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acquaintances. He had thrown his lot in with the ones chasing you. In war, you do not mourn the casualties on the other side.” Her tone was surprisingly cold.
    “Now what?” Laura asked aloud. “Since we couldn’t get the letters, we’ve made no gains in finding where the elders reside.” She looked to Logan, then to Madison, and final y to Alexander. “Do we press on, or do we alter course?”
    “That is your choice, Laura,” Alexander reminded her gently. “You steer us the way we need to go.”
    Laura sighed. Since the meeting with the angels, where it had been revealed she was the prophesied one, everything had been ‘her choice.’ Every decision they’ve made so far, from coming back to the mil to look for the letters, to where the best place for camp was had been ‘her choice.’ It was as if al three of the vampires around her completely forgot their wits when it came to making decisions.
    “I know it’s my choice ,” she emphasized strongly, “but as much as you might believe I am some destined one, I can tel you that that does not guarantee anything.” Alexander believed in the prophecy right when he was told it, and saw no other explanation than Laura being the one it spoke of. And he reminded her of it at seemingly every opportunity. “And as much as I wish I held some divine wisdom about our future path, I can tel you that I do not. Which is why I ask for your advice—” she motioned with her arm to take everyone in, “—when it comes to matters that might affect us al . You’ve al been alive much longer than me, and I’d be a fool not to make use of your experience.”
    Logan smiled at her lovingly, and squeezed her arm with his hand. He knew of the prophecy as wel as Alexander had, but he stil treated her exactly the same way as before. Wel – maybe a little differently. After finding her in the underground marble chamber, transformation complete and al , he had taken on a slightly more challenging attitude towards her than she remembered. But she loved him for it. It kept her grounded, and always on her toes. If everybody were swooning around her like Alexander sometimes did, she would go absolutely crazy.
    “It seems to me,” Madison began, “that we have two options.” Madison also began treating Laura differently once the prophecy had been revealed. But it was a good type of different. She started relating to her as a grown woman, an equal of sorts, and respected her opinions – but at the same time was never shy about giving her own. “And both of them can lead us to the same goal: finding the elders’ stronghold, and taking the fight to them.
    “The first – and this is infinitely more risky – involves making an appeal for help. To other Vassiz we have known throughout our lives. We could start with the ones we trust the most – an oxymoron, I know –
    and hint vaguely at the beginnings of unrest under the elders’ rule. I could do it myself, even, through the dream.”
    “She is very good at persuading people,” Alexander said, smiling up at her. Madison cleared her throat. “Right.” Laura knew she didn’t like being interrupted. “We could become the force behind a type of political shadow, hinting and suggesting… but never outright saying anything that could get us indicted. Although,” she added slyly, “it’s not like Vassiz law ever had the need for formal proofs to be upheld.
    “Anyway, that’s the first option. Like I said, it’s infinitely more risky, and therefore much more problematic. What if, for example, someone we speak to holds a strong al egiance to the elders? Nobody knows the web of relationships that hold one Vassiz to another. So al we could do is hold our breath, and hope none that would stop us hears too much, but – at the same time – that those who might potential y support us understand enough to back us up.”
    “And the other option?” Laura asked.
    “The other option,” Madison said, “is to keep going forward.