“So that’s where he is! I might have known. I’m his servant, see. Well, if he’s in jail there’s nothing to worry about—he’ll be out in no time. Whenever it suits him, he’ll tell some tale to the sergeant and stroll out of the front door as cool as you please. He’s a wonder, that man.”

And so, as we went down the mountain again, we heard from Max of everything that had happened. I found a strange feeling growing in my heart, one that had been uprooted and trampled down many times already, so that I thought it had died forever: I mean, Hope.

Hildi’s Narrative continued

Miss Davenport, with the aid of a pocket lens, had constructed a fire by the time the girls came down with Max; and although not even her gifts could conjure food out of thin air, so that we were all hungry, at least we had some warmth.

But the fire itself was no warmer than her greeting of them, and their joy at seeing her. I suppose if I’d been parted from Ma under conditions of extreme danger, I’d have fallen into her arms with the same kind of joy when I found her again; but I never had, thank God, and I could only imagine it. However, when she began to explain her plan, the chill entered their expressions once more, and I found my own blood freezing at the thought of it.

“The essential thing,” she said, “is to make the vengeance of Zamiel recoil upon Count Karlstein. That will happen only if the demon is cheated of his prey. However, if you are not available, the count will simply substitute someone else—and so not only sacrifice an innocent life, but escape himself.”

“What can we do, Miss Davenport?” asked Lucy.

“You must go back to the castle and let him take you to the hunting lodge.”

“What!” exclaimed Charlotte.

“Oh, yes. It is essential that the count believe that you are there, and that he is therefore safe. That way, you see, he will neglect to take precautions—and Zamiel will find no obstacle when he arrives at the castle.”

“But—” I began.

She held up her hand. “I know what you are going to say, Hildi. Why should Zamiel turn upon Count Karlstein if he has victims ready at hand in the hunting lodge? And how are the girls going to survive? The answer to that is simple: you and your brother will go there and rescue them.”

I was amazed.

“The principle,” she explained, “is quite simple. There are a number of substances which are known to ward off demons and other supernatural beings. Garlic is one of them. Its effectiveness, in the case of the Transylvanian Vampire, is well known. Another such substance is silver.”