Beth didn’t look happy with Liz’s proposal. Then again, she was the one I always thought I would need to persuade if Aetherin was going to come with us anyway.

“I think we should bring her. I was going to suggest it anyway before Liz brought it up.” I said while glancing to Aetherin.

“Does she want to come with us?” Asked Serin.

“I would like to accompany you, that is if you will allow it.” Answered Aetherin.

“Are we really considering this? We already have one demon in our group and now you’re suggesting taking two.” Beth broke in.

“Yes, I am. If Theo thinks she’s safe to bring with us, I’m happy to trust his judgement.” Serin said turning to me and giving to a hint of a smile.

I knew I could count on Serin.

“It’s not just about whether we can trust her, or if she is going to be loyal to Theo or not. For what it’s worth I doubt she has a choice in the matter. I suggested we take her along with us because we need her. We would have been lucky to have won the fight against her if it wasn’t for Theo. Considering what we might be walking into out there, we need her strength. We need someone that knows the area well.” Liz said calmly.

“I suppose I can’t really argue with how powerful she is.” Beth said while she turned to me. “She did kill those demons without hesitation… Do you really think we can trust her Theo?” She asked.

“I do.” I answered.

“Well, I do trust you… I still have my concerns…” She sighed as she thought it over. “Fine, let’s bring her with us.”

“Great. Then we’re all on board.” Answered Serin.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“We should get ready to move as soon as possible. The further we get before anyone realises those guys are missing the better. Seeing as you’re coming with us, how long will you need to prepare Aetherin?” Asked Serin.

“Not long. I only need to gather a few things. Please, you prepare yourselves use whatever you need here. I’ll be back shortly.”

Aetherin went to leave the room, briefly stopping by me. She leant in.

“I’m so glad I get to go with you.” She said quietly into my ear.

Her breath sent the hairs standing on the back of my neck. Then she left the room and headed upstairs.

“We shouldn’t hang about either. Let’s eat and the get ready to set out.” Serin said as soon as Aetherin had left the room.

We all headed through to the kitchen and quickly prepared some breakfast. It was just a quick meal out of whatever we had to hand and could find in Aetherin’s surprising well stocked kitchen. Before long we were finished. We all gathered our gear from upstairs and were doing our final checks in the living room when Aetherin joined us once again. I was expecting her to have changed into something that was more suitable for traveling like we were. She had lost the perfectly white dress, but what she was wearing now wasn’t any more practical. It was just a more covert colour. She had changed into a black, but almost identical version. It looked great on her, contrasting sharply with her pale skin. It was going to be less conspicuous, but if hadn’t already seen how well she moved in a dress I would be concerned about its practicality. I must have been staring because Aetherin asked sounding a little worried.

“Does this not look good on me?”

“No… You look great.” I answered.

“That’s good.” She smiled.

“But are you going to be okay wearing simply that? We might have to fight.”

“Yes. This is my travelling attire. I wear it when I don’t want to attract attention.”

Well, I knew she didn’t really have need of armour and it wasn’t as if any of the other girls travelled heavily clad, but Aetherin looked as if she was heading for a social engagement rather than an adventure.

“Is everyone ready to move?” Asked Serin now that whole group was gathered.

“There were a few things I wanted to run over before we left, but seeing that Aetherin is travelling with is now, it no longer matters.” Answered Liz.

“Okay, everyone else ready?” Serin asked looking over the rest of the group.

“I think we’re ready when you are.” It was Altria that answered this time.

The rest of us nodded in agreement.

“Then let’s make a move. I want to make the most of the head start… Aetherin can I leave it with you to decide the route alongside Liz?” Asked Serin.

“Certainly, I know the way there well.” Answered Aetherin.

“Thank you.”

“We should take the path from the furthest end of the village. We’ll avoid any unwanted eyes that way.” Aetherin suggested.

“Very well. We’ll follow you out.”

Aetherin stepped out the front door and into the morning sun. As she did, she opened what I had mistaken the night before for an umbrella. Seeing it in the daylight I soon realised it was a parasol. Serin put a hand on my shoulder as I looked on.

“Go on, I think you should walk with her for now.” She said trying to hurry me out of the door.

“Okay.”

I joined Aetherin in the front garden and the rest of the party followed us out of the house. Seeing that everyone was ready to follow her she headed out of the garden and into the street. I walked alongside her as she went. It was strange when we had fought the night before she had been almost expressionless, but now she wore a slight smile as we made our way to the edge of the village.

“Are you okay, in the sun I mean?” I asked as we walked.

She was shaded by her parasol, but it was a very sunny morning, and I wasn’t sure how much protection it could provide her kind. She didn’t appear to be smouldering or showing any other signs of bursting into flames just yet.

“I’m fine. The sun wouldn’t kill me, but without some sort of shade it would be rather unpleasant. I wouldn’t walk out in it without this.”

“What would happen to you?”

“I wouldn’t feel well at all. It gives me terrible headaches and sickness. It’s a struggle to move at all.”

“That sounds terrible.”

“It’s better than bursting into flames and turning to dust. That would be the fate of a lesser vampire.”

“A lesser vampire?”

“A human or beastkin that had been turned, or one of low birth and mixed blood.”

“I see… So, humans can be turned into vampires?”

“Yes. You seem to know very little about my kind.”

“I’m not originally from here, this world that is. Where I come from your kind were a myth a legend, something only found in fiction. But it’s strange how you aren’t completely different than the descriptions from my world. So, what would happen to me if I was turned now?”

“You would burst into flames and turn into a pile of ash in this sunlight.”

“Would I have to avoid the sun for the rest of my life?”

“Yes, under most circumstances, but you would be almost immortal. Does that interest you?”

“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t interest me in some ways.”

“I could turn you, if you wished it.”

“I think I will have to turn you down for now. At the very least I’d like to be able to continue living amongst the humans for the time being.”

“I see. The offer will always be there if you change your mind.”

“Thanks.”

We reached the edge of the village as we walked. As we passed the small wall and hedgerows that surrounded the place, we reached a small path that led off the main road.

“That’s the route we want to take.” Aetherin said while stopping for a moment and pointing to the path.

Satisfied that the rest of the party had seen her direction, she continued walking and set off down the small path. It was lined on each side by small trees and hedges. It slowly wound down until we reached the bottom of a shallow valley. The cover from trees was now gone, but it would be hard for anyone on the plain to see us down here. We couldn’t even tell this place existed before Aetherin had shown us the way. As we walked Liz made her way up from the rear of the group and joined us.

“This is great Aetherin, there was no sign of this on the map.” She said as she walked alongside.

“I believe the local villagers used it to smuggle in and out supplies when this was still part of the human realm. It’s no surprise it isn’t shown on the map.”

“I see. How long will we be sheltered like this for?”

“It continues like this for several miles. We’ll be far from the village when we’re next exposed.”

“You’ve been a great help already! I’m glad you decided to come with us.”

“I just didn’t want Theo to leave without me, so I’m happy you allowed me to accompany him.”

“He does seem to have that effect on people.” Liz chuckled.