Alesander awoke in stages, gradually becoming aware of voices he could not yet understand. But after a little while, he couldn't help but listen. Couldn't help but remember what had happened ( Read more... )

I'm kind of sad that those of you reading will have to wait five whole days (!!!) to read what I just wrote. Heh.

Katriena swallowed hard. "And I had hoped that you would not find us here," she said. "What are you planning to do?" He seemed to be alone; no one else emerged from the passageway with him.

He glanced at Nicodemus and his mouth tightened. "Where is Jeril?"

"I came alone," Katriena said.

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The end of the tunnel seemed to arrive too quickly; she could not have covered the mile or so to the castle in the space of a few minutes, unless her sense of time was off and she had been underground for hours ( Read more... )

Part 22 will be posted tomorrow, because I want to make sure Part 23 will work out before I post today's section. Sorry everyone!

Nicodemus groaned. Alesander sat with his back to the wall and watched as he awoke; slowly, his movements jerky and slow until he realized--or remembered--what had happened.

"Tell me you didn't drink any of that," he whispered, his eyes tightly closed.

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The portal emerged in forest, quiet and empty and dark, not inside the castle. But it was the right forest; the right kingdom. It smelled the same, at least.

She also remembered the hounds, but she saw no sign of them; no evidence of their presence.

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"Alesander."

He tried his best to ignore the voice, but it was insistent; unending.

"Alesander, answer me. Please." A pause. "Or at least give me a sign that you're alive." Another pause. "Well, I know you're alive; I can hear your heart beating, but another sign would be helpful."

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Even if Refuge was safe, Katriena couldn't leave Alesander behind. She didn't quite trust Nicodemus, not after he'd tried to entice her. That meant nothing, of course, because everyone seemed to think that Refuge was just that: an impenetrable fortress that no one could pierce.

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Alesander sat and listened to Jeril tell of the vampires' plan, and of their fears, and watched as the king nodded, unsurprised ( Read more... )