Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Going into the dirt is like going home. It’s like being in the only place you’ve ever known, and once you’re back inside its soothing embrace, it’s like you never left.
To be in the ground is to belong. To know oneself. To understand your place in the universe.
It’s almost as addicting as the blood.
It can be a place of travel, since the dirt is a medium. You can leave the physical body behind and be anywhere, be anything, be anyone.
It’s a realm of endless possibilities. Like… a video game with cheat codes.
I like this analogy. I got it from Tristin, since I, obviously, don’t spend time in spaces that offer up video games.
It’s also a really nice place to have a good long think about your choices.
And I’m thinking about Tristin. Not just the video game analogy, but the whole conversation we had when he and I met up the last time we were both in the dirt, just before the old witch died and Syrsee was revealed to me.
“Why am I doing this?” Tristin was looking at me with a look of confusion. “You mean, why am I helping you?” His scoff was real. “Why the fuck do you think, Paul? I’m a rogue. They cut off my fucking wings. Do you think… what, that I just let them cut my wings off so I could come to America and fuck around with a bunch of Guardians? No.” His eyes were darting back and forth, searching my own. “No. I was sent here to help you. How many times do I have to tell you that before you believe me?” He scoffs again. “It doesn’t matter what you think, actually. I’m here to help. If you want me to deliver Syrsee’s and Ryet’s bodies to your Montana compound after the Darkness claims Ryet and impregnates Syrsee, then I’ll do it. You don’t have to believe me.” He leaned forward, right into my space. We were the same height—eye to eye. And he spit the last few words out at me. “You don’t have to believe anything. All you have to do is watch.”
I didn’t put much faith in him. I didn’t put any faith in him, actually. When I left Ryet and Syrsee in the purple-gold mist to bury the vessel of Darkness that used to be Ryet’s body, I was fully expecting to be arranging logistics for transporting coffins using that kitchen phone he has.
But when I got upstairs, Tristin was waiting on the porch. Like we’d been planning it down to the very last detail, when in truth, we hadn’t discussed any of it in months.
He stood up when I opened the door. Kinda… looked me up and down. The purple mist was clinging to me that evening. It was so thick, I was probably glowing. But I was too surprised at Tristin’s reliability to really notice how strange I looked.
Tristin must’ve read my expression because he smirked at me. It was a lovely smirk. So full of confidence. Overflowing with self-assurance. Almost boastful of the fact that he was faithful.
“You showed.”
“Told ya.” Then he winked at me. “I did not let those old fuckers cut off my wings just so I could come to America and be a good little Guardian, neutered and loyal to the enemy. I came here to help you, Paul.”
“Why? And don’t say the Obscurati told you to. Because we both know that’s bullshit.”
“Of course they didn’t. They hate you.” He took a step forward, placing a hand on my cheek. Staring right into my eyes. The nerve of this boy. He was either very competent or very stupid. “But I am an opportunist, Paul. I know where all this is going.”
“Do you?”
He nodded. “The Obscurati? They end with you. You, Paul, are the new vampire. A vampire for the next age. One who will outlast the ones who came before you. And wings were a small price to pay for the opportunity to serve you, my lord.”
Then he dropped to one knee and bowed to me like a scion.
It’s a literal gesture of offering. A pledge of devotion.
He didn’t move. I didn’t move, either. He bowed to me for three minutes and seventeen seconds before I finally released him and he stood once more.
“I’ve made all the arrangements. Two coffins delivered to the Montana compound. All I need from you are two of your scions to accompany them. I have to wait in town, for obvious reasons. Did Syrsee agree?”
I didn’t answer right away. It’s not often that one is presented with a new ally.
He could’ve been lying, but even if he was, as long as he delivered the coffins to Montana, it didn’t matter.
From that point on, the process was unstoppable.
And he did deliver.
I close my mind in the dirt, putting the memory of that meeting to rest, and allow myself to belong to the new Darkness incubating inside Ryet’s body.