“A brilliant plan, my goddess.” Tanyth bowed again.
“When you go to Emlestra, release your blood feeders and let them roam freely over the lands. Take none of them with you. Too many in Emlestra will bring unwanted attention. I just want you and Danton there.”
“We will travel at once.” Tanyth said.
“Wait, there is one more point of order.” Cassany raised her hand and Sarren, as a cat, appeared. Cassany returned her to her human form. “Bend the knee, Sarren.” Sarren went to her knees. “Report to me.”
Sarren coughed and cleared her throat, “Thessa just left the room!”
“So, she didn’t see my portal. Report!”
“Thessa’s mother, the Red Mage, is in Emlestra, and so is the Grey Mage. I thought perhaps they were just traveling though, but they have been in the city for a while now.”
“And Thessa?”
“She has not revealed herself to them. She believes it will cause her mother pain.”
“Hmm, Hana must have heard of a girl of Thessa’s former appearance in the city and is searching for her, not realizing she no longer has that visage.”
“There’s more. Thessa has met someone. A young man who seems to have taken quite a liking to her.”
“There you go, Tanyth. I told you she would get more attention. There is yet another path you may take.”
“Yes, my goddess. I may be able to use that information to our advantage. When do you want us to leave for Emlestra?”
“I want you to end up there, but I don’t want you to go there just yet. There is still work to be done.” She turned to Sarren, “I want you to keep Thessa in Emlestra at all costs. We need more time to prepare.”
“But, she is preparing to leave. She believes that the vampires Danton is creating need to be destroyed.” Sarren said.
Cassany became irritated, “Then it is your job to stop her. Keep her there.”
“Yes, Goddess.” Sarren said. Cassany returned her to a cat and dismissed her back through a portal. “Now, the two of you must continue with your work. I want an army of blood feeders and I want you to control and lead them.”
“Forgive me, goddess, but won’t the other gods get nervous with us building such an army?” Tanyth asked.
“More than likely, yes. By the time they realize what’s happening, it will be too late. I will handle the meddling of my brothers and sisters. You just keep building the army without rousing too much suspicion. We don’t want to alert anyone. Keep to the shadows and outer villages where news travels slowly. Remember, stay away from the bigger towns and cities.” Sir Danton stared off into the distance and did not seem to be paying much attention. “Come here, Danton.” Cassany commanded. He complied. “Since the Black Mage made you, I can now do this.” She touched his forehead and a sharp band of dark energy invaded his head. “There, the very next one you turn will be a Sanquinator like you. Choose wisely.” She addressed Tanyth, “With two of them, you should be able to build faster.”
“Thank you, goddess.”
“Now, find another Sanquinator, then continue your task. In a few days travel to Emlestra and carry out the plan. Don’t dawdle or wait too many days to go to Emlestra. I do not have faith in Sarren. She will not be able to keep Thessa there for long, and the opportunity to have the Red, Grey, and Black mages in one place is amazing. If you do well, you will uncover their plans too. Now go, do my bidding.”
The two bowed and thanked her before turning and leaving the overgrown castle.
Chapter 16: Danse Macabre
Thessa woke up the day after she had decided to get rid of the blood feeders and reluctantly leave Gaelyn behind. Ready for action, she was determined to stop Danton from creating anymore blood feeders somehow. Cassany may have tricked her, but she was going to end it no matter how hard Sarren said the job would be. Thessa remembered what it was like to be a vampire, hiding in the shadows and forced to kill out of necessity. She would simply keep her experience in mind when she had to destroy them, not let them go. She would not look at it as a negative. She would think it of it as a merciful endeavor.
She was deep in her thoughts of finding the blood feeders that she was startled when there came a knock on her door. Even Sarren jumped off the window seal and headed beneath the bed. The knock came again, and Thessa stood there in a moment of hesitation.
“Thessa, are you in there?” Came a lid whisper through the door. “It’s me, Gaelyn. I don’t mean to intrude. I will go if you are uncomfortable with me being here.”
Thessa opened the door, “I am not uncomfortable. This is just unexpected. What are you doing here?”
“I thought you should know that I have to be leaving this afternoon and in case I didn’t see you, I didn’t want you to think I just up and disappeared.”
“Come on in.” She opened the door wider. He entered. “Where are you going?”
He sat in a chair Thessa indicated, “Some of the dock workers were chosen to travel by ship to Riverview to the south to help with the unloading of a river barge.”
“I am sorry to see you go. I appreciate you stopping by to tell me. I would have been wondering where you had gotten off to if you had of
