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“Nava, have you found more about the vampire rebels?”
Yes. The one from the garden is still in recovery. Carmen is not with him. My cousins watch from the ceiling of the cave where he resides in.
Perfect. If Nava has the location, at least I have something I can give to Raúl to help.
“Where is Airalin?”
The witch remains in the tower. She is pacing the floor.
Even more perfect. “Wonderful. Please keep an eye on both. We must tell Raúl.”
It will be done.
I sit on the desk stool and tie my braids up again, thinking about Nava and her family. I am about to ask her a question when she whispers, Wait.
My hands freeze. Airalin. She screams, saying she will get her revenge. On you.
I tremble as I finish tying my braids together. I will not let her take me back. I cannot let her take me back. Deep down, I knew the moment I left her tower that she would try to find me again, dragging me into her prison. I grit my teeth, furrowing my eyebrows. “Nava, how do you spread secrets?”
Whispers in the darkest part of night, when humans are sleeping.
A laugh flows out of me, relaxing my face. “What’s funny?” asks Raúl.
I jump slightly and turn to him. “Raúl.” I immediately stand up and throw my arms around him. He chuckles and pulls me closer, holding me tight and nuzzling my neck. I giggle and step backward so I can concentrate. “Nava told me Niles is in a cave. Carmen isn’t there.”
He looks at me with surprise. “Would she be able to point it out on a map?”
Yes.
“She says yes.”
Raúl tugs me back to him and nuzzles my neck again until I am in a fit from laughter. He grins mischievously at me, and we head to his council room. Once there, Nava crawls down my arm and onto the giant map on the wall behind a large wooden desk. She pinpoints a spot northwest.
It is this area. I do not know exactly which cave. Our view of the world is different.
I relay her response to Raúl, and he nods. “No, Nava. This is more than enough. We will find them.”
Nava crawls back up my arm, her legs barely pin-pricking my skin, and settles in her usual spot. I circle Raúl’s desk, running a finger along the edge as I eye the neatly piled papers. An empty spot on the edge of the desk looks large enough for me to sit, and I boost myself up. It is as if yesterday’s physical activity awoke a craving in me. Before, I abhorred physical touch, flinching whenever Mother neared me. With Raúl, though, I never wanted him to stop touching me.
Raúl stares at me, desire in his eye, waiting. Slowly, I draw up my skirts as I stare back. In seconds, our bodies collide in a tangle of limbs and heat. Our cries fill the air moments later.
Raúl drops his forehead to my sweaty one. He helps me fix my clothing until I am presentable, and we walk arm-in-arm to breakfast.
“Night will be here soon. I am sending a few of my soldiers to search for the rebels where Nava indicated. I must be available for their call, but is there anything you would like to do tonight?”
I look up at him and smile. “Yes. I’d like to go to the library to do research. Airalin mentioned the seventh child, and I want to find out what she meant.”
We walk into the dining room and sit down. “I will join you, if you want,” says Raúl.
I stare at him unabashedly. “I want nothing more.”
He grins at me mischievously until a vampire on his other side asks him a question. He turns to answer and Helena plops down next to me, her skirts poofing up around her.
She harrumphs and crosses her arms. “You didn’t find me earlier.”
A blush creeps up on my cheeks and she snorts. “Never mind, I can guess why you didn’t.” She leans closer to me. “But I want every detail after dinner. I will trade you chocolate.”
“How can I resist such a deal?” I ask while the servers place food in front of us.
