Black Blood

look confused from the board to Nalu and back. This is clearly not what my father taught me, nor what he wanted me to believe. When I think back of my mother, she was a woman of vision. She was loved by many, something that has helped me a lot in my journey so far. The more I think about it, the more I see Nalu’s story reflected in my mother and the consequences of her death. Before her death, my father had strong mixes, but they were expressed in much lesser degrees than now. It is since her death that he seems to have become unhinged.

Her story also ties in with my earlier observation of the former Alpha and Luna of Asa’s pack. She clearly had a big role in how the pack was ruled. The fact that Nalu is kept apart from the elf king’s other wives tells that she has more power than the rest. It tells that her position is higher that she commands more respect.

‘Men often set themselves higher than women by their physical strength and position. However, it is the woman with the strategic moves. Men know this and that is why women are worked down. The nymphs deliberately chose not four men to take the Night Rider position, but two women and two men.’ I have never thought about the reason behind the choice of the two women and two men. However, this gives a lot more explanation than the reasons I could have thought of with my brainwashed thoughts.

‘About what you wanted to tell me before, I am aware of that. I know about the king’s plan, I know about the poisoned water and the death of the two Night Riders. I was afraid you hadn’t survived the flogging when I heard of your state. The water is poisoned at the source. For now, it only affects the four of you. It weakens and drains the magic from your lives. In fact, it’s devouring your lifelines. If it continues at this rate, by the end of spring there will be no more magic or lifelines in your bodies.’ The reality is much harsher than the conclusions I had already drawn.

‘We get the poison from the source,’ I suggest optimistically. Nalu immediately shakes her head.The well is strictly guarded by the Dawn. If you go there, you are committing suicide’. I sigh deeply.

‘If the underworld hears about this they will surely rise up against my father. Surely together we can defeat him’. Nalu shakes her head again. She slides her chair back and stands up.

’After the last war, ties between many peoples have deteriorated. For example, the werewolves and nymphs are not willing to fight each other, no matter how serious the situation. Many think that the king’s plan is impossible. If Yin and Yang couldn’t do it, why should he? Yin and Yang are the links between the life lines and no one knows exactly where they are hidden. People don’t see the urgency and won’t see it until the Night Riders are gone. Many even believe that the newspapers are lying about the death of the two Night Riders. You can talk as much as you want, but you will not be believed. Between her words I can hear the lack of hope. She has given up and is sending me to my grave. I get up from my chair and bang my hand on the table.

‘You can’t do that. You can’t just give my father the victory. You say it yourself. Women are smarter than men. There must be a way to stop my father before he drags me and the underworld into the grave,’ I shout in sheer desperation. All my formality is gone and I don’t care for a second. It’s her life that’s at stake here too.

‘Celeste listen to me. The best thing you can do now is to flee and go into hiding. To protect the lifelines, a Night Rider must remain alive. That’s the only way the magic will live on. Don’t drink any more water, find something that will stop the poison. Pick up your blood bond at the hospital and flee while you still can.’ My eyes widen to dishes. If there is anything I refuse to do after that month with Nelly, it is to go into hiding. Either I die fighting or I don’t, there’s no other option. I’m not going to sit in a cellar and watch my father kill the underworld. There’s something else I don’t like about her choice of words. What does she mean by blood bond?

‘Blood bond?’ I ask misunderstood. Now it is her turn to look at me, not understanding.

‘Novak. You are aware of your blood relation, aren’t you?’ Now the world seems to be kicked out from under my feet. A blood tie is the strongest bond you can have with someone. It binds souls and bodies together into one. You share each other’s emotions, the magic you have and a life. No one enters into this with just anyone. Usually it is only the werewolves who form those bonds. Hurting or even killing the person you share a blood bond with is impossible without suffering the same fate. It makes you inseparable, dependent rather. I am anything but aware of a blood bond.

‘Novak and I have no blood bond,’ I contradict her flatly. Her eyebrows form a frown. She folds her hands.

‘How do you think Novak survived hemlock without the help of magic? Hemlock is deadly without an antidote or the magic of a Night Rider. We don’t have that antidote. The moment Novak bit your neck you formed a blood bond.’ I immediately shake my head. That’s not possible, that’s impossible.

‘If vampires only needed a bite to form a blood bond they would have hundreds of blood bonds,’ I defend my position. Nalu shakes her head.

‘A blood bond requires a soul connection. You formed that soul connection during that bite. I don’t know how, I obviously wasn’t there, but that blood link is there. He’s awake, go check on him and you’ll know I’m right. He is in the hospital. The building on the right side of the entrance’. A soul connection only exists during a ritual or occurs during a moment when someone puts his or her life on the line for the other. Despite her firmness, I don’t believe her story. I don’t feel different since that bite, I don’t feel the connection with Novak. There is only one way to find out if her story is true. I just nod and walk towards the door.

‘Celeste.’ I turn towards Nalu one last time. She has a heavy look on her face that tells me little good.

‘You need to let your dragon go. It makes you a target.’ I don’t answer, turn around and walk out of the suite. I don’t answer, turn around and walk out of the suite