I Can't Get the Vampire Rogue to Romance Me

Chapter 66 - Trial By Arguing

"That is not Ryder!" someone from the crowd shouted. A few half-hearted cries tried to chorus it, but it died as dead as the High Cleric of Dawn's son. They were all too shocked at what they saw lying before them.

The High Cleric of Dawn lifted her fierce eyes. "Why does he look like that?" she asked, her voice oddly flat and even in contrast to her gaze.

Evangeline was surprised that she wasn't even questioning that it was her son. Instead, it felt more like... like a dreaded confirmation of something she had already feared was true.

It was too hard to try to say it out loud, the words were caught in her throat. How does someone break the news to that their child had become a vampire?

She looked to Valerian, as if he would have expertise on that. He took a step forward. Apparently, he did.

"Your child has been gone for a long time. This creature took his place. This creature is a vampire childer," he said, simply, just stating the facts with none of his usually flowery prose layered over it.

High Cleric Sageoru's eyes closed in pain, her fists closed at her sides.

All around were gasps, not just from the clerics, but from the druid's as well, who were moving toward each other as they felt the higher ground slip from under their feet. The [Crusade] may have been awhile ago, but the scars from it were still felt deeply.

The druid leader took a step back and pointed a shaking finger at the body. "Lot of things turn into..." She swallowed, unable to say the word. "That's not evidence that he is a vampire."

The other druids chorused that strongly, their desperation to shift judgement adding fuel to their protestations.

Taking courage, the druid leader licked her lips before shooting Evangeline an accusing look. "You killed him, and now you're trying to justify it to cover up your crime!" she shouted, pointing a finger at the party.

"Plenty of ways to turn into a wolf!" someone from her group shouted.

"Then why hasn't he reverted back to his human form?" Evangeline shouted back, knowing there wouldn't be a good answer for that.

It did give several of them pause, but the leader must have been of a quicker wit, or more worldly than the rest. "You did something to him!"

"You cursed him!" another druid of her group agreed. "It's probably an illusion spell or something."

"We have only your word; this is the truth," a cleric in white added. "And you're strangers among us."

"Could be disciples of the Vampire King, come to sow dissent amongst us," a cleric in black added.

This brought out more shouting and speculations. Evangeline could feel the tide turning against them.

"This is not good," Sigismund said as the party shifted a bit closer together, all of them feeling the danger rising.

"It's ... just wild speculation," Artmond argued, his voice quavering with uncertainty as his gaze darted, taking in all the angry faces.

"Nothing needs to be logical or proven for a mob to turn rabid on you," Sigismund hissed.

"What do we do now?" Valerian asked, his voice low in Evangeline's ear.

"I... I don't know..." Evangeline said, but she did know. She had one idea, but it was so risky.

The black letter.

But revealing it and its contents could also prove Valerian as the vampire amongst them. How else would he have been able to read it? She looked at the other rogue, debating with herself if that move was worth betraying his trust. He met that gaze and understood without her needing to speak what she intended. His eyebrows pursed together as well, his face reflecting that he had thought of it too but was torn on the course of action the same as she was.

Then Hagor stepped forward.

Being a large elk, his approach muted the rising tide of anger. With a thought, he shifted back to his human self so that all could see him as he was.

Then he turned to Valerian and held out his hand.

At first, the rogue feigned confusion, but when Hagor flexed his fingers in a "give it" sign, Valerian relented. Grimly, he reached into his shirt and pulled out the black letter.

A fresh round of gasps washed over the crowd as Hagor solemnly took it, then held it aloft for all to see.

"This," Hagor called, his deeper voice booming rolling across the crowd like thunder, "is a letter written in Nocturis. It details plans meant to bring harm to all here at the Grove of the Two Great Trees. My companions and I intercepted it. I believe it was meant for Ryder."

"To what end?" High Cleric Sageoru asked. Tears were flowing from her eyes, and she didn't even attempt to wipe them away, but her voice was strong and steady. "What was my son intending to do to us?"

She didn't sound like she doubted Hagor, but simply wanted the explanation.

Hagor lowered the letter and then turned to Valerian.

The vampire's eyes went wide as he realized that Hagor knew. Valerian shot a glance at Evangeline, who gestured for him to go ahead. This hadn't been a part of the plan, but they needed to explain now.

With a momentary sneer, Valerian stepped forward. "He was tasked to locate and, if possible, destroy the Statue of Ashar," he said.

That a was a kick in Evangeline's stomach.

Valerian glanced at her, showing he knew his obfuscation about it was coming back to haunt him.

Again, something to deal with later, if there was a later.

All around them, the three mobs were chattering about this new piece of information, the shock of it pushing them back from their need for blood. At least for the moment.

"And how do you know what the letter says?" The inevitable question came from the High Cleric of Twilight.

Valerian huffed, knowing he was running out of cards to play. He opened his mouth, only for Hagor to cut him off.

"Because I am a Companion of Kish," he stated. "I have seen many such cursed missives."

If there was anyone who hadn't gotten the chance to gasp yet, they did so at that moment.

"It is true," High Cleric Sageoru agreed. "I have verified this myself."

Evangeline appreciated the High Cleric's backing, and she took a deep breath. Maybe they were going to get out of this alright after all.

And then the body on the ground began to glow green.