Page 85 of Tell No Tales
The rest of the night was anticlimactic after Klaus learned he could remove the magic that had twisted the dead and brought them back to life. He'd never dreamed he had that kind of power. He was a grand seeker, yes, but seeking the unnatural creatures and burning away the power that gave them life had seemed impossible until he did it.
He couldn't have done it without Vadim's help. Vadim had talked him through it, from focusing on the creatures' unnatural core energy to casting it out. Klaus was still certain his link with Vadim controlled his power over the undead, but Vadim insisted the power was Klaus's alone.
Once Vadim and Yvette had inspected Klaus and Nola for injuries and cleared them to continue their journey, they headed north to the edge of campus closest to the palace. The dormitory where Vadim and Yvette had stayed was still standing, but it had seen better days. The lattice trim around the windows was hanging in disrepair, and ivy had grown up the side of the building into the eaves.
"There's no one here," Klaus whispered. "Not even the undead."
Klaus couldn't shake the uncanny feeling they were being watched, but he couldn't sense any weavers still awake. It was eerie.
"Vadim and I will go back for the others," Nola said. "You stay here with Yvette and find us more rooms."
"Don't you dare think we need separate rooms,"Klaus said to Vadim through their link.
"Do what you want."Vadim's response wasn't the resounding excitement he'd hoped for, but it wasn't rejection. Klaus would take it as a win.
"We'll use the north door," Yvette said. "I don't like being in the open like this."
She must have felt it, too, that uncanny prickling along their skin. Something was out there, watching.
Yvette led Klaus along a narrow path between the side of the building and some bushes. As soon as they turned the corner, the prickly feeling subsided, and Klaus shook his shoulders.
"It's an old watchtower spell," Yvette said. "Nothing to worry about. It's worse for people who have no reason to be on campus. Vadim and I are somewhat immune, since we were students."
"It's awful," Klaus said as he dug in his boot for his lock-picking tools. Then, he tried the handle, and it was open.
She laughed. "Vadim would have warped the whole fucking door for no blessed reason. Have you ever seen him break a lock?"
"Once." Klaus hadn't seen it, but he'd heard it, the night Vadim had entered the crate after telling Klaus to lock himself inside. "It's better now that he can repair the wood."
"Oh, I don't doubt it. Hesse always recruited one of us to heal whatever damage Vadim had done. I had to fix an antique trunk once. Strangest thing I've ever done. I felt like an earth weaver when it all came back together."
She motioned him inside. It was dark with the door shut, but she uttered a pleased grunt when she saw a dark secretary across the entryway. "It's still here."
In a flash, she found a candle and matches in the top drawer. The candlelight displayed her triumphant grin.
"I'm beginning to think Vadim doesn't intend half the damage he does." Yvette grabbed Klaus's elbow and led him along a dark hallway to a narrow staircase. "He's very stubborn."
"He is," Klaus agreed.
"He hasn't hurt you?" She turned to him and examined his face.
Klaus shrugged. "Not on purpose."
"The kitten wasn't his doing."
"I know." That didn't take back how horrible Klaus had felt when Vadim had allowed the little furball to die. "I said some awful things to him."
"Words are easy enough to take back," Yvette said. "Your link strengthens each day. It was barely a thread before he dived into the ocean after you, and you almost severed it when the kitten died, but it's resilient."
"Why us?" Klaus asked as she led him up a second flight of stairs.
"You'll have to ask him." She grinned. "Life links are rare between healers and their patients, but they do happen. The most famous one is little more than a fairy tale of Empress Moira and her consort. She fell into a volcano, and he saved her with a life link. Supposedly, that's how she became the first fire weaver. Not even Hesse believed that story. I can't say I blame him."
She dragged him up yet another flight of stairs. These doors were further apart than the others, and when Yvette opened the first one, Klaus saw the room was far larger, though empty.
"We won't be as comfortable, but I'll feel safer, especially if we're stuck here a few days."
"These are for healers?"
