Empire of the Vampire, #2
Empire of the Damned
by Jay Kristoff
Contents
II. Jaws of the Bear
Overview
Kiara captures Dior after the fall at Cairnhaem, choosing to keep Dior alive because the Voss interest in her suggests she is valuable. Dior learns that Joaquin, Isla’s beloved from Aveléne, has become Kiara’s devoted thrall, deepening the horror of vampire control.
Among the Dyvok party, tension grows between Kiara and Kane over Gabriel’s uncertain fate, their delayed mission, and their treatment of captives. Dior survives by relying on thief skills rather than strength, picking her locks and escaping into the winter woods.
Summary
Celene resumes the story immediately after Cairnhaem. Dior stands alone on the broken bridge, surrounded by fallen allies and threatened by Kiara Dyvok and Kane Dyvok. Kane wants to kill and feed on Dior, but Kiara stops Kane because the Voss had pursued Dior, which convinces Kiara that Dior may be valuable to the Dyvok count.
Kiara uses the Whip to force an answer from Dior, but Dior insists she does not know why the Voss want her. Before Dior can use silversteel on herself, Kiara seizes Dior, chokes her unconscious, shackles her, and carries her away. Jean-François interrupts Celene’s narration to question how Celene knows events she did not witness, but Celene only tells Jean-François to be patient and continues.
Dior wakes near dawn, bound, gagged, and blindfolded in a small shelter with Joaquin Marenn, Kiara’s mortal servant, and two snowhounds. Joaquin gives Dior water and reveals he was the kennelboy at Aveléne and Isla’s beloved. Dior tries to persuade Joaquin to free her by promising to lead Joaquin to Isla, but Joaquin refuses because Kiara ordered him not to; Dior then notices Joaquin’s branded hand and realizes he is a thrall who believes Kiara’s domination is love.
When Dior insults Kiara, Joaquin violently gags Dior again. After nightfall, Joaquin digs up Kiara and Kane from their daytime graves, and Kane nearly feeds on Dior before Kiara restrains Kane, still intent on preserving Dior as a prize. Kiara and Kane argue over Gabriel’s uncertain death, Kiara’s lost vial, their delayed mission, and Kane’s unruly thralls, showing tension within the Dyvok party.
After three nights, the group reaches a hunter’s hut occupied by Dyvok thralls. Shae reports that other children have been captured and sent south to Lady Soraya. Inside the hut, Dior observes that the thralls bear two different brands, meaning they serve different vampire masters; Kiara orders that Dior must not be touched while Kiara and Kane sleep.
While the thralls keep watch through the day, Dior slowly retrieves her hidden lockpicks from her boot and frees her wrists and ankles. Near dusk, Dior slips out, steals Kiara’s sosya, and flees through the snow. To mislead pursuit, Dior rides into corpsewood, leaps from the horse into the trees, travels away from the animal’s tracks, and escapes on foot while the pursuers follow the fleeing horse instead.
Who Appears
- Dior LachanceCaptured by Kiara, discovers Joaquin is a thrall, then escapes using lockpicks and deception.
- Kiara DyvokWolfmother who spares Dior as a valuable prize and commands the Dyvok party.
- Joaquin MarennFormer Aveléne kennelboy and Isla’s beloved, now a devoted branded thrall of Kiara.
- Kane DyvokViolent Headsmun who wants to feed on Dior and challenges Kiara’s decisions.
- Celene CastiaNarrator of Dior’s ordeal, challenged by Jean-François about how she knows these events.
- Jean-FrançoisHistorian recording Celene’s account and questioning the source of her knowledge.
- ShaeRed-haired Dyvok thrall who reports captured children were sent south to Lady Soraya.
- TalleyCockeyed Dyvok thrall who tends the horses and bears one of the brands.
- JeanDyvok thrall cook who helps enforce Kiara’s order that Dior not be touched.
- DogshankOlder Dyvok thrall who keeps watch as Dior secretly works free of her chains.