Vampire's Prey

Chapter 39: Fekby

Author's Note:

Two chapters were published today, so be sure to read Chapter 38 before this one.

The people of Fekby have retired to their homes for the night, and their black and white wattle and daub houses glow from the inside. The village is quiet bar the occasional distant dog's bark.

We step on a porch covered with a shale roof – the same thin black stones which top all the buildings here. It's different to the thatch that we'd use in Heldana, and it's beautiful. The tense muscles in my shoulders can relax now that we are out of the wilderness. There's just something instinctual that puts us on edge when we're in the wild and not protected by four walls and a roof.

Bevin knocks on the door. Warm light peaks through the cracks between the wood. The thought of sleeping in a bed again has me bouncing inside. Ivan himself could be on the other side of that door. Imagine his surprise when he sees his niece – not a trained soldier, but a farmhand, thought to be lost to the vampire invasion, who bargained and fought to escape the country and reunite with him.

The door opens, revealing a large older woman on the other side.

"I'm Bevin of Calden," Bevin says, "We need a room."

The burly woman's eye sweep over the four of us. After her suspicions are put at ease, she steps back.

We all huddle inside. It's a cozy tavern with a low wooden ceiling – though my perspective may be skewed having spent the last while under the high ceilings in Rahlan's castle. The room is empty besides the two local men drinking ale in the corner and speaking in a low murmur. Neither of them are Ivan, but I suppose that a man of his status wouldn't be wasting time in a bar.

Bevin hands the innkeeper a few coins, and her initial scowl disappears.

"Welcome to the Rose inn," she says, "I'm Venna. Have a seat while I prepare your room."

Bevin, Ina and Aled are quick to drop their bags and find chairs, stretching their arms over their heads the moment they sit down.

I step closer to Venna and whisper her name before she has a chance to leave.

"Yes?" she says.

"This is Fekby?" I keep my voice low so that the others don't hear.

"It is." She raises an eyebrow at my peculiar behavior. I had to be sure that Bevin wasn't trying to trick me.

"Do you know of any other northerners here?" I ask.

"Our healer is a northerner."

I shake my head. Ivan's not a healer. This is supposed to be a regrouping location for the Huntsmen, so there must be a few of them somewhere.

She shrugs before turning away. "There aren't any others." The floorboards creak as she steps down the passage.

My initial excitement falls to the pit of my stomach. Did I travel all this way only to end up in a place where I know no one?

No. Ivan will come, and if not him, then some other Huntsmen who can lead me to him. Until I find something better, I should check with the healer to see if he knows anything.

I follow after Venna. "Where's the healer?"

She presses a door open to a dark room. "The old home at the end of the road."

"Thanks." I take my bag off my sore shoulders and head back to the table where Bevin, Ina and Aled are relaxing.

The golden doorknob hits the table with a loud clank. All three sets of eyes land on me.