Chapter Three
Twirling my roasted chicken on one hand, I observe the surroundings: thick, large tree (none of which is good for climbing), dark spaces, long grass, and a creeping mist. Victor was sitting on a log with his back facing me. Amy lay sprawled on the forest floor, sleeping as comfortably as a bat. Sophia ate her chicken hungrily, not sparing the ants that were crawling next to her.
I turned back to the bonfire we made a few hours ago when it was still daylight. No matter how strong the fire is, the cold mist still wrapped its arms around it, engulfing us in white smoke.
“It’s about time we take shelter up on the trees,” I said, breaking the silence.
“You know we can’t climb these trees,” Victor reminded.
I ignored him and turned to Sophia. “How about it?” I asked.
Sophia reduced to nibbling on her food, now reduced to bones, and concentrated on the future. After a while, she opened her eyes, stood up, and pointed at the tree behind me. “That looks like a good spot,” she said.
Victor and I helped Amy and Sophia up the tree. Then we doused the fire and erased any trace of Vampire mess before climbing up the tree ourselves. Sophia lounged on the tallest branch, below her slept Amy, and Victor and I occupied the 3rd branch, just in case any late night walkers would come by.
I said after a moment of silence, “So, why can’t we climb these trees?”
I could see him hesitate. “Well, not exactly. I’ve heard of stories about this unexplored part of the forest, and they’re not pretty,” he said, choosing his words carefully.
Again, there was silence as I bugged my brain for something to say. “Where do you suppose we should go for this mission? We don’t really have any destination in mind, do we?”
He shook his head. “No, but I’m sure we could find our destination on the way to the Ancient City. Scarlet will know what to do with Sophia.”
Scarlet Phlem was the Ancient City’s leader. The city is like a fortress, of vampires, of course, of all shapes and sizes. She protects them like a mother protects her child. She’s lived longer than any of us in this world; so it is wiser to ask her for advice rather than anyone else.
“Can’t we take the path to the Ancient City?” I pushed. “I mean, it’s dangerous for the four of us to wander in an unexplored part of the region by ourselves.”
Again, he shook his head, but this time, he did not say anything more. I let the topic go and told him I’d take the first watch. He nodded curtly before hopping onto the nearest branch and snuggling against the trunk.
I leaned back and sharpened a long stick with my dagger to pass the time. And time did pass for six hours, which seemed only like minutes to me. Nevertheless, I shook Victor’s sleeping body awake and took turns with him as watcher. I closed my eyes and tried to shut my mind, but I still couldn’t sleep. There was something amiss. Did I check below the tree before I woke Victor? I did. Did I check the neighbouring trees for spies or delinquents…?
I sat up quickly. I hopped on Victor’s branch, startling him in the process. I was about to tell him to open his eyes for enemies when, out of nowhere, an arrow whooshed passed us, barely missing our heads but leaving a scratch on my cheek. The bruise slowly healed and covered itself. Victor and I stood up and used our Vampire abilities to see in the dark.
“Miss Mia Auclarias and Sir Victor Mane,” the attacker addressed in a deep, menacing tone. “You have committed a crime against the Ancient City and are hereby sentenced to death.”
Victor and I exchanged glances. “What did we do?” I asked, swallowing the lump forming in my throat.
“Trespassing in the Ancient City without registering your names at the gates,” the attacker replied.
Oops, I thought. The gates were a few miles from the Ancient City. I’m guessing we’re almost there because we’ve passed them by. I asked if we could go back to the gates.
“No,” the attacker said. “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible.”
“Not even if you accompany us down to the gates?” Victor suggested.
The attacker hesitated, probably changed his mind, then agreed to come with us on one condition. I shivered inside. Conditions are never good.
“Name it,” Victor said before I made up my mind.
“We leave those two other children on the same tree.”
“What?!” Victor and I exclaimed at once. It would be suicide if we just leave Amy and Sophia here. We became silent for a while. It was Victor who agreed to the condition, providing we travel for only an hour or so.
The journey to the gates and back only took us less than an hour. The attacker, who introduced himself as Gale, offered to accompany us to the City in the morning. Tired, Victor and I slept on a branch and never woke up until the sun was at its highest peak.
“Why didn’t you wake us up, Gale?” I muttered, calculating the distance and time we were going to spend.
“I’m sorry,” Gale apologized without meaning it. “The Gifted vampire over there told me not to.” His gaze travelled towards Sophia whose back was turned to them.
“Don’t fret, Mia,” Sophia said without turning around. “I know we’re going to make it to the Ancient City before dark.”
It’s really pointless to argue with a Gifted. She may be a child, but she’s got the brains of an adult. “Alright, let’s just move along now, shall we?” This just made my day.
