A Shade of Vampire 43 by Bella Forrest

Author:Bella Forrest [Forrest, Bella]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-04-19T18:30:00+00:00

Vita

Once we’d dropped off the clothes with the others and had breakfast, it was time for another training session with the Druid. This time, instead of taking us down into the basement, he led us outside. Bijarki followed behind him, both carrying bags of equipment that Draven had told us were for the session.

As soon as I’d seen Bijarki at the breakfast table, I regretted my choice of attire. It seemed to please him, his eyes travelling from my bare feet, as we hadn’t managed to find any shoes yet, up to the slightly revealing bodice. He abruptly looked away as Draven cleared his throat. I had flushed, feeling strangely light-headed, and eaten my breakfast in silence.

As soon as we were outside, I felt better. The air seemed a bit fresher today, and I was glad that we would be outside in the sunshine rather than cooped up in the airless and damp basement.

I watched Draven and Bijarki as they emptied the contents of the bags on the grass. There were six copper balls, each with small holes in the top of them, with a solid base. Next, they pulled out clumps of dried herbs—the herbs smelled earthy and sweet, but I didn’t recognize them at all. Draven opened up the balls, unscrewing the top from the bottom. Inside each he stuffed handfuls of the herbs and then lit a match, enflaming them before screwing the two parts back together.

“What are those?” I asked curiously.

“They are censers. Used to burn herbs and incense so that it flows directly upward,” he replied, screwing the top onto the last ball. I peered over them, instantly hit with an almost intoxicating wave of smoke and the herbs’ heady fragrance.

“Stand back for now,” the Druid warned me. “I need to explain first.”

He called the others over, and we gathered around the copper spheres.

“You already know what it’s like to slip into the semi-conscious state,” Draven began, addressing Aida, Phoenix and me. “Now that you know what it feels like, we’re going to try a different, less invasive method, which will guide you into that state, rather than force you to be in it. So you will need to do the work.”

“And we couldn’t do this before because…” Aida asked sarcastically.

“Because you weren’t ready,” Draven snapped back. “The fumes of the herbs will help you. All that’s required is that you inhale them, and try to ease your mind into a meditative state.”

“Hang on a second,” Serena asked, interrupting, “these herbs—they’re not hallucinogens or anything like that, right?”

The Druid frowned. “No, of course not. The herbs actually produce their own energy. They’re called Taqa, and the plant they’re derived from is very rare and much sought-after. The energy will help focus your abilities, almost as if you are inhaling a botanical life force.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. If the herbs were that potent, no wonder they were heavily sought after. It was starting to look like I could learn a lot from Draven, and the idea pleased me.

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