And What I Found There - Book Two

41. Minds Change Like the Weather

Camp is actually a pretty nice setup. Two enormous black tents are pitched in the middle of a sheltered tree grove. The thick fabric keeps the light from the lanterns inside from attracting any scary attention. In fact, I only know there's light within them because now the Princess of Hearts flings the opening of her tent back as she hears us returning to camp.

She gasps with disbelief at the sight of me.

Before either of us can say anything, Bishop suddenly comes barreling out of the second tent and hurls himself at me.

"Lady! Lady! You're back!"

"OMG, Bishop buddy!" I quickly kneel and he excitedly stands on his hind legs to put his forepaws on my knees, wagging his tail so fiercely with joy, his whole hindquarters wiggle. "I've missed you!"

"I was worried about ya, lady!"

"Holy shick, you're alive!" Adisonia exclaims, hurrying out of the tent to look me over. "I guess I lost a bet," she huffs. "Care to tell me how you're still alive?"

"We don't have time to be answering your questions," Quill says curtly. "We have more company joining us."

"Yes," Cornelius heaves a sigh. "Unfortunately, this is true."

"Who the hell -?"

Cornelius interrupts the Princess. "I do not want to hear a word -not one word- of complaint." He fixes her with a look before he calmly carries on. "Adara's Dark Rider guide has found her during her lost time in the Hills and has protected her since. And he wishes to escort us out of the Hills come first thing in the morning, which...I agreed to," he says begrudgingly. "I don't want any confrontation. Don't you agree, Your Highness?"

"Yeah, play nice, Adisonia," Quill retorts.

"What?" she curls her lip. "This doesn't make any bloody sense! Everyone knows that Darie's Dark Rider is -" she screams and stumbles backward which tells me the Blood Prince has entered the camp.

Her Knave of Hearts, the little white rabbit, also screams at the sight of Vyndren and runs back to the tent. Even Bishop yelps with terror and anxiously hides behind my legs at the sight of the Vampire.

"It isn't wearing its mask!" Adisonia sounds equally horrified and outraged. "It's the Blood Prince! Are you all out of your bloody minds?! That...thing is a monster! A murderer! A devil! A demon! It'll slay us all in our sleep! It'll destroy everything! Kill everyone! Wait till the Thirst seizes this massacring, blood-lusting twisted demon and -"

Her rant in interrupted by Vyndren clapping, the sound is hollow and everyone looks a little pale and uncomfortable. "Well said, Your lil' Highness, well said. And all true, I'm afraid." He sneers. "All terribly, wonderfully true. However," he crosses his arms and leans against a tree on the cusp of camp. "I'm not here to slowly torture any of you and then murder you on behalf of your own dying pleads, okay?" He chuckles. "I'm not," his sick smile isn't so convincing.

Adisonia stares at him like he is a psycho. "Is that a threat, demon-devil?" She demands.

"It was supposed to be peace-of-mind," he flashes his fangs. "But take it how you will."

A stretch of silence fills the air with tension so obvious, it can practically be seen. It definitely can be felt.

"Right," Cornelius finally breaks the silence. "Well, I suggest we all settle down for the night. Von Vesymir," he calls to the Dark Rider. "Since I'm assuming that sleep is no longer an issue for you, would you mind taking first watch?"