Normally, they only allowed Aeternae to handle palace security, so why was this place different? It still fell within the palace’s jurisdiction. Hell, even the armor was identical to what I’d seen on the upper levels, except for being black. They had the same crests and decorative motifs etched into the shoulder and chest plates.
I continued shadowing Nethissis on this side, while my other two versions moved farther away. It seemed as though the corridors reached out and away from one another. We ended up in another, tighter hallway, lined with solid iron cell doors. It felt different, compared to what we’d observed until now.
Strange noises emerged from inside these rooms. Sounds I didn’t immediately recognize. A loud, spine-tingling shriek pierced through the corridor, and Nethissis stopped cold upon hearing it. We both looked around, trying to identify the source, but there was nothing in sight.
Staying back, I tried to go through one of the iron doors. To my surprise, I couldn’t. Something warded my Reaper form, forbidding my entry. My stomach churned. This wasn’t good at all. In fact, this warranted additional concern. Determined to peek into this room, I didn’t even notice Nethissis was gone until it was too late. She’d slithered away, undeterred by the shriek, while I’d been left standing in front of a door I couldn’t open or pass through.
To my frustration, it wasn’t the only one. Every single cell on this block was warded against me. Determined not to let the Aeternae get away with whatever it was they were hiding, I decided to break open one of the doors. Nothing they had put together could keep me out for good.
“Kelara, can you hear me?” I reached out through my telepathic connection.
“Dream, for Pete’s sake, enough with the…” Her voice trailed off. “Seeley. Yes. I’m here.”
Our link was weird. I’d never been able to hear her like this, before she’d even become aware of my contact. Something was changing among the Reapers, and I wasn’t sure what it was, or who was responsible. And it was the least of my concerns right now.
“I was right. There’s something iffy going on here,” I said. “They’ve got locked cells in the underground. Warded against Reapers.”
My other versions came across similar rooms, also protected against me and my kind. They were also neatly sealed, and I knew even Nethissis, wherever she’d gone now, couldn’t sneak through. Whatever this place was, it warranted an in-depth investigation, and I knew I couldn’t do it on my own. I needed backup, and I needed it quickly.
“How is that possible?” Kelara replied, out of breath.
“I don’t know. How’s my team coming along? How soon till they get here?” I asked.
“They should be with you by morning. I’ve put Rudolph in charge.”
“Seriously?” I croaked. “Sidyan was much better for this job. He’s got experience with dark places and Reaper wards. Rudolph’s more… corporate.”
Kelara sighed. “Be thankful. No one wanted to go to Visio for you. Sidyan is busy, but Rudolph said he will lead a team your way, as soon as he’s done with a mass reaping. A disaster is about to hit one of the worlds in his care tonight. He’ll head your way right afterwards. It’s better than nothing, Seeley.”
“Yeah, we need Death back at a hundred percent so we don’t have to deal with this crap again,” I said, shaking my head as I stared at the symbols that had been engraved into one of the cell locks. “This is ancient Reaper magic, Kelara. What’s it doing in the Aeternae’s possession?”
“I’m not sure, but we don’t want to go marching in on them,” she replied. “Death says you need to be careful and discreet. If something is going on there, it needs to be investigated without spooking any of the possible perpetrators—whoever they may be.”
“Yeah. I get it.” Looking around, I watched another guard pass me by, his boots thudding and splashing through the puddles. “I’ll speak to you in a bit.”
As the telepathic connection closed, I realized I had more questions than answers at this point. I knew there was something going on here, something aimed against Reapers, but I wasn’t sure what, and I didn’t understand what the Aeternae’s involvement was, either.
Taking my scythe out, I decided to do a little bit of work on the lock. It might’ve been warded against me, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t at least try to override the magic and look inside. I summoned my two other versions, for it would take all the energy I had left to focus on the lock.
Using the tip of my scythe, I scratched away at some of the symbols on it. I’d need some time, but I was confident I could open it eventually. Whatever they were hiding in these cells, it was important enough to want to keep even Reapers out of here. This entire development begged a new question, though, on top of the many others: How were the Aeternae aware of and even knowledgeable about Reapers and their magic?
Soon enough, another question poked me, and it beckoned me to stop everything that I’d been doing. If there was Reaper magic in this place, how safe was someone like Nethissis down here, even in her snake form? Catching up with her became more important than this door. I had to find a way to get her out of here. Then, I could come back to fiddling with the spells they’d put in place.
Sofia
Starlight glimmered in the night sky outside, as the shades had already been pulled from the study room windows to reveal a most breathtaking sight. Below, the city unraveled with its twinkling windows and streetlamps. Above, the night offered a full view of its endless indigo ocean, ruled by a giant pearly moon.
Derek and I had been by Amal’s side for most of the day. We’d spent the morning helping her collect blood samples from both Danika and Acheron, as well as Petra, Kalon, Zoltan, and even Corbin. Amal had decided that it was enough to work with, for the time being. She’d brought her equipment back from the shuttle, and she’d set it all up on the tables here.
Microscopes, a centrifuge, vials and coolers, and a plethora of devices and tools she needed to study and identify the protein in the Aeternae’s blood, by drawing comparisons to Derek’s. We’d gone over everything we’d seen and learned so far, and Nethissis had already sent a first report back to GASP with operational details. As far as I could tell, we were on the right track, and were thrilled to have gained the Aeternae’s support on this.
If, at first, we’d been reluctant to tell the Lord and Lady Supreme about the protein, Beryn’s malicious intervention during last night’s dinner had actually helped clear the air. It had felt awkward for a splinter of a moment, at most, but reason had prevailed on both sides of the discussion.
“It’s going to take a while for me to identify the protein,” Amal said after hours of painstaking study. “Their blood is so rich and different. I’ve spotted at least twenty enzymes that could be used in life-saving cures.”
“How is that possible?” I asked, getting up from my overly comfortable armchair. Derek was flipping through a manuscript he’d borrowed from the library, a series of papers on the benefits of drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood. Despite their less advanced technological state, the Aeternae had studied things profoundly, as best as they could.
“I’m not sure, but I think it might have something to do with the kind of blood they drink for sustenance,” Amal replied.
Derek nodded in agreement. “I think she’s on to something,” he said, pointing at the manuscript. “Here, it says that all the Aeternae who have tried to live solely on animal blood have developed various weaknesses and dysfunctions. There’s definitely a health-related reason speaking in favor of them drinking Rimian and Nalorean blood. Maybe it does much more to their blood than they thought.”
“It’s a strong possibility. Most of these enzymes do not seem to belong here,” Amal muttered, staring through the microscope at another batch of blood drops. “First of all, from what I’ve gotten so far, I can tell you that you won’t find these enzymes as they are in Rimian or Nalorean blood. They are the product of their blood absorbed into the Aeternae’s.”
“That’s why you asked your handmaiden for a sample,” I mumbled, slightly amused. My mind had wandered all over the place, and I hadn’t paid attention to everything that Amal had been up to during the day. We all trusted her to handle her affairs with as little interference or support from us as possible. “To make comparisons.”
“Yeah. There is definitely something about the Rimian and the Nalorean blood, something we won’t find anywhere else. But it’s the Aeternae’s blood that processes the best from these two species, as far as the enzymes are concerned. I’m sorry I took a while to study Rimian blood, but I had to be sure.”
“These enzymes you mention probably form the foundation of their rapid self-regeneration, as well,” Derek said, flipping through the manuscript’s pages. “This also talks about wounds healing much more slowly if the Aeternae subsists solely on an animal blood diet.”
Amal gave us a brief nod. “Everything they are is thanks to Rimian and Nalorean blood. The Lord and Lady Supreme were truthful when they said they simply couldn’t revert to living off animals. It would weaken them.”
“It would leave the door open for rebel factions to grow.” Derek sighed. “Everything they’ve built would rush down the drain. I guess risking a Black Fever every ten thousand years is worth it, if we look at the greater picture.”
I walked over to the service table, where a valet had left a full pitcher of fresh Nalorean blood for us to dine on. We’d politely rejected a dinner invitation from the Lord and Lady Supreme tonight, since we had our blood work to focus on. Frankly, there wasn’t much that Derek and I could do to assist Amal, but we’d decided to stay with her for her own protection, more than anything else.
As reasonable as we’d tried to be in our discourse and assessments, we knew we couldn’t fully trust the Aeternae, even the upper echelons of their society. There were eyes on us almost at every corner—guards, nobles, servants… they all had an interest in watching us, in studying our movements. It was our duty to make sure Amal made headway with her projects, and that we didn’t spend too much time on Visio. Most importantly, we had a day-walking protein to walk out of here with. Naturally, our scientific work was of paramount importance for this.
I poured myself a glass and one for Derek. We took our time with the blood, allowing the memories and foreign sensations to rush through us. Lost summer dreams. Secrets that the Naloreans we’d drunk from had never revealed to anyone. Thoughts of days long gone. The emotion of calm anticipation as night came with its starry indigo skies…
