I whistled. “He’s not going to like it when he finds out.”
“If he finds out,” she corrected me. “And he won’t if I have anything to do with it.”
“He’ll know. Have you forgotten how he read me yesterday? The bloke has a flipping radar for thoughts now, and we have you to thank for it.”
I turned from her and guided Alora over to sit down on a step.
“It’s not a bad thing. I believe he’s going to rule the vampires peacefully,” Tegan went on.
I instantly shushed her, eyes shifting to the people standing close by. “Less of the ‘v’ word around here, please. Unless it’s vagina. You can say that all you want.”
Alora’s mouth quirked in a small smile, and I smiled back at her even though she couldn’t see me.
“You should have seen him speak to them last night at the Market Below. It was an eye-opener. They all really respect him. Well, most of them do. It’s not like it was with Whitfield. Ethan is going to be a different kind of ruler.”
I stared at her cynically. “I’ll believe that when I see it. And what, pray tell, did you think you were playing at going to the Market Below? It’s ‘vagina’ central, and you might as well be their favourite kind of snack.”
“Ethan brought me. I knew nothing would happen if I was with him.”
“Oh, because he’s just such a big swooning hunk of manliness?” I said sarcastically.
She grinned. “That’s one reason, yes. Oh, and you better not refer to him as a ‘vagina’ to his face. I don’t think that would end well.”
“When people tell me not to say things, it kind of makes me want to do the opposite.”
Tegan groaned. “Don’t I know it.”
A silence fell between us as I sat beside Alora and scanned the gathered crowds for any early signs of disruption. I had to give it to her, Tegan had chosen a good spot. It was nice and elevated to take in lots of what was going on. There was a restless tension in the air. These people really wanted to burn themselves some vampires.
I glanced at Tegan, and she was twisting a strand of hair between her fingers. I’d noticed this was something she did when she was anxious.
“You really think Cristescu is going to be a good ruler?” I asked.
“Yes,” she answered seriously, her eyes on the crowd below rather than on me. “I do.”
I hated how her reply filled me with such hope. I wanted it to be true. I wanted Cristescu to rule peacefully, but I still disliked him as a general rule. “Hmm, we’ll see.”
“The day is going to come when you eat your words, Finn Roe.”
“I hope you’re right,” I replied, watching the mass of people. I spotted movement up ahead and pinpointed Theodore and Rita walking hand in hand through the middle of the crowd. They were dressed the same as they had been when they were on TV, looking like a holier than thou preacher and his daughter instead of an evil sorcerer and his newly-turned-evil witchy progeny.
Theodore had a loudspeaker in hand, which he lifted to his mouth to address the crowd.
“Thank you all for coming. Before the day is through, we will have purged the vampire infestation from Tribane once and for all. Now, to get down to business. Please organise into groups and begin visiting homes on the south side of the Hawthorn. I have it on good authority that’s where most of the vampires reside. Leave no stone unturned. Maps are currently being distributed among you with clearly defined markings for all residential areas. When you discover a house without a chalk circle, do not knock on any doors or give any signs that you are there. Set fire to the residence and leave immediately. The vampires will be too deep in slumber to notice the fire until it is too late.”
I watched as several individuals moved through the throngs, handing out small maps. I recognised one of them as Marcel, and my blood boiled. I used to know that man, used to be on reasonably friendly terms with him, and although I knew he was capable of a lot, I didn’t think he would be capable of this. This was genocide, no matter what way you wanted to spin it. I had my fair share of bones to pick with the vamps, but burning them while they slept was nothing short of barbaric.
Theodore and Rita began leading a large crowd of people away from Campion Row, an eerie death-by-fire parade.
“We’ll follow Theodore and Rita,” I said, pulling my hood up over my head. I couldn’t risk being recognised. At the same time, Tegan withdrew a small cap and sunglasses from her bag and put both on. Ira was already wearing a black beanie. I wasn’t sure if Alora needed to worry about being recognised, but since Michael Ridley was a follower of Theodore’s he could be around here somewhere. Pulling her up from the step and standing in front of her, I tucked her long ponytail inside the blue hoodie she was wearing and pulled up her hood.