Chapter 204

How would she know that the maps are supposed to be different? The maps that are in our database should be fine, and if they aren't, it's only because she and Damian and whoever's behind him, that Marius guy, has corrupted them.”

It was so nice to have someone actually listening to me. This guy nodded along and seconded my opinions on the situation. He even agreed that Estella was a danger to the war and specifically to Candido. He believed in my ability to be Pandora, to be luna, to be exactly what I was meant to be.

“I don’t think it was right for him to strip you of your power,” he said idly. “You’ve done so much for the organization as Pandora, after all. It’s hard to think that he’d do that without good reason.”

My eyes burned with frustration. Why couldn't Candido see that either? That there was no good reason!

“I have! He’s not appreciating it at all! None of them are. It’s so obvious that she’s just trying to take my place. I bet she doesn’t even know how to use a computer; she’s been with the vampires for so long. She doesn’t know anything about modern technology.”

Someone nearby scoffed and sped up leaving the two of us behind. It felt like we had walked for a long time, but I couldn't be sure how long it had been. Then, the caravan seemed to stop and the path widened just enough for us all to gather together. I could see Candido for the first time since we’d entered the gorge. He looked tired. He was bleeding from his shoulder, but overall, he looked okay. He was still as handsome, though his blonde hair looked a little lighter than I remembered it being. Maybe it was just the trick of the light.

“Take a break for five minutes. Then, we’ll keep going,” someone said nearby. “Tend to wounded and keep sharp.”

I sat down and pouted as I realized that Candido wasn’t coming toward me. Instead, he’d disappeared again further into the crowd. Where was he? Someone cried out in pain further away from me. I turned to see Estella and several other members of her little group, attending people. It looked like they were pulling out bullets or something. Did that mean the bullets weren't made out of silver? Why would vampires attack us without silver bullets? Had they just run out?

“Isn't that suspicious?” I asked the guy. “The vampires aren't attacking us with silver bullets. If they really wanted to kill us all they'd have to use silver and wolfsbane, wouldn't they? It seems like they don't want to kill everyone in the caravan.”

I looked over to where Estella was, she leaned back against the wall as Candido came towards her. He settled into a crouch in front of her and cupped her face, peering into her eyes. She said something I couldn’t hear, but I could imagine what she was saying.

Oh, Candido it only hurts a little… Maybe some of your blood would help.

There was no way I was going to let her have any of his blood if he wasn’t giving me any. No one deserved it. Candido could only heal me with his blood. I stood and headed towards them wrapping Peter's cloak around me tightly. Estella turned her head away and pushed Candido’s hands away. Her expression was tense as she pulled a set of vials out of her pocket. She offered one to Candido. When she drank her vial, she looked a little better. The light had stopped flickering across her skin, but I called out to Candido.

“Don't take it. It's poison!” I cried. “Candido, she'll kill you!”

Candido didn’t even look at me as he opened the vial and drank it. I screamed as I got to them and snatched the vial out of his hands. I threw it across the clearing. Estella lifted up and shoved me back with the end of her rifle.

“Candido, she–”

Someone shoved me hard, sending me to the ground. I cried out as pain exploded in my other arm. I turned over hissing at whoever it was.

“Who–”

It was a woman, standing over me. She looked furious as she aimed a gun at me.

“Wait–” Candido said.

“I'm really sick of listening to you run your fucking mouth, you—”

Then, the walls of the gorge and the ground started to rumble. Everyone looked up at a giant figure looming from a ledge above where we were all resting. It was some fearsome-looking creature covered in scales with giant talons. It opened its mouth and roared.

“Run!” Estella yelled, bracing herself and lifting her gun. “Scaled Bear! We hold it off as long as we can. Fire on my signal!”

Several people with guns came towards her, aiming up at the creatures as the rest of the caravan started to move. Another creature appeared then another. The three creatures looked down at us with glinting yellow eyes. Then, they started rushing down the side of the gorge towards us as people ran forward.

“Candido!” I cried looking for him among the people, but I couldn't see him.

Someone shoved me aside, and I fell hitting my head on a rock. My vision blurred for a moment. Gunshots were fired as I lifted my head. Where was Candido? Hadn’t he seen what they’d done to me? Wasn’t he angry with them? Wasn’t he going to do something about it?

Then, I saw Candido rushing towards me, but he didn't stop to grab me and take me to safety. He didn’t even look as though he didn’t notice that I was there. He pulled out his sword and leaped up above my head I turned over and saw him locking his blade with one of the creatures’ talons. Sparks flew and the talons screeched against the blade. More gunshots were fired, the bullets bounced of the creature.

“Run, Hedy!”

“I’m not leaving your side,” I told him. “I can help!”

He growled. “Then help!”

Candido shoved the creature back gunshots were fired. I got to my feet my eyes welled with tears. How could he just say that to me? Shouldn't he be telling me to run because he wanted me to be safe? They should have been full of awe and love about my wanting to stand with him. His word should have been kinder than that. This was all Estella’s fault. He would have never talked to me like that before. Candido was always sweet to me.

“I am helping! You need me. I’m your mate, and—”

“On your left.”

Peter came sailing down to the ground he landed near me and cast a wave of light that washed over another creature that had come from the other side and seem to push it back. The man I had been talking to darted out of the way as two more vampires showed up and cast other the waves of light at the other two creatures. There was one creature left that was being held back by gunfire that bounced off its hide. Candido darted across the clearing to push it back and get it away from Estella as she and the rest of the small gun team turned to fire at it. I turned around to get to my feet so that I could move closer to Candido and help. Just being near him would give him more strength. I knew because Candido always promised to protect me. Having me in danger would make sure he fought his hardest.

Then, the battle seemed to stop abruptly as the last creature was corralled behind a golden wall. I heard the cock of a rifle and turned around to see Estella aiming her rifle at the back of his head. His hand was raised with a glinting silver dagger in it, aimed at Candido. Candido darted away from him and turned around lifting his sword before freezing in place.

“Duster?”

“She's going to shoot me! She's clearly a traitor!”

“I've been watching you,” Estella said. “Everyone has been watching you, and you've been suspicious since this whole thing started. I thought maybe you were just nervous and missing on accident, but that's not the case, is it? You weren't aiming at any of the vampires coming your way. You weren't bothered by the attack either time your heartbeat was calm the entire time.”

“That's ridiculous, I–”

“Do not try my patience,” Estella said. “You were going to stab Candido in the back and escape in the confusion. Key, search him.”

“Don't touch me–”

“If you move, I'll blow your head off.”

I stepped in between them. “You don't have the right to—”

Someone else lifted a gun, the woman who had been stomping towards me, and placed it against my head.

“Get out of the way, or I'll shoot you and do us all a favor.”