Aerial narrows her eyes in his direction. A warbling sound penetrates my right ear. Then, the very air itself seems to take on a dreamlike quality. It’s unlike what I saw in my head.
The pleasant witch fixes me with a grim expression. She holds my head again, lowering her voice to an almost nonexistent whisper. “Hear me well, Amber Alard. We’ve seen how your ancestors surrounded those fangs on the battlefield.”
“What? When did you—?”
She places a finger over my lips. “Whatever got you into this mess will soon be resolved. Your sister will be triumphant. Choose to stay away from the Rodin men. For good.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Their appetites are endless and they will literally suck you dry. Metaphoricallyandphysically. I know you’ve heard of Bartholomew. I saw it in your mind’s eyes in one of the rooms. You worry about it.”
I lick my lips nervously. “I just…”
“Your blood is powerful. Your skills are potent. Protect yourself before he uses you up.”
The enchantment snaps like a balloon popping. Aerial is organizing a plate on the table—an array of meats and cheeses on a platter that I don’t recall seeing before she arrived—and humming a lovely tune. She catches me staring and beams.
“Ah, there you are! Welcome back,” she says. She holds out the plate. “Darius had one of the human chefs whip this up. Just something easy to snack on while you recover.”
“Did you just tell me something?”
She hardly looks confused or concerned. “One of the side effects of the scan is temporary hallucinations. I’m sure I might have said something—but your brain might have interpreted it differently.”
Is that really what just happened?
“Sometimes, when our memories get stirred, they get mixed with our current feelings,” Aerial explains. “It can be confusing. I’d give it a few days before trying to really remember it.”
Whatever I saw or heard, it must have made me sick because my stomach is twisting like a pretzel. Something about the Alard ancestors surrounding a vampire on a battlefield knocks into my awareness.
I stare at Aerial and pitch my voice low. “Were we enemies?”
“No, dear. We’ve never met.”
“I mean…” My eyes flicker to Darius. “My family... the Rodins... vampires in general.”
She frowns. “We did spot part of the source of your enchanted blood, but…” She fades off while staring at a fixed point over my head. She truly looks like she doesn’t know. Or she’s a spectacular actress. “I can’t say for certain, Amber. I think all answers will blossom in time.”
“I wish I knew now.”
She giggles. “That’s the thing about scans. We can’t always tell memories from impressions or doubts.”
Doubts. Is that what I’m feeling? Doubt? But I can’t quite place the doubt. I just have this impending doom feeling attached to Darius, the basement, and whatever had me in and out of Jasper’s suite.
No, nothing bad ever happened there. I would have remembered. It’s not like the tower….
“Amber? You’re green, dear,” Aerial whispers. She nudges the plate and then grabs a bottle of cranberry juice. “I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I swear, once you start eating, you’ll feel a lot better. Go on.”
Darius’s voice pitches across the room in an authoritative baritone, “Do as she says.”
I grab a slice of turkey and some cheddar and shove them into my mouth. It takes a while for me to chew, but once I’ve swallowed, I feel like a load has been lifted from my chest. Another bite doubles the relief. Three more bites put me back to baseline. Within minutes, I’m clearing the plate and smiling gratefully at the witch who helped me back to reality.
She grins and folds her hands together. “Let me know if you need anything as you recover.”
“She’ll be fine with our resident doctor,” Darius responds. “Thank you, Aerial. Your payment is on the settee near the door.”
Aerial takes a tentative step toward the exit. After giving me another questioning glance, she nods and then heads out, carrying with her what sounds like a pouch full of coins. The door shuts quietly. Silence weaves through the room.
Darius doesn’t lift his head. He doesn’t check on me. But his voice comes, heavy yet soft like a shy breeze slipping through the trees, “Are you alright?”