Pure: Ignis Part 45

"To draw us out-to test our strength. They know that we protect this village, and that we will be drawn out by a supernatural threat. They want to see what we have in our a.r.s.enal. They also hope to draw you out, little one. The fact that you can no longer command the clear fire is hardly common knowledge. Since the hybrids are part kost, you certainly might be expected to try your power against them-if so, you might then be captured-and you have proved elusive so far. The stronger the Werdulac grows, the more frantic he will be to have you kidnapped."

The air was suddenly torn by a horrible, high-pitched wail. The wail rose and fell in a steady pattern, and I realized after a moment that what I was hearing was a siren.

"If I'm not very much mistaken," Innokenti said calmly in the interval between wails, "that sound means someone is here for the little one now." Innokenti gave me a wintry smile. "That's the alarm we set for the hybrids."

The king rose from his throne.

"Come, my love," he said to the queen. "We must get you to safety right away."

The queen had been staring around her wildly, her eyes bright. At the king's words she rose and rushed to him.

The king placed a protective arm around the queen, and the two of them disappeared behind the tapestry.

"Does this mean that Timofei Mstislav has tracked me here?" I asked Innokenti.

"That is possible," Innokenti replied. He appeared to be completely unperturbed by the siren. "Of course, it's also possible that Timofei's powers weren't needed. Odette may simply have told the Werdulac's people that she brought you here. There are definitely hybrids attacking us at the moment, but Timofei may not be amongst them."

"Watch Katie," William said to Innokenti sternly. "Do not let her out of your sight-even for a moment. I'm going to take care of the intruders. Katie had better be here when I get back."

William vanished from the throne room.

I didn't even have time to attempt to stop him.

"William is a man of decision," Innokenti said with a distant hint of amus.e.m.e.nt in his tone. "I like that about him."

Innokenti was not someone who inspired confidence in me, but I couldn't help turning to him.

"William will be all right, won't he?"

I thought back to the look in Timofei Mstislav's eyes when he had spotted me in the Pure Woods. I thought too, of the great physical power that his father had possessed. Timofei would surely have that power and more. Innokenti had said that Timofei wasn't necessarily here, but I had a strong feeling that he was. And who knew how many others were with him?

Could William handle the hybrids?

"I have every confidence in William," Innokenti said calmly. "I believe in him in a way that I have never believed in anyone or anything in my life."

He gestured with one elegant hand. "Would you like to have a seat, little one?"

I was startled. "On the thrones?"

"Yes, of course, on the thrones."

I glanced nervously at the tapestry behind which the king and the queen had disappeared.

"Won't they-the king and queen-won't they mind?"

"I imagine that they will never find out," Innokenti replied. "They are on their way to a secret, safe location as we speak. Please, do be seated. The thrones are very comfortable, I can a.s.sure you."

"You've sat on the thrones before?" I asked.

Mischief gleamed in Innokenti's eyes for just a moment. "Every chance I get."

With one last glance toward the tapestry, I climbed the steps to the platform and sat on the queen's throne. Innokenti sat on the king's.

Innokenti and I sat side by side in the strange, silver light of the throne room while the wail of the siren rose and fell with unsettling regularity.

My nerves were frayed, and I cast about for something to do that would distract me from worrying about William. I didn't know exactly what he was facing outside this room, and it was terrible knowing that there was nothing I could do to help him.

I thought then of the charm William had given me. I had a sudden longing to see it-I knew it would make me feel calmer. I peeled off my gloves and unb.u.t.toned my coat.

It was only as I did so that I realized that the throne room was actually comfortably warm. I wondered-did vampires have need of warmth? I glanced at Innokenti and very nearly asked him if vampires felt the cold. But Innokenti looked back at me, and his cool gaze was, as usual, disturbing.

The question died on my lips.

As Innokenti continued to stare at me, I was strongly tempted to run from the room-I felt like a rabbit sitting next to a hungry wolf.

But William seemed to trust him, and I could trust William, again-couldn't I?

I looked away from Innokenti and pulled out my necklace. I gazed steadily at the charm as I turned it over in my fingers. Despite my surroundings, I began to feel calmer.

"What is it that you have there, little one?" Innokenti asked.

"It's a charm," I replied. "A gift from William. He said it would protect me from the kost."

Innokenti gave me his unnerving smile. "It will indeed. And someday you may find that it has properties that even William doesn't know about."

He did not elaborate, and I hesitated to engage him in further conversation on the topic.

As I looked back down at the charm, my mind drifted. I thought of all the people who were going to go to the Firebird Festival tomorrow night-even GM wanted to go. And I thought, too, of how little they suspected the danger they were in.

They had no idea they were going to be attacked.

I realized that William and the vampires probably had some sort of a plan to deal with the hybrids, since they'd apparently known about the attack all along.

But in all likelihood there would still be an attack-the vampires would fight the hybrids, but they wouldn't be able to stop the attack from happening entirely.

People would die.

An idea began to form in my mind.

"Whatever William is facing right now is because of me, isn't it?" I said after some time had pa.s.sed.

"Do not sound so mournful," Innokenti admonished gently. "You are hardly at fault."

I persisted. "But it is true."

"Yes, whatever contingent of the hybrids that is out there is most likely present because of you."

"Innokenti," I began slowly, "if I need to talk to you tomorrow, during the day, is there some way I can find you?"

Innokenti stared at me for a long moment. I had the disturbing impression that he could read my thoughts. His next words, however, dispelled that notion.

"What is in your mind, little one?"

"I can't tell you yet. Can I see you tomorrow if I need to?"

"Yes, of course."

Mercifully, the wail of the siren suddenly stopped, and silence settled on the throne room.

I looked up expectantly. "Does that mean the hybrids are gone?"

"I believe it does," Innokenti replied. "Or at least I hope it does. If our side was successful, your William should be back with us soon."

I realized that I needed to act quickly then.

"How can I find you tomorrow?" I asked, "if I do need to talk to you."

I remembered how fruitless my earlier search for Innokenti had been.

Innokenti grinned. "You can always attract a vampire with the red elixir of life. Come to the edge of the Wasteland tomorrow and spill three drops of blood. I will come to you then."

"Does it have to be my blood?" I asked.

"No," Innokenti said, his eyes faintly mocking, "the blood of an animal will do just as well."

William suddenly ran into the room, and he was beside me in an instant.

Both Innokenti and I rose from the thrones.

"What happened, William?" I asked. "You weren't hurt, were you?"

"No, I wasn't hurt."

"Is Zamochit Village safe, William?" Innokenti asked. "Were the invaders repelled?"

"Yes, the village is safe. We have warded off the threat. The hybrids won't be back tonight."

"How many of them were there?" Innokenti asked.

"There were three," William said shortly.

"Was Timofei Mstislav one of them?" I asked.

William ignored my question and put an arm around my shoulders. "Come on. We have to get you home."

"You haven't answered the young lady's question, William," Innokenti said. "Was Timofei Mstislav present?"

"I'll give you a full report when I return. Right now I have to get Katie out of here."

William steered me out of the throne room.

Innokenti's voice floated after us.

"They will not allow you to be together, William. Remember that."

William took me by the hand and led me through the dim halls of the castle.

The anxious eyes of vampires followed us as we pa.s.sed.

It was strange and wonderful to be walking beside William and to feel the warmth of his hand. I had believed I would never see him again, and yet here he was-he hadn't left me, he hadn't abandoned me. I had him back.

"William-"

We shouldn't talk in here," he said. "Let's get out of the castle-out of the village-out of earshot."

We continued to move through the halls, and once more I found myself crossing the courtyard of the castle. Soon we were on the other side, moving toward the front entrance.

William stopped before the ma.s.sive front doors, and I pulled on my gloves and b.u.t.toned up my coat.

William gave me a serious look.

"The streets will still be dangerous for you," he said. "But I think the attack by the hybrids will have convinced many of the villagers to stay inside. All the same, we should still move quickly."

William pushed the ma.s.sive front doors open.

"Ready?" he asked.

"For what?"

"To run."

He picked me up suddenly then, and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Before I knew it, we were off into the streets of Zamochit Village, moving at blinding speed. Houses, buildings, figures blurred into one as we flew past them. We navigated twisting, winding streets, and I had to close my eyes several times as we negotiated tight corners.

At long last, we approached one of the watchtowers, and beyond that, there appeared to be nothing but darkness. William sped forward into the darkness, and I felt the air around me ripple.

William stopped running and set me down.

It was hard for me to see, but I looked around. We were standing in the vast emptiness of the Wasteland. I looked back in the direction from which we had come. Zamochit Village had disappeared.

"We got out of there more easily than I had expected," William said. "They must all be genuinely frightened."

"Are vampires as strong as the hybrids?" I asked.

"No, not even remotely," William replied. "Vampires are to hybrids as humans are to vampires."

"It's no wonder that they're scared then," I said. "How did you fight the hybrids off?"