I set my cup down with a force that sent tiny ripples across the surface of the liquid.
“It was fortunate for him that Arabesque only fed his soul to a greater demon. I would have done much worse.”
The room fell silent. Both Sebastian and Kaori knew I didn’t make idle threats. The punishment I had planned for my old friend would have lasteddecades.
“The reports from our spies suggest Arabesque is building quite the force,” Sebastian said after a moment. “Rogues, exiled shifters, low-level witches with questionable ethics.”
“And stockpiling power,” I added. “The magic she’s siphoned from Jonathan Bell and Serafina over the past five years must be significant.”
“From what Zane saw in Eluned’s memories, I’d wager she’s been siphoning from more than just those two,” Sebastian replied grimly. “There were more storage vials than two witches could have generated in that timeframe.”
“Other victims we don’t know about yet.” Kaori’s forehead creased with concern.
I nodded. She understood the ethical implications of magic siphoning better than most. It was tantamount to slow murder, draining the victim’s life force along with their magical abilities.
“The question remains, which king is she targeting?” Sebastian leaned forward. “You? King Julian Hemming? King Pelle Iverson? King Aerin Winterlight? I can’t believe she’d go after the Matriarch of the South again, but we can’t rule it out.”
I agreed with his last statement. Arabesque was ambitious, but not foolish. She would choose her target strategically, not out of vengeance.
“The Woodland Realm is too well-protected by ancient wards, and Aerin Winterlight’s mate brought strong alliances with her,” I reasoned. “As for the Ice Cloud Kingdom, it’s geographically isolated, and Pelle Iverson rarely leaves Isenheim.”
“So it’s either you or Julian,” Sebastian concluded.
“Those seem the most likely targets.” I nodded.
“I believe she’ll go after King Julian first.” Kaori shrugged when we both turned to look at her. “She’s specifically building awerewolfarmy. Why go to that trouble if vampires were her primary target?”
“Werewolves can cause significant damage to vampires,” I pointed out. “Their bites are poisonous to our kind. It would be a logical choice.”
“There’s a symmetry to using rogues against a werewolf king,” she disagreed. “Rogues owe no allegiance to anyone. They’ve rejected pack hierarchy or been cast out from it. They have little concept of home. Most are half-feral or mad.”
Sebastian’s eyes widened slightly as he caught her meaning.
“They’re the antithesis of everything the wolf king stands for.”
“Exactly.” Kaori nodded. “And symbolism matters to witches like Arabesque. Magic works on parallels and resonances. Using werewolves who’ve rejected their nature against the king who embodies werewolf ideals would amplify her spell work.”
I considered her theory. It was sound, both magically and tactically.
“If she weakens King Julian first, she could then move against me with less fear of an alliance between our courts.”
“We should warn him,” Sebastian said.
“And tell him what, exactly?” I raised an eyebrow. “That we suspect an attack based on magical theory and second-hand information extracted from the mind of a teenage witch? Aderangedone, at that.”
“Better than saying nothing,” Kaori countered.
I didn’t respond immediately. The political implications were complex. Julian Hemming and I maintained a carefully balanced relationship. We were allies, not friends. Warning him without concrete evidence could be seen as manipulation, an attempt to draw him into vampire court affairs. But if Kaori was right, and Arabesque struck against the wolf king first…
My thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of my phone against the marble tabletop. I had it in my hand before I consciously registered reaching for it. Koa’s name illuminated the screen, sending an unexpected jolt through me. My youngest son, the one who barely acknowledged my existence unless absolutely necessary, was calling me.
Not Sebastian.
Me.
Something was wrong.
I answered without preamble, putting it on speaker. No polite greeting, no time for pleasantries.
