"I don't think I'll ever understand these concepts of night and day, morning and evening," Moreau admitted. "Even after spending time on Earth when I was younger, I find this idea of changing patterns of sunlight very strange."
"Your people would." Olivia furrowed her brow. "How long a time did you spend on Earth? Is it why you speak English so well?"
"I assume so. I studied at a private boarding school in England for a term. I found it to be quite a learning experience."
Olivia did her best to hide her surprise. The Pure Bloods appeared content to make brief visits on her home world to grab whatever they needed—captives for fresh blood for their DNA experiments along with plant and animal specimens—and go. To leave a young person for a school term, far away from his own kind, seemed more daring than an airship journey around the globe.
She tapped her incisors. "Didn't anyone at this boarding school notice your... physical differences?"
Moreau shrugged. "If they did, they never mentioned it. My family paid them well in gold nuggets, I recall. It kept questioning down to a minimum."
Olivia looked askance at him. "You didn't have to pull any telepathic tricks on the headmaster?"
"Just one or two little ones." He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "The four seasons of Earth are peculiar as well. We only need the two, growing and not-growing."
"It makes sense on BloodDark to have two," she agreed. "On Earth, we wouldn't have 'spring forward' and 'fall backward' to moan about if we labeled only two of the seasons. Also, without days and nights, babies wouldn't have anything to mix up, according to my mom and aunt. Folks would miss their griping if we messed with the natural order of things."
"The natural order? Yes, I understand. It's something I learned humans are very impressed by. You can't have things which don't fit your small concept of reality. You simply ignore them if they do."
"It explains why you successfully fooled a school full of people into thinking you were human." Olivia stopped. "Here we are."
They'd reached the airship, but so far only a handful of ruling council members and their aides had boarded. Olivia smiled at a guide standing at the gangway. Her father would be impressed with the historical accuracy... The guide dressed like a Zouave, complete with a fez-like hat with long tassel. He pointed to the massive airship.
"As befits your status, you'll travel aboard The Shadowy Daughter of Urthona," he announced with flourish of his hands.
Olivia swallowed a giggle. "Wow. It's quite a name."
The guide grinned. "I know. A big name for a big ship, but she's not the most famous. That privilege belongs to her—Oculus Nightingale." He nodded reverently to a corner of the docks where a solitary and somewhat time-worn airship floated from a docking mast. Olivia saw two eyes resembling the Eye of Horus painted either side of the envelope.
"She's beautiful. Don't you think so, Moreau?" Olivia asked.
Her Pure Blood companion shrugged. "It's an interesting design."
Soon the two men were discussing the size and specifications of the older—and, from what she gathered, infamous—aircraft. Olivia took the opportunity to scan the gathering crowd for signs of Hernando and Caveman, but they hadn't arrived yet from an impromptu meeting called between the councilors and some of their most far-flung subjects. Odds were Valori wouldn't be here, but it didn't hurt to reach out to her friend and check in with her. Olivia closed her eyes and concentrated.
Valori, are you in Penumbra City or somewhere nearby? I've missed you.
I've missed you, too, my child, came the mental reply. I've been occupied with important business. I cannot discuss it now. We will be together soon. Take care, Olivia. The future of our worlds is in your hands.
Valori appeared in a vision of red swirling dust and growing storm clouds, black and tumultuous, filled with lightning and brimstone. The image of total destruction flashed before Olivia's eyes and then receded. She shuddered and gasped.
Moreau turned and stared at her. "Are you feeling well?" His concerned tone touched her. He took her arm and guided her over to sit on a large crate dockside. "Your face paled. You appeared to have seen a... a ghost is the closest English word I can call it."
"I sure hope she's not a ghost."
"Our new high priestess?" he asked. Olivia nodded. Moreau frowned. "It's most unusual Valori and Drucinda aren't present. For such an important endeavor, it's traditional to have a blessing by someone of their high station in attendance."
"Is it?" Olivia took a deep breath and felt her equilibrium returning. "I liken this expedition to a military one. In my culture's traditions, those of high station usually stay home, and let the poor handle the messy details like blowing things up and getting themselves killed."
Moreau smirked. "Perhaps it's why the people of Earth suffer endless warfare. We of the Pure Blood realized sometimes war cannot be averted, and none are spared from service to the greater good. In the ancient times, our priests and priestess led us into battle through the power of their—"
"Olivia, are you ready to fly?" Hernando called out as he approached the airship. He jogged over and knelt down, eyes narrowing as he observed her. "You okay? Still recovering from the trip?"
"That must be it. A bullet train ride and now a flight in a Goodyear blimp—my stomach's doing a number on me." Slapping her thighs, she stood. "I'll manage. I'm ready to go."
Hernando exchanged an odd look with Moreau. The golden-haired vampire shrugged. "She saw a ghost," Moreau confirmed.
"Forget about it, guys," Olivia grumbled, marching past them to join the line to board the airship. They could forget, but she knew she never would. What did the vision of Valori mean?
The party ascended the mooring tower in an elevator, then crossed a gantry of unnerving flimsiness to enter the airship. All boarded without incident, and the pilot and crew cast off ten minutes later. Olivia and Hernando
