Dark Tarot (Dark Carpathians)

“Yes,” he admitted, because one never told an untruth to their lifemate, and what was the use? “I do not know how old he was, but he was older than Vlad. He avoided humans other than to feed. He stayed close to Domizio and our family near the end, determined to hold to honor as long as he could, but he believed his time had passed and his lifemate was no longer in the world. Domizio could not provide hope for him.”

“He came up with the safeguards for the cave where Domizio took your family?” Petru asked, indicating the purple light in Adalasia’s hand.

“Yes. Not the trap of the pounding heart beating. That was placed there by something else. Justice showed my father how to safeguard the cave so the family would be safe. We were seeking a portal where demons were slipping through, and we were certain it was somewhere in this region. Justice was aiding us.”

Sandu rubbed his temples and shook his head as the memory faded. “I cannot remember much beyond that at this moment, only that a last safeguard must be removed before you use the key, Adalasia.”

Adalasia could feel Sandu watching her closely as she studied the lock and key. She didn’t look at him, but she didn’t remove herself from his mind, either. They were partners, a team, and they would need each other’s strength to get through this. That persistent drumming noise searching to entrap an unwary heart was still there, still beneath them, reaching out to ensnare her the moment she forgot to be on guard.

The brethren moved around the boulders, looking for hidden traps, but they, too, returned to observe her. She was the demon hunter. A Carpathian had set the safeguard, but he had set it against demons, not the undead, she was positive of that. Her hands came up to move in a graceful pattern, the purple light mingling with the lights from the other keys on the ring. She murmured a counterspell to reveal the hidden weave.

“Do you all feel the way my skin keeps getting white-hot and prickly? Justice must have dealt with demons at some time in his life in order to have known to set these guards. These were not set against the undead. These were set to keep demons from getting in or out of this entrance.”

She knew this. The weave. The enlightenment spell. Adalasia took down the last of the safeguards and inserted the key into the lock and turned it. Bright light spilled between the boulders, revealing six stepping-stones. Two led to the right. Two to the left. Two straight ahead. Each led to a cave entrance. The cave straight in front of them was wide and open, easy to walk into. The one to the left was much smaller and looked as if they would have to stoop or even crawl to get inside. The one to the right was narrow, with a tall, arched dome.

“The dome,” Sandu said. “We were there. Going down that pathway. It is very narrow in places, so only one could go at a time. Justice insisted that he go first. We knew there was much danger. A portal had been opened somehow. We’d been fighting a losing battle for some time, trying to keep humans safe from the demons coming through.”

Adalasia could see the images pouring into his mind as he looked at the tall, arched dome that looked a little like a cathedral entryway. She thought that was a tiny bit sacrilegious. How could demons be using such a beautiful archway as a portal to another realm?

“We couldn’t stop the attacks on the farms or the animals,” Sandu said, rubbing at his temples. “Between the encounters with demons and the undead, we were always wounded and in need of blood. We had no help. My father sent the call out for Justice, even though he knew he shouldn’t. He knew Justice was too close to the end. He was asking the impossible of him, and any battle could push him over the edge. He would never have done so, but we were desperate. Too many humans were dying and we could not save them.”

Adalasia started into the cave, but Sandu stepped in front of her. “This place is compromised again, ewal emninumam. We sealed the portal so they could never use this one to come through, but they have managed to reopen it.”

Adalasia shook her head. “It is compromised,” she agreed. “But it is not opened. There are places where they have battered it and worn it thin. Demons have slipped through. This is the gate my family, the Ravasio family, was tasked to guard. I know it is. I feel it. The moment I set one foot inside this cave, I knew this was the true path. There should have been guards in place to keep any demons from finding their way out.”