Chapter 25: The Light Within

The only sound in the darkness was Edith’s breathing.

She couldn’t see, but she could feel the closeness of the metal box around her. The light that had recently shone from her skin had disappeared. The chains around her wrists were cold and heavy. Suddenly there was a grinding noise, followed by a vibration, and the voices of the vampires seemed to be getting farther away. Edith then realized the voices were coming from beneath her. Ansgar had put her tiny prison in the air.

Edith was scared.

“Do you need some persuasion?” Daeva called.

“Daeva,” Ansgar snapped. “Quiet.”

“I just want to see if the box will hold,” the vampiress mumbled sulkily.

Ansgar was having none of it, “Don’t be a fool, Daeva!”

“I won’t join you, whatever you meant by that,” Edith gathered her nerve to say.

“Mortals give in, eventually,” Ansgar huffed. “They always do.”

Edith tried to glow again. Over and over she tried. Sometimes Edith would succeed in small bursts of golden light.