Ilaryn
Year 4711
We make our way back to Restland Manor. My eyes linger on the lovely curves of Runa Aywen walking in front as she speaks with the councilman and Kendra.
"I have some things to attend to before reading the will." Councilman Hearthmount was a rotund and grim-looking man, but the people seemed to respect him.
Kendra nods as she leans slightly against Lukas before he wraps his arm around her waist. She leads us into a room with a large desk and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Half-melted candles and parchment are strewn about the floor and desk. Petros was never an organized man. I chuckle to myself. I'd met him forty years ago when I'd saved him from a band of raiders at one of his dig sites. We stayed in touch ever since. I share some of my adventures and findings during my travels. We corresponded often, but I hadn't physically seen him in almost a year.
I'd met Lukas ten years ago. He was a little shit back then. Still is. But a good little shit now. He was cocky and impulsive. Very much like me when I was growing up.
A young woman, appearing to be around Runa's age, was waiting for them. Age had anything to do with looks. I looked to still be in my twenties, though I'm close to eighty.
Kendra greets the blonde. "This is Dr. Remy Langston."
"Apologies for my tardiness." Kendra and her pass interesting glances at one another. I'd like to know what that's all about. Unless asked, I tend to stay out of other people's business. I want my privacy, and I try to respect others.
I see Runa running her hands along some books that have caught her eye. I breathe deeply. Kendra wore a rose perfume that made my head hurt. It was subtle for someone like Lukas, but my heightened senses appreciated Runa wearing nothing but her natural scent.
Lukas comes up behind me. When the fighter knew I would be around, he never wore anything pungent. We'd meet up every few months when on break from the Professor. While Petros taught him to read and write, I helped train him in hand-to-hand combat and tactics. Later, he found a mentor who could train him more consistently. His hand grabbed my shoulder. He was one of the few I'd let touch me—the only one, actually, especially from behind. If anyone were sneaking behind someone, it'd be me.
"You gonna go talk to her or just stare?" He asks with a huge shit-eating grin.
I roll my eyes.
"Pops, you can date, you know," Lukas says sarcastically.
"I'm too young to be your father," I responded dryly.
"More like too old. You're like my great-grandfather." Lukas says, laughing at himself. He sobers quickly. "I mean it. Runa is a good person, and you're attracted to her." He looks at Kendra. "Life is too fucking fleeting just to stand by."
My heart catches. I'm not an average person. Lukas will grow old and die with his wife.
I will watch everyone die.
"Nothing could happen with us. She is light, and I'm. not."
"Could you not be one of those gloomy, self-sacrificing vamps women love to read about?"
Before I can respond, the councilman enters the office, and we all gather around the desk to listen to him read the will.
When addressing us, the councilmen's words are clipped, and it doesn't take a genius to realize our being here is an annoyance. Why? I had no idea. But it was a curiosity I intended to find out.
He reaches into his pouch and produces an unbroken box with Petros' seal.
After breaching it, a small key clanks on the desk. Ignoring it, the councilman lifts the folded parchment inside.
I, Petros Lorrimor, being of sound mind, do hereby commit to this parchment my last will and testament.
I leave my personal belongings to my beloved daughter, Kendra. I'm sorry to have left you, my darling child. You are the very best of me and your mother. I love you.
To my most trusted friends. I have 'borrowed' some tomes of ill report as I've studied the evils lurking in this world. At this point, I have two favors to ask of you. One is the return of these tomes to Lepidstadt University. I would hate for these to end up in the wrong hands or for my dearest Kendra to be burdened by them in any way.
My second request is for you to stay with my daughter for one month's time. Kendra has no other blood family, and I would see her safe in her time of grieving.
Lukas. You have been like a son to me. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of the man you have grown to be. You came into our lives when we needed you as much as you needed us. I'm humbled by your loyalty and commitment to me and Kendra.
Ilaryn, dear friend, I wish you the best in what you're seeking and genuinely hope you find it. Thank you for your friendship and trust, which I know doesn't come easy for you. I'm honored to be counted among your friends.
Remy, I hope I did not cause you as much distress in life as I may have in my death. You have always been patient with my ministrations, and we became close after a while. I appreciate your friendship, dear.
Runa. To say you were my favorite student would be an understatement. You have dealt with the good and the bad of my mentoring. I've tried to shelter you from the evils lurking in your shadows. You now have the strength to look after yourself.
Upon the completion of my two requests, you each will receive 100 platinum coins to be delivered by Embreth Daramid
I, Petros Lorrimor, hereby sign this will in Ravengro on this first day of Calistril, in the year 4711
Kendra bids the councilman farewell and then turns her attention to us.
"You are more than welcome to complete my father's request, with free room and board, of course," she adds hurriedly. "I will see to the chest my father mentioned." With that, she picks up the key from the desk and leaves.
I turn to see the doctor staring at me. I raise my eyebrows to her. She looks for another moment before turning away. I get stared at all the time. I'm used to it. Many look at me with a variety of emotions: disgust and fear.
Attraction.
I was a good-looking man, and I attracted women looking for a bit of danger in their usual mundane lives. I've even been propositioned to have for me to bite them.
For that reason alone. I never stayed with a woman for too long, constantly slipping away, never to be seen by them again. It was easier. Plus, they could never fully satisfy my hunger. I only took enough to keep up my strength. I refused to feed on the innocent, so why should I? There were plenty of bad people to slate my bloodthirst.
The scent of Runa wafts around me as she stands at my side.
My hunger has been well-sated and should tide me over for a few days. My other hunger, however, hasn't been sated for quite some time now. I close my eyes. I could smell the innocence on the lovely bard before me. My hands clench. It would be a thrill to take her, but that wasn't in the cards for me. She was the type of woman a man kept and made a family with, and none of those things I could afford.
"Petros talked of an investigator friend of his. I take it that would be you?" Runa asks.
"Aye," I look at her questioningly. "Are you in need of my services, Runa?" I ask, smiling at her, hoping she says she needs help with many things that only I could help with.
She pulls out some parchment and letters by their looks, and I frown. That's not exactly what I had in mind.
Our hands graze as she passes them to me, and I wish I didn't have my blasted gloves on so I could feel her warmth on my skin.
Lukas and the Doctor join the conversation. "I received these over the last month. He said he was concerned about some things happening near the prison here."
The doctor nods her head. "I'm not sure why I've had a feeling in my gut that all was not right with his death."
Lukas shrugs. "Maybe he found some trouble."
I nod. "The kind that gets you killed."
I clench my jaw. A heaviness that has weighed on me since I found out about Petros's death. What he said in the will was right. I didn't keep many people as friends, but he was one of them. The fact that I couldn't help him bothered me.
Kendra enters the office again with a small chest and hands the key over to me. I open it. On top, in bold letters, it says: Read me now!
I hand the journal to the doctor for her to read as I look through the chest's contents. The first book is purple with a golden scarab on the front.
"Have you any idea about the book, Ilaryn?" Lukas asks.
"Aye. It's something from the order of the Palatine Eye."
Runa bends over my shoulder, her breasts pushing lightly against my back as she leans over to touch one of the scarab wings. It moves out of the way to show a small keyhole. Runa moves off of me and looks through the chest. "No key."
"We shouldn't open it anyway. Father said they were dangerous books." Kendra offers.
"You're right." I nod.
Everyone nods their head in agreement.
"I recognize this one," Runa says as she lifts a black book. There are no words, only small stars inlaid on the top, fading as they get to the bottom. 'On Verified Madness' about the Dark Tapestry and aberrations.
"These two are 'Serving you Hunger' and 'The Umbral Leaves,' both unholy books," I state.
"Seems you were onto something, Runa." The doctor says, handing Ilaryn the journal. "The Professor suspected danger."
My body tenses. Six entries have been circled throughout the book. I paraphrase.
"The arrival of the Whispering Way ten years ago."
Runa gasps. "He was investigating the Whispering Way."
"No wonder he was scared. A cabal of Necromancers?" Lukas adds. "That mob earlier makes sense now."
I continue. "The Way is interested in Harrowstone. They are looking for someone. There is some false crypt between Eversleep and Black Path."
"I don't remember seeing anything along that way," Kendra says with confusion.
"He didn't have time to add these worries to his will." I finish.
I stand from a squat. "Do you have a book on the town's history, preferably explaining in detail all that happened regarding Harrowstone?
Kendra shakes her head. "That time has been wrapped in mystery and rumor. It happened well before my time, but some older folks may know more about it. Whatever it was, they tend to keep quiet about it."
It must have been something terrible if it had attracted the Whispering Way. But why the hell would Petros take this on his own? Why did he not call on me? I run my hands through my hair.
"You may rummage through my father's books; also check out the Town Hall, the Temple, and The Unfurling Scroll," Kendra adds. She frowns. "I'm sorry I can't be of more help. History was my father's thing."
Runa shakes her hand vigorously. "No, no. You've done more than enough for us. You are mourning your father."
"I want to investigate this," I say to Lukas.
"You know I'm with you, pops." I roll my eyes at his nickname for me.
"Us too," Runa says, looking to the doctor, who nods.
"Good. We start first thing in the morning. We have to keep others' involvement to a minimum."
"Of course." They all agree.
We have no idea how far The Whispering Way has penetrated Ravensgro. I don't know the doctor, Kendra, or Runa, and I don't know if I can trust them either. "The Whispering Way has ten years on us. We could already be too late."
Runa places her hand on my arm. "We'll do it for the Professor." Her sudden closeness catches her off guard as she snatches her hand away, looking anywhere but at me. I don't bother looking at Lukas, who is undoubtedly grinning.
"I've had your rooms prepared." The room darkens as clouds move in quickly—thunderclaps as lightning streaks in the room. The rain hadn't started, but it was only a matter of time.
I make my way to my bed and lie down. I don't need sleep, but having a quiet place away was nice. I could hear Lukas and Kendra speaking in the hall. She enters the room with him, and I focus on the doctor's room. I hear the opening of a bag and the shuffling of papers. I try not to focus on Runa's room, but as the hours go by, I can't help it. I close my eyes as I hear the slight snore of the bard. I smile, soothed by her breathing. My body relaxes, opposite of the storm that has descended outside.
I leave my room sometime before the sun rises. I was one of the few dhampirs who could walk in the sun, though it was still harmful if I didn't cover or stayed out too long. I go back into Petros's office and rummage through book after book, trying to find something remotely close to the town's history.
If he was already thinking it was connected to what happened, the books shouldn't be on the shelves. I walk over to the desk, and after ten minutes of straightening it up, I find a book of interest in one of the drawers. Light footsteps outside catch my attention. Runa enters the room quietly. Her breath catches in surprise at my appearance.
"I see we had the same idea, " she whispers. She is wearing a nightgown and a loosely tied robe.
I smile at her and try to control my thoughts. But I could at least think about how I wanted to take her. On the desk would be one. "I think I found something."
Runa eyes the slender book I hold up in indication. "Rather small."
"Better than nothing," I shrug.
"True."
She comes to stand next to me and leans over my shoulder again. She isn't wearing breast wraps. I feel her softness and warmth. I stand abruptly and hand her the book, walking away.
"You read this one," I pretend to look over other books on the shelf. My reflection on a glass pitcher shows my eyes changing color. My fangs elongate and tingle. My sudden movement startles her for a moment, and I can hear the quickening of her heartbeat. She is quiet, and I turn to see her looking at me with confused innocence. I wave my hand for her to read the book.
Five notorious criminals had only just arrived. A riot broke out, and the prisoners took control of the lower level.
Runa's voice was low and husky as she continued to read.
Warden Hawkran deployed a deadfall trap, leaving him and a few dozen guards trapped inside. A fire was accidentally set after a few of the prisoners were about to escape.
"The Temple may have something on the Whispering Way. We could check it out." Runa offers.
"It is almost light out. I will wake Lukas and the doctor so you can change." I walk up to Runa, running my fingers under the lapel of her robe to feel her shoulder. I twirl a lock of her wavy, chestnut hair around my finger. "Unless you plan on staying dressed like this."
She stiffens but doesn't move from my caress, and I run my hand up the curve of her neck. I lean in my mouth, grazing against her ear. "You should go now, Sunlight. I only have so much self-control."
Her eyes widen, and she races from the room.
I gather the book she hastily drops and place it on the desk. I smile as I move to wake up the others. This month's confinement may be stifling for someone like me. But the company of the sexy little bard may be well worth it. That's if the Whispering Way doesn't cause too much trouble. I scoff. Not likely.
