Queen's Shadow || Kingdom at the End of the World - Book II

[35] Last Dream

The fire burned low, casting orange shadows over Valeri Beaufort's tense face. A strong medicinal smell emanated from the pot bubbling over the flames. It permeated the small room and filled Valeri's lungs.

The vampire glanced at his human charge, checking the unsteady rise and fall of his chest. According to Fair, Dimitri's condition had deteriorated sharply once they entered the Capital after days of steady decline on the road. The soldier was already hanging to life by his teeth and whatever threadbare connection he shared with Gabriel Todd when Fair's mismatched party stumbled to Valeri's borrowed doorsteps.

The room was in an outer building, just beyond the Capital's gates. It may have once served as a restpoint for envoys awaiting admission into the city. The structure wrapped around a segment of the Capital's outer walls, comprised of one long hall lacking all but the most basic of accommodations. There was only one entrance. It reminded Valeri of a rat trap.

The building lacked a proper hearth. Firewood and water were at hand however, as well as a crude firepit that was far better suited to a journey under the stars rather than a dwelling of any kind.

Fair was good enough to light the fire before shoving his ailing littermate into Valeri's hands. At the time, Valeri was too preoccupied with measuring ingredients and answering Gabriel's increasingly panicked questions to consider much beyond the need to keep Radev breathing.

It was not until Gabriel's departure that Valeri came to question how they had come upon him. He was almost convinced he had imagined Sofia Korral at Fair's side, but the youth currently crouched by Radev's insentient body was too real to ignore. If there was one child present, why not two?

"He's cold," the wolf growled, sounding as if he held Valeri personally responsible.

Valeri determined that the medicine was ready and hurriedly transferred a measure into a cup. He met the boy's accusing glare, his own scowl no less irate.

"Move aside," he snapped.

The boy did so, but continued to hover at Valeri's elbow, watching him pour the sour concoction down Radev's throat. The soldier was able to swallow, at least, though he did try to spit it all right back up. Valeri covered his mouth and watched the man gag the medicine back down without an ounce of mercy.

"Watch him," Valeri told the cub. "If he ceases breathing, let me know. Otherwise, keep out of my way."

The boy grumbled something unhappy. Valeri did not pay the wolf any heed, resuming the mad search for a potion that would pull Radev from Death's embrace.

The ingredients came from Dr. Han's stores. Valeri had pilfered whatever was still of use, thinking it a pity to leave valuable medicine rotting in the tomb of the Gondin household. The reserves remained with Gabriel when their party parted ways in Sinith. Valeri had been pleasantly surprised when the demon thrust a familiar bag under his nose upon their reunion.

He was less pleased with Gabriel's wild stare and threats of bodily harm should anything befall his half-dead darling, but compromises had to be made when dealing with demons.

Darkness swallowed the land outside. It was difficult to tell time's passage with sun and stars absent from heaven's arch. The very flow of time seemed stagnant; whether a passed moment was a step forward or a step back or indeed, a step at all, was difficult to tell.

Valeri did not know how long he spent in that small room. When the somber silence was at last broken, it was as if the world itself returned, startling Valeri from a state akin to deep slumber.

Someone had called his name.

Valeri raised his head. His hands shook, nearly dropping the vial of medicine he had just finished administering. At the far end of the hall stood a ghost.