Deja Vu (The Wealcere Chronicles)

Chapter 7 - Rescue mission

Eric always tells me that I get too involved in other people's problems. That I always want to help even if it's not my responsibility. If he had seen me refuse to help the Magicks he would have been surprised. I think he would have even said that it wasn't like Isabel to do something like that.

Am I Isabel?

I don't know anymore.

I want to believe that Eric wouldn't judge me for what I'm doing, considering I just want to get back to him. I want to fix what was broken between us, to go back into his arms and tell him to never let me go again. That's what I want, to get back to my normal life. And if I have to fix all the problems in this life that don't belong to me, I'll do it.

I'll do it for us.

'When did they take him away?' Gabriel takes the lead in the conversation, considering he's the one who understands what's at stake in this situation.

'He was supposed to go into town for supplies and come back in the afternoon but he never did. A townie told me there were some knights on the Gravestone's road. Did you know about that?'

'We recorded three knights passing by the Gravestone road yesterday morning,' Astoria assures us.

'Yesterday morning? That's why we had vampires in the woods,' Gabriel seems to understand everything and I still can't quite make it out. I don't know how knights relate to vampires.

'The question is, chief of the revolution, where was your guard on that part of the road that is supposed to be safe for my people at any time of the day?'

Astoria and Nero exchange glances, making it obvious that no one talks to Gabriel like that, at least not in their presence.

'You come looking for my help, shame on you,' Alyssa continues sitting back in her chair. 'Unless of course you're here to help me just like your little girlfriend's copy said.'

I look at Gabriel and for the first time wait to respond. Maybe I'm starting to respect his leadership. Anything to be able to survive, anything to get home.

'Where do you think they took him?' Gabriel asks her, gripping his belt tightly.

'I feel him close, it can't be much further than Gravestone, I suspect to the barracks.'

'To the barracks? There's nothing we can do,' Nero speaks uncontrollably, only to be rebuked by glares from Astoria and Gabriel.

'I'll go and find him. You can come with me and show me your loyalty, to make me consider helping you with the wealcere. Or you can leave right now and never come back, there's still time.'

My instinct is to tell her yes, but of course, I have no idea what the barracks are.

'Gabe, can I talk to you for a second?' I say to my friend, grabbing his arm, pulling him away from Alyssa's gaze.

Gabriel nods slightly, stepping aside, pulling me close to the door.

'Tell me,' I ask quietly even though I know we'll be overheard.

'All the men have to fight in the war. They recruit them and take them to the barracks, a kind of fort where they train them to become knights. The problem is that with each new batch of recruits, to make sure they're not enchanters, they taste a drop of their blood. It's a kind of initiation ceremony into the life of a warrior. It is done at dusk and requires the help of vampires. Only vampires can sense magic so quickly. And if they recruited someone with magic, they... get rid of them.'

'That's why there were vampires roaming the forest last night, they were going to the barracks.'

'If it was them, we don't have much more time.'