Ruler [Blood Magic, Book 3]

Chapter 7: Into the Mouth of Madness

The sun was cresting the horizon as we pulled into the parking lot of the self-storage facility that served as the front for the Nosferatu's subterranean compound. Dawn's first rays glowed yellow, orange and red across the landscape in a dazzlingly vibrant light show. They licked the long swaths of fields and twinkled through the bare branches of the trees, making everything look surreal and enchanted. The suburbs hadn't crept out this far and likely never would; I suspected the Nosferatu had bought up large patches of rural real estate here, just to prevent that from happening. I leaned back in my seat and savoured the colours. In just a few minutes, I'd be descending into the grey domain of faux gaslights and harsh, clinical halogens. Who knew when I'd be topside next?

Arthos was less impressed by the sunrise: for the last twenty minutes he'd had his hood pulled so far forward I wasn't sure how he could see the road or the other vehicles on it. He only spoke once - to brusquely insist that we tilt all of the van's sun visors down, for what little good that did. He didn't relax until we pulled into the compound's loading bay and he'd thumbed the button to close the garage doors.

As they rolled down, shutting us inside the belly of the hulking metal and concrete beast, I mouthed a solemn goodbye to daylight.

I couldn't believe I was really doing this. I had to be mental.

I let Arthos climb out of the van first. As he walked around the front of the vehicle to my door, I forced myself to inhale and exhale slowly and steadily, attempting to prepare myself for the next phase of this insanity: walking through the hallways I'd once been so desperate to escape, and the Induction Ceremony awaiting me at the end of them.

As Arthos opened the door for me, every nerve in my body sprang to attention. The whole of my insides were tingling, as if my entire sensory system had gone into overdrive. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt, and yet I inherently understood what it meant: Keel was nearby. The bond - and by extension every cell of my physical body - was reacting to his proximity. It wanted me to go to him and it would not cease its shiver and twang until I obeyed that imperative or fought my way back to a safe distance. We were too close now. The circuit screamed for completion.

I fumbled my way out of the van, attempting to focus on maintaining my footing rather than the tremors threatening to shake me to pieces. Before I could stop myself, my gaze flickered out across the concrete floor, searching for long-dried bloodstains or scorch marks or any other indication of the great battle that had occurred there six months before. But all signs of the conflict were gone, either scrubbed clean, painted over, or resurfaced entirely.

"We couldn't risk some human walking in here and asking questions," Arthos stated. It was only then that I noticed him following the direction of my stare. What was the proper etiquette here? Should I apologize for my part in the massacre or simply avert my eyes and pretend he hadn't brought it up?

I settled for the latter. I was still angry with him and I'd likely have months to express remorse. Right then, my mind was thick with other thoughts. Soon I'd be seeing Keel for the first time since the night he turned. I'd be seeing the him he'd become. I mentally kicked myself for not prodding Arthos for more information about Keel's problematic transition; sure, I'd been pissed off during the final leg of our journey and hadn't wanted to talk anymore, but in the end the only one I'd done a disservice to was myself. Maybe if I'd just sucked it up and been less childish - as Arthos put it - I could have been better prepared for our reunion. But how was I supposed to stay unemotional and stoic when my gut was twisting itself into a pretzel?

Entering the compound was an altogether different experience this time around, but that provided only the smallest of comforts. Last time I'd been blindfolded and barefoot, flanked by the king's henchmen as they dragged me through the complex toward Keel's father. I was to be his brand new meal ticket and greatest royal coup. This time I walked myself to the throne room, though if I was being honest with myself I was no less scared.