Chapter 234 — Bloodscript

Chapter 234: Chapter 234 — Bloodscript

~ Raven ~

"What the—"

Before Raven could free herself, Cassian stepped forward and tapped her shoulder.

"Dead," he announced, withdrawing his hand with an expression that suggested he was enjoying himself far too much.

Raven glared at him, still struggling against the inscription holding her leg.

"You could have warned me."

"That would have defeated the purpose."

He released the inscription, allowing her to move freely again, and Raven immediately stepped away before looking down at the markings.

"You wanted me to think the barrier was the problem."

"Exactly." Cassian approached the inscriptions and deactivated them. "You recognized the first obstacle and responded correctly, but you didn’t consider where your decision would take you."

Raven glanced between the two markings, finally understanding how he’d arranged them.

"So the barrier was only there to force me toward the second inscription?"

"In this case, yes. I wanted you to understand how easily an opponent can control your movements without making it obvious."

Cassian gestured toward the floor before continuing.

"Remember, these are ordinary training inscriptions, not Bloodscript. A vampire could use a similar principle during combat, but their techniques don’t always involve setting traps. They can reinforce their attacks, strengthen their defenses or combine an inherited ability with an inscription you’ve already overlooked."

Raven frowned as she considered that.

"So even if I manage to recognize what they’re doing, I might still fall for something else?"

"Precisely. And that’s assuming you have enough time to recognize it in the first place."

That was considerably more concerning than Raven would have liked.

She’d spent the last several days learning how to recognize movements and avoid being forced into unfavorable positions, and now Cassian was telling her that the vampires could use supernatural techniques to make those mistakes even more dangerous.

"So how am I supposed to counter something like that?" she asked, folding her arms.

"By learning to recognize what your opponent is trying to accomplish instead of reacting to every technique separately."

Raven gave him a flat look.

"That sounds suspiciously like something you’ve been telling me all week."

"Because you keep giving me reasons to repeat it."

"Goddess, you’re insufferable."

Cassian smiled before moving back toward the center of the court.

"Watch the whole field, Raven. A vampire who specializes in Bloodscript might have inscriptions prepared before you even approach them, while another might rely primarily on physical combat and activate a technique only when an opportunity presents itself."

He glanced back at her.

"And don’t forget that Bloodscript has limitations. The inscriptions still require sufficient essence, proper construction and suitable resources. If a vampire overuses their blood, they’ll suffer for it."

"So if I keep pressuring them, they might not have time to prepare anything complicated?"

"Possibly, although I wouldn’t recommend making that your entire strategy. Someone talented enough to represent a Cardinal House will know how to fight without constantly relying on Bloodscript."

Raven nodded slowly.

That made sense.

The last thing she wanted was to spend an entire fight watching an opponent’s hands, only to discover that the bastard could knock her unconscious with an ordinary punch.

"Fine," she muttered, returning to her position. "Let’s try again."

Cassian activated the barrier, but this time Raven resisted the urge to immediately move around it.

Instead, she examined the surrounding floor, searching for the second inscription she’d accidentally triggered earlier.

There it was.

She shifted in the opposite direction, carefully avoiding the marked section.

Cassian moved to intercept her, and Raven adjusted her footing before he could close the distance.

"Better," he remarked, although he still managed to catch her arm when she attempted to counterattack.

Raven pulled away with an irritated huff.

"You know, it would be nice to finish one training session without you finding another reason to tell me I’m doing something wrong."

Cassian gave her a mildly amused look.

"Then stop making mistakes."

She shot him another glare, but his expression remained perfectly composed, which only made her more irritated.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t deny that the exercise was helping.

They continued for several more exchanges, with Cassian occasionally changing the timing of the inscriptions or approaching her from a different direction whenever she became too comfortable.

At first, Raven found herself concentrating so much on the markings that she neglected his movements entirely.

Cassian took advantage of that almost immediately, catching her shoulder before she could defend herself.

"You’re watching the floor again," he pointed out as he released her.

"Because you keep putting things on it!"

"And what would you do if your opponent attacked while you were looking down?"

Raven sighed, already knowing the answer.

"Get hit."

"Exactly."

She rolled her eyes but returned to her position, determined not to make the same mistake again.

Gradually, she began recognizing the difference between defending against an immediate attack and anticipating what an opponent might be preparing.

She still made mistakes, particularly whenever Cassian changed his approach, but at least she was beginning to understand what she was supposed to watch.

Eventually, he lowered his hands and allowed her to rest.

Raven retrieved her water before settling against the edge of the court, grateful for the opportunity to catch her breath.

"So these vampire Cardinals," she began after taking a drink, "what exactly should I expect from them?"

Cassian approached more slowly, apparently considering how much information she needed.

"Four Houses, four elemental specializations, just like ours. But don’t make the mistake of assuming their techniques will resemble our Lattices simply because the elements are the same."

He leaned against the boundary beside her.

"House Kharveil specializes in Fire. Their heir, Varron, is known for his aggressive fighting style and powerful offensive Bloodscript. He favors close combat, and if you give him an opening to press his advantage, he’ll use it."

Raven nodded thoughtfully.

"Sounds like Dante."

"In some ways, although their fighting styles aren’t identical. Varron makes extensive use of physical reinforcement and offensive techniques, while Prymont’s Fire Lattice operates through his inherited abilities."

Cassian paused before adding, "Either way, I wouldn’t recommend letting either of them get too close."

Raven snorted.

"Believe me, I’ve already learned that lesson with Dante."

Cassian’s mouth curved faintly, but he continued without commenting.

"House Durnholt represents Earth. Bastien Durnholt is particularly dangerous when he has time to establish his defenses. He’s patient, disciplined and difficult to force out of position."

Raven thought about Rowan.

"Let me guess. He’ll probably enjoy fighting Ashbourne."

"I imagine they’ll have plenty to discuss."

That sounded suspiciously entertaining, although Raven suspected neither man would appreciate her describing their competition that way.

"And the Air House?" she asked, turning toward him.

"Noxmere. Their heir, Cyran, specializes in efficient attacks, pressure manipulation and techniques that interfere with an opponent’s awareness of what’s happening around them."

Raven regarded him with renewed interest.

"Like you?"

"Not quite."

Cassian straightened slightly as he explained.

"My Air Lattice is integrated into my bloodline and primarily enhances how I manipulate air pressure, momentum and movement. Noxmere uses Bloodscript to produce certain similar effects, but the methods are different."

"So he can use inscriptions to support his movements?"

"Among other things. He can reinforce an attack, interfere with an opponent’s positioning or use controlled pressure to create an opening."

Cassian considered something before continuing.

"Cyran rarely wastes movement. If you’re ever facing him, you should assume every action has a purpose."

Raven nodded slowly, committing that information to memory.

That left one House.

"And Water?"

Cassian’s expression changed.

The shift was subtle, but Raven noticed the way the amusement disappeared from his face.

"House Veyrholt."

She studied him for a moment before raising an eyebrow.

"You don’t sound particularly pleased about that one."

"I’m not."

Raven waited, expecting him to elaborate, but when he offered nothing else, she tilted her head.

"Cassian?"

He sighed quietly.

"Sevrin Veyrholt is their heir. He’s exceptionally skilled with precision Bloodscript and water-pressure techniques, and he’s considerably more unpredictable than his reputation might suggest."

"Unpredictable how?"

"He enjoys finding weaknesses other people haven’t noticed, and he’s particularly good at exploiting them."

Raven considered that.

"That doesn’t sound unusual for a powerful heir."

"It isn’t."

"Then why do you look like somebody just insulted your entire family?"

Cassian glanced at her, and for several seconds, he seemed to be deciding whether to answer.

"House Blade and House Veyrholt have a history."

Raven frowned, watching the guarded expression on his face.

She’d heard Cassian discuss plenty of rival Houses before, but she couldn’t remember the last time the mention of one had made him look quite so displeased.

Whatever had happened between their families, she had a feeling it was considerably more serious than an ordinary disagreement between heirs.