‘Don’t,’ Raleigh choked out.
Moira stilled her advance, but kept her stake high, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
‘Is she the hunter?’the Queen asked.There was no fear in her tone, only curiosity.‘What a sweet little court you’ve built yourself.’
‘If I stay,’ Raleigh said, ‘will you let them go?’
‘Oh, my love.’She turned him around and cupped both of his cheeks, pulling his face down to her level.‘You’ve all slaughtered our family.I’m not letting anyone go.’
I didn’t care what Raleigh said.I couldn’t stand here and wait helplessly for her to decide she’d toyed with us enough when I could give us a chance to survive, however slim.I raised my dagger.
The Queen gave it half a glance, then called down the length of the hall.‘Lukas.’
The door at the far end of the corridor clicked.In the next moment, Moira was leaping out of the way.Lukas flickered into view, far better groomed than he had been on the road.Unlike his brethren, he was properly armed.A clash rang out as Moira tried to counter his sword with her stake, then she rolled to dodge his counterstrike.I turned on him with my cross, but the Queen pushed Raleigh towards me.
‘Deal with her.’
I lowered my dagger at Raleigh’s visible discomfort, but he rushed atme.Before I could comprehend what was happening, he had me face down on the ground, my hand roughly pinned behind my back.
Moira froze with her stake raised, and in that split moment’s hesitation Lukas had her.He appeared behind her, yanked her by the hair and pressed his sword firmly against her throat.She tried kicking at him, but he only pressed harder, so her skin was almost white under the blade.The Queen stroked her sympathetically on the arm as she passed, then crouched down to tilt my face to her.
‘Yes, he can’t disobey me, even if he thinks he loves you.’She stood again.‘Oh, Raleigh, don’t make that face.You’re the one who brought them here to die.’
‘I never—’
‘Don’t speak back to me.’There was an audible clack as Raleigh’s teeth snapped together.The Queen patted his cheek.‘I always did like you better when you kept your mouth shut.’She stepped away.‘Well, come along.Everyone is waiting, and we can’t keep them from the festivities all night.’
Lukas pushed Moira forward to follow after the Queen, but Raleigh remained where he was.I could feel the battle of his muscles against my wrist as he tried to fight against his orders.The Queen turned half around.
‘Raleigh,come.’
Raleigh dragged me to my feet, grunting in frustration.Satisfied, the Queen continued her march down the corridor.Raleigh urged me forward but dipped his lips to my ear as we walked.
‘Pocket your dagger before she makes me disarm you,’ he whispered.He let go of my arm long enough for me to obey, visibly shaking from resisting his order.When I heard the clink of silver against glass, Raleigh’s hand found my wrist again, pinning me back in place.‘I’m sorry,’ he said.
‘You can’t help it.’I thought of the vial of blood in my pocket.How did it work, exactly?The Queen had no issue controllingRaleigh, even though it was in my possession.Was it about proximity?Or was there a deeper magic at play?
The Queen led us out of the corridor, into the entrance hall.As Raleigh had predicted, it was full of vampires.Every door was barred and guarded, save for the one we’d come through.Figures filled the room, surrounding us as we were led into the centre.
Where was Enrique?I scanned the crowd, trying to block out every other face.Some were leering, getting obvious pleasure from the capture of three dissenters.Others were stern, almost expressionless.Some I could almost mistake for sympathetic.But none were familiar.
Had he already escaped?Or …
The Queen stopped at the foot of the stairs and made a vague gesture to two of the waiting vampires.One man cut in and wrenched me bodily away from Raleigh, holding me in place with far more force than Raleigh had.Another gave Moira the same treatment, while Lukas dragged Raleigh, struggling, to where the Queen waited.
‘Kneel for your queen,’ Lukas commanded.
‘You’re as much a slave as I was,’ Raleigh spat.
Lukas’s lips twitched, then he kicked hard at Raleigh’s left thigh.I heard the crunch as the bone shattered.A high-pitched sound left Raleigh’s lungs, but not a scream.He was in too much pain to scream.
Raleigh collapsed.Lukas dragged him up by the collar, forcing him onto his knees.He adjusted, trying to keep his weight off his broken femur, but when the Queen gestured for Lukas to turn Raleigh to the rest of the room, his agony was painted clearly on his face.She placed both hands gently on his shoulders, then pushed down.
I struggled against my captor, terror peaking.
‘I’m so glad all of you made it home to witness this.’The Queen’s voice carried effortlessly through the hall.‘Your prince has returned,but he’s forgotten himself in his absence.Would you believe, he tried to deceive me.’She gave a shrill laugh.‘And he brought these vipers into my home to try to kill me and rob you all of your eternity.’She paused to let the words sink in.‘But, oh, they didn’t stop there.When they couldn’t hurt me they turned on your family.Yorik, Seraphina.’She listed the names of all those we had slain, and my stomach twisted tighter with each syllable.‘All fell tonight.I believe that warrants a severe punishment, don’t you?’
Half the room cheered in agreement.Lukas’s expression turned stern, but the Queen continued, seemingly oblivious to half the room’s silence.
