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Raúl snaps to attention. “Of course, of course. We will leave immediately, before they go to sleep.”
I sling my bag over my shoulder. He grabs my hand and stares intently into my eyes. “Are you sure about this?”
I nod, my pulse racing. “I need to know. We have time before Mother returns. I cannot risk being out of the tower when she isn’t here.”
Raúl wraps an arm around me and jumps out the window. We float down and nerves race through me, my heart beating against my ribs. I tell him the name of the town Nava said to go to and Raúl steps on the portal stone.
“You can use this?” I say, amazed.
“Yes. All vampires have enough magic to use portal stones and our mirrors. Only a few vampires retain their witch or mage magic after becoming vampires, and none are born with that amount.”
“So, there are no vampire witches?”
Raúl stands me on my feet, but keeps a tight grip on my hand. “Oh, there are. Very, very few, though.” He traces the inscription on the stone, and suddenly, wind surrounds us. My breath is sucked out of me and I see into nothing, a void of darkness, then suddenly, I am standing on another portal stone.
So many days I spent staring at that portal stone, wishing I could stand on it, use it, and travel anywhere. Anywhere in the realm. Deep down inside, I knew Mother would never let it happen. Despair and anger seeded in my heart, gripping it and dragging me down to darkness.
Here I am, now, not only standing on a portal stone, but on one in another town far from my tower. The town in front of us is not very big, and if a few more families left, it would downgrade into a village. I take a deep breath and stare at the rows of houses with the same brown roofs and brown doors, decorated for the coming All Hallows Eve. Farms surround the outskirts, and a road leads down the center of town.
Raúl steps off the stone, and I follow him. Nava directs us to the house, which is at the end of the main path of the street, opposite of where we stand. Each step in the dust sends a stab to my heart, my mind’s thoughts a whirl. Is this woman my actual mother? What if she doesn’t remember having me? What if she does? I run through the scenarios in my head, trying to picture how I’ll react.
At last, we arrive in front of the house. We walk up the short path to the door and I knock. Raúl stands beside me, hiding in the shadows. I can hear a cacophony of noises inside, the sound of children’s laughter mixed with adult conversations. I take a deep, steadying breath and knock louder. This time, the door swings open, and a little girl with the same-colored hair as mine stands at the door.
“Is your grandma here?” I ask. “Or mother?”
Opening her mouth, the little girl screams for her grandma at the top of her lungs. My eyes widen and I step backward. An older gentleman comes to the door and sweeps the girl up in his arms. He stares at us and an older woman walks up to us, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Yes? Can we help you?”
I stutter, unsure of how to bring it up. “Uh. Yes. Does someone named Dreselda live here?”
The older woman narrows her eyes and stares at me. “Yes, I am she. Why do you ask?”
“Did she, I mean, you. Uh. Did you ever have a baby girl you gave away?”
The older gentleman’s eyes widen, and he puts the girl down, shooing her inside. She runs off gleefully. “A baby girl?”
Anger flashes across Dreselda’s face. “I would never do anything of the sort. You must have the wrong person, sorry.”
She leaves, going inside, but the man continues to stare at me, confusion in his eyes. Eventually, he shakes his head and shuts the door without saying a word.
My shoulders droop as my heart breaks. I was convinced these people would have the answers I sought. I walk to the empty lot next door, leaning against the giant tree. I slide down until I hit the ground, putting my face into my hands. Raúl sits down next to me, not minding the dirt one bit, and puts an arm around my shoulders. I rub my eyes, determined not to cry.
Of course, I knew she probably wouldn’t remember, not with Mother and her spells. Deep down, I hoped, believed, that the sight of me would trigger the truth. If she actually is my birth mother.
“Hey,” whispers someone. I look up, and a gnarled old woman stands in front of us, leaning on her cane. I stare at her, not responding. “Yes, you,” she says again. “I know what you seek.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
My mouth drops open, unbelieving. “What do you mean?”
She looks up and down the lane, waving her cane at us. “Shh, not out here. Come inside, come inside.”
We stand up, following her into the house across the street from the tree. I step inside, and Raúl waits at the doorway. “No funny business from you, vampire. Or I’ll cut your head off,” she says.
I snort, and Raúl raises his hands in surrender. “I’ll behave.”
She invites him in and shuts the door, sliding in the locks. She glances out the window before shutting dark brown curtains. After, she sits down at the kitchen table, slamming her cane across the wood. Smoothing her silver hair back, pushing a few stray strands into the bun at her nape, she says, “You can never tell who’s listening or watching. Mostly Cal. He spies for the witch.” She rolls her eyes. “He thinks no one knows, but we all do, of course. He needs a good wallop in the head for how uppity he is.”
I grin in spite of myself. She gestures to the chairs near her. “Sit, sit, please.”
