The music ended, and the two girls stopped twirling. But they didn’t let go of each other. Their fingers, still laced together, traced tentative patterns on each other’s hands.
It was Laura who broke the silence after taking a single step back.
“Tell me, Lili. Why… Why are you here? What happened? Why now?”
The barrage of questions overwhelmed Liliene. She smiled wryly and called for help.
“Nex!” She could only hope Nex was in range.
A dome of darkness appeared behind Liliene. Laura jumped. The dome faded, revealing Nex, who bowed to Laura.
“Laura, how you’ve grown.” She gave her a real, warm smile. “What a pretty lady you’ve turned into.” Nex hummed, then her smile turned teasing. “No wonder my Lili couldn’t forget about you.”
So much for Liliene’s confidence.
“Nex! Don’t…” Liliene hid her face behind her hands. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”
“You… you haven’t changed at all, Nex,” Laura said, unsure if she should be happy or terrified. Probably both.
“Really?” Nex looked down at her own body. “I’d like to think that I’ve grown.”
“So!” Liliene interrupted. “Do you mind going over the parts I don’t know well, Nex? I want to tell Laura everything. I trust her.”
“I swear I won’t tell a soul. I... I l-like Lili.”
Liliene sat on the ground, and Nex followed. Laura joined them soon after, sitting in front of them. Liliene frowned, stood up, and dropped down right next to Laura.
“Nex. Start from the very beginning,” Liliene said, resting her head against Laura’s shoulder.
They told Laura everything. About the kingdom that once was, about Liliene being their princess, about Lili’s parents, about what they knew about Luna, up to her shutting down.
“I think my dad looked like that,” Liliene said, pulling out the golden medallion from under her neckline.
Laura leaned to look at it, but given the crude carving, it wasn’t very helpful. She decided to focus on what was truly important.
“I’m so sorry, Lili. About Luna.”
Laura didn’t know Luna all that well; she had spent way more time with Nex back when they almost lived together, if only for a few months. To think Luna was an artifact. She looked so human; was that even possible?
“What are you going to do now?” Laura’s hand found Liliene’s and squeezed it.
“I’m going to find a way to recharge her. That’s where you come in!” Liliene said, her smile radiant and trusting.
“Me?” Laura tilted her head. “How?”
“I don’t know. You know more about artifacts than I do.”
“I’m the daughter of a trinket shop owner, not a scholar. Lili, I’m sorry, but… I can’t help you.” Laura looked at Liliene and shook her head. “I’d love to, really, but… A humanoid artifact is unheard of.”
The silence that followed wasn’t exactly comfortable. Liliene hadn’t expected the answers to come on a silver platter, but she had expected something. Enthusiasm, maybe?
“Then… Where do you think I should look?”
“All information pertaining to artifacts is centralized in a single institution, and you can guess who oversees it.”
“The church?”
Laura nodded. “They’ll kill you on sight.”
Liliene wasn’t exactly eager to throw away the life Luna and Nex had fought to give her. But was a life hidden and alone truly a life anyway? Besides, the church would kill her on sight whether she was studying artifacts or picking mushrooms in the forest.
“Still selling those eye-changing necklaces?” Liliene asked with a cocky smile.
Laura’s eyes were wide. “Lili, you can’t be serious.”
“I am.” The smile on Liliene’s face faded to the most serious expression Laura had ever seen her wear. “Mama was forced to abandon her family for me; she killed for me. It’s the least I can do for her. I understand if you can’t help us. I’m not sure I would want to put you at risk anyway. Would you mind just… telling me where it is? Tell me about this place where I can learn about artifacts.”
“It’s called the Conservatory. It’s an academy that manages all facets of artifacts. From delving to securing ruins to identifying and repairing the recovered artifacts.” Laura looked at Lili and bit her lip. “It’s also… where I was going to study.” New chapters come out on NovelPing first.
“Really? That’s—” Liliene froze, the words stuck in her throat. Was fate laughing again? “Sorry. I’ll find another way.”
“Why?” Laura asked. “Five seconds ago you were ready to throw your life away, but the moment you hear I’m also coming, you change your mind. Do you not… want us together?”
“I told you, I don’t want to put you in danger.”
“Lili. It’s too late for that.” Laura exposed her neck. Liliene frowned, unsure of the point of Laura exposing her neck until she saw them. They were faint, almost invisible, just two white dots on already pale skin. “I’m a head shorter than the other girls. I got my period at fourteen. I can’t prove it’s your doing, but… I can feel it.”
“I…” Liliene’s lips trembled. “I had no idea. I never wanted…” She turned to Nex, who had stayed silent for the whole exchange. “Nex, did I… Could I have done this?” Her eyes were already watering.
“I have no idea. Short mothers have short daughters; fourteen isn’t that late, from what I know. It’s entirely possible it’s just coincidences,” Nex answered while shaking her head. She chewed on her lower lip, deep in thought. “You’re not even a vampire, exactly. There’s no telling which powers you will manifest.”
“You don’t get it, Lili,” Laura interrupted them. “I’m… glad. It meant there was really something between us, and worse… I had this selfish voice in my head telling me I would live longer than the others around me…”
For once, Liliene was truly speechless. Her own mortality wasn’t a concept that had ever troubled her. She had never even thought about it, having no idea how long she’d live anyway. But she didn’t miss the first part. She leaned against Laura. Her Laura was neither sad nor angry, and that was all that mattered.
“I told you I’d come back,” Liliene said, her voice gentle.
Laura nodded and squeezed Liliene’s hand harder. “I should go back. The festival is probably over by now. Mom will worry.”
“Eh… Already? I want to stay with you.” Liliene’s mouth was starting to form her usual pout, her eyes widening in preparation for the pleading to come.
Nex closed her eyes, happy she wasn’t the target today.
“Lili… Don’t. I can’t make Mom worry.” She leaned in and gave Liliene a small, shy peck on her cheek. “We’ll see each other tomorrow. We need to talk about what we’re going to do if we’re both…” Laura glanced at Nex. “Or all attending the Academy.”
The pout didn’t leave Liliene’s face, but she nodded anyway. “Okay… When? I already want to see you again.”
“At midday. Do you have anywhere to stay for the night?”
“We can still access our old shelter,” Nex said.
“Be careful. After you left, the church regularly came to the village and searched deep in the woods. They may have found it.”
Nex shrugged. “Even if they did, I doubt they could have opened it.”
They all stood, and Liliene and Laura held hands for a while, neither wanting to let go first.
“You should go…” Liliene said, looking at their locked hands.
“I should…” Laura answered, her thumb brushing the back of Liliene’s hand.
Nex sighed, expanded her domain, and put her hand on Laura’s shoulder to teleport her away.
“Nex! Why did you do that?”
“Self-preservation. My blood was turning to syrup.”
Liliene frowned, feeling like she was missing something here. Did sugary blood taste better?
“I sent her close to her home. Don’t worry.”
The two of them walked toward their former home. Liliene hadn’t said a word during the entire walk.
“Don’t pout, Princess. You’ll see your lady tomorrow.”
“I’m not!” Liliene stomped her foot. After another beat of silence, Liliene pondered Laura’s revelations. “Nex, what are periods?”
“You nodded, yet had no idea?”
“Hm.”
“Human girls bleed once a month; it’s a fact of life.”
“That sounds terrible. Why?”
“Has something to do with adulthood and reproduction, I think?”
“And I don’t?”
“Vampires are usually turned, not birthed. We truly have no idea what applies to you and what doesn't. But in your case, you’re almost twenty; it would truly be a late start.”
“What will we do? If the shelter is watched?”
Nex snorted. “Princess… It’s the dead of night.” She turned, holding her head high, and grinned. “I’m invincible.”
The journey to their former home was slow and stressful as Laura’s warning bounced in her head. Liliene’s eyes darted left and right, drawn to the slightest creak or rustle. She remembered bits and pieces, but she had never fought for real, and she wasn’t sure she was eager for her first experience.
Luckily, they met nothing but a few rats and bats on the way.
Nex didn’t open the blast door right away; instead, she ran her fingers along the edges of the round metal slab.
“They tried to break in. There are scratches, and… what is this?” She rubbed a black, powdery residue between her fingers. “Did they try to melt it?”
Liliene, for her part, was looking at the palm scanner. “I hope they didn’t smash it. I have no idea how it works.”
“Only one way to find out,” Nex said, nodding to Liliene to try opening it.
The familiar green line ran from top to bottom, and the door released its usual burst of air.
The inside was just like Liliene remembered. Just how they had left it before running away. Meaning, mostly white and empty. Yet, she saw herself running around, taking pictures with Laura; the unbidden memories brought a smile to her face.
“It doesn’t feel right without Mama.”
Liliene plopped herself on her old bed, raising a cloud of dust.
“Ew.” She coughed and stood up. “Maybe we should have slept in the clearing.”
“Ah yes. And wake up with the sun shining directly on your face. You’d love it.”
Liliene shrugged. It wasn’t like it was lethal or anything, just painful. “Works better than coffee.”
“Are you that eager to see Miss Laura?”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s sleep early.” Nex looked at Liliene, then ran a finger along her own horns. “We’ll need to prepare carefully. We’ll look conspicuous among humans.”
“I know. We’ll find something. For Mama,” Liliene said, with more conviction than she felt. “Good night, Nex. Thank you for being with me.”
“Always, Princess. Good night.”
Sleeping on a bed made of literal dust had been one of the worst experiences Liliene had ever had. She woke up with her nose clogged with dust, and her eyelids almost stuck together. Worst of all, all they had left for breakfast were a few strips of jerky each and water.
“Let’s go, Nex. With some luck, Laura will share actual food with us,” Liliene said with a forced smile.
Despite her cheery tone, Liliene dreaded meeting Laura’s mother. She had been so good to them, had fed them, and had watched over them both as they played. Yet they had lied; they had endangered her daughter, her whole village, really. Would Elise welcome them like she used to? Nothing was less certain.
As Liliene stepped outside, lost in her musing, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Told you, just two rats. The blue doll is nowhere to be seen. Worth it to keep watch all night.”
At the other end of the cave, blocking the exit, stood five figures. Four wore armor composed of metal and leather. The man at their center wore only light clothes and unslung the bow strapped to his back.
“Time for some target practice.”
Nex tensed, her fingers closing around the hilt of the sword at her waist.
“Princess, we rush inside and seal the door. I can easily take them once it’s dark.”
Liliene almost obeyed, more out of reflex than anything else. Her feet had already started scrambling back as the thought hit her.
“No,” Liliene said, her voice assured.
If Laura were to look for them and meet those men, she’d be hard-pressed to pass it off as a coincidence. Worst-case scenario, they could use Laura against them.
“We fight.”