I gnawed on my lip. Maybe I should have felt frustrated. But instead I felt surprisingly free. I was here now. Why not explore?

Presumably this was Veilmar. I had never even seen the city. We had skirted around its edges on that first day Blake had found me.

There was just one problem. My hair.

I quickly shut the storage room door, then pulled my hair into a tight knot and wound a strip of black ribbon around it, making sure no strands of telltale red were left dangling over my face. When that was done, I pulled up the hood of my cloak.

I waited until no one was around, then slipped out of the storeroom, pulling the door shut behind me.

The wooden floor beneath my feet creaked softly but the sound was lost in the buzz of noise from the tavern.

I moved across the room, then paused. A group of students, all highbloods, sat around a table, laughing and jesting among themselves. It was past midnight on a school night. Perhaps they were Third or Fourth Years who had been granted special privileges from Headmaster Kim.

Or perhaps they’d just snuck out, like I had.

I grinned to myself as I headed for the door. I was eager to see the city. Eager to see the real Sangratha. A place that wasn’t full of highbloods.

I should have known nothing would be as I’d hoped.

As I stepped out of the inn, the first thing that caught my eye were the children.

They were huddled against the walls of the buildings across the street. They were dirty and their clothes were tattered and threadbare.

My stomach twisted as I saw the signs they held.

“Need Blood?”

“Feed on me please.”

“Blood for Sale. Cheap.”

The signs were misspelled, scrawled in messy and sometimes illegible lettering.

My breath caught in my throat as I saw how young some of the children were. The smallest couldn’t have been more than five. Her face was streaked with dirt and tears as she huddled next to an older girl.

There was a movement to my right. I watched in stunned silence as a highblood emerged from the shadows of an alley. He moved silently towards the oldest boy in the group of children, who must have been about twelve. The boy shot to his feet without hesitation, his sign dropping to the ground as he wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve.

Eagerly, he took the highblood’s outstretched hand. Together, they disappeared down the street.

Disgust roiled in my gut. This world was so broken.

“Sad, ain’t it?”

I turned sharply. A woman had come out of the inn behind me. She leaned against one of the wooden poles along the inn's porch, a half-empty mug of ale dangling loosely from her hand.

She hiccuped and covered her mouth.

I glanced back at the children, unable to keep the horror from my voice. “Why are they out here? Shouldn’t they be home?”

“Poor mites haven’t got no homes, do they? Parents are dead, most like.” She glanced around furtively. “Killed, you know. There’s been more killings of late.”

My heart sped up. “What do you mean? What sort of killings?”

The woman was too much in her cups to wonder about my ignorance.

“Murders,” she said, drawing the word out with relish. “The blood drained from each and every one.”

“So highbloods killed them?” Of course. Why wasn't I surprised?

“Highbloods?” The woman’s eyes widened. “Who said anything about highbloods? Of course not! What a strange thing to say.”

I gaped. “But you said their blood was drained. Who else but a highblood would have done that?”

The woman laughed nervously. “Why, a mad man. Or woman, for that matter. A murderer. Who knows why they do the sick things they do? Killing for fun. Horrible, ain’t it?”

“You’re telling me,” I said slowly. “That there have been a number of murders in which the victims have been exsanguinated–”

The woman looked at me blankly.

I rolled my eyes. “It means drained of one’s blood,” I explained. “The victims have been exsanguinated but no one will consider that a highblood most likely did it?”

The woman's face took on a skittish expression. “The highbloods wouldn’t do such a horrid thing. They’re our protectors.” She pointed. “I pray at the Temple of the Blessed Bloodmaid every day, you know. And you should, too.” She looked down her nose at me. “Saying such things could get you into a heap of trouble. We don’t speak that way about highbloods. No siree.” She shook her head and belched again.

“Do all blightborn feel the way you do about the highbloods?” I asked, as I stared at her. In other words, were they all this stupid or was this poor woman the exception?

Her eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe I was bothering to ask. “Why, of course they do.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then recited, “We serve the blood, we serve the line. The highbloods lead, by right divine. In blood we trust, in grace we stand. The highbloods guide us, hand in hand.”

My jaw must have dropped a little because when she opened her eyes she gave me a disapproving frown. “All little children learn the verses. Have you forgotten your Creeds of Faith?”

I licked my lips. “My parents weren't particularly religious.”

“Not religious?” She looked horrified. “I don’t know what that even means. Are you saying you didn’t go to the temple? Didn’t make a blood offering every name day?” She started to back away. “What a strange girl,” she said, sounding uneasy.

“Yes, well, goodnight to you, too,” I called sarcastically, as she darted back inside the inn.

I looked up and saw the sign that creaked in the night breeze above the door.

The Wandering Page.

Was this one of Blake’s hangouts? Had he even come this way? For all I knew there were multiple ways off the island. Maybe each house had a secret passageway of their own. Would I run into Catherine Mortis or Kage Tanaka next?

My stomach plummeted as I thought of something awful. Had Blake come here to feed? Had he stepped out of The Wandering Page and grabbed a child, just like that other highblood man had done?

No. Blake Drakharrow might have been many other horrible things but he wouldn’t harm a child. I had to believe that. Didn’t I?

But he does need to feed, my mother’s voice said from my boot.

Oh, you’re still here, are you?

You get sarcastic when you’re worrying about something, you know.

I had no idea, I said. Thanks for telling me.

Of course, my dear. You know, I might come in handy tonight. There’s something to be said for having something sharp with you as you walk down dark streets alone.

She was right. That didn’t mean I’d be taking her with me everywhere from now on.

Consider this a special occasion, I said. I felt a twinge of guilt. We’ll figure out a way to free you fully soon. I swear it.

Of course, we will, she said with false cheer. I have no doubt of that.

I looked around. It was growing late and I had no idea where to go next. My eagerness to explore Veilmar had dissipated.

I glanced at the children again. I longed to do something to help them. But what? I couldn’t exactly smuggle them back to my rooms.

Did Florence know about their existence? Had she grown up seeing beggar children like these and simply become jaded to the idea of children selling their blood?

Something brushed against my leg and I jumped. I looked down, half-expecting to see another rat.

“You!”

It was the fluffin.

“Did you follow me?” I demanded. My eyes narrowed. “You’re a sneaky little thing, aren’t you?”

The fluffin gave a happy little yap, then wagged his fluffy tail and ran a little ways ahead of me. He barked again.

“You want me to follow you?” I put my hands on my hips. “Is this where you’ve been sneaking off to? Florence is going to have a conniption when she finds out.”