“Looks fancy and advanced, doesn’t it?” Garroway asked in a low voice.
I nodded dumbly. My gaze had widened like I was staring into the Truehearts’ own divine sanctuary.
“Would you be surprised to learn it’s actually an ancient city, built on top of old bones?”
My brow furrowed as I faced Garroway. “Older than Nuhav?”
“By far. What do you think the names stand for, lass?”
I scratched the back of my neck. “Well . . . I don’t know. I’ve never ventured a guess.”
Garroway splayed his hand at the golden city. “Old Haven.” His arm moved to the left, south, past the edge of the mountainside that disappeared into darkness below. “New Haven.”
I scoffed, shaking my head. Then I noticed he wasn’t smiling. “Wait. Truly? It’s as simple as that?”
“Simple as that, little honey badger.”
“Have the vampires always called Olhav home?”
“I reckon not.” He put his hands on his hips, striking a pose. “Ours is a gaudy, pretentious people. We love the bright lights but hate the sun. Oxymoron, I know. But only one of them kills us . . . the otherilluminatesus.”
It was difficult to hide my smile. “Seems the plague of pretension has not eluded you either, Garroway.”
He wrinkled his nose. “Did I call it a plague? No, that was your word.”
The man could be quite sassy, it seemed. I tilted my head on my neck, inspecting him closer. He was dashingly handsome with a smooth face and strong, angular features. I wondered what color his hair had been when he had any, or if heeverhad any. I honestly couldn’t tell by looking at his face.
He seemed to have a fondness for this city, the way he gazed down at it adoringly.It’s a city of monsters,I reminded myself.Don’t let the beauty of it entrance you. Remember the bleeding bodies and splayed corpses at Manor Marquin. The splendor, the appeal, is a mask of madness and death.
I asked an honest question. “You do not hate your vampire overlords, even though they force you to fight in shadowgalas for your freedom and life?”
“Oh, that?” He flapped a hand at me. “Those are just games, lass.”
Games?I opened my mouth to argue, my blood rising—
But he started walking down the hill before I could.
Flustered, I couldn’t help but hurry down to follow him. He was possibly the easiest man I’d ever met to talk to, besides perhaps Antones. Yet even Ant had been limited by his allegiance to Lukain and had not always been able to say what was on his mind explicitly.
I imagined Garroway Kuffich did not share the same reservations.
There were no walls or gates to pass to enter Olhav. One moment we were walking over rough gravel and dirt roads, the next our boots were gliding on smooth, softly textured streets.
We were far on the outskirts of the city and hadn’t yet spotted anyone. That didn’t keep Garroway’s eyes from roving madly everywhere we walked. The tallest buildings were in the distance, congregated near the center of the valley. Even these smaller houses and shops lining the smooth road were grander than anything I’d ever seen.
“No guards?” I asked Garroway, “city lawmen or sentinels or watchtowers?”
“Sentinels? Watchtowers? Who would want to leave this place if you call it home? And what fool would be stupid enough toenterif they’re not welcome?”
I laughed, unable to avoid it. He made a good point.
Garroway gave me a crooked smile. “The sound of your laugh is lovely, Sephania.”
My face heated and I turned away, my lips quickly falling flat. “Arewewelcome, Garroway?”
He hummed. “Remains to be seen.”
Goosebumps broke out along my arms.
