Sai and I stood, looking at each other.
“Tyren’s kind of insecure about her ability as a
leader, isn’t she?”
Sai sighed.
“She is a brilliant leader, but she is held back by the fear that she is not
good enough. When push comes to shove, she overcomes her weakness, though.”
“So vampires are good leaders?”
“Traditionally, when our races join forces, the
vampires take full command. They have the ability to look at a situation
without emotion. A hot-blooded werewolf, or even human, considers them cold and
unfeeling. They do not understand that a vampire agonizes over every decision
after it is made.” He sighed. “Part of the reason that Tatiana considers Tyren
to be cold is because Tyren has not mounted a rescue mission to find Tatiana’s
parents.”
I looked shocked. “What?”
“The demons have Tatiana’s mother and father. They
have tried to use them to lure Tatiana—the werewolf chief’s heir—into a trap.
Tyren will not let her attempt a rescue because she knows that the werewolf
will only get herself caught, and the demons will be that much closer to
opening the tomb.”
I nodded, understanding. Something else stuck in my
mind, though. “So this vampire heir. Does Tyren know who he is? She seems to
know something she’s not telling.”
Sai laughed. “She always ‘knows something she’s not
telling’ as you put it. I have my theories.”
“What did Tatiana mean by the demon ‘marking’ him,
or something like that?”
“Ah, yes. Several years ago, a powerful demon
supposedly found the vampire heir. The heir managed to slay him, but before he
did, the demon supposedly marked him with a dragon—the symbol of the vampire
king.”
“You kept saying ‘supposedly.’”
“Many doubt the truthfulness of the tale, but Melinda,
the leader of the zombies, as you call them, is convinced that she will find
him by checking every true vampire for the mark.”
“What exacting is the ‘mark,’ and what do you mean
by ‘true’ vampire?”
“The mark is similar to a magically created tattoo.
True vampires are the ones who were born vampires as opposed to those who where
once human.”
I nodded, slowly digesting everything he was
explaining. Things were beginning to come together in my mind. We—whatever “we”
called our little group—had two of the four heirs. I could possibly be the
mage’s heir—which was ridiculous, of course—and the vampire had not shown
himself. The demons and their zombies had eight of the nine resurrection
stones. Tyren most likely had the other one—or at least knew where one was. She
also probably knew who the heir was, and where he was.
However, I had one more question. “Do you trust
Tyren completely? I mean, she seems a little secretive.”
Sai smiled. “I trust Tyren with my life, M.C. She
has her failings, but she’s trying to do what she thinks is best for all of us.
The secrets she keeps are to protect us and others, not because she wants to
keep things from us.”
I could see the truth of it in his eyes. However, I
also had the feeling that Sai “had his theories” about most—if not all—of
Tyren’s secrets. He probably knew her better than she knew herself. Therefore,
if he knew who she really was, and still trusted her, I would, too.
I nodded. “Okay.”
Sai eyed me critically. “Is that and ‘okay, I will
throw my lot in with you,’ or is that just an ‘okay?’”
I shrugged, not really wanting to commit. “Well, I
mean, if I’ve got this magic—“ I gestured vaguely with my hands. “—then, I
ought to learn to use it. Maybe I could help out, like, in the kitchen, or
something, but you do know I’m not your mage heir, right?”
Sai just smiled, his eyes crinkling in that
endearing manner. “Let’s get you something to eat. You must be starving.”
-----
Silly Sai. Avoiding questions.
I'm on time! Yay! Short chapter, but, eh, you know. It happens. See you next week!
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