Bonds of the Fallen
Chapter 5

The realm’s edges were painted with the soft blush of dawn as Bat emerged from the veil of dreams, her mind tangled in the remnants of the previous day. A restless energy coursed through her veins, driving her to the embassy before the city fully awoke.

She wandered the archives, her footsteps an intimate whisper against the polished stone floors. The world was still bathed in the muted hues of dawn as she was in front of Ilka’s office door. The soft rap of her knuckles against the warm wood broke the silence of the morning. Stepping inside, she was greeted by the sight of Ilka, surrounded by piles of documents that stretched indefinitely. Her face eased into a welcoming smile as she looked up from her fortress of paperwork.

“Good morning, Bat. Quite the early bird today, aren’t we?” Ilka’s voice, usually a symphony of stern authority, was softened by the early hour. “I don’t know why you humans insist on paper forms in this day and age.”

“Ilka, I need to ask you about the Vampir who returned my notebook,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, as though the walls themselves might be listening.

Ilka leaned back in her chair, her fingers forming a steeple as she regarded Bat calmly. “I thought you might come seeking answers,” she said, a smile playing on her lips that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “That Vampir is known as the Sire of the Fallen. His name is Val, and he is the leader of our realm.”

The words reverberated in Bat’s mind, echoing with a weight that threatened to crush her. Val, the stranger whose very presence had set her world askew, the leader of the Vampir, had been the one to return her notebook. He had read her most intimate thoughts, the secrets of her past laid bare for him to see.

Bat groaned as she placed her head in her hands. “He found my notebook yesterday and read it.” With a sigh that felt like it originated from her soul’s depths, she felt the last of her defenses crumble. “Did you read it too, then?” she asked.

Ilka’s gaze was unwavering, the weight of her stare seeming to probe the depths of Bat’s soul. “No, I simply recognized it. Val’s intentions remain his own,” she responded.

“These should keep you busy for today.” Ilka grabbed a stack of papers and piled them into Bat’s hands.

The lobby of the embassy was bustling with Vampir and auxiliary workers. Bat maneuvered her way through the sea of bodies, colleagues rushing past her, each lost in their world of tasks and deadlines. She felt a brush of air as someone ran past her, muttering an apology over his shoulder.

And then she saw him.

Val stood at the center of the lobby, his presence an undeniable force that commanded the attention of everyone in the room. Whispers trailed in his wake, rumors, and speculations wrapping around him like an invisible cloak.

He never came down to the lobby from his office.

The moment their eyes met, the world stood still. Val’s gaze was an anchor, grounding her amid the chaos. He winked at her with a mischievous glint in his eye that left her heart racing.

And then, just as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone, swallowed by the crowd, leaving Bat standing there, her mind reeling.

The flicker of his wink still burned in her mind, lighting a desire to unravel the mystery of her mother’s disappearance, whatever the cost.

The day passed in a blur of activity, her fingers flying across the keyboard at her desk as she attended to her work. Thoughts of Val and the secrets of the Dark Market crept to the forefront of her mind, making it difficult to concentrate on her work.

As the daylight waned, casting shadows that danced upon her desk, Bat felt the pull of the unknown and the allure of secrets that lay just out of reach. She packed up her belongings, the finality of her decision settling within her. She would meet Val and allow the leader of the Vampir to escort her to the Dark Market.