Page 120 of Stormvein

And they are giving me everything. Their belief is almost a physical force in the room.

I stop when we reach the center of the cavern, Ellie at my side, and let everyone look their fill. The silence is absolute while they wait for me to speak.

“The Authority believes me dead or dying.” The shadows at my command carry my voice to every corner of the space. “Sereven believes his torture destroyed me. That his crystal unmade what I am.” I let darkness spill from my hands, coalescing first into my raven, and then into smaller versions that fly through the chamber, swooping over heads, perching on tables, making people gasp and stare. “He was wrong.”

Whispers ripple through the crowd. Someone near the back chants verses of the Veinblood Prophecy. Others join in, hesitant at first, then with growing strength until the sound fills the cavern, echoing off the walls.

“Where shadows lengthen and dawn falters, the Vein will flow once more …”

I raise my hand. Silence falls immediately.

“This isnotprophecy. This is not divine intervention or fate’s design. This isresistance.Ourresistance. This is flesh and blood and will. This is what happens when we refuse to surrender. When we fight back against those who would destroy us. When we remember who we truly are.”

My gaze sweeps across the gathered faces.

“Spread the word.Vareth’el et’Varin Sacha Torranlives. And I am no longer willing just to fight for survival.” I raise my arms and release the mental grip I hold on my appearance. I don’t need to see my reflection to know my features have sharpened, eyes turning black, shadows rising to the surface ofmy skin following the lines of my veins. “It’s time to end the Authority’s reign permanently.”

The response to my words is deafening. Cheers. Shouts. Weapons striking shields. The sound builds until it seems like the very mountain might shake from its force.

Through it all, I stay composed, focused, and aware of the risk I’m taking. This public revelation will reach Sereven within days, possibly before we reach Blackstone Ridge. People talk, and rumors spread. And I’ll use it as part of my strategy.

Let him know I’ve survived. Let him feel the first tremors of fear. And when night falls, and darkness claims the world, let him wonder if I will step out of them, bringing his death with me.

At my signal, Varam moves ahead of me, clearing a path through the crowd toward the exit. Near the tunnel’s mouth, Lisandra passes in front of me, being escorted by two fighters. Her eyes meet mine, and she gives one slow nod, before turning her back on me, and moving forward toward Stonehaven’s hidden entrance.

Daylight spills through when Varam moves to open the door, momentarily blinding after the soft amber glow of the lightstones. Outside, twenty fighters stand, holding horses.

“Have you ridden before?” I turn to Ellie.

“When we came to Glassfall Gap.” Her smile is small. “It was an experience.”

“If you need to stop, speak up. It’s two days hard ride to Blackstone Ridge.” I stand next to a chestnut mare, running my palm over its neck, then swing myself up into the saddle.

Ellie mounts the grey mare beside me. “I expected you to ride a big black stallion.”

“I prefer a mount that I won’t have a constant battle of wills with.” I pat the horse’s neck gently. “Irisol mares are intelligent, patient, and bred for endurance in the mountains.” My heelstouch the mare’s flanks, and I move to the head of the group, leading them away from Stonehaven.

Once we’re out of view of the fortress, I send out my raven to scout ahead. Its form bursts out from my hand, and launches into the sky. The connection between us stays strong as it soars over the landscape, its vision becoming mine. Through its eyes, I scan the surrounding area, looking for possible ambush points and checking for signs of Authority scouts.

“Do you see through its eyes, or is it something else?” Ellie asks. “Your eyes turn completely black. Can you see what’s in front of you?”

“I can see both. It can be disconcerting at first, but once you get used to it, it’s easy to separate.”

“Is that what I did at Glassfall Gap? When the mist stalker ran through the convoy? I could see everything it was seeing.”

“Yes. All Veinbloods have the capability of shared sight, with a familiar, sometimes it’s achieved through different mediums.”

“I don’t know how I did it. How would I go about learning to control that?”

“When we stop to rest, I’ll show you. It requires a particular kind of focus, especially at first. Trying for the first time while you’re on the back of a horse would not be recommended.”

She falls silent, and I continue my monitoring of the area.

“Authority patrol. Seven soldiers moving along the western ridge. They shouldn’t cross our path, but be aware.”

Varam turns his head toward the ridge in question, but it’s too far away for ordinary vision to detect any movement.

“Will they see us?”