“We must first align our interests before anything else,” I sit opposite Belle and the reeve. Belle is armed, though her shortsword is disguised in her clothes, if not quite as well as my dagger in mine, the reeve is either unarmed or better at disguising the fact. “I have a want to speak with the vampires in this incident.”
“What do you hope to learn?” Reeve Lewark asks. “From what you have told me, you already understand some of what is happening. Do you think that these vampires might illuminate some new angle to this conspiracy?”
“I can’t simply believe everything that Semi has told me,” I say. “Aldramodore is the vampire that I am after, and he runs a criminal organisation. I need to confirm as much, and once confirmed, I would like to learn the purpose of this criminal conspiracy.”
“My intention, since early on in my investigations, has long been the capture and interrogation of a vampire,” Reeve Lewark says. “It has proven difficult to corner them.”
“Capture one?” Belle asks.
“Knowing their weaknesses, it should be possible,” Lewark says. “The greater challenge will be pressuring them for answers. If they are half as dedicated as they seem, then I doubt that any means that I can produce would scare them into speaking.”
“Perhaps they would be more open with their own kind,” I suggest. “If there is an opportunity, then perhaps I might be able to get something from them?”
“Oh, plots and schemes,” Vael whispers, bouncing giddily on her side of the bench. “This is going to be so much fun!”
“It is likely to be a violent disaster,” I admit.
“Most exciting, then. I do wonder how it will play out, the gang leaders seemed to be playing a game of their own, too. I do have to wonder how this will all end.”
She is certainly very cheerful given the situation that we will soon find ourselves in, but then, her reaction to my hunt yesterday implies something of her cruel nature. Is it all demons? Or is she simply a strange and unusual sort? An exception?
Any reasonable person would want to keep a distance from her after all she’s shown of herself. The casual way she accepted the crueller aspects of me, and the life in her eyes as she watched me murder that criminal… That is not acceptable, but I find myself wanting to accept it, wanting to be accepted.
“Is there a plan that we must hold to?” I ask.
“No, I will act on my own initiative and work around you,” Lewark explains. “I’m used to working alone, and we haven’t even tried to work together. We should support each other if the situation arises, but I do not suggest any intricate plans for cooperation.”
The carriage jolts as we cross the uneven cobblestone leading to the Pearl estate where this disaster is destined to take place. It is not long before we are stepping out to the grand entrance of an estate far too large.
This is the home of a viscount but it could easily be mistaken for a counts home, by the unfocused eye. Knowing what to look for, I can see the candle fixtures are a little too new, and the same can be said of the doors and window frames. It is all too new. No nobles home is new. It is old, carrying with it a dignity that can’t be found here.
This is more what I’d expect to see if a rich merchant were given the freedom to imitate the same status as us nobles. I try to refrain from judging the Lord Pearl poorly for it, I’ve found my noble judgment to be near worthless in the recent weeks, and would rather see more before determining the characters of the nobles who live here.
They stand at the door, opening their arms wide to us smiling wide enough to show their teeth. Even at the sight of Vael’s deceptive norkit traits, they don’t even give her a second thought.
“I am so glad you were able to come!” Lady Pearl says, stepping closer and reaching out for Vael. “I wasn’t sure that you’d be able to make it, you do so love to keep everyone wondering.”
“I treat others how I would like to be treated,” Vael says. “I would not want someone spoiling things for me. The surprise is where most of the fun comes from in such events as these.”
“Countess Greystone,” Lord Pearl bows to me. “It is our pleasure that you come to this event with us, I hadn’t thought that you would be interested in such things.”
“The wellbeing of our city is of great concern to all of us,” I reply, bowing politely back to them. “I understand that you are coordinating with men who work to keep the peace in this part of the city?”
“Why yes, we can discuss details shortly, but they have done well in removing the unpleasant elements from our region of the city and have brought considerable prosperity to the region. You’ll notice that the homes and shops are rebuilt here. It was hardly even a year’s worth of effort to see it done when we looked into the matter, but sorry, I’m going on again. Please, come in.
“Lady Lelune, Reeve Lewark, it is our pleasure to host you both this night as well.”
“Greetings, Lord Pearl,” Reeve bows his head, leaning heavily on his cane.
“Good evening,” Belle says with a proper curtsy.
“I would be more than interested in hearing more about your exploits,” I say, hiding the curiosity inside me right alongside my doubts. “I hope that there haven’t been any unforeseen circumstances?”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Nothing that couldn’t be dealt with,” he says lifting his chin high. “It’s certainly been worth the effort. We are nobles of a grand kingdom, and the streets of our capital ought to express that greatness.”
We follow them inside, moving through an overly rich foyer to an entertaining room where we will wait until it is time for dinner. Every eye turns to us as we step into the room, most are dressed in passable finery with merchants of all sorts gathered here. I wouldn’t be surprised if this room held many of the most important merchants in this city, and a good number of criminals alongside.
Those who I suspect to be involved with the gang are easily set apart from the merchants. They bear scars, which most of their power would have healed, and they stand, talk, and walk differently. They are cautious and guarded, prepared for a fight they know to be coming, but they are not skittish as a person unfamiliar with violence.
They take in the sight of me with great suspicion, which only causes me more bother since I can’t identify a single other vampire in the room. One gang member even bears the familiar æther veins that prove him equal to a knight in raw magical power, but if I listen closely I can still hear their hearts beating. It is a soft thing, and I can’t be entirely sure that I can read every man, but I had expected a group of them.
The merchants, though they are not my first pick for the role of vampiric assassins, similarly have their hearts still pounding with life. Is there some illusion cast over themselves to protect against such means of identification? Or is the undead creature hiding among the living?
If that is so, then the vampire has likely identified me, which is concerning. Lord Pearl introduces us to the rest, it is all politeness and refined dignity that follows. All such things are simply carved into my flesh, even though I had few enough opportunities to exercise this in life. Which permits me freedom of thought as we perform these pleasantries.
The gang members are certainly a threat, though I hope to prevent making war with them. The merchants hardly seem a threat, though I’m not going to make the mistake of holding onto poor assumptions that would lead me to deadly mistakes. Not one of those here seems particularly worthy of note, though perhaps I am mistaken in that.
“It’s rare to have the opportunity to meet with new nobles, especially of your title,” says Drake, a talented merchant of middling age. “Are you intending on becoming more deeply involved in the workings of the city as well?”
“Indeed, I am,” I say. “This city needs more good people to right the wrongs of this city. I have been wanting to search for ways to correct the terrible state of affairs here, but I have found more problems than I can properly understand in their totality.”
“Lower taxes,” Drake says dryly. “I am serious about this. There are taxes at the gates, operating taxes every month for every shop, taxes for owning too much coin, and taxes for having goods on the shelves. The Barons take taxes, the Viscounts want their own cut, and it’s the same all the way up to the crown. This isn’t even my personal greed, as with those men from the southern city-states, our city is dying under the weight of these taxes. No one wants to try improving their lot here because they will only be punished for it.”
“It sounds as though you are quite passionate on this topic,” I say, taken aback by the flood of words. The man certainly doesn’t know how to speak with a noble, but I suppose no one of a common class does, and I’m somewhat grateful for his honesty.
“Take no offence from the merchant, he is very passionate but he knows what he’s talking about,” says the young lad with the æther veins. He watches me closely and I try not to flinch away from him. His suspicion is certainly focused on me, and from what I understand their criminal group is well enough aware of the threat coming to be ready to face us.
“Oh, I take no offence,” I shake my head. “Honesty from those aware of the truth of the situation is worth much more than proud ignorance. I believe that we should all work together toward common interests, there is little need for the sort of violence we see on the streets.”
I pause for a moment before continuing.
“Then again, there are others that would think themselves above the peace that you and I would wish to work towards,” I say. “Perhaps, we could work towards a peaceful solution?”
“Perhaps,” he says, filled with uncertainty.
“It is time to migrate to the dining room, please make your way through here,” Lady Pearl leads the path through their home. I can already smell the meal cooking in the kitchens, but something about it seems rather off.
I focus on the scent, considering the possibilities.
What would it be that’s bothering me about this situation? What could be wrong? I cannot find the vampire in our midst, but perhaps they are not with us here, hiding in shadows, or among the servants. This household has become suddenly rich, so they would likely hire a vast collection of new staff.
Since I cannot identify what it is that’s bothering me, I focus on my senses, trying to locate something else that might clue me in. Still, even when we are seated at the table waiting for the servers to deliver the meal, I cannot quite find what it is that is going wrong.
The children of the house, are seated opposite us, but they are not much of a bother, well enough behaved that I have no reason to criticise them.
Perhaps I am trying to work through the problem the wrong way.
If I was the hunter here, how would I progress?
I would trap them in this house and refuse them access to their guards and soldiers. Much like I’d done in the noble’s mansion before, I would isolate and kill a person, preferably someone of importance but if not possible even a servant would serve the purpose well enough.
The meal is set out on the dinner table, hidden beneath large silver domes to keep the heat just right and make for a more spectacular reveal.
Oh.
That is what I’d do.
I reach out for Belle, who is seated by my side, and Vael who has claimed the place on my left. The entrées are already being opened, and some are already trying the meal. Thin slivers of meat.
“Don’t eat,” I whisper, to them. “It is… I fear that the first victim has already been killed.”
Belle looks down to where I tightly grip her hand, but Vael just smiles while taking up a fork. With casual ease, she uses the side of the implement to carve off a small piece of the sliver of meat, then stabs at it and starts chewing on it.
Belle watches her with a complexion competing with my own bloodless nature.
“I suspect, that you are right,” Vael says, finishing the mouthful. “If I might do the honours.”
She stands, reaching over the table to take the silver cover off of what most suspect to be the main roast. Steam floods out, disguising the shape, but not the magic that floods from it. Illusions shape the face of a man that is now cooked down to meat.
His judging eyes glare at us as he opens his mouth in a terrible scream that makes every glass on the table quiver from its power. Terror and fear consume the table like a wave washing outwards. No one can move but Vael, who looks upon the scene, resting her chin on her fist as if trying to judge a piece of art.
I swallow back my own discomfort, checking the doors and windows. Surely the vampire would wish to observe this grand unveiling, yet there is no one here who would fit the role, as far as I can measure. Not but for one lonely Crow staring in at the meal hungrily, it seems to notice my attention, meeting my gaze.
There is something slightly off about it, but before I can inspect it any closer, a wave of shadow closes the world off from us. It seems that my own tactics are far from unique, but I have a dark suspicion that their shadows are more than simply deception.
Lady Pearl finally finds her voice, screaming loud and startling the rest of the table from their stupor.