Page 24 of Stormvein

They say it like it means something. The same way they once saidVareth’el.

A title. A prophecy.

A week ago, I rejected it outright. The name is a burden, a mantle I never asked for but can’t escape. But it doesn’t stop them.

We move lower into a section of Stonehaven I’ve never visited. The air is stale and the walls are damp. This part of the mountain fortress isn’t part of the regular living quarters. It’s old, carved deeper into the mountain, a place where people are brought to be forgotten.

Two guards stand outside a wooden door reinforced with iron bands. They straighten as we approach, exchanging uneasy glances.

“She shouldn’t be here,” one says to Telren.

“She has questions for the prisoner.” Telren’s tone leaves no room for argument, despite his attempts to convince me to stay away.

The guard hesitates, then nods and pushes open the door. The mist stalker follows us inside. Its paws make no sound on the ground, but the air shifts when it enters, like the room itself is aware of its presence.

The chamber beyond is dimly lit by a single brazier, shadows dancing across rough stone walls. A man sits in the center, bound to a chair which has been bolted to the floor. His crimson uniform is torn and bloodied. His face is bruised, a knot formingat his temple, but he remains straight-backed, defiance in every line of his face.

Varam circles him slowly, a thin blade gleaming in his hand. Lisandra and Mira stand at opposite sides of the room, wearing identical fierce expressions that transform their faces into masks I barely recognize. Blood trickles from fresh cuts along the captain’s forearms—shallow, thin lines designed to cause pain without long-lasting damage.

“Where were you taking those orders?” Varam’s voice is calm, almost pleasant, but there’s a note underneath it that makes my skin crawl. “Please don’t waste my time claiming you don’t know. No one sends a captain from the Elite Circle as a blind messenger.”

The captain’s eyes stay fixed on the far wall, jaw clenched so tight the muscles in his cheek twitch.

Varam nods to Mira, who walks over and hands him a small vial containing clear liquid. He takes it, uncorking it with his teeth.

“This is Dragon’s Fire. I’m sure you’ve heard of it. Last chance to speak willingly.”

The captain’s jaw clenches tighter, determination written across his face.

Varam tilts the vial, letting a single drop fall onto one of the open cuts. The effect is instant and terrifying. The captain’s entire body goes rigid, every muscle seizing at once. A strangled sound escapes his throat as his muscles spasm uncontrollably. His bound hands claw at the armrests, nails scraping against wood. When it finally subsides, he’s left gasping, sweat streaking his face to mix with the blood.

I force myself to watch, even as my stomach protests. This isn’t like when Sacha killed the Authority patrol. That was brutal, yes, but it was quick, over in seconds. There was no drawn-out suffering. With those men, I demanded to know why.I couldn’t understand Sacha’s coldness about it. But this man might know where Sacha is. Might know if he’s alive or dead. That’s worth more than my discomfort.

“Blackvault.” He spits the word out between ragged breaths.

The atmosphere in the room changes between one heartbeat and the next. Lisandra goes still, her face draining of color. Mira’s fingers clench into fists so tight her knuckles crack. Varam freezes mid-circle, his hand holding the vial lowering.

“Blackvault?” The shock in Lisandra’s voice is unmistakable. She takes a step forward, then another. “That’s impossible. Blackvault is in ruins.”

I turn to Mira. She answers before the question leaves my lips.

“A place the Authority claimed. They turned it into an execution site for Veinbloods. Hundreds died there.” Her voice is low, but it carries clearly in the sudden silence. “It was sealed after the last one was killed.”

“Not anymore,” the captain says, his mouth curling despite the obvious pain he’s in. There’s triumph in his eyes.

“Why? What requires that godforsaken place to be opened?” Varam demands.

The captain’s eyes land on me. They narrow, focusing on the faint glow along my forearms that I can never fully suppress. For a second, surprise flickers across his bruised features, before he blinks and tears his gaze away.

Varam moves again, raising the vial. “Answer me.”

“Sereven!” He blurts the name out before another drop falls. “The High Commander’s orders. They came directly from him.”

“What happened at River Crossing?” I can’t stay silent any longer.

The captain’s eyes shift back to me. “You were there.” It’s not a question.

“I saw Sereven use a blue crystal against Sa—against the Shadowvein Lord.” I step closer. Varam immediately puts himself between me and the captain, but I push around him. “I saw what happened. What I don’t know is what came after.”