Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 165649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 828(@200wpm)___ 663(@250wpm)___ 552(@300wpm)
You will be in the forest, Ferro, and the vampires have taken over that section of the forest. Many of the servants sleep beneath the trees. That is why so many of the trees have become diseased. The moment Sergey and the others know you have eluded them, they will send word to cut you off so they can trap you between them. They have alerted the guardians already.
Ferro indicated to Benedek to open the trap door so they could drift through. Cornel will be the one to realize we have escaped their ambush in the corridor.
Cornel or Ambrus. Ambrus is cunning, like a wild animal. Cornel is much like the older Malinov brothers. He develops strategy quickly and is fluid about it. He can change battle plans on the run, Elisabeta answered.
Elisabeta was a wealth of information on their greatest enemies. Ferro waited as first Gary, Petru, Sandu and then Benedek successfully floated through the square hole created for an escape into the forest. He streamed up slowly in mist form. As he passed into the forest, he again felt the oppressive weight of hopelessness settling on him. There seemed to be nothing to breathe but sorrow. Even in the form he had chosen—and it fit with the gray veil covering the trees—that bleak, depressing burden seeped into his pores and found blood and bones where there were none, making it nearly impossible to think.
At once Elisabeta’s cool, soothing breeze was floating through their merged minds, carrying the familiar scent of orange and lime mixed with a hint of Italian bergamot, sandalwood and vetiver. Her presence gently blew the burden of sorrow away, sending it drifting through their minds, allowing it to dissipate so they could see the complicated weave of spells creating the overwhelming melancholy that was another trap to hold unwary victims for the vampires to feast on.
There was no doubt in the ancients’ minds that they could have worked through the spell, but it would have taken time and the master vampires might have been on them, along with their army sleeping beneath the trees, before they had finished working it out.
That spell is the combined work of several master vampires that you feel. Both Dorin and Cornel wove the base of it and the others layered their weaves over the top.
Ferro took the time to study the spell, although he could feel Elisabeta’s anxiety. She wanted them to leave the forest as quickly as possible. The ancient hunters knew that if they could identify the magic being used by each specific vampire, it would give them further insight into that creature and his fighting ability. Did he pay attention to detail? Was he sloppy? Precise? Was he old-school or modern? Did he use a combination of both? Did he find his own magic?
Will you be able to identify the creator of each strand?
Yes. Elisabeta practically hissed it. Ferro, get out of there. He is coming.
All five of the ancients went still. Ferro felt their silent question to him. How did she know that when they didn’t? There was nothing yet in the forest to herald the arrival of the master vampires. No shuddering or even welcoming. Sergey’s spies, the crows and owls, remained somewhat lethargic within the gloom of the gray mist. He didn’t have an answer, but if she was right and the master vampires were already on their way, the ancients couldn’t be caught in the middle of the forest surrounded by an army of vampires. They had to choose their own battleground.
Which way?
They will expect you to go out by the lake. It is closest, and that is the way you had to have come in. He has already alerted his servants to be waiting for you and to search that entire area for any signs of hunters. He does not want to alert his spies in the forest in case you are still inside. That is a break for us. Go north. Move as quickly as you dare without triggering the guardians. They hang from every tree branch. You cannot disturb them.
North meant deeper into the forest. Can we go above the trees?
No. Anxiety rippled through her voice. Sheer terror. Ferro, please, do not try that way. It is cut off to you. All Carpathian hunters take to the sky or go to the ground.
He had to soothe her before they lost her to a panic attack. The forest had become a labyrinth of traps for the unwary hunter. They would have to return with a large faction and remove all snares so any campers wouldn’t be caught.
We are moving to the north, piŋe sarnanak. There is no need to be upset. It was simply a question. You know Sergey’s traps better than any other, and we are grateful that you do. He kept his voice very steady and calm, soothing her as they made their way carefully, following the direction in her mind.