Zander nodded. “They organize hunts at their alpine fortress — wealthy vampires pay to hunt enslaved shiftersfor sport and blood, the hunter’s choice of whether to kill or accept ownership papers for the slave they win. They’re Concilio sympathizers, militant traditionalists who believe in absolute vampire supremacy.”
Emmy’s stomach turned, and not from the poison. “They poisoned us because…?”
“Because I allowed both factions to attend Mordnik peacefully. Because I refuse to take a side in their political war.” Zander’s voice was cold, controlled fury barely leashed. “They wanted to destabilize my neutrality, sow chaos, force me to choose — or discredit me if I refused.”
“And having two people spreading the poison threw us off when we looked through the video feeds,” Spence said quietly.
Zander’s jaw tightened. “Yes. The mammal poisoning was wolfsbane delivered topically, applied with a fingertip during what would look like casual contact. A stroke on the back, the shoulder, the arm — an invisible symbol that only showed up later as the poison metabolized.”
“The rumor was that the mark meant traitor?” Emmy asked.
Zander nodded. “Technically it meansoath breaker, but close enough. It’s called anezret, and was historically used to brand oath-breakers before execution in a culture that’s been dead for millennia, but vampires continued the tradition well past the humans. Anyone over about fifteen hundred years old would recognize it immediately.”
Emmy processed that, her mind grinding through the implications. “And the reptile poison?”
“Different delivery method, and you were right about the reindeer stew — it was a given the four reptiles would choose it. Their plan was to up the dosage slowly, to go from making shifters sick to killing them.”
“You’re sure it’s just the two of them?” Spence asked.
“I’m not finished interrogating them, but at this point, it appears it was just this couple. They aren’t known for their ability to work with others, so it isn’t likely that’s changed. Still, once I have the slave drain on them and own them as slaves, I’ll know for absolute certain.”
Spence nodded. “Death would be too easy.”
Zander smiled. “Exactly right, Dearest. I’m not sure I’d have found it, but someone on the security team measured the inside and outside of every piece of luggage, and this told them one suitcase had a false bottom. We couldn’t figure out how to get into the secret compartment, so a saw was produced, and security cut it open. We found the wolfsbane, the reptile poison, and another aimed at birds.”
He looked at Spence, then Emmy. “They went for reptiles before birds because they apparently realized my connection to your father would make me more protective of you.”
Emmy nodded. “That’s okay. I survived it, and Rhea might not have. Plus, there are more birds than reptiles, so less of us got sick this way.”
“It’snotokay,” Spence said. “Nothing about this is okay.”
“It isn’t,” Zander agreed, “but I also understand Emmy’s stance. Bottom line, they had enough poison to kill every shifter in the silo twice over.” He met Emmy’s gaze again. “And they had the original recipe for dragon poison, so I’ll have to bring your father in, but not yet.”
Emmy’s breath caught. “Dragon poison. The real thing.”
“Yes.” Zander met her gaze, something fierce and protective blazing in his expression. “The goal on this first poisoning was to make you sick without killing you. They knew it might be enough to kill a snake, depending on how much he ate, and they tried to calibrate it so it wouldn’t, but later dosages would’ve killed you, if I hadn’t sent you away, which I would’ve, if we hadn’t been able to find the perpetrators.”
“How old are they?”
“She’s older than me. He’s about my age.” The muscles at his temples rippled. “Old enough to know better than to try this in my territory.”
Zander leaned back, a predator at rest but ready to strike. “They brought lion bodyguards, but didn’t tell them what they were planning. When I scanned the lions’ minds, there was nothing. They were deliberately kept ignorant.”
“What will happen to them?” Spence asked.
“Already dead,” Zander said. “They’d have died an excruciatingly slow death once I put the slave drain on their Masters, and would be drained and miserable in the coming days while their Masters are in a box awaiting punishment, so I killed them humanely rather than make them suffer.”
“And what will you do to the vampires?” Emmy asked, though she suspected she knew.
“Justice.” The single word carried weight, finality. “Public justice, so everyone understands what happenswhen you harm my people. I’ll fly Kendra in once we know all the reptiles are strong enough to attend. I’ll start and end the ceremony, but she’ll have her fun in the middle.”
Emmy blinked. “You want us to watch?”
“I need everyone to watch.” Zander’s gaze swept between her and Spence. “Every vampire, every flock member, every guest, every maid, every cafeteria employee, most every security guard, though some will be posted elsewhere, obviously. I want it spoken of far and wide what happens to those who harm my people. This spectacle will be spoken of in hushed tones for centuries.”
Spence’s hand tightened on Emmy’s hip, but he didn’t protest.
“The theater?” Emmy guessed.
