She says nothing as she pushes the side door open and disappears.
I snarl, charging after her. “Stop, girl!”
The girl doesn’t stop, which shocks me worse than anything. I am hermaster, and the ability to command a bloodthrall is absolute. I’ve always known that.
And yet . . . Palacia takes off at a sprint. Her bare feet scamper down the hall as she leaves the room she exited and heads for another one.
I give chase, throwing caution to the wind. Somewhere in the distance, I hear another thud. Then a short-lived scream. Then the hissing sounds of fire.
I become aware things are going very, very wrong.
Could they have led us into another trap? Outwitted Alacineagain? Impossible!
I don’t lose track of Palacia, though she’s a quick, squirrelly little bitch. Her green-yellow hair bobs on her bony shoulders, small feet padding along while her loose-fitting tunic breezes across her frail body.
Three more turns in the hallways, and then she finds the door she’s been aiming for. It happens to be the one where the other bloodsign is located.
Surelythismust be where Sephania resides then.
Palacia careens through the door and I give chase—
Only to see her vanish into black smoke at the other end of the room. My eyes widen, landing on the tall, elegant vampire standing over his old oak desk, staring down at a tome almost longingly.
I haven’t seen this many tomes and scrolls in my life. They pile the bookshelves lining the walls of the study. Dim candles keeps the warmth inside the miniature library.
Skartovius turns to me once Palacia has magically vanished. His red-gold cloak swishes, and he strikes the very picture of arrogance standing there with his hand on the hilt of my father’s silver sword.
My nemesis in the flesh. Last we met, I was handing him a dying girl—a girl I turned into a vampire to keep her alive because my weak human heart felt empathy to watch someone I had once cared for suffer so needlessly.
The time before that, I had broken into this very manor, into his bedroom, and tried to kill him for killing my father Heskel years ago. My attempt was a failure then, but I wouldn’t have the same outcome tonight.
“I expected Madame Mortis. Not you.”
I blink at his cold words. He says them as if he’s surprised to see me—surprised I had it in me to come here.
Little does he know, I’m just as surprised as he is.You’re supposed to be Sephania, dammit. Did you truly send her into the heart of the beast in Nuhav, to retrieve her mother? Are youthatreckless, you fool?
The thought of it makes my slow heart fill with blood and pulse hard against my chest.If Sephania is in Nuhav instead of here, that means she is going to face my mother.And despite everything between us, the last thing I want is to leave my mother alone with Sephania for even a second. Not after knowing what she’s capable of.
“Sorry to disappoint,” I say, mind reeling.
“Oh, don’t be.” His smile and eyes become wicked, bent on destruction as he stares me down. “I’mthrilledyou’re here, Lukain.”
I nod my chin toward the wall Palacia disappeared into. I don’t need to ask what kind of magic or illusion Skartovius has at his fingertips, because I’ve seen similar things from my mother. “Why wouldn’t she listen to my command to stop running? I turned Palacia.”
“Because she’s had a steady diet of Loreblood since turning. She is no longer yours, Lukain.” Lord Ashfen’s smile widens when I wince from his words. “You do remember the Loreblood,yes? The reason for all this madness? Of course you do, or you wouldn’t be here.”
“Where is Sephania, you monster?”
“Safe from you.”
“If she’s where I think she is, then she’s not safe in the slightest. Not from mymother.”
Lord Ashfen’s perfect posture flickers with doubt. I notice the tic of his jaw. He’s wondering if he’s miscalculated this evening. Just as I have. Just as we all seem to have.
I draw my swords, eager to get this over with. “Will you run, Lord Ashfen?”
He tilts his head. “After how I handled you last time we fought? Why would I run? What do I have to fear?”
