The Hunt

Chapter 15

Alesco:

Wynn is still angry, I can see it in his eyes as he rises to his feet. He glares around the room and his eyes settle on me. "I don't trust this." He says. "I don't trust this at all. We should leave."

"No." I say. I don't know if I trust it either, I don't know if I should go through with it. I don't know what this creature that calls itself master is. But I've tasted power, tasted freedom and its pull is strong. I wonder whether its real, or if its all one big hoax. A trick.

But if its a trick, what's it for?

"Father sent us here, Wynn. He must have had a reason." I say. I wish he'd explained it more, but there was no time. Maybe mother knows more than she's said.

I look around the room at my companions. They are staring from Wynn to me, watching, waiting. They are under my orders at the master's instructions. It is clear that we won't be walking out of here any other way than to bring in the humans.

Fabian steps forwards now. "My lady, we need to know that he can be trusted." He says, pointing at Wynn. "Before we leave. We cannot have him endangering our task."

"I am here and I can speak for myself." Says Wynn, moving between me and Fabian. "I will do nothing to endanger my sister, and I will protect her, have no fear of that." He takes a step towards Fabian, leaning close to his face.

"And it would do you good to remember it too, in case you have any hidden plans."

Fabian smirks in response, meeting Wynn's gaze. "We all want the same things then. No problems here." He says. He steps back and bows a little.

"Time to go." I say. "I see no reason to delay. We'll head west. We'll leave the darkness when night falls and then we will remain alert. We'll act fast, we'll catch them, we'll bring them in."

How are we going to bring in a group of hunters? This is something I haven't given any thought to until now, but is important. There could be 15 or more soldiers in one of their parties.

"How will we bring them in?" I ask. Aldon steps forward.

"My lady, we need only bring a group. Five in number will suffice. We can carry them back." He says, indicating the others. They shouldn't weigh much by vampire standards.

"Very well. Then let's go."

Wynn steps to my side as the others turn and move towards the door. I look at him, his silent face is brooding, troubled. "Brother you said you would trust my judgement." I say.

"Yes, sister. I will follow you. But I warn you something is amiss." He says.

"I feel it too." I say. "But you did not see what I saw, feel what I felt. There is something deeper, something more to all this. We shouldn't be running and hiding." I say.

He's silent. I see he's not convinced. Maybe he picks up my own doubt, my own uncertainty. What can I say to persuade him, to settle him down, to make him feel better about what we have to do? I wonder what words will soothe his doubt.

"Brother, what choice do we have?" I ask.

His face lightens at that, a hint of his old self appears. It's only a hint, only a flicker, but it's there. "I fear you are right, sister, we have no choice." He says.

We're through the circular entrance hall and out amidst the houses once more, under the perpetually starry skies. I gaze up at the blue moon.

Eyes watch us as we move towards the forest edge, back towards the hut where my mother will be. Their stares feel oppressive. What do they find so interesting about our group? I meet some of their gazes, and they look away quickly.