Chapter 40

Clara

We walked for hours. It was the new moon so there was no light at all. I had to depend on my wolf’s guidance and the occasional helping hand from a vampire. We didn’t dare use a light.

Finally, when the horizon started to turn a pearly grey, Ronan stopped us.

“I think we got away cleanly,” he announced. “We can head home, now.”

We weren’t heading to their home already? I wanted to ask questions, but of course I couldn’t.

Ronan changed direction, and led us to a river running through the woods. There was a small raft tied to a tree.

“All aboard,” Ronan said.

I tried to step onto the raft, but I had never been on any kind of water craft in my life. The raft wobbled under my weight, and I fell.

I would have gone into the water, but Ronan caught me.

“Not a sailor, I take it,” he said.

I shook my head, embarrassed. Everyone else, including the injured Kieran, managed to board the raft with no trouble.

We rode down the river, with Ronan steering by way of a long, thin pole. I clung to Tracy’s hand and watched the shore rush by. We were moving so fast!

Some time later, when the sun had finally risen, Ronan used the pole to steer us back to shore. We followed a short path along the side of a hill. I realized we were at the foot of the mountain I could sometimes see in the distance from the windows of the palace.

I was farther from home than I had ever been.

I wasn’t sure where I thought we were going. I think I expected the vampires to have a castle, just like the royal compound but maybe darker. Instead, Ronan led us to the entrance to a cave.

“Home sweet home,” Ronan sang out. “We have returned!”

A man melted out of the shadows to stand in front of us.

“Ronan!” he greeted our leader with a pat on the back. “You got them all?”

“Sure did,” Ronan said. “Have you heard back from the fighters yet?”

“They scattered at dawn. No casualties, everyone will head back after night falls. They’ve gone to ground until then,” the man, who I assumed was a guard, answered. He paused when he saw me. “Kara?”

“Nope,” Ronan said, “but she sure does resemble her, huh?”

“Who is she, then?” the guard asked.

“No clue, but she helped Kieran and she was a prisoner just like our folks,” Ronan said.

“Well, all right then,” the guard said. He turned to me. “I’m Tyler, I watch this entrance to the Warren. If you want to take a walk under the sunlight, come to me. You don’t want to try to leave without one of us knowing.”

“Traps,” Ronan explained. “Anyway, I’ve got some tired folks here and honestly, I’m about to collapse myself. Let’s get inside before the sun rises any higher.”

Tyler nodded, traded welcoming hand clasps with the others, and melted back into the darkness.

The vampires lived in caves. I expected their home to be cold, damp, and scary but I was surprised to find a well ordered, well lit, cozy encampment. Ronan led us into a large, central cavern that I think worked something like the main courtyard of the royal compound. There were campfires scattered around, and tunnels leading off into the dark.

“Welcome to the Warren,” Ronan said to me. “You’re a guest, not a prisoner. I want you to understand that.”

I nodded slowly.

“However,” Ronan continued, “this place is well named. It’s a tangle of caverns, tunnels, traps and pits. I don’t want you wandering around alone until you’ve had time to learn the safe paths, all right?”

I nodded again.

“I’ll take care of her,” Tracy promised.

“You know she’s not your sister,” Ronan said.

“I know. I can tell the difference, now that I’m really looking at her. But.” Tracy shrugged. “But I’m pretty sure…” she trailed off.

“Yeah, me too,” Ronan said.

Pretty sure what? I wanted to ask, but of course I could not.

“All right, take her to your place,” Ronan said. “Get cleaned up, get some rest. I’m going to find something our new friend can use to communicate.”

I mimed writing.

“Oh, that’s convenient, you can write. I know just what will help,” Ronan said.

“Come on,” Tracy said.

I followed her through the encampment, to a tunnel that led to a small, cozy chamber.

“This is mine,” Tracy said. “I used to share with Kara, but, well, that was a very long time ago.”

The room was nice. Despite being in a cave, it was warm and clean. It had a bed, a chest that served as a small table, and a set of shelves filled with personal items.

“We’ll find you your own room, don’t worry,” Tracy said. “But for tonight you can have the bed. I’ll make up a pallet on the floor.”

I shook my head. She shouldn’t give me her own bed!

“It’s softer than the dungeon floor. And anyway, I want to.”

Why?

The question must have shown on my face, because Tracy smiled and answered.

“I think I’m your aunt, you see. How old are you?”

I held out my hand, once for ten, and again for eight.

“Eighteen?” Tracy guessed.

I nodded.

“That… that would be about right. Your parents,” she paused and sighed. “That’s probably too difficult to gesture.”

I nodded. There were signs, but I didn’t think she would understand them.

“I can wait until Ronan comes back with a way for you to communicate,” Tracy said. Then she shook her head. “I can wait until you’re really ready to talk. I’ve waited this long.”

I had a sinking feeling that the few answers I had to offer were going to break this woman’s heart.

Tracy left me alone to go collect a meal, promising to show me to the “cafeteria” later. Whatever that was. She returned with two small loaves of soft bread, a generous chunk of cheese, and a pastry pocket filled with some kind of game meat. It smelled like venison. She offered me a goblet filled with teeth bitingly cold water. I saw that her own goblet was filled with something deep red. I suspected it was not wine.

I must have looked confused by all the food.

“We vampires do drink blood,” she said, showing me the goblet, “but we don’t only drink blood. We still eat other foods. Well, those of us who still walk under the sun.”

I didn’t understand what that might mean.

“I’ll be happy to explain later,” she said. “Right now, let’s eat. You must be famished.”

I was, actually. I hadn’t eaten since, well, I could hardly remember my last meal. It must have been the tea I shared with Nora.

I nodded my thanks, and filled my aching stomach with the simple, hearty food.

When I finished, I looked up to see Nora watching me.

“You were hungry,” she mused. She looked down at her goblet. “I thought they mistreated their prisoners, but you… why were you in that cell?”

I wanted to tell her, but couldn’t think of a way to sign it.

Luckily for both of us, Ronan arrived just then.

“Here we go!” He held out a small parcel.

I opened it, to reveal a small, leather book filled with blank, cream colored pages. It fit into the palm of my hand, and there was a small pen tethered to the book.

“Thank you,” I wrote.

“It’s my pleasure,” he said. “Don’t worry about filling it up. See?”

He opened the book, and showed me how the pages were actually a second book, bound in thicker paper, that could slip out and be replaced.

“It’s a scout’s journal,” he explained. “We all carry them. I thought it would work as your voice.”

I nodded, and held the book to my chest.

I tapped the words.

“You’re quite welcome,” Ronan said. “And you are also welcome here. Um. Whoever you are.”

“Clara,” I wrote, “My name is Clara.”

“Welcome, Clara,” Ronan said. “I am Ronan, first ranked scout of the Warren. And I am very pleased to meet you.”