very few vampires left.” He cocked his head. “After all, what’s more likely, that all of us are wrong, or that the handful of you are crazy and associating with a fraud who’s trying to hurt the vampires?”

Samael’s hand went for his sheath, and I heard his teeth grind as he resisted and regained composure. “I’m out of here. You can’t reason with this person. We’ll need another plan.”

Simon turned back to Selis. “Regardless of your reasons, I will need you to seek a new station outside of my keep.” When Selis opened his mouth in outraged shock, Simon put up a hand. “I do not need vampires who only follow the crowd, regardless of what lies the crowd is following. I don’t need anyone who surrenders their logic, their will and even their moral judgement to a group of mindless drones following someone with an obviously devious agenda.”

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