Forsaken (Fated Saga Fantasy Series Book 8) (14 page)

She blinked hard for a minute, her brain furiously recalling every bit of information it had stored about the Grosvenor.

“Vampyres…” she muttered. “You’re telling me I’m like you… well, not immortal, but I’m a vampyre.”

“Yes. A descendant of the Shogharne clan, the most powerful clan of vampyre in existence. The clan the Grosvenor were created from.”

“But I thought that clan died out after the Stone War ended.” She rephrased. “Were killed off, I mean.”

“Just how much do you know about the Stone War?” he questioned her.

“Just what I learned in school. It happened. A lot of lives were lost. The Grosvenor… you… were created. Shogharne who did not become Grosvenor were hunted down and killed before they had the chance to become immortal as well…” she was interrupted.

“Killed by the people that became the Svoda,” he was sure to point out. “Many were innocent woman and children.”

“Well. Yes. The Svoda were trying to contain the damage
you
did. You tore apart villages, and families, destroyed many magical clans. Many who survived the Stone War banded together and did become the Svoda.”

“I can see you’ve been taught the watered down,
memorize this for your test
, version of our history. I assumed as much.”

She took offense. “You’re telling me everything I was taught, isn’t true? That’s not how it really happened?”

“We’re getting off subject a bit. Let’s back up. The main point, at this moment, is that even though the Svoda did hunt down and kill what remained of our clan, a few did survive and went into hiding. Your family was one that survived. Your bloodline continued.”

“I’m not a vampyre,” she refuted. “I don’t suck life of out of the living… I’ve never…” she was horrified at the thought.

“You have not,
yet…
” His tone warned she would. “You’re not quite old enough for that
need
to have kicked in.”

“I don’t believe you. I don’t believe any of this. I think you’re just trying to make me think we’re somehow on the same side. And taking way too long to just getting around to what you really want from me!” She stood up and dared him to deny it.

“Which would be?”

“Visions, of course. I’m a seer. That’s all anyone ever wants from me. I’m not stupid, so don’t lie to me, tell me we’re alike, and related to try to win me over.”

“Fiery… I like it. But I’m not lying. I have no reason to lie. You can choose to believe me or not… and while your talents as a seer would no doubt prove useful to me, it is not why you’re here, Juliska.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but found no words. She still didn’t believe him. She wasn’t the last living member of some now extinct clan of vampyres. But she had no memories of her childhood, nothing before the day the Svoda found her and took her in as one of their own. They were her family. Not this monster in front of her.

Wait? How did he even know she’d lost her memories?
Her thoughts betrayed her almost instantly.

“Starting to wonder, just a little aren’t you? If I’m telling the truth?” He smirked. He’d won this round.

Juliska realized her past wouldn’t be too hard to research. He probably just poked around a little. He hadn’t actually told her anything others didn’t already know.

“What happened to all the people I was traveling with? Did you kill them?” She needed to know, not that she’d believe him.

“All are alive. I was not there to kill anyone. It was just a diversion while I found you. Although the other Grosvenor were having a bit of fun while they were at it.”

“That’s what you call fun? Attacking people?”

“No one was hurt. Everyone went home very much alive. But we do have reputations to uphold…”

The man might like to cook, and be all high and mighty about his personal food tastes, but he could not be trusted. Like he’d just reminded her, he had a reputation… but she hoped much more than she should that he was telling the truth, and her friends, and Eddy, had been left unharmed.

“I want you to be happy here, Juliska. Killing your friends would defeat that purpose, would it not?”

He had a point, but still…

“I only have your word, and as you say, you do have a reputation to uphold.” It was more cutting than she expected.

Fazendiin rose from his chair. She needed to shut her mouth before it got her in more trouble than she was already in.

“I think that’s enough until morning,” he stated decidedly. “You’re free to move about the estate, Juliska. But you should note there are some doors that will not open for you.”

“Like the front door…”

“No. It’s open and remains unlocked. We are quite safe and secure here. You’re free to move about the grounds all you like, anytime day or night. The gardens are quite lovely this time of year, in the sunlight or the moonlight.”

“You would let me wander around your home?”

“Yes. You can’t escape the estate, Juliska. I know it’s what you’re thinking. But there’s only one way in and out of my estate, and that’s by my will.”

His tone indicated a possible chance of her being let go…
just trying to play nice,
she told herself.

“I’ll see you in the morning, Juliska. Oh and if you do wander outside, you might run into the caretaker.” He smirked, seeing her befuddled reaction. “Even
I
cannot do everything myself. He knows you’re here though, so your presence will not catch him off guard. And don’t try to befriend him with the hope of his assistance… he will not help you escape.”

Her throat hardened, feeling cement like.

Fazendiin left her alone.

She sat for a bit, just staring into the fire.

Could she believe anything he was telling her?

Did it matter? Did it change anything?

The future she wanted was waiting for her back home… if what Fazendiin said was true and he’d left Eddy and the others alive.

That future was gone.

Her immediate future uncertain.

But it was not going to be the future she’d expected it to be just days ago.

A little house on the island. She and Eddy living together. They hadn’t even talked about whether they wanted a family. She’d never imagined herself having children, and still didn’t see herself as a mother. But she’d never had a relationship last long enough, or become serious enough to give it any honest thought.

It made no difference now. That future was all but lost. She exhaled, letting all of it out of her, letting the flames in the fireplace burn it to ash.

What mattered was the here and now. And Fazendiin had given her just enough to make her curious. Enough to make her question. Enough to want to find out if he was telling the truth.

With this understanding clear in her mind, Juliska got up and walked to the front door. She might as well get a feel for the grounds. The sun was setting, but there was enough light to take a short walk. As promised, the front door was not locked. And the gardens were lovely. Beautiful in fact; possibly the most exquisite gardens she’d ever stepped through. Someone took great care with every inch of the space.

She never came across the caretaker, but that was okay. The walk helped her clear her muddled thoughts. She wondered how long it might take to have a vision of her own future. She’d never attempted it before, but maybe it would give her some clue as to her captor’s real intent with her.

“It could take months, maybe even years… hell, it might not ever happen.” She knew better than anyone visions didn’t work like that.

She took a seat on a stone bench, overlooking an orchard of apple trees.

Even if all Fazendiin said was true, something still warned her that he wanted something from her. Something more than just telling her the truth about who she was.

A vampyre… she still believed it impossible.

The last of the sun dipped below the horizon leaving behind orange and pink hues.

Even though she’d ordered herself to forget about it and let the fire burn her future, her thoughts landed on Eddy. What was he doing right this minute?

She pleaded silently to anyone and no one, that what Fazendiin said was true and he’d let her friends and Eddy live. She imagined Eddy forced to go back to the island, forced to stop looking for her. Forced to move on with his life, without her… it was crushing.

How could she have found something so unbelievingly incredible, only to lose it so fast? Perhaps it was all just a dream. Too good to be true and just a dream. 

Was there a hunting party out searching for her?

She couldn’t even imagine what was going through Eddy’s mind. Or her mother’s… she must have found out by now, too. Her poor mother. She’d already lost her husband a year before. This might be more than she could handle.

Juliska’s heart ached at the thought of how much pain her mother or Eddy had to be in right now. Not knowing her fate… if only there was a way to let them know she was okay. A prisoner, but alive. Give them some relief, some hope, if nothing else. But why give them any hope? She might never see them again.

Perhaps in time, Fazendiin would permit her to do this one thing. Even if she was never freed and spent her life here as a prisoner, it would at least give the two people she actually cared about some closure. And a chance to move on with their lives.

With this determination, she went back inside the house. It wasn’t a house, really. She thought it more of a manor. It wasn’t quite as big as a castle, and had a warm, cozy feel about it, which she found odd. And even more strange was the almost continuous wall of stained glass that lined a large portion of the inside of the house.

Juliska swore the pictures in the glass looked different just now than they had when she’d left earlier, that something had changed. Another oddity she did not understand.

This
Fazendiin
… this
immortal
, was nothing like she’s been taught about the Grosvenor. Her lessons had planted a firm grasp on the fact that they were vile, heartless monsters.

Her imagination always pinned them mad with power and age, living like animals in caves, or in vast castles hidden deep in some mountain range with an array of servants or slaves, and a host of minions at their disposal.

Alas, it appeared they were solitary beings. Or at least Fazendiin was. How the other eight lived… perhaps they did live like animals. She’d never given much thought to the daily lives of an immortal.

They were to be feared above all else.

It was something she’d been taught almost from day one after coming to live with the Svoda on the island.

And was it even correct that there were just nine Grosvenor?

It seemed like such a silly thing for the entire magical community to fear nine
men
and
women…
though they could scarcely be considered that any longer.

Looking around her now, Juliska realized that reading about them in a schoolbook and being the prisoner of one were two very different experiences.

Fazendiin obviously appreciated intelligence. And condoned a lifestyle that adhered to this basic principle. It was a frightening combination really. And she guessed, why he was the most feared.

She had a terrible feeling that the other eight, although not necessarily as refined as Fazendiin, were even more cunning than the Svoda gave them credit for. If the Grosvenor were simply aged and mad with power, there might be a chance to wipe them out or even imprison them. To find some weakness. To strip away their immortality.

But if the rest were even just a little like Fazendiin… the rest of the magical was justified in being afraid.

She shuddered.

This is your world now…

Stay afraid…

Do not trust this man, even if what he says happens to be true.

He wants something… so don’t forget that!

Juliska found her bedroom easily. She wasn’t really tired, but she went to bed anyway. It was her first time sleeping in a bed alone in weeks. She missed the warmth and comfort of Eddy lying next to her and wondered how she’d ever survived sleeping alone before.

She chuckled at the thought. If someone had told her just a month ago she’d be saying that, she’d have never believed them. If she’d had a vision about it herself, she still would not have believed it.

It was a reminder of how fast things could change.

This could change too. It might not be forever. 

She let that thought warm her. And somehow, fell off to sleep.

#

“Hello, Mother.” Fazendiin tossed a sideways grin at the stained glass wall in the hallway outside his private chambers.

A shape moved smoothly in the glass. A woman’s somber face peered down at him.

“What? Nothing to say?” he goaded.

“What good would it do? I can only speak freely with you, Son.”

“True. True.” He shook his head, a wry smile forming on his face. “It’s all starting. Just like I planned it. All the pieces are finally falling into place.”