Pacing the small space, I said, “Last night I was reading a few texts about dhampyrs, and I found something.”
“Something bad?” Dakath asked.
“No,” I rushed to reassure them. “At least I don’t think so. Mind you, this text could be incorrect but considering the circumstances, I’m going to assume that it's true. Apparently, to stay immune to my bite, you have to continuously drink from me. It's not a one-time type of deal.”
Surprise and interest registered on Elijah’s face. “Do we know the time frame for the immunity to wear off?”
“I couldn’t find anything on that, but I think it would probably be best for both of you to drink from me often like Dakath, just in case the time frame is shorter than we would expect it to be. I will keep looking to see if I can find specific information about that, though.”
“I will never say no to drinking from you,” Kolvar rumbled, his eyes heating on my frame before he offered a smile at the way my cheeks heated. Damn him.
Elijah pulled my attention away from Kolvar as he added, “You know we would love nothing more than that—I just want to make sure you don’t overdo it. There are three of us and one of you.”
“I don’t think it needs to be a lot, just enough to keep it in your systems.”
No need to point out to him that I wasveryaware that there were three of them. Three delicious vampyres who were completely devoted to me…How did I get so lucky?
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Elijah nodded in agreement before his expression shifted to a more serious and thoughtful one. “But for now, we need to get to this meeting. If we want to sail today, there are a few things we need to discuss with the remaining council members. Once we’re on the open waters, it’ll be near impossible to do so with everyone split up amongst different ships.”
I hurried into the hall, leaving our quarters as we made our way across the castle toward the council room. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining in through the many windows, which stood in direct contrast to the somber and serious tone I felt hanging in the air of the castle.
When we neared the council room, it was to find a handful of lords and advisors waiting to be let in by the guards that only opened the doors once they saw us arriving. I met the eye of every man I passed as I strode into the council room confidently. I may have been a bit shaky yesterday, nervous, and somewhat overwhelmed, but not anymore.
As everyone joined us within the chamber, Kolvar and Dakath opened the windows to let in the morning breeze. Elijah motioned for some of the castle stewards to come forward with several maps, indicating that they should be laid out on the table in front of me.
As I stood at the head of the table, I noted that Tristan and two other men had joined the group who was here the night before. The new men were trusted by my men, if the way they clapped them on the shoulder in a quiet welcome was any indication. I wasn’t opposed to more allies–I would take any help we could find.
The guards moved to close the doors, but I held up my hand to halt them for a moment as I heard the distant noise of bat wings in the hall. Barnabus swooped in through the arch, circling the room as a few of the lords flinched. A small smile tilted my lips upward as the bat landed on my shoulder, briefly nuzzling my neck before settling.
Motioning for the guards to now close the doors, I decided to dive right in. Last night, I made myself clear about how I would rule, and these Lords had bent a knee to me. So if they also showed up this morning, I could only assume it was with the intention of listening and helping.
“Today is a new day, one that breaks after a night filled with tragedy.” I met each of their gazes, keeping my face schooled from the emotion I felt toward Myrin's loss. I knew I must show them the strength and control I could bring for our empire, so while I was still mourning, here and now wasn’t the place for it.
“It is also a day met with war, which is why I have gathered all of you here. We will sail today as planned—”
One of the lords, a lanky tall man with a long gray ponytail, spoke up. His tone was patronizing as he asked, “Are you sure that's a wise choice? Are you comfortable leading our troops into battle? Do you believe our troops will trust your leadership so quickly?”
“Stop.” I commanded him calmly before he could go any further. “I wouldn’t be pushing for this if I didn’t think it was theonlyplan. As I said, I plan to follow Myrin’s plans for this war, so we leave today. And while I do not owe you a further explanation, I offer you the knowledge that what I lack in my own skill set, I am not afraid to ask for help with.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. “You are here because you pledged loyalty last night. That means helping this empire to the best of your ability, to aid in making decisions that will help our people, not hurt them. If you have decided differently on how you feel—”
“I have not,” he bit out, frustration contorting his features. “I just hope you understand why the idea of a new leader with no experience taking our troops into battle across a great sea concerns us.”
It was interesting how he spoke of an ‘us’, yet was the only one voicing this concern. Still, on the off chance that any supported his words in silence—I would make my intentions very clear once again. I may have been lenient in letting the disrespect from the established Lords go before without punishment as I easily could have done per Myrin’s wishes, but it was time to take a stand.
Considering his words, I nodded. “I do understand. I don’t plan on sitting idly by—I plan on going with the troops. I am putting my own life on the line because I believe this is necessary.”
The lord stared at me for a minute before nodding succinctly. “Understood.”
Good.
“Now,” I started as I looked over the rest of them. Many of the faces of the lords who had scoffed at me were more neutral, and I found myself wondering if my words had gotten through to them as well. “If we are to sail today, we need to make sure everything is ready. The plan must be finalized for what we are to do once we arrive. Elijah, I assume that there have been some ideas drafted?”
Taking the hint to take over the meeting, I took my seat as the room followed suit. Belatedly, I realized they had only been standing because of me. I wasn’t sure how long it would take for me to get used to that.
“I invited two of our naval commanders to discuss our fleet. Tristan is here as he has been part of crafting our strategy for approaching the Thaician Empire with his insider knowledge,” he explained before looking toward one of the men in question. “Commander Maz, are the fleets ready to leave today?”
An older man dressed in a tailored military uniform with several pins on his chest stood and offered me a respectful nod. “The ships are ready as instructed. We are prepared to launch a full-scale attack, and every recruited member has received instruction on which ship within the fleet they will be sailing on. We have ensured that the crews are divided evenly with more experienced sailors and less—as well as seasoned captains, all of whom have been instructed to report to the harbor to begin preparation for leaving.”
