The Midnites-Vampire

Chapter Five

"Daralez! Daralez!" said Starsinger as she ran up the corridor towards the King's study and knocked.

Daralez acknowledged her without looking up from the book he was studying "what is it Starsinger?"

"It's Ajeea and Nova!" Starsinger said "I thought you said you had talked to them?"

"We did" Daralez said, looking up "what's up?"

"Well obviously it didn't work!" Starsinger said.

"What?" he asked.

Starsinger handed him a piece of paper he looked it over, it was simple and straight forward 'Dad gone to look for Durnaa, he's been held at Fort Greyrock, Don't expect us back for dinner' it was signed 'Nova'.

Daralez said "those kids! I told them not to do that, they have disobeyed my orders, by rights I should call them back here right now!"

"Would it do any good?" Starsinger asked "you know your eldest children once they have got their mind set on something they won't budge till they have done it".

"I know" he said, "I've always encouraged them to do that".

"Well they have certainly done that!" Starsinger said.

"Can you track them down?" he asked.

Starsinger shook her head "I taught them all to shield themselves magically or Psionically and how to protect themselves from been tracked and well".

"They're learnt their lessons well" he said, "you are too good a teacher Starsinger".

"I know and your three oldest are all gifted in the art" Starsinger said "they are also gifted in Psionics as well and well trained in both".

Daralez sighed "it's a wonder my hair isn't grey when it comes to those three".

Starsinger nodded "nor mine".

"Have you any luck in locating Durnaa?"

Starsinger sighed "Durnaa's shielding himself as well, it's either that or something is interfering with my scrying techniques".

"I wonder how they figured out that he's been held at Fort Greyrock. I mean that Fort is out of bounds and boarded up" Daralez said "but I guess it is a start".

"Don't underestimate the investitive skills of your eldest children" Starsinger said "it could be just their bond though, the three of them are very close".

Daralez nodded "Possibly I'm not about to dismiss that, I know that bond" so saying he looked up at a picture on the wall of himself and a beautiful red headed, silver eyed young woman, Starsinger followed his gaze, and touched his shoulder, even after years the loss of his own twin Athena was still strong in him, he still missed her.

Starsinger said "there was nothing we could do for Athena, Daralez".

"I know" he said "Durnaa seems to have inherited her delicacy and that worries me, after losing Athena I don't want to lose him too!"

"Durnaa is not like Athena" Starsinger said.

"I know" he said, "but he's been so ill! and this isn't going to help him get better, I know my son Starsinger".

"Durnaa will pull through he always has" Starsinger said "he is stronger than we all realise".

"You are right" he said, "what would I do without you and Verena?"

"Don't worry about Durnaa, he is strong, he will pull through" Starsinger said "worry about how we are going to get him back".

"You say the assailant claims to have known my father?" Daralez asked.