My magic agrees with me; his wound is deep, and his pain is equally terrible.
I reach out to sense the Hunters. No one else is injured, and I exhale in relief.
Uncle Brachett barrels toward us, eyeing his Master.
“The throne room,” I tell Brachett, standing and pulling Master up with me. “That’s where they’re holding Sam.”
“Aye,” he says, breathing heavily.
I’m fondling the new chip in my tooth again when Riot’s face scrunches at me. “What are you doing?”
“Fucker got me in the mouth. Chipped my damn tooth.”
Grace rolls her eyes. “You’re beautiful; it just makes you more rugged,” she tells me, and I flash her a winning, bloody smile. “See? Way more handsome,” she encourages.
I huff at my wife and survey the hall.
Blood-covered warriors grin back at me.
“To the throne room, Hunters!” I call and lead the way, eager to get to my brother-in-law and get him the hell out of here.
We weave through halls and descend to the ground floor toward the main entrance of the stronghold.
My magic simmers, celebrating as we gain ground on Sam. The feeling is mutual.
We take down the enemy in our path, hallway after hallway of dreamwalkers, like the king knew we were coming and invited all of Goreon’s vampires to defend what’s theirs during the full moon. Plowing through the antechamber, we burst through the throne room doors—
Holy gods.
CHAPTER 19
VEYA
Present Day
I’M NOT SURE this is an appropriate place to stow a queen,” I protest as we pass a row of empty holding cells and head down another corridor.
“It’s what the king wants,” Balor says blandly. His indifference is odd; I’d think he would be thrilled to throw me down here. Perhaps he’s nervous for his own dreamwalk.
“Can we get some pillows or something?” Emmanuel snarks.
Balor approaches a cell and opens the door. “In,” he commands and then yanks the cell beside it open for Emmanuel.
A guard juts out his palm for Emmanuel’s weapons.
“The only way you’re getting any of my steel is if it’s embedded in your skull,” Em says and strides into his cell fully armed.
I breeze into my cage with my blades strapped to my thighs. “Go ahead, Balor.” I nod at the open door. “Let’s all get this night behind us, shall we?”
He bolts the barred doors and locks them, and the buzz of magic fires across the bars the moment the locks are in place.
My shocked gaze darts to Balor, whose sneer springs from nowhere.
“What isHuntermagic doing on these cell doors?” I snarl.
Balor shrugs. “A Hunter left his mark here. I don’t complain about the perk.”
Fuck.
