When Ara looked for Brynn the next morning, she couldn’t find her. She did catch sight of Brynn’s mother, Sylvie. Sylvie wasn’t outwardly worried, but she wasn’t stopping to chat with her neighbours as she usually did, either. She wouldn’t know where Brynn had been last night, but after the girl’s threats, the truth must have crossed her mind. That, and it was inconceivable that the girl had left Silverbrook. The paths in and out of the town were hard, impossible on foot. Byrnn had no means to purchase an escape and nowhere to go even if she’d had the money. There were not many places she could be.

  There was nothing Ara could do besides wonder, though, so she went about her day as usual. She watched life unfold around her for a time, then retreated to help her own mother mend clothes, while her father and brother tried to coax life out of frozen fields. It was early afternoon when Finn burst inside, face scarlet and eyes wide.

  “Mam, Grey Jon’s called a town meeting.”

  Ara flinched as her mother got up, setting her sewing aside. She cast a look back kat Ara.

  “Stay here and finish up, girl. This work needs to be done by morning.”

  “I want to come.”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

  Her mother slapped her. Finn frowned and looked away, but said nothing.

  “I’ve no time to argue with you, incorrigible child. Stay and do as you’re told.”

  Ara watched the two of them leave. Then, the Master called. The timing of the call was highly suspicious to her. She bit into her cheek until she tasted blood. She’d never failed to answer the Master’s call, not when obedience to him was all that was keeping her mother alive and well. She took two steps towards the door, then jerked to a halt, shaking her head to try and clear it of the insidious presence of the Master. A significant part of her was tempted to go to the meeting. She tried to think, free of the vampire’s influence but it was so hard. The summons grew more urgent and she hissed her best curse word, before giving in and leaving to make her way up the mountain.

  The cheerful humming of the vampire the night before hung in her mind as she moved. When she reached the mouth of the vampires’ cave, it was immediately obvious that something was wrong. A vampire waited for her just inside the mouth of the cave, looking irate as he watched the warm sunlight encroaching on his shade.

  “You,” said the vampire, “Come.”

  She followed the vampire through the caves, trailing her fingers along the wall as she went. They hadn’t moved that far when he stopped.

  “Stay here,” he said.

  “What? Where are we?”

  There was no answer. The creature had likely already moved on.

  After what felt like an age, a hand clasped her wrist and she yelped.

  “It’s okay,” said a male voice, “I’m human.”

  She blinked in the direction of the sound but couldn’t see through the inky black.

  “Who are you?”

  “My name is Gavyn,” he said, “I’m an Ink Serpent.”