Four glowing eyes peered back at us, and I had to blink a few times to see the outlines of the alligators’ bodies, if you could even call them that. They were the size of dragons. Since the adze didn’t eat people like the elokos, only drank their blood, it wasn’t hard to imagine what was on the dinner menu for the caretakers’ pets.

“Black Mamba is expecting you,” the caretaker drawled. “Best not keep her waiting. She ain’t particularly a patient woman.”

All around us, the fireflies loomed in the shadows. They’d formed a circle, and I had no doubt that if we chose to flee, they’d attack before I had time to open a gateway.

“How did Black Mamba know we were coming?” Zeran demanded.

“Them two darkbringers said you’d bring the guardian.” The caretaker answered like it was no concern of his. “Of course, they didn’t say you’d be in cahoots with her.” He laughed again, and it sounded like a dry cough. “No matter. Black Mamba always gets what she wants, and she wants the girl.”

My heart was racing out of control. “And what does she want with me?”

“It ain’t for me to say.” The caretaker pushed himself away from the fence. Standing up straight, I saw that he was tall, even taller than Papa. His sideburns were curly against his face and shinier than any hair had the right to be. He swung open the gate, and it let out a long creak.

“Is my brother . . . is Billu . . .” Zeran couldn’t finish his sentence.

The caretaker shrugged. “I don’t get involved in Black Mamba’s business.”

One by one, the fireflies dimmed as the adze changed their shapes in the shadows. They stalked around in the dark, and I caught glimpses of gray-specked skin, hunched backs, and talons sharp enough to cut a person in half in one swipe. The adze were massive, nothing like the dainty-looking vampires you saw in movies. These were the vampires of nightmares: bloodthirsty and ready for a snack.

The caretaker held up his hands in a peace gesture. “Easy now—let’s not scare our guests.”

“Let’s go, Zeran,” I said. “We have an appointment with Black Mamba whether we like it or not.”

The caretaker slipped back into the shadows. “Good luck. Y’all going to need it.”

Zeran and I exchanged a look as we entered the estate grounds. The trees were more tightly packed here, with so much moss that it was almost as dark as night. The light from my staff and Zeran’s prods pushed back the shadows. It was eerily silent. No croaking frogs. No chirping crickets. No leaves rustling in the wind. Even animals had enough sense to stay away from this place, and here we were strolling up to the door.