"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha." Heila's light, musical laughter spilled past her lips before she could hold it back, startling both young women and leaving Cossot wondering if she'd said something wrong. "When the time comes, if it ever does, Sybyll will tell you," Heila reassured them.
"And you don't have to worry that feeding a vampire is something horrible or painful," she added as her cheeks turned a faintly rosy shade of pink. "It can actually be very, um, pleasant. But what I want to ask you to do is something harder."
"Many villagers in the Vale of Mists, as well as servants, soldiers, and all manner of common folk have made offerings to the vampires of the Vale," Heila explained. "But what I want to know is if you can give Dame Sybyll a greater gift. I want to know if you're willing to dedicate your life to her service."
