“Hey, Alek, are there bookstores in the capital?” I asked 

Alek burst out laughing. “Of course there’s bookstores!” He stopped talking as he finished laughing, wiping tears from his eyes. “You really are a country boy!”

“I…” 

“Come on, Jin, I’ll show you one of the more popular bookstores…I believe its name is…” Alek’s brow furrowed “…Serenity!” He grabbed my arm, “We have some rec time before festival preparations. Let’s go!”

“Please stop this habit of yours!” I exclaimed in surprise. 

Other recruits gave us strange looks as Alek rushed past, dragging me with him. 

“Be-be careful how fast you’re going! What if we get caught!” Anxiety lept into my voice.

“Relax Jin! I know what I’m doing..” Alek laughed.  “Oh look! Here it is up ahead!” 

Serenity turned out to be a small but very nice place. The front was glossy black painted wood, glass panes held in their frames like a grid. Books in lovely display cases. I pressed my hands against the glass.

“Jin you’re drooling.”

“Oh.” I didn't realize my mouth was open, I raise an arm, wiping it with my sleeve.  “Let’s go in.” As we entered a bell softly chimed announcing our arrival. The smell of fresh paper filled my nose. I wandered the shelves to the adventure section, grabbing books at random and putting them back. I grabbed one about a group traveling together having adventures together towns excited to welcome them.  Hearing footsteps I glanced up from where I stood thumbing through the book’s first few pages. What’s Captain Medea doing here?

“I remember you, you seemed to be paying extra attention during my lectures. 

“Jin-“

“Why do you look so anxious I’m off duty, I came to pick up some books for work and for my personal enjoyment not to order you around.”

“Nice to see you, Captain,” I said, raising my hand to salute. I hope I’m doing well at blending in. Wait,  this could be a perfect opportunity to get information about vampires. 

“No need for formalities here.” She paused. “What are you reading?

I lowered my hand slowly, “A book about adventurers.”  I noticed most of the books piled high were all about vampires except one called A Witch’s Rose.  That sounds like a romance novel. I didn’t even think she was the type to like that kind of novel. “Could I ask you some questions about vampires?”

Her eyes lit up with excitement.  “Of course! Come and sit down!” Medea guided me to a couple of plush chairs.  “What would you like to know, Jin?”

“Where did vampires come from?” I asked 

“Many centuries ago a plague swept through a distant land a woman’s husband and their oily child got deathly ill as they lay close to death, in desperation to save them performed necromancy on her family. The spell became a curse transforming their bodies into vampires.   The woman tried to undo the curse only to find it bound to their souls.”

“Can you make a half-vampire human?” Then I won’t have to hide what I am.

“Jin, if one tries it will destroy their body because they were born part vampire. Though the soul will be fine but  they’d die.”

I sat quietly after that staring at the book in my hands. “I have…one more question, why did you join the Hiraeth if your opinions on vampires are so vastly different from everyone else’s?”

“When I was ten years old I got distracted by the book my parents bought for me before I knew it was dusk and my family was nowhere to be found. I decided to climb up higher up a lamp post on a bridge, my feet slipped on the railing a person jumped high enough to catch me higher than anyone can financially,Saving my life.  He turned out to be a vampire. He even helped me back home before I could thank him. He vanished. That solidified my decision to prove everyone wrong about vampires.”

I nodded. A small part of me wanted to trust her, reveal right then and there what I am. But she might turn me in regardless of her personal views. I sighed, will there ever be a day when I won’t have to hide?

“What’s wrong Jin? Something troubling you?” Captain Medea reached out to touch my arm. A spoke of panic leapt into my heart. I barely managed to yank it back at a normal speed. 

“It’s nothing, really.”

“Sorry, I didn’t realize you had such a problem with touch. I just noticed since I saw you first today you’ve been really tense. Actually, every time I’ve seen you…”

I stood up abruptly, the  chair scratching against the hardwood flooring. “It’s probably time for recruits to set up for the Jade Tree festival. I need to  pay for my book. I’ll take my leave now, Captain.”

“Please consider joining the Intelligence Corps! We could use open minds like you!” Medea called after me.

Alek stood waiting for me near the exit of the shop.  “You ready to go?” He asked.

“Yes, let’s head to the preparation site.” 

…

“Say that again.” Xiongyan said calmly while holding up a fellow recruit by their collar.

“You… must’ve..,been raised….by vampires… to turn out.., like such a…freak…” the recruit said

Without another world Xiongyan drop kicked the recruit being boosted by wind magic, into a pile of crates others were about to move, many toppling to the ground with loud thuds.

“Aaghh! You bloody son of a bitch! You’ll pay for that!”

“We both know you wouldn’t stand a chance against me in a fight. But if you insist I’ll indulge your foolish desire.”

“Liishiii!!!” Captain Mika bellowed. “Under no circumstances are you to attack a fellow recruit!” The recruit in the pile  of crates smirked at Xiongyan getting reprimanded. “And you, instigating a confrontation,  watch your words and choose your choices wisely.” He turned to see me and Alek. “You two! What are you doing just standing there?! Get to work you’re late.”

“Yes Captain Mika!” We said in unison.