Page 84 of Veinblood
“If things were different,” Kessa regains control of the chaos. “If we could act without fear, what would we do?”
The replies come from all corners of the room.
“Help people.”
“Use our abilities the way they were meant to be used.”
“Stop pretending to be something we’re not.”
“Teach our children to be proud instead of afraid!”
The three masters are sitting quietly on the opposite side of the room, not taking part in the discussion going on. I look from one to the other. Meren stares back, blank-faced. Kalliss smiles. Vorith gives me a small nod.
I lick my lips and stand up. Silence falls, and all eyes turn toward me. The attention twists my stomach into knots and makes my knees go weak, but I force myself to remain standing.
“Sa—” I clear my throat. “The Vareth’el is fighting openly. He’s not hiding his existence. But he believes all the Veinbloods were destroyed in the purges. He has no idea that any of you exist.”
“What would it mean if he did know?” someone calls.
“I think it might make him fight differently. Right now, he carries the guilt of thinking he failed everyone. What if he knew that wasn’t true? What if he knew he wasn't alone?”
“But what would he expect from us?”
“I don’t think he would expect anything. But it would give him even more reason to fight against the Authority, knowing that he fights not only for himself and the Veinwardens who remain, but for Veinbloods as well.”
“If we are talking about making ourselves known,” Meren stands up. “Then it can’t be halfway. We can’t reveal ourselves and then hope for the best. It has to mean something.”
“More than that,” Vorith joins him. “It means accepting that we might be trading decades of safety for the possibility of war. And it won’t just affect us, it will affect every other Veinblood across Meridian. Once the Authority knowsweare here, they will hunt for others.”
“We will need to contact the other settlements,” Meren says. “And ask if they are willing to consider this.”
“Allof them,” Kalliss adds.
“And if they all agree?” My heart is pounding so hard I can barely hear myself talk.
Are they really considering coming out of hiding?
“Then we’re talking about revealing hundreds of Veinbloods.”
“It would change everything,” someone says softly.
“For better or worse,” another adds.
I look around at the people surrounding me. Faces are filled with excitement, fear, worry, and every emotion in between, but all I can think about is that these hidden Veinbloods of Meridian are about to make a decision that could reshape everything.
Chapter Twenty-Four
SACHA
“Sacrifice without purpose is waste. Purpose without sacrifice is dream.”
Veinwarden Prayers
Children’s voicesdrift across the square as dusk settles over Greenvale. Stonehaven children, who days ago were fleeing for their lives through mountain passes, now play alongside village children who have never known anything other than this valley’s safety. Their games show nothing of the trauma of the past few days, the way only children can manage.
Adults stand around, conversations flowing, as though these people have known each other for years rather than days. The sight brings a small sense of relief. We found sanctuary when we needed it most.
But not even that relief helps me to relax. The bond with Ellie continues to grow sharper, her emotions reaching me across the distance. The pull northwest tugs at me with growing intensity, and the uncertainty about what she’s facing eats at my ability to focus on immediate concerns.
