Veridian Shores

Chapter 23 - The Keystone

Gliss carried her heels in one hand, knowing that even someone with her light feet would find stealth impossible while wearing them. Capper padded along beside her as they negotiated the hive-like halls of the Baelock estate. Once they'd escaped the Synod gathering it had been remarkably easy to move around the mansion itself beyond the carefully prescribed route. Any guards that might ordinarily have been patrolling the halls were either helping chaperone the delegates, or out on rooftops and guard towers.

Baelock had stretched themselves thin to hold this gathering and still maintain their borders.

She still took extreme care as they moved, keeping her mind alert for any approaching Aspects. There were still guards here – whoever was in charge of the security was no fool, but with her senses on high alert, she guided Capper through the maze, deftly skirting around lone patrols with the ease of an expert.

But she could sense something in her companion that she hadn't expected to ever see. Now that they were invading deeper and deeper into the Baelock home, he was terrified.

He didn't show it outwardly, but she could sense his Aspect vibrating like a strummed guitar string. Although he was bottling it up in every way he could, she knew beyond any doubt that he did not want to be here. In some ways being an outsider worked to her advantage in here. Unlike her, Capper had lived his life with Baelock looming over him, a spectre of constant threat, a clan that could destroy his if it chose to. His fear of them was deep-rooted, and rational.

Gliss sympathised, but they had a job to do here. Fear had no place in that.

So she paused for a moment to take a grip of his hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. It didn't quite have the desired effect, however. He took the opportunity to tug her gently into a shadowed alcove, his eyes shining with the reflection of a nearby gaslight.

"Do you know where you're going?" he whispered. "We could run around in this maze forever."

"We won't," Gliss assured him, eager to quash the tremble in his tone. "I can feel my way."

"What?"

"You could too if you took the time to stop and clear your head."

He glanced nervously around him. "Easier said than done, down here."

"You felt the presence of that stuff they had on display. We can all feel the strength of something that old. All you need to do is hone your... direction a little bit." She took a hold of his shoulders and could feel the tightness of his muscles. Looking up into his eyes she spoke softly. "You have to try and relax yourself. Stop thinking about where we are, and what it represents. Focus on the now – on me."

Capper shuddered, lowering his gaze. He gave a small nod but the tension in his shoulders remained. She brought her right hand to cup the side of his face and tipped his head down towards her until their foreheads touched.

"Relax," she breathed.

This time she felt his Aspect and his body unwind, at first only a little, but as the seconds dragged by the tension that boiled through him slowly eased off. She gently stroked his cheek with her fingers.

"You can feel my Aspect, can't you?"

"Of course."

"And the Aspects of the other vampires in this place."

"Yes."

"It's no different. The things we're looking for will have just as strong a presence as any Elder-Blood."

He shook his head, wincing. "I don't know..."

"It will take time."

"We don't have time." He gently pulled her hand away and looked her in the eye. "Just lead the way. I trust you."