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Old hag meeting, and ends with she sends them to a monastery – where a vampir hunter hides (one linked to Liza’s torture so we see her ...break? )
Think also...
The mysterious Corvin Castle hides doom stories. Allegedly, the castle’s dungeon is the site where Vlad the Impaler was imprisoned for years, which caused the voivode to go insane and his thoughts to become darker, increasing his desire for blood. But he was not the only one held captive in the castle. The legend goes that three Turkish men were captured and asked to dig a well. They were promised that they would go free once they found water. The three souls, however, found their end as captives. Apparently, they wrote on the well’s walls: ‘You now have water, but you don’t have a heart.’
>>maybe a group of hunters lives at Corvin Castle now? or dacians, too? Its 3hrs from the Brasov Dacian commune but only 1hr from the Dacian Mountain sarmigzegetusa regia where Vlad was taken. So a chance to explain that barrier better?
Liza
We’re back at the old hag’s cabin the next day. No sign of the visitors, which I’m weirdly put off by. I wpuld’ve loved a chance to tell artemis—if Stefan is even right—off.
“Sometimes I think you’ve got a death wish,” Daniel whispers by my side.
I throw him a look. Then raise my hand to knock on the wooden door. It swings open in front of me, revealing the old hag from the day before. She’s sipping a glass of wine, looking mighty pleased with herself.
“Welcome back, princess.”
A snort escapes me. “if you’re trying to cull favor with me, you’re failing already.”
Her gaze shifts to Stefan as he enters. Smartly, he decides to stay by the door (insert descr of place from their view).
“I realize we came in a bit too strongly,” he says. “May we begin anew?”
Satisfaction rolls across her features, like a cat who’s tasted milk. Or its prey’s blood. “We may, Dacian.”
I stiffen, and notice Stefan does, too. So she knows a lot about us.
“You seem to have us at a disadvantage,” he says before I can. “Knowing so much about us, yet we know so little.”
“Really? I thought your people told you plenty, given I’ve been helping your Liviu for so long.”
I jerk my gaze to him, getting ready to yell. Daniel’s already telling me, “Wait, Liza.” But it’s Stefan’s stunned look that stops me. Barely. “You didn’t know?” I ask instead.
“Of course not,” he hisses towards me. Louder, he adds, “So, you’re the oracle he comes to.”
“Indeed.”
“That puts a new spin on things.” He leans back against the wood, his expression smooth. I feel a hint of the first admiration for him. Quickly stifled, because he’s still a human.
“And what payment do you usually exact from Liviu?” He pauses. “Our query is apart from him, so we would appreciate some discretion.”
“Of course, of course.” She takes another sip. “Your price will not be his, regardless. You are much too entertaining visitors, after all.”
Something shifts in her expression, something I don’t like at all. So I decide I’ve been quiet for way too long.
“Listen, baba. We’re here for answers, so whatever your price, just speak it already.”
She looks at me, then dismisses me, seemingly finding Stefan more interesting. “There is something you can get for me. A ring. (think, Sonic, the ring that opens portals because she wants to go where she needs to!!! To the Fates!!! Next arc should be her going back to Fates, imprisoning them, taking over Earth—one fate dies and her sacrifice protects the gods’ fate strings, barely, the existing ones; but if they do anything to intervene anywhere, their strings will change, new ones come, and she can touch THOSE; therefore the regular pantheons are almost prisoners in what they can do, and they can’t intervene so help is sought by the immortals from the old gods i.e. Zalmoxis, Atlas, the indigenous wind, etc.) It is located in a monastery a bit out of your way...But it would help me so much if you could seek it.”
“That should not be a problem,” Stefan says.
“Hang on a second. Why can’t you go get it?” I ask her.
“Because I am unfortunately banned from the monastery’s premises.” She says this as though she doesn’t give a damn, but the pursing of her lips tells me otherwise.
“She’s not telling you the full truth,” Daniel mutters.
I give him a look like “ya think?” and that seems to catch her attention towards me. Fuck. I’m slipping.
Stefan clears his throat. “Like I said, it should not be a problem. Assuming you can then tell me how to release my sister from the claws that have dug into her?”
“If you mean the curse afflicting the Dracul line, nothing can release her from that except death.”
Stefan stiffens. “I mean the god in her mind.”
“Ah. And how, pray tell, did that happen?”
Stefan hesistates, trrying to figure out a politically correct way of saying it without putting his sister under any bus. I have no such qualms.
“Because she was an idiot and opened a portal to him.”
“In order to help your brother!” Stefan snaps.
“My brother would’ve been fine without her help.”
Waves of anger rolls off him, and I’m perversely happy at having gotten under his skin.
Then he takes a deep breath, and focuses back on the hag. I bristle at his dismission.
“So, can you?”
“Yes, I believe I can,” the old hag says. “Bring me the ring first.” Then she turns to me. “As for you, your price is your blood.”
I narrow my eyes on her. “Like fuck.”
“Non negotiable.”
“Don’t do it, Liza,” Daniel says.
(she debates, finally does it)
“Here you go, baba.” I narrow my eyes on her. “Don’t get any fucking ideas.”
She smiles. “Never would, my dear.” To Stefan, “Now, for the ring. The monastery is at Corvin Castle.”
I jerk back, physically, at the name. Her knowing eyes land on me.
“What’s wrong?” Stefan says by my side.
“I believe your companion is very well acquainted with that castle. Are you not, princess?”
I am. Too fucking well. Because that’s where my torture began... And where my father was imprisoned for years, causing him to go inside and his thoughts to become darker. (maybe this last part isn’t true? Just Liza? Tweak history?)