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SORCHA WAS WEARING an illusion of a gaunt, pale fledgling as she searched the Vampire District for Sebastian. She wore black clothing to blend in, not that there were many leeches walking around. Most of them were huddled inside their houses, slowly starving and going mad from hunger.
“I’m glad I figured out how to shield my scent and sounds,” the sorceress said. She was shielded and didn’t need to worry about anyone hearing her. She’d spotted Malachi an hour ago and had chosen a different area of the affluent suburbs to search. While he wouldn’t recognize her face, he knew her mannerisms and how she walked. It was best to avoid him.
So far, she hadn’t had any luck locating the master vampire who had killed Eden. She was confident that either she, or Malachi would find him eventually. If he was as old and powerful as Lord Dallinar had said, he would live in one of the most prestigious areas of the Vampire District. A lot of the master vampires had been killed by Crowmon’s stone hounds on Halloween, but there were still thousands of them spread throughout the District. It wasn’t going to be easy to narrow down her target.
The sound of running feet caught her attention. She camouflaged herself against a stone wall out of habit as a vampire rounded the corner. His eyes were wild and terrified as he fled from someone. He was too weak to use his vampiric speed and was reduced to running as slowly as a human.
Sorcha stayed where she was, curious about who was chasing him. Bright white light preceded a woman with platinum blonde hair worn up in a ponytail as she rounded the corner. She was wearing ripped black jeans, a lacy black top and a cropped jacket with black and green feathers around the collar. “Xiara Evora,” the sorceress said as her hunch was verified. The Guardian of Nox’s expression was grim and intent on her purpose of executing justice for the Immortal Triumvirate. She raced past Sorcha in pursuit of her quarry.
The execution wasn’t being broadcast to the uncursed population of the city. Lord Dallinar rarely bothered to cast the spell anymore. Sorcha’s curiosity got the better of her and she followed in their wake.
Faces were pressed up against windows as the vampire fled from the huntress. The leeches drew back when they saw the divine light of the staff Ms. Evora carried. Sorcha followed the pair to a grungy area of mostly empty houses. The vampire was flagging badly. He tripped over his own feet when he looked over his shoulder and the huntress pounced on him. Her staff left a trail of white and gray mist as it sliced through the air. The silver blade decapitated the leech, ending his life before he could blink. He turned to ash before his head could hit the ground.
“Another one bites the dust,” Xiara said, then chuckled. Her staff pulsed once, as if it was agreeing with her.
Sorcha was fascinated by the deadly weapon. She looked around to see they were alone and approached the Guardian of Nox. Ms. Evora’s head snapped around, even though she couldn’t possibly have heard her approaching. Sorcha dropped her shield and let go of the glamor spell as well. “I mean you no harm,” she said. She held her hands up peacefully when the huntress moved into a protective stance that Wort would have been proud of.
“Who are you?” Xiara asked her suspiciously. She wore far too much eye makeup, but she was pretty.
“I’m just an ordinary civilian,” Sorcha lied.
Ms. Evora snorted out a laugh. “There’s no such thing as ‘ordinary’ in Nox.”
The assassin smiled ruefully. “I guess that’s true,” she conceded.
“What can I do for you?” Xiara asked in a less aggressive tone.
“I have some questions.”
The huntress debated about it, then shrugged. “You can ask, but I might not answer them.”
“I’d like to know about your staff,” Sorcha said and gestured at the weapon that was now slung over the Night Cursed woman’s shoulder.
“Wrath?” Ms. Evora asked in surprise. “What about him?” The divine glow had abated, since there were no bloodsuckers in the nearby vicinity. The fog was more gray than white now.
“Is it true it can kill anything?” the assassin asked.
“Yep. He can kill anything, whether it’s alive, dead, or undead,” Xiara said by rote, as if she’d said it a million times before.
“Could it kill the Immortal Triumvirate?”
Xiara’s eyebrows rose in surprise at that question. She studied the assassin closely, searching her face for clues about why she would ask that particular question. Sorcha kept her expression neutral as she waited for the reply. “Theoretically, he could kill them,” the executioner said at last, keeping her voice low. “But I’m the only one who can wield him and I can’t attack my lords and masters directly.”
Sorcha’s shoulders sagged at that knowledge. “Damn it,” she muttered. “It would solve so many problems if I could borrow your staff to kill them myself.”
“Would it?” Ms. Evora said enigmatically. “Or would losing the men who created Nox only cause more problems?”
“What do you mean?” the sorceress asked.
“Nox runs on the energy that it draws from the Night Cursed beings,” Xiara told her. “Without the Immortal Triumvirate, my kind will cease to exist and the magic that runs the city will die. What do you think will happen to Nox if its leaders fall?”
Sorcha’s mouth dropped open at that revelation. “So, we’ll have to live beneath their rule forever?” she asked in dismay.
Xiara looked around, then lowered her voice even more. “Not if someone could take their place,” she whispered.
“No one has the power to overthrow them,” the assassin said just as quietly.
“Not yet,” Xiara conceded. “But they will soon.”
“The rebels are going to fight the Immortal Triumvirate?” Sorcha asked in hope that was mixed with trepidation.
“So I’ve heard,” Ms. Evora said with a shrug. “You know, you should visit Madam Quilla Astrid’s boutique near the City Square. She might be able to give you some insight into your future.”
“Isn’t she a Night Cursed gypsy?” Sorcha asked, wrinkling her nose at the idea.
“Her visions have never been wrong,” the huntress said. “I’d better go. I have more crime to fight in the other Districts.”
Right on cue, a carriage lumbered towards them. Xiara climbed inside and Sorcha sensed an elemental creature zooming towards her. She braced herself for an attack, but it turned into air and squeezed through a crack in the window of the vehicle. The air elemental turned solid again as the skeleton driver took off. “The Guardian of Nox has a pet air elemental?” Sorcha said in amazement as she watched the dim lanterns fade from her sight.
Their conversation had been surreal and it had left her with a lot of questions. Xiara Evora seemed to know a lot about what the rebels were planning. How she’d come by that knowledge was a mystery. Night Cursed beings had crappy memories that barely lasted a single night before being wiped clean again. Sorcha had counted on the executioner forgetting about her. Unease stirred as she wondered if Ms. Evora was going to report her questions to her masters. It had seemed as if she was on the rebels’ side, but it could just be a ruse.
Unable to trust anyone except Malachi, Sorcha was wracked with indecision. “Screw it,” she muttered, figuring she had nothing to lose by seeing the Night Cursed gypsy. The mystic was known for her accurate fortunes and the assassin needed all the help she could get.
Sorcha chose yet another ordinary illusion, then teleported to an alley a few blocks from the City Square. She walked to the boutique to see a sign that stated the gypsy was busy. Hesitating for a few seconds, Sorcha was tempted to go home, but decided to wait for a couple of minutes. She crossed the street and camouflaged herself against a wall, then stared at the door, willing the client to hurry up and leave.
