The eldest lord snickered. “Indeed. But it’s all cleared out now.”
“This sounds like so much fun.” I swallowed on a dry throat.
Lord Otto grunted. “Don’t pass out. I did let your friend come.”
“I’m not going to pass out!” I exclaimed, catching one of the enormous front doors with two hands to hold it open after Cato’s rude departure. “I’m just…”
“Nervous,” Lord Pippin supplied helpfully, extremely pleased with himself by the smug grin on his face. “You usually suck with men—no pun intended—so you’re nervous.”
I let the door flop back onto his face.
Thethudwas immensely satisfying.
“Not nice,” he grumbled from behind the thick wood. “Now I understand why you have issues with the opposite sex. You can’t handle honesty about one’s self told from another person.”
I sighed heavily and almost ran to catch up with my asshole father.
Anything would be better than Lord Pippin’s psychoanalysis.
Adelie linked one of her arms in mine, keeping our side against one another.
I peered into her brown eyes. “You always know what I need.”
“That’s because I’m the most amazing friend in the world.” She shrugged.
I opened my mouth and then snapped it shut.
I really couldn’t disagree with that.
* * *
I quieted my steps inside the ominous cavern, definitely echoing inside this space. Magic pulsed in the air, pulling up goose bumps along my flesh. The walls were bare and black stone, only lights hanging like dead tree limbs from the ceiling to light the solid black ground below. Folding chairs packed the floor, all empty, and all facing a raised platform at the end of the cave.
The overlord’s chairs must have been moved here because their fancy seating graced the stage, spotlights illuminating them in a harsh glow. Complete intimidation factor.
My eyes caught on Cato. He was slipping into a hidden door behind the stage.
When the door closed, it appeared just like the rock wall. Even to my eyesight.
“I’m glad I never got into trouble,” Adelie hissed, glancing around as if ghosts were spiriting the old jail. “This is spooky on a different level.”
I nodded once. I agreed wholeheartedly.
The rest of the overlords passed us by, all heading to the same ‘door’ that Cato had entered. Adelie’s arm and mine were still linked, so I pulled her at a fast clip behind them. I certainly didn’t want to get stuck down here. And I was positive Adelie didn’t either.
No one’s shoes clicked on the floor.
We were all silent in this arena.
Apparently, some things even disturbed overlords.
Like the reverberating of vampire hearing.
It was damn near never-ending.
Lord Xenon opened the wall-door.
We entered single file, making it so Adelie had to release my arm from her death grip.
