Page 123 of Veinblood
“To meet with them? Yes.” I pause. “To be what they expect me to be? I don't know.”
“You don't have to be anything other than what you are. That’s enough.”
“Then we should go.” I take a deep breath and step toward the door.
When I walk out of the bedroom, the women are putting finishing touches on Ellie's appearance. I stop to stare.
The dress they've chosen is black silk, with silver embroidery that compliments the patterns on my coat. Her hair has been arranged to leave her neck bare, showing the graceful line of her throat. But it's her expression that stops my breath. Gone is any trace of the uncertain woman who stumbled into my world. What stands before me is someone who belongs here, who has earned her place at my side through blood and courage.
“Are you ready?” I ask, offering her my arm.
She takes it without hesitation. “I don’t know why I needed to wear a dress for these meetings, but I’m ready as I’ll ever be.”
I pat her hand. “You deserve to have the finest clothes.”
Varam leads us down through the Spire to what was once my father's private study. Veinwardens nod respectfully from their posts as we pass, and I catch glimpses of people moving through doorways, as the Spire comes back to life under Veinblood rule.
We enter the study. It feels strange to be standing in here and not seeing my father behind his desk, but I know he’d approve of this use. At the edge of my awareness, Varam tells Ellie that he’ll bring in the Veinwardens first.
I have just enough time to cross the room and stand in front of the desk before he returns with four figures who carry themselves with the quiet confidence of people who've fought for what they believe in.
“My Lord.” I frown at Ellie’s formal choice of address, and she gives me a smile. “You have already met Jorana and Corwin, but may I present Bessa and Masha of the Ashenvale Knot.”
All four Veinwardens bow, and when they straighten I gesture for them to sit. These people have earned the right to be treated as allies, not supplicants.
Jorana speaks first. “My Lord, it has been our honor to serve in reclaiming your city. The Ashenvale Knot has managed to keep in contact with networks throughout Sereven's reign, waiting for this moment.”
“We learned to blend in,” Corwin adds. “I worked as acarpenter, Masha as a seamstress. Bessa ran a small bakery. People trust those who provide useful services. Jorana lives outside the city and is one of our primary contacts between the Knots who live in surrounding settlements.”
“The real advantage was that Sereven never believed any serious resistance could operate here anymore,” Bessa adds. “His arrogance made him blind to what was happening under his nose.”
“And when Ellie arrived in the city?” I ask.
“I opened my home to her when she needed shelter. She knew one of the old phrases, and I could not ignore that,” Masha replies. “I fed her, gave her clean clothes, and helped her stay hidden.”
“You took considerable risk. The penalty for harboring enemies of the Authority was death.”
“It was worth it, my Lord, to see this day,” Masha says with a small smile.
The conversation turns to how they survived without being caught, and when they finally withdraw, I have a clearer picture of how yesterday’s victory was possible.
The masters enter next.
“May I introduce you to Vorith, Kalliss, and Meren.” Once again, Ellie gives the introductions.
They bow deeply.
“Please, sit. Before anything else, I need you to know what yesterday meant. What you accomplished. After believing our people were gone, to see Veinbloods in the Spire again …” I pause, trying to find the right words. “You have given me back my birthright, but more than that, you have ensured that our people may have a future.”
Vorith inclines her head. “We have waited a long time for this moment, my Lord.”
“Tell me how you survived.”
Vorith speaks first. “We learned to live hidden in plain sight, in places remote enough to avoid close Authority scrutiny, but not so isolated as to draw suspicion.”
“Our children grew up learning to suppress their abilities,” Kalliss adds. “We taught them control above all else, concealment before expression. It was ... painful to watch.”
“But necessary,” Meren says firmly. “We learned that survival meant patience, meant teaching our children to fear their own nature for the sake of staying alive.”
