Master Niallan dropped my hand.
He shrugged his shoulders, not answering me.
“Really?” I grumbled. I looked back up into the sky.
It had beenright there. So damn close.
The druid marched toward the closest arched opening into his castle. “I’m getting this over with. Hurry up.”
My chest heaved in disappointment, once more glancing up at the sky. But I strolled after him, following him all the way to my shared bedchambers.
He pounded on the door. “Open the fuck up.”
Lord Belshazzar yanked the door open. His ice blue eyes completely bypassed the druid ruler and settled on me while the rest of the Overlords walked to stand around him. Lord Belshazzar’s intense gaze ran over me from head-to-toe. He asked gruffly, “Did any harm come to you, your majesty?”
I almost rolled my eyes. “No. I’m fine.”
The Overlord snaked an arm outside of the room and gripped my wrist, gently pulling me inside our bedchamber. He stuffed me behind him and turned his regard on the fuming druid. “What answer did the Three give you?”
I stared at his back…amused and annoyed.
I stepped out from behind him and crossed my arms, eyeing Master Niallan, wondering if he would tell theTruth.
Bloodshot eyes stared the lord down. “The war will not be stopped. Travel to S’Kir to find the Breaker. Only then will true peace be obtainable.”
No one moved for a full minute.
Lord Cato cast a quick glance in my direction. “Is that accurate, Monitor of Challenge?”
I nodded. “It is the truth. That’s exactly what they said. In my opinion, he passed the Challenge.” As damn crazy as that answer was, he hadn’t lied to make it sound more plausible.
Master Niallan was one step closer to becoming king of the vampire race.
That night, after the Overlords had gone out for ten minutes, I received an official invitation to dinner tomorrow night from Master Niallan. I turned away from the spying portrait and smiled.
It was time forTERMINATE.
Chapter Tweny-Five
~ Gwynnore ~
The Overlords’ seating arrangement at the dinner was obvious, but I didn’t mind. I had a great view of Ysander from where they’d placed mesafelyaway from him. Lord Cato sat to my left, and Lord Belshazzar sat to my right. Dinner was served, and Ysander was eating with relish—it was probably his very favorite meal. I thought the meat and potatoes were fairly bland, but the man who was about to die wasn’t of the same opinion.
The only thing missing from this dinner was…
Master Niallan.
He had yet to arrive. Not that I blamed him.
I’d done the same on my last Challenge.
I took a large drink from my goblet of wine. I swirled the liquid inside my mouth, adoring the cherry and woodsy flavor. The wine did add to the dead man’s meal before us.
Lord Belshazzar stabbed one of my baby potatoes with his fork, stealing it off my plate. He’d already eaten all of his. The Overlord seemed to enjoy the meal as much as Ysander.
I placed the rest of my potatoes on his plate.
His blue eyes twinkled. “Thank you, your majesty.”
