“Lies,” I said. Maybe I could still convince him to abandon this scheme.
“I was at the tournament where you saved his life, Your Highness. That sort of gallantry speaks to a deeper level of loyalty and commitment. You have true affection for your lord, and I can only assume he returns it. What an achievement, to be the first person to finally thaw Mercier’s ice cold heart.”
Mercier.This creep was comfortable using my lord’s first name, an intimacy that I rarely allowed myself. Did this masked fraud know my lord? Had they once been friends?
“Are you the one who kidnapped Galen from his family and threatened to kill his horse?” I demanded.
The man’s eyes flashed with anger before smoothing his countenance into a facade of indifference. “Mercier was neverworthy of the throne. The Vasil clan was neversupposedto inherit the crown, not with that Kazimir vampyress tainting the royal line.”
Vasil’s mother, he must mean. “What is your name?” I asked, not appreciating this cloak and dagger business.
“You may address me as Master Keeper.”
“Afraid to reveal your true self,” I said. “Not surprising for a coward who wears a mask.”
The man smiled but it was an empty expression, utterly lacking in any real joy or sentiment “I don’t capitulate to schoolyard taunts, Your Highness.”
“All right, let’s assume your plan works and Lord Vasil is deposed. Who do you propose will replace him?” I asked, having a suspicion as to the answer already.
The man spread his arms so that his cloak opened like wings, perhaps in an attempt to further intimidate me. “I am the most powerful elemental sorcerer in all the Arcane Isles. I command a flock of thousands of loyal subjects. Theywillfollow me because my father was Master Keeper before me, and my grandfather before him. I am of pure elvish blood, and I am committed to upholding elvish custom and tradition. Who else but me shall rule the elvish realm?”
“No one is pure anything. You only need to read a history book to know that we all have common ancestry.”
“Vampyre propaganda,” he said.
I wasn’t going to argue facts. The man was consumed by his own ego and ambition; logic and reason meant little to him unless it could be used to further his agenda. “So, you want the throne for yourself then? Such a predictable plot. And then what will you do once you have it?”
“I will rid this kingdom of mixed breeds and close our borders to foreigners, starting with the vampyre. Purify our society once and for all. I’m only sorry that I won’t be able tohonor the commitment Mercier made to you. You see, my heirs must be of pure elvish stock.”
“More than half your population are, as you call them, mixed-breeds, not to mention the dwarves who’ve been in these lands since before recorded elvish history. What will you do with them?”
“They will be confined to the mines.”
“Imprisoned, you mean. Your economy will be ruined and your trade will suffer. Those people you’re so quick to banish or incarcerate have valuable skills, not to mention they have a right to live and prosper here as much as anyone else.”
“My followers understand that some sacrifices must be made for the greater good. And on the other side of this temporary strife, we will be stronger. A more unified society striving toward common values of tradition, excellence, and piety.”
“You’ll be weaker on all accounts and more fragile too.” I shook my head at his utter lunacy. “What will you do with Lord Vasil?” We both knew Vasil would never capitulate to a fraud such as this, nor would he allow his people to be banished or abused.
“I will eliminate him as I should have done years ago.” He said it coldly and without remorse. I was disturbed by his unapologetic admission and his empty smile as he added, “And you, fae prince, will have a front-row seat to his destruction.”
He turned and melted back into the shadows. The mare whinnied and stomped one hoof, snorting aggressively at his departure.
The man was a lunatic. There was more at stake than even our lives. The people of the elvish territories would suffer if this nemesis rose to power. One thing I knew for certain, Vasil would never allow it. He’d put a stop to this so-called Master Keeper’s plot and liberate his followers from this bizarre death cult. I had to believe my lord would prevail.
The alternative was too grim to consider.
Chapter 23
Lord Vasil
The entrance to the abandoned mines was suspiciously unguarded, a sinister invitation to enter, despite all of the faded signs that read,No TrespassingandKeep Out.The makeshift wooden door had even been propped open, which only heightened my trepidation.
“Is there usually no one guarding the door?” I asked Galen.
“No, m’lord. There are usually lookouts and sentries posted everywhere,” he replied. I surveyed the surrounding trees and rock formations, enlisting my vampyric faculties but hearing only birdsong and the whispering of grasses.
“So, it’s a trap,” I concluded while the queen huffed in displeasure.
