Somewhere beneath Triah
WHEN ASTRID HEARD THE low clank of the lock turning on the door to her cell, she leapt into a crouch. She had already decided, in the days she had spent alone in her small prison cell, that she would not stop fighting him. Every opportunity she got, she would attempt to escape, she would attempt to fight, she would attempt to kill Cabral.
The significant word in each of those concepts was “attempt.” She had no illusions that she might actually be successful; Cabral had already shown extreme caution when handling her thus far, and she could not imagine that would change anytime soon. But she could not give up hope.
So when the heavy iron door began to creak open, Astrid sprang through her pitch-black cell, barreling into the door itself and sending it flying into whoever was on the other side.
She did not wait to see who it was or how many others there were; instead, shielding her eyes from the bright torchlight, Astrid took off down the lit corridor—
—and slammed immediately into the tallest, largest vampire she had ever encountered.
The big man lifted her easily, slinging her over his impossibly broad shoulder. She blinked, stunned by the bright light and the sudden stop; she’d slammed into the vampire with a lot of force.
Astrid shifted her position, but the vampire’s heavy arm constricted around her. Turning her head, she could see the ceiling of the corridor, rock and dirt and occasional wooden rafters. If she had but one hand free, she could have easily reached up and brushed her fingers against it. And when a particularly low point in the ceiling came along, or a support beam, the huge vampire carrying her had to duck his head.
The floor rushed past, a dizzying distance beneath her. Three other vampires walked alongside the big one, but none of them even reached his shoulders.
Bloody bones, he was massive.
Cabral was not with them. Not surprising; he would think himself above the menial task of fetching prisoners. By the red glow emanating from the eyes of those escorting her, and the green of her own, Astrid could tell it was nighttime. She had been in that cell for at least a week, maybe more.
The vampire carrying her did not have the same red eyes as other vampires, but neither were they green like Astrid’s. They were almost orange. That marked two sets of eyes Astrid had seen recently that were abnormal. She wished she had some inkling as to what that could mean.
“Where are you taking me?” Astrid asked.
None of them answered. The muscles of the big vampire were hard as steel, and that had nothing to do with the nighttime effects vampirism had on his skin. As big as this vampire was, he had very little fat and a great deal of muscle. Astrid repressed a sudden wave of fear at how strong this beast must be with vampiric strength added on to its natural muscle. All vampires were significantly stronger, faster, and tougher at night, when the sun was gone. But their enhanced strength was still based on their natural strength; even at her most powerful, Astrid was still comparatively a child to most other vampires. She was fast, she was quick, and she knew how to fight, but in a contest of strength she wouldn’t stand a chance against a regular vampire, let alone this monster.
The tunnel forked a few times. Left, left again, then right, then a central fork of three, left again. Finally, it opened up into a much larger space, as her vampire escort passed through a low arch. Astrid’s world turned on its head as the big vampire tossed her from his shoulder to the ground at the foot of a raised platform on which three thrones stood. Astrid tumbled into a heap onto a lavish, braided rug.
Unlike the austere tunnels and rooms Astrid had seen since Cabral had imprisoned her, this room was lined with tapestries, and in front of them stood pedestals on which sculptures, busts, and weapons rested. Even the sconces were highly decorative ironwork, the torches illuminating the room in a dim, flickering light.
Vampires crowded the room, Cabral among them.
She stood up, dusting herself off. It was a futile gesture; she’d been wearing the same faded dress and breeches for she didn’t know how long.
The walls on either side angled inward, leading to a point directly across from the archway through which Astrid had just been carried. The ornate thrones were at the point of the room, their backs reaching high above the heads of the three vampires sitting on them. Astrid recognized the vampire on the left as Elegance.
Elegance’s yellow eyes pierced the dim room like golden fire. Her hair, still in hundreds of tiny braids, was tied neatly into a topknot, secured by a bright gold band. She wore a yellow robe that complimented her dark skin tone, trimmed with gold. Yellow gemstones decorated her throne and much of her jewelry.
The vampire seated next to Elegance, on the throne in the middle, was another woman, tiellan, slightly younger and more slender in form than Elegance, her ears poking up out of very short, messily styled silver hair. Her eyes emitted a cool, deep blue glow. She wore a dress of dark blue; sapphires decorated her throne and jewelry.
“The color coordination is a bit garish in here, isn’t it?” Astrid muttered.
If any of the vampires in the room heard her, they gave no sign of it.
The final vampire, seated on the right, was short and wiry, and wore robes that matched his glowing violet eyes, with lightly shaded amethysts and dark tourmalines bedazzling both his throne and the circlet on his head. His hair was speckled with gray, and creases pinched at the corners of his eyes. Astrid glanced over her shoulder. Cabral and his Fangs looked on grimly. Directly behind her was the big vampire, his frame even more imposing in the cavern, torchlight flickering on his face.
Every other vampire in the room, excepting the three on thrones, the big vampire who’d brought her here, and Astrid herself, had the typical crimson vampiric glow emanating from their eyes, adding a sinister shade to the room’s already ominous flicker.
Astrid flashed her biggest, most charming smile up at the seated vampires. She clasped her hands together. “First of all I’d like to thank my escort, led by that outrageous piece of pure muscle, for guiding me safely here to be with you all.” She looked over her shoulder again, winking at the big vampire. “I couldn’t have done it without you.
“Secondly—” Astrid turned back to the platform “—let me just say what an honor it is to be in your polychromatic presence. Your fancy chairs are unmatched throughout the land, I’m sure.”
The corner of Elegance’s mouth twitched in a smile. But just as quickly as it came, it went. The vampire in the purple robe frowned down at Astrid. Behind her, Astrid heard a few of the vampires murmuring.
But she wasn’t deterred. Instead, she turned to face Cabral.
“And finally,” she said, opening her arms wide, “I’d like to thank the great Olin Cabral for making my presence here possible today. I can say, quite confidently, that there is no one in—or below—the city of Triah with a face that so closely resembles that of a mangy, abused hound.”
The murmurs behind her grew louder; somebody guffawed.
“Or that hound’s ass, for that matter,” she added for good measure. Astrid focused on Cabral’s creasing scowl, and the deep pleasure it brought her.
“And,” Astrid said, her smile broadening, “no one on the Sfaera with a mind so exquisitely, excruciatingly dull.”
She raised her hands placatingly at his angry Fangs. “Peace, cheese-cods. Let me finish.” She must have sounded authoritative, because the Fangs actually did stop edging toward her.
“I’d even go so far as to say,” Astrid continued, looking directly through the bleeding crimson light into Cabral’s eyes, “That there has never been—and perhaps never will exist, ever—anyone in history who is quite the consummate plague sore that you are, Cabral. You—”
“Enough.”
The vampire did not shout, but somehow Astrid felt the voice resonate in her bones, rippling over her skin. She looked up at the platform to see the violet vampire standing, a scowl on his face.
Elegance smiled again, fully this time. That sight gave Astrid some confidence.
“Why,” Violet said, pointing one long, sinewy claw at Astrid, “has this one been brought before the Coven?”
“This is Astrid,” Cabral said, “a young vampire who—”
“She is not in our records,” Violet said. “Has she passed the threshold?”
“No,” Cabral said, bowing his head, “I have brought her here under special circumstances to request an audience with you.”
Elegance leaned forward, looking at the violet vampire. “We have already agreed to hear this case, Equity.”
The vampire took his seat once more. The moment he did, the tiellan woman sitting in the middle rose from her seat, levitating up from her throne. She floated down from the platform until she stopped, cross-legged and still suspended in the air, directly in front of Astrid.
“What in Oblivion is this?” blurted Astrid.
The tiellan vampire said nothing—nothing audible, at least—but instead Astrid heard a voice echo in her mind.
You are unfamiliar with the Coven. The voice, melodious and calm, resonated in her mind like harp strings plucked in an empty, dusty room. That is not surprising. You would not have come to know of our existence for another one hundred and sixty-three years, had circumstances been normal. But Olin Cabral has brought you to our attention.
“Eldritch, what are you saying to her?” Equity demanded. Astrid’s vision clouded; the voice resonating in her mind consumed her.
“Fine, but be quick about it,” Equity muttered, sitting back down on his throne.
When a vampire has been turned for five hundred years, they have passed the threshold of requirement to be introduced into our presence, Eldritch went on.
“Who are you?” Astrid asked.
We are the Coven. The three of us have been around since the beginning of time.
“You are vampires, too?”
We are, but we have grown beyond what you could possibly comprehend.
“Your… powers?”
You witnessed Elegance’s abilities the other night, albeit the circumstances were unfortunate and somewhat uncalled for. You are experiencing some of my own powers right now.
“I don’t understand.”
That is to be expected. You will, in time. I was against hearing your case at all, but Elegance insisted, and I have never been one to deny Elegance.
For now, we will hear what Cabral has to say, and then we will make our judgment.
Then the voice was out of Astrid’s head, and Eldritch floated back up to her platform and settled herself gently back down on her sapphire throne.
“Very well, she is up to speed,” Equity said. “Let us begin.”
“Wait,” Astrid said quickly, “saying I’m ‘up to speed’ is an understatement, don’t you think? I don’t understand what is happening here. Some sort of trial? How can I plead my case here if I don’t even know—”
“You have misunderstood, child,” Elegance said. It was the first time she had spoken since Astrid had entered the throne room. “You will not have a say here. We have convened to hear Cabral’s case against you. As one of the Uninitiated, you have not yet earned your rights or voice in our presence.”
“Be silent,” Elegance said, a hard edge to her voice, “or I will silence you myself.”
So much for living up to your stupid name, Astrid thought.
But Astrid obeyed. She was completely outmatched if it came to a fight. Just the presence of the big vampire behind her was enough to make her twitchy, let alone whatever in Oblivion the throned rainbow triplets before her were all about.
Equity cleared his throat. “Very good. Olin Cabral, please step forward.”
Cabral obeyed, not even bothering to look in Astrid’s direction, and then knelt before the Coven. Astrid had never seen Cabral show such deference in her life. Not once.
“Rise,” Equity said, “and state your case.”
Cabral obeyed. “Eminent Ones,” he began, “I have come here to ask for your assistance in punishing this vampire, Astrid, for the wrongs she has committed against me and my domain.”
“What are the charges?” Equity asked, looking rather bored. He rested his chin on one hand, his elbow on the arm of his throne.
“She attacked my tower-house in Turandel,” Cabral said. “She took my slaves, and killed the vampires and the infected who followed me.”
“I didn’t take your slaves,” Astrid said, unable to contain herself. “I freed them.”
Other than a burning yellow glare from Elegance, no one else acknowledged Astrid had said anything. Cabral continued speaking as if the interruption had never happened.
“She ruined the domain I had built up for myself,” Cabral said. “The domain you had granted me. I demand she be punished.”
Though the Coven did not say anything aloud, Astrid had the distinct impression that they were discussing Cabral’s case together, via whatever power Eldritch wielded.
“This girl destroyed everything in your jurisdiction?” Equity eventually asked, raising one eyebrow.
Astrid smiled at the vampire’s tone. If she’d destroyed everything Cabral had built, perhaps he didn’t deserve to have anything in the first place.
She might even win this case without having to say anything.
“She had help,” Cabral snapped. “Another of my former Fangs. Trave Tamlin helped her.”
“Trave is one of the initiated,” Elegance said, mildly surprised. “He should know better.”
“He should, Your Eminence,” Cabral said, head bowed, “but he is not here. The girl is the only one we could procure, for now. When I find Trave, I will bring him here for your judgment as well.”
“Seems to me you want to punish this girl to satisfy your own rage,” Elegance said thoughtfully. “Is that true, Cabral?”
Cabral frowned, and opened his mouth to speak, but Equity cut him off.
“Enough prattle. I have better things to do with my time. Do you have a punishment in mind, Cabral?”
“I do, Eminent Ones,” Cabral said. Finally, for the first time since Astrid’s insulting tirade when she’d first entered the room, Cabral turned to look at her. “I demand her sift be altered to be completely loyal to me. Take out any memory of the life she has now. Make her utterly dependent on me. She destroyed everything that was mine, and I demand she now become mine.”
Alter her sift? Cabral was no psimancer. No vampire was.
But, then again, Elegance had shown her visions of her friends, dead and gone. If the Coven were as powerful as everyone around here seemed to think, perhaps Elegance, or one of the others, did have the power.
Astrid fought the growing panic in her chest.
“What’s the matter, my dear?” Cabral asked, grinning widely. “No snarky remarks? No insults?”
“No,” Astrid said quietly. “Just hatred. Hatred that will never go away, no matter how much time passes, no matter what this ridiculous hearing might do to me. That hatred will always be here, inside of me, Cabral. One day you’ll face it, without anything else to help you.”
Cabral held her gaze. The two stared at one another, until finally Equity spoke.
“We have made our decision,” he said.
Cabral’s smile returned. “What is your ruling, Eminent Ones?”
“Despite our misgivings over your failings as an overlord, Cabral,” Equity said, glaring down at the vampire, “we acknowledge the crimes that have been done against you. As our chosen initiate, crimes against you are crimes against us, and that is a thing we do not tolerate.”
“Of course, Eminent Ones,” Cabral said, bowing his head.
Astrid shook her head, opening her mouth to protest, but no sound came out.
“That being said,” Equity continued, “we do not accept your terms of punishment. This girl shows promise. Her eyes tell us that much. We would hate to disrupt that promise by altering her sift. You may keep her in your custody, and condition her as you wish in whatever way you think will be effective. But we will take no part in it.”
“Eminent Ones, if you’re allowing me to condition her, would it not be just as prudent for you to step in and—”
“We have made our decision, Cabral,” Equity said, his voice hard. “Respect it.”
Cabral bowed his head. “Of course, Eminent Ones.”
“What right do you have to judge me?” Astrid demanded, fear crushing her chest. “What right do you have to turn me over to his care?” she spat.
“Our power gives us that right, child.” Equity narrowed his eyes at her. “You began learning that lesson today; I suspect you will learn it again when you cross the threshold and officially join our order.”
Astrid shook her head. “I’ll never join you. Anyone who would choose Cabral as an associate doesn’t deserve my allegiance. I don’t care how old you are or what you can do.”
“Watch your tongue, girl,” Equity snapped. “You’ve already been told you have no voice here. That remains true. Nothing you say matters. We will not consider you, think of you, until you’ve crossed the threshold. Assuming you survive that long.”
“You don’t care about me now, fine,” Astrid said, glaring up at Equity, “but you’ll change your mind when I burn this place down around you, with each of you screaming inside it.”
A heavy silence descended on the hall, the weight of it pressing her down into the floor. Every vampiric eye in the hall held her captive. She had crossed a line, she was sure. She had said what she’d said in anger, in terror, already sure of her defeat. Now she regretted it.
Then, as quickly as the silence fell, it evaporated as Equity and Elegance erupted in simultaneous, roaring laughter.
Soon every other vampire in the room was laughing, raucously and uncontrollably, at Astrid. Astrid heard a big booming chuckle from behind her that could only have come from the big vampire. Equity’s loud guffaws and Elegance’s ringing, musical laughter echoed above them all. Only Eldritch seemed unmoved, immutably calm.
Astrid let their derision wash over her, standing tall, her chin held high, her mouth firm and eyes dry.
When the sound quieted, Equity waved disdainfully in Astrid’s direction. “Take her away, Igar. If we’re lucky, she won’t even make it past the threshold anyway.” The big vampire scooped her up roughly once again.
She kept herself together all through the journey back to her cell. Only when the door had shut, and the footsteps had faded, and Astrid was alone in the dark with nothing but herself did she finally begin to cry.