The Kingdom of Owusu looks like a stunningly beautiful opera, draped in rivers, forests, and nature. As I get closer to the main castle, I can smell the sweet aroma of orange groves and crisp, fresh air. Everywhere I gazed, I saw an expansive sea of green trees that seemed to stretch for miles and miles. Inanna and the other vampires join us as we move along. The dense woodlands provide a sense of security. The trees reach high in the sky and cast shade and shadows over the land. It might have been the reason Bryer chose this Kingdom to hide in–the cover it provides allows him to slip away without being noticed by unwelcome onlookers or listeners. “Well, this is massive,” Harbin whispers beside me. He insisted on coming, knowing the underground trove of books in Owusu. “You are still only seeing stones, Harbin,” I remark. He grins at me. I know he is excited about books alone. As the portcullis lifts, granting us entrance into the fortress, my tho

We move out and shiver as we step out into the cold, early morning air. Only me and Klevon, though, since the three vampires seem to relish the chilly air. We follow Klevon to the library where they had the Magic Sensor. As Klevon warned, it took us four hours to reach our destination. Thankfully, the Owusu’s built it in a less chilly place. In fact, dewy grass is underneath our feet. Klevon leads us through a cobblestone path where some elm trees–which nature pruned into eerie shapes–flank us. Klevon is telling us how much he likes the place because he can be alone and can practice his swordsmanship any way he wants. As we come closer, the library comes into view. The said library, however, does not look like a library. It only has a small door that is only four feet in height. As Klevon opens it, the smell of old parchment and leather-bound books greets us. “Pardon the musty smell. I am the only one who likes this library,” Klevon says. Klevon stoops down and enters through th

The wind howls until it seems to announce the presence of an unseen entity. I could hear it rustling through the bushes, stirring up a flurry of leaves that dance in the night air like frightened wraiths. Something is out there, watching us. I could feel its malignant gaze upon us—Vampires. Its hunger for our warm blood is palpable in the air. “Whew! Vampires really give me the chills,” Klevon comments as he grips tightly on his sword. I prepare my knife and coat it with my fire magic. Klevon is right. The presence of these vampires is sinister, much more than the original vampires with us. “They’ve drained dry a couple of humans already,” Inanna whispers. “That’s why their presence is like this. Feel the difference?” “I do,” I respond. Then there’s the sound of wings. The heavy flapping grows louder as the second passes. “That sounds like wings,” I remark this time. “I never saw you use your wings before.” “We have wings, but we don’t need them because our jumping ability can

I watch when Klevon opens his eyes. He seems confused, and when he gets up, he groans in pain. I approach and lean over him. “You got wounded yesterday, Klevon,” I say. “You need to take a rest.” His eyes focus on me, and he beams. “Well, good morning to you too, beautiful,” he greets. I sigh. “It’s not morning. It’s already nighttime. I just had my dinner.” His eyes travel around. We are back in the inn, but Inanna stayed with Gezer and Ninus at the underground library. The inn is in the closest village to the library. The room has double beds and a single window where moonlight shines through. “And the three vampires?” he asks. “At the library,” I answer. He tries to stand up, but his arms tremble. “Damn! That Bryer got me really good. How about my weapons?” “There,” I say, pointing at his sword and whip. There are also a couple of knives and firepower. “You got a couple of them hiding in your clothes. Thankfully, I didn’t trigger any of your bombs.” He grins. “You dressed

We sent a letter to Theo, telling him that we would journey to Stine to search for Bryer. We also told him the other reasons we will go there. I told him not to worry and assured him I was being careful while having the most amazing adventure. I also add that Harbin stayed at Owusu and will return to Pitchford on his own. I know there will be danger, and I already miss him. Yet, I can’t help the feeling of excitement. They said that the Stine Kingdom is a land of ice and snow. There are also strange and magical creatures that inhabit their snowy mountains. It is a wonderful Kingdom of tundra and ancient beings. After traveling for weeks, we set foot on the snow-covered ground of Stine, only it isn’t just ice and snow. It is something magical, something almost ethereal. As we trudge through the snow, snowflakes glow brightly in the night sky, illuminating our path. “This is definitely a perfect place for vampires,” Gezer comments. But Klevon responds with a, “I thought the undergro