“No one goes to the cellar, understood? No one even goes near it. If my father comes out, you will get me. Do you understand?” Elysa said.

The head maid nodded.

“I understand. I will let the other servants know.”

The head maid Francesca bowed to her before leaving and left Elysa alone with her thoughts. She didn’t know what had happened, but it had hurt her father enough for him to crawl into the cellar to sleep beneath the earth. For some reason sleeping on Garuccian soil nourished him. Even more than blood.

But when he awakened… he would be hungry. And he would not be pleased.

Elysa rubbed the latest bitemark in her wrist and wondered how she would keep everyone in the mansion alive. If father decided to take his anger out on them, there would be no stopping him.

She bit her lip and stared out at the ocean.

Where was Nuncio? Where had her brother gone to? They had come to this world together and had a bond that could only be forged from sharing a mother’s womb. Right now, she needed him more than ever and Nuncio…

There was a crash upstairs when something heavy fell on the floor.

“Viscount?”

Elysa rushed upstairs and found the viscount crawling on the floor of his advisor’s room. Like her, he was being weak from being fed on and getting back on his feet was a struggle.

“… viscount?”

The viscount looked at her with confused eyes.

“… where… Sal? … where is Sal? … advise me… I… I need advice.”

Elysa bit her lip before kneeling next to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

“Viscount, we talked about this. I am sorry but he is not here.” Elysa said.

The viscount shook his head like a petulant child.

“… Sal… didn’t have my leave to go… he… he doesn’t have my leave…”

Elysa sighed. She wanted to help but she didn’t have the strength or the knowledge for it.

“Francesca!”

The head maid came running and stared horrified at what her lord had been reduced to.

“My lady?” Francesca said.

“The viscount… isn’t feeling too well. Could you take him to his room and see that he gets some rest?”

“Of course, my lady.” Francesca said and took the viscount’s hand.

A lifetime of work had made Francesca far stronger than she looked and Elysa could see her biceps straining the sleeves of her uniform when she helped the viscount up.

“Come, my lord. Let’s get you to bed.” Francesca said.

“… Sal?” The viscount whispered.

“He is not here.” Francesca said sadly.

When they were gone, Elysa crashed on the viscount’s advisor’s chair behind his writing desk and rubbed her face. She could feel the seeds of a migraine sprouting behind her eyes.

“… Jesus.”

There was a bottle of brandy by the desk and despite it being midday, Elysa poured herself a drink. Not that time mattered in a vampire’s home. Here night was eternal but at least she had something to take the edge off. The viscount’s advisor had clearly enjoyed the finer things in life. The brandy had a hint of cocoa and nuts. The kind you would use to wash down chocolate.

The brandy helped to calm her nerves and while sipping it, Elysa looked around the advisor’s study.

There was a law degree framed on the wall and Elysa wondered how many Roma could boast to having one of those. As befitting of a lord’s advisor his shelf was filled with books on law pertaining to a nobleman’s rights, privileges, and duties. As well loopholes that would allow him to skirt his duties and concentrate on his rights and privileges.

But that was not the only kinds of books he owned.

Stashed between the law books, were tomes on the occult, hidden knowledge, and the unseen history of the world. He even owned a telescope for stargazing, and it was hard for Elysa to imagine a lawyer caring about stars. The advisor seemed to have had a particular interest in the two schools of magic operating in The Wyrding, Domdaniel and Scholomance. He even had notes on the Paths the two schools followed. The Deep and the Mountain.

But one opus in particular caught her attention.

The Five Circles of The Wyrding

It was an old book written and illustrated by hand with thick leather covers. She was shocked by how heavy it was when she pulled it out of the shelf, and she had to lay it on the desk to read it. The book contained a detailed map and description of the five layers of reality that made up The Wyrding.

The first circle, land of the fae, ruled by the Wyrd King.

The second circle, land of demons, ruled by the Infernal Emperor.

The third circle, land of the dead, ruled by powerful spirits.

The fourth circle, land of dreams, ruled by the sleeping minds of all living things.

The fifth circle, the root of all things. Ruled by the dragons. Only one of them had ever left that place and traveled through all the other circles laying waste on his way until he had taken over The Wyrding.

But the map went even deeper than that.

Beneath the five circles was the Dark Below where primordial chaos reigned. The domain of the Queen of Cold and Dark.

Elysa stared at the beautiful map for a moment before closing the book and finishing her drink. After returning the book to the shelf, she looked at the law degree on the wall.

“Who were you, Salvatore Torrini?”

The momentary distraction had been pleasant but now that it was over, she felt lonelier than ever. She needed someone to talk to. Someone who knew her. Someone who knew just what to say.

She headed to the viscount’s study.

The only room with a phone in it.

When she entered the study, she was greeted by the portrait of her father he had hung on the wall in place of House Rossi’s banner. She bit her lip seeing it and instead tried to admire the weapons and animal heads hanging on the wall. Particularly the cutlass. Amidst the weapons and felled beasts was a diploma from the military academy the viscount had graduated from.

Elysa dared not turn her back to the portrait of her father and glared the painting while dialing the number of her home. Worms started crawling under her skin when their housekeeper picked up the phone.

“Master?” Mathilde said.

Elysa bit her lip and gripped the phone harder. She could hear a giggle in the other end.

“Elysa.” Mathilde said.

“Hello, Mathilde.” Elysa said tersely.

“How nice to hear from you. How is the mansion? How is your future husband?”

“Fine. Just fine. Mathilde, I want to talk to mom.”

“Do you now? Did master give you permission?” Mathilde asked.

“Would I be using the phone otherwise?”

“No. I suppose not. Okay. I’ll trust you but if you’re lying to me… you know your father doesn’t like it when you get uppity.”

The bitemarks under her clothes burned and stung.

“I remember.” Elysa said.

“Good. Now… what is the magic word?”

Elysa closed her eyes and chewed her lips while Mathilde abused what little power she had.

“… please.”

Mathilde’s laugh was full of spiders.

“Good girl. Just a moment.”

After a couple of minutes, Elysa heard her mother’s voice. Weak and worn to the bone… but it was still mom’s voice.

“… Elysa?”

“Hi, mom.” Elysa said.

She could tell today was a good day. With father gone, she had time to rest and gather her strength. She only had to put up with Mathilde.

“… you’re not home.” Mom said.

“No. We talked about this, mom. I am visiting the man father wants me to marry.” Elysa said.

“… yes. I remember now… does that mean… that I can talk to you over the phone from now on? I hate phones… it only feels like I am there.”

Elysa bit her lip imagining mom being stuck with father… forever.

“Mom… when I marry him… maybe you could live with us.” Elysa said.

“… I… I’d like that.” Mom said and then sighed: “… I had a dream last night… when you were a little girl… and how you wanted to be an adventurer. You… wanted to go on an adventure in The Wyrding.”

Mom sniffed and wiped her eyes.

“… I should have told you to… just go.”

“Mom…” Elysa sighed.

“… you were… meant for more than… being sold off as someone’s wife… you could still go. Cross the Wyrd Stones and just… go.”

“And what about you, mom?” Elysa asked while tears stung her eyes.

“… you… shouldn’t worry about me and just… go.” Mom said.

Elysa wiped her eyes.

“You know I can’t do that, mom. Not when you’re stuck there.”

“… Ellie… my baby girl…”

Elysa bit her lip and tried not to cry when mom was listening.

“I gotta go, mom. Get… get some rest.”

Elysa ended the call and buried her face in her hands.

“God… damn it. Where are you, Nuncio?”