When I said nothing, she sniffed.
Beside me, Florence’s hand shot into the air.
“Yes, Miss Shen?”
“Blood does help vampires to survive as Medra... I mean, Miss Pendragon... already mentioned. But more specifically, it enables them to recharge their unique abilities.”
“Good, Miss Shen. And what are some of those abilities?”
“Oh, there are ever so many,” Florence gushed. “They heal faster than us blightborn do and they can recover from much more serious wounds. They have heightened senses, including sight, smell, and hearing. They can move much more quickly. Their speed has even been mistaken for invisibility or flight. Vampires can go days without taking a blood meal, but doing so grants them superior strength, helps maintain their healing, and supplements their other powers.”
“Other powers such as?” Professor Hassan prompted. “Someone other than Miss Shen, perhaps?”
A boy sitting further down the row on Florence’s side put his hand up then nervously started to lower it.
“Yes, Mister...?” Professor Hassan said. “Do you have an answer for us?”
The young man licked his lips. He was brown-haired with a short, stocky build and seemed tense with nervous energy. His wide, expressive eyes darted about the classroom.
“Sharma, Professor. Naveen Sharma. Well...” He ran his hands through his already-messy hair, as if trying to buy time. But this only resulted in his hair standing up in every direction making him resemble a spiky hedgehog. Behind him, I heard some students snickering.
“Perhaps you’d like to stand up, Mr. Sharma,” the professor suggested, sounding impatient. “It might help you to focus better.”
Naveen jumped up, scattering his parchment and quill onto the floor. “Um, of course. Well, everyone knows that vampires can create thralls.”
“Then that hardly bears stating, does it, Mr. Sharma?” Professor Hassan said drolly.
Naveen colored. “Uh, right. Well, each of the four houses also have their own special abilities. Though some of these require years of training before they can be fully utilized. One thing they all share though is the ability to sense emotions through blood. When a vampire is fully mature, they can manipulate others’ feelings in this way.”
Naveen sank back down suddenly as if he’d run out of steam.
“Thank you, Mr. Sharma.” Professor Hassan looked around the room. “And of course, this is why it is so essential for the houses to keep their bloodlines pure.” Her eyes found mine. “So that these extraordinary powers are not diluted. Except when necessary, in very rare cases.”
My blood flared hot. She meant me. Well, Professor Hassan didn’t have to worry. I wasn’t going to dilute the blood of her precious vampire overlords.
Though her pronouncement did make me wonder just how often blightborns bred with vampires. Obviously it was unusual.
“This is why,” the professor continued. “Service to a highblood is an honor, not a sacrifice. As is the tithing system as well as conscription.”
My hand shot up. “Wait,” I said, not waiting to be called on. “You’re saying mortals should be glad to give up their blood but not only do they have to do that but they have to pay the vampires to live here? And accept military conscription?”
The room broke out into an angry chatter.
“Quiet down,” Professor Hassan said loudly. “Settle down.”
“I don’t understand... They’re using you but you speak of them as if they’re gods or something,” I said in disbelief. “What is wrong with you people?”
The room quieted around us as Professor Hassan and I stared at one another.
“Well, class, I’d say Miss Pendragon has truly proven her ignorance this morning, wouldn’t you?” the professor finally said.
Laughter erupted around me, harsh and bitter. But I caught some students staring at me curiously, too. I wondered how many blightborn students were in this class and how many of them had thought similar things from time to time without ever daring to say it aloud.
I snuck a peek down my row. Florence wasn’t laughing, neither was Naveen. But their faces were quiet and respectful. It was obvious they didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot with this formidable teacher.
“Look up at the board, Miss Pendragon,” the professor commanded. “Tell me what you see.”
I glanced at the blackboard, at the notes the students had been copying down when I’d first walked in.
“The Great Famine,” I read aloud. “The Blight of Shadows. The Dragon Cataclysm.”
“Very good. Terrifying-sounding terms, wouldn’t you agree? Have you ever lived through a famine, Miss Pendragon?”
I shook my head slowly.
“Neither have I. Neither has anyone in this class. Thanks to the highbloods,” Professor Hassan said. “Yet our histories tell us that thousands of years ago, the worst famine the world had ever seen swept through the land, causing starvation and despair. Families abandoned children to die, unable to provide for them. Still other families resorted to eating their own children.”
I shuddered.
“Then, one exceptionally powerful woman stepped forward. Some say she was a human. Others say a vampire. Still many more say she was not of this world at all but a goddess or the daughter of a god who had lived among us in mortal form. Unable to bear the sight of so much suffering, she spilled her blood upon the earth and having done so, she encouraged her mortal family to drink from it. They were nourished from her blood as she died and thus the first vampires were born. In the midst of the famine, a new race arose. They had no need for food or water. They could survive only upon blood, for days or months or even years if needed. The Bloodmaiden, as she came to be called, had saved her family. And her family continued her lifesaving work by creating an incredible elixir derived from their own blood. They distributed this elixir to many of their mortal neighbors, turning them into the Pure and saving countless lives. And so it continued. Many were spared in this way. But of course, not all could live. With the survival of the strong, came a culling of the weak. A tribute was required so that some could endure the famine while others sadly perished. A tribute made in blood. Weak mortals paid the price willingly, even eagerly, so that their fathers or mothers or sisters or brothers or children could be saved and become stronger, while they gave up their lives to feed others.”
I shuddered again. What she described was still a kind of terrible cannibalism. No less worse than eating one's own child.
“But this was all long before our time. It was not the first time, however, that mortals were saved by highbloods. Centuries later came the Blight of Shadows. A deadly illness that ravaged the mortal world and caused people to turn into mindless, nightmarish creatures known as the Shadowed. These creatures thrived in darkness, preying upon others. Entire cities were turned into wastelands. By this time, mortals and highbloods coexisted. Those of the Blessed Blood would not stand for this. In a coordinated effort, they utilized their inherent resistance to the plague and their superior strength, and eradicated the Shadowed, reclaiming lands that had been lost and saving mortals from extinction for a second time. From this time forward, mortals willingly recognized their inferiority and took on the name we are still known by today–the blightborn.”
“But perhaps this is still not enough to convince you of the virtue of those of Blessed Blood?” Professor Hassan questioned me. “A hundred years later there came the Cataclysm. Malevolent creatures swarmed Sangratha, bringing with them legions of monstrous creatures. Among them were the dragons–massive, fire-breathing beasts that answered to no one. The dragons ruled the skies and terrorized the land. They were almost unstoppable, laying waste to entire cities. But a few highbloods saw these creatures’ worth, their potential. They found individuals with a rare affinity–the ability to bond to dragons. They honed these ones into the race that came to be known as riders. Together with the riders, the highbloods led the armies of the vampire and mortal realms in a great war, vanquishing the dark forces that threatened Sangratha and sealing away the terrors.”
