He puffed up again, but the whispers had already started. The doubt had already begun to sink in.
This is it.If he truly had the rune on his chest and had been siphoning the magic and life force from these witches, putting his blood in the goblet would taint it. Maybe even kill vampires who drank from it, depending on how many witches he'd actually taken.
Magic and vampires didn’t mix well, which was why there were so very few cases of witch-vampire hybrids. Levana had been a special one.
“Yes, why don't you go and prove it, hm?” Adrian asked, a sly smile on his face.
They held each other's gaze for a moment before the general turned and started walking down the steps of the throne.
“Now, all I ask is that you,” Aurelia motioned to the goblet. “Pledge your loyalty.”
It wasn't that the general was expected to pledge his loyalty to a new king, but the way he froze sent a burst of suspicion through everyone in the room. It was obvious in the way they narrowed their eyes at him.
At this point, I wasn't even sure if him being guilty of anything mattered. He simply wasn't doing it—to a king who went crazy over the simplest things.
I looked at Adrian and saw that his hands were already digging into the side of the throne.
Sweat dripped down my brow. The general was so close to Aurelia that if anything happened?—
“My loyalty is to the council,” he said. “Kyan would not be happy if I?—”
“But aren't you here because you believe in my brother's cause? In his rule to bring back the Castle family from ruin?”
This finally got a reaction from the royal side of the room, not so much in whispers and gasps, but in the shared glances between them.
“My sister’s right,” her brother said and stood. “You said you were loyal to me, so now prove it. In front of everyone. I'm sure Kyan will understand one day.”
The general turned around, panic on his face.It's happening.I inched closer to Vesper, needing some type of stability in this whirlwind of panic.
“Your Majesty, listen?—”
“Is there a reason why you don't want to pledge?” Adrian asked and tilted his head. “What my sister said is true. You werehere to help bring the Castle family back from ruin. We don’t have to lie in front of our friends and family.”
The general was getting more nervous. His eyes were shifting, and he looked like a man who was about to flee.
“Like I mentioned, Kyan?—”
“Is not here.” Adrian disappeared and reappeared in front of him. Lee’s eyes were getting red, but there was no sign of magic. No black veins traveling across his face and neck. “Now pledge your loyalty or lose your head.”
If he’s not using the witches, what is he doing?
“Wait.”
Aurelia and Caspian went to his side, and in one swift movement, they yanked his shirt open. I stepped forward, my hand reaching out to stop them, but Vesper grabbed my wrist.
“Don’t you dare touch me, you animals!”
My heart stopped in my chest. Ice-cold fear ran through my veins, freezing me to the ground.
Run. Run now. Not safe.
My entire body was urging me to get the hell out of there and to safety. But I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
Because right in the middle of his chest was a rune, carved into his skin, still open, but no blood was dropping. Almost like it was…festering.Black veins spread out from around it slowly, reaching up to his neck but stopping before they were visible.
It was one thing to see it on the ground, but seeing it in person, seeing my fears come to life, was something else entirely.
My mind flashed to the rune on the floor of the council's throne room. To my nightmares. They were all connected.Wewere all connected.
