“We’re nearly there.” There was a reassuring note in his voice, one too gentle for my liking.

A moment later, an inn came into view as we crested a small hill. Smoke billowed from the chimney, just like Raphael had said. The windows were lit with an inviting yellow glow, promising warmth and shelter.

“You purchased disguise cards, correct?”

“I did.”

He pulled Alphonse off to the side, sheltering us under the dense branches of a tree.

I brushed my fingers as dry as I could before pulling the deck from the holder I’d manufactured. Not as fancy as the usual leather ones, but since I hadn’t had so much as a needle to shape it, it was acceptable. I flipped through and held out the disguise card to Raphael.

Better this than trying to enthrall anyone we came across. Less disconcerting too. The card would last for a week or so, unless dispelled by a witch. It wasn’t very powerful magic, but all the card needed to do was change Raphael’s eyes from the telltale red and darken his hair so it was no longer such a striking white.

Disguise cards were fairly popular in Eurobis. Mother had kept a thick deck made entirely of disguise cards. She, like most, used the magic for perfecting her face, removing blemishes, adjusting her lips to just the right amount of plumpness or thinness, depending on what was the current style.

Remember, my little princess. It doesn’t matter what you are, only what others think you are.

Certain witches could see through disguises, and others could cast magic to dispel the enchantments, but out here it was unlikely we’d find anyone like that.

“You’ll have to be the one to cast it, of course,” he cajoled when I took too long, staring at the deck.

Right. Another reason to keep me around. Though voids had no magic of their own, they could unlock the magic stored in cards. Vampires, on the other hand, couldn’t do even that. As if their very existences were incapable of channeling magic.

Greymere blocked all mystical abilities, which meant it had been ages since I’d felt the tingle of magic at my fingertips. I twisted in my seat and lifted the card between us.

There wasn’t much to using the cards—all it took was a shred of will to power them up. The writing on the card faded into nothing, the enchanted paper turning white as magic bristled in the air between us. My heart filled at the sensation. I loved the electric sensation of casting magic. I hadn’t felt it in ages, but it was as familiar as the last time I’d used it. It twisted around Raphael, who shut his eyes as the spell activated. His hair darkened from white all the way to a gleaming black. His eyes snapped open as the magic finally settled, the tingle on my arms fading away.

Blue eyes.

“I take it by your expression the card failed.”

“No, it worked.” But such a weak card… it should’ve gone for the easiest route, darkening his eyes a shade to a less suspicious brown, shifting the white of his hair to bright blond. Not… this. Maybe vampires made magic work differently. Another puzzle I wouldn’t get to work out. “Let’s go.”

Raphael signaled Alphonse with a tap of his heels forward.

The inn had a friendly look about it, despite the rain. Any shelter would’ve looked marvelous in the downpour. The brick exterior was old but well maintained, a nice path leading to the front.

The entire space was charming. The scent of herbs and meat drifted in from the left, where there was a dining area similar to the tavern we’d been in earlier. To the right was a staircase, no doubt leading to the rooms upstairs.

But the biggest surprise was the boy who stood behind the desk. Thomas.

“Samantha! What a surprise.”

OceanofPDF.com

Chapter Eleven

“Thomas,” I exclaimed.

The boy from the card shop grinned, a dimple appearing on one side of his mouth. “Tom, remember?”

“How wonderful you two know each other’s names,” Raphael drawled.

I shifted on my feet, unsure why I felt so uncomfortable. Thomas’s gaze drifted from me to the vampire who stood at my side, smile collapsing slightly. He didn’t run away screaming; the disguise card worked fine. But he certainly wasn’t relaxed as Raphael stared him down.

“This is, um, my brother Mark,” I said quickly. “We got caught in the rain and were hoping we could spend the night here.”

The dimple returned in force. “You’re in the right place! The Royal Badger is always happy to give lovely, weary travelers a place to rest. Why don’t I get you a hot meal first?”

“I’ll go tend to Alphonse. Don’t wait for me.” Raphael disappeared back out into the rain, leaving me with Thomas, who relaxed immediately at his departure.

Thomas maneuvered out from the behind desk and gave me a wide grin. “Why don’t I take your cloak so it can dry?” He looked from my face to lower, eyeing my soaked clothes.

That did sound nice. Until I glanced down and flushed, immediately crossing my arms over my cloak, pulling it tight. The water had truly soaked me; my blouse was transparent as it clung to me, leaving me utterly exposed save for my chest wrappings. “I’ll just sit close to the fire.”

Thomas at least had the manners to look ashamed of having been caught ogling. Part of me wanted to retreat immediately up to whatever room we could get and order supper there. But… well, I’d been on display, and he’d looked. That was just what boys did. Right? It didn’t matter that I didn’t like it. He hadn’t actually harmed me in any way.

“I’ll get you a dry blanket, of course, so you can wrap it around yourself.”

“Oh. That’d be great.”

He went to the back and came back with a bundle of fabric. I accepted with a twinge of guilt for my earlier thoughts about him, and shrugged off my cloak, facing away while I slipped the dry blanket over my shoulders. Thomas told someone to bring the cloak up to what would be our room and led me over to the dining hall. He sat us at the bar top. I didn’t like having my back to the room, but I wasn’t sure what to say. With Raphael, it was almost easier to push back. With Nelson and the guards of Greymere, I’d known my place not to say anything. But with a random boy… was it wrong to assert what I wanted? He’d think me paranoid, and I had no desire to draw attention.

Thomas was oblivious to my turmoil over our seats and instead cheerfully spoke. “You’ve gotta try Cook’s lamb. It’s the best thing ever.”

Cook. Obviously, it wasn’t the same cook as Greymere, but the moniker had me thinking of my time in Greymere. Of Cook serving out an unending sentence because no one cared enough to see justice done.

Despite the fact I was soaked and shivering, despite the fact I’d slept on the forest floor beside a vampire for several days, I wouldn’t trade my current fate for my old one. No matter how terrible the cost had been.

He flagged down the server and ordered for us. Food appeared a moment later. Enticing spices wafted over from the two plates, making me acutely aware of my hunger.

“So, Sam, you didn’t tell me you were headed this way.”

“You didn’t ask.” I smiled, hoping it was at least half as simple and charming as his was.

The dimple showed his approval. “Fair enough. I guess I was too distracted. Where are you headed?”

“Apante.”

“The City of Answers,” he mused, using the more common nickname. “What answers are you looking for?”

Whatever the vampire wants. Of course I couldn’t tell him that, so I made up a lie about seeking my fortune. He made a joke, and the conversation flowed easily while I devoured the lamb in front of me. Lamb had never been my favorite meat growing up, but gods, I’d once sworn when I got out of Greymere, I’d never be picky again. Food was for survival. I didn’t need more than that.

Distantly, I wondered what was taking Raphael so long. Thomas was talkative, and he didn’t notice as my mind wandered, and my responses stopped being full sentences and more a rotating sequence of nods and mhmms. A nice boy. That’s what he was, through and through. Even as inexperienced as I was, I could tell he was flirting. A nice boy was flirting with me. It was like I was watching it happen to someone else. Someone who had another life, who hadn’t seen the violence I had.