Page 38 of The Crimson Princess (The Ravengale Chronicles #1)

“Macklemore was a problem. He had to be defeated, but the druids wanted worlds to submit to their rule even without Macklemore, but so did your father, Satima. I ended the druids’ play for control by fighting next to your father and the way he repaid me was by trying to kill me.

I will never allow my world to kneel to him.

Or anyone for that matter. And you need to know that should he and the druids come at us, we will stand to that challenge, and we will win. ”

“I’m not suggesting you do, but I’m asking questions. The book chose him.”

He pushes to his feet and takes me with him. “Let’s talk about the book.” He blinks us and we end up in a vault lined with books. “This is the royal library of our most ancient and guarded texts.”

A thick ancient-looking book appears on the wooden table next to us.

“And that is the Vampire Codex, written long before any time we remember, most of it in the early language long discarded.” Another book appears beside it.

“That’s a modern version of generally accepted translations.

You have your book. We have our book. And yes, you can read it yourself. ”

“Tell me what I need to know.”

“The sorceress is written about as the great disruptor who believes she rules us all. There are hints that your father’s book might have been created by her.”

“No. No, I don’t believe that. The book has protected us. ”

“Does it? Your young are commanded to fight in the Challenge without a choice.”

“And your military has a choice?”

“Yes. They’re all enlisted at their own free will. They fight for their world. They fight for our freedom, for any who would wish to take it from us. And when you live as long as we do, freedom matters.”

“You can’t tell me you have no corruption.”

“Of course we do. There are those who take blood from those who do not offer it, but I can assure you they meet a swift ending. That’s not who we want to be as a race. Read our book, Satima. Unlike your father, I don’t hide the contents from you.”

“He doesn’t hide the contents of the Book of Life. He’s the only one who can read it.”

“Are you sure about that?”

No , I think. I’m not sure of anything anymore and it’s freaking me out.

I sink down into a chair in front of the table and the books, and I drag the one filled with translations forward.

Toren sits down next to me, and another much smaller book appears.

“This one is the translations as they relate to Macklemore. I think you need to start there.”

I nod, my throat too dry to speak. He strokes a hand down my hair. “How about a coffee? I took a liking to it in the human realm and brought it here.”

“I love it, too. I lived on it when I was hunting in San Francisco. I’d kill for a white mocha with whip right now.”

A cup appears in front of me. “From my favorite coffee shop here in the city. I hope you like it.”

“Thank you, Toren. You know I might not read any of this the way you do, right? Two worlds. Two different lenses.”

“You’ve never been given a chance to see things through any lens but your father’s. Perhaps a new perspective will do us all good. I’ll leave you alone here, or if you want you can take the books to the living room and sit at the window?”

“I’m good here. ”

“Okay. If you change your mind, I removed the protections of the vault. You can blink out of here. The kitchen is right next to the living room. I’ll be in one of those two places.

” He blinks out of the room and my lashes lower on an exhaled breath.

I’m not going to like what I read in the Codex, but I can’t take the not knowing.

I blink after Toren and appear in the living room.

He’s at the window, his back to me, and I blink to his side.

He pulls me in front of him, his hand resting on my hip, and I lean against the glass, no fear in me that it will break.

It’s his magic that protects me and I do not fear Toren. “Tell me what you want me to know.”

“I don’t want to shadow your opinions.”

“Just tell me, Toren. Tell me .”

“If I do, this is my interpretation of the text and my observations after living a very long life.”

“I get that. I’ll read and confirm on my own, but just—I need to know.”

“I’ve already told you a portion of this.

The sorceress, Crya is her name, the only living druid sorceress at the time of the war is said to be the ultimate inventor and creator of war and chaos, hungry for power, but never satisfied with peace.

She hides herself from our view, using objects to influence leaders to follow her. ”

“Like the Book of Life.”

“Yes.”

“Who is she and what is her origin?”

“From our text she seems to be the oldest living being.”

My brows dip. “I thought that was Macklemore, thus why he was so powerful?”

“Our Codex says that Macklemore was her creation and meant to serve her as her warrior.”

“And creator of war,” I say, the words acid on my tongue.

“Yes,” he confirms grimly.

“Then why attack the holder of the Book of Life if it’s really her? ”

“It’s said that Macklemore wished to escape her confinement, and he felt he could use the book to destroy her and replace her as the most powerful of all beings. But to do this he had to kill Lares.”

“And he did.”

“I doubt seriously that Macklemore could kill Lares but not your father. Lares had held that book for centuries. He was one with it and her magic.”

“Are you saying my father killed Lares?”

“I’m saying that I knew Lares, and he was a kind man, and a skilled fighter who wielded his magic with peace as his goal.”

“But not a druid? If she’s druid, why not choose a druid?”

“He found the book, but I suspect that was by design. To choose a druid to hold the book created by a druid sorceress would be acceptable and acceptable is not what a sorceress of chaos would want.”

“But if Lares was an honorable warrior, why would a source of evil choose him?”

“Evil loves to corrupt and ultimately the book led to his destruction. She seeks those vulnerable to greed and the hunger for war. To betray Lares would be the ultimate way to win her goodwill.”

“You think my father betrayed Lares.”

“I don’t know that for a fact, but yes, I think he betrayed Lares. I knew Lares. My father knew Lares. He was a humble, kind warrior who drew blood out of necessity not greed for power.”

“Then the book can’t be evil if it chose him.”

“Unless Crya saw his kindness as corruptible and when he was not, she created the chaos that became his ultimate demise.”

“My father is flawed, but I do not believe what you’re suggesting of him. I don’t believe that of my father.”

Toren cups my face and stares down at me. “I know and as a loyal daughter who loves her father, I would expect nothing more.”

“I don’t want to be your enemy.”

“Then choose another path.”

“How? How do I choose between you and my father? ”

“With the conviction of a future queen who does what she feels is right for her gales.”