“Always so considerate, that Lennox, isn’t she,” I all but spat. Did she think I couldn’t handle a meeting civilly?
Captain Hale ignored me, leading me to the one building that remained fully intact in the town square.
The door had fallen off the hinges, but the rest of the dwelling appeared to be in good shape. Hopefully, it wouldn’t fall in on us.
“You made it.” Lennox Adair didn’t even bother to stand as Captain Hale led me into the room. Her mate sat at her side, both of them dressed in battle leathers. “I wasn’t sure if you’d come.”
“Why wouldn’t I? I was surprised you wanted to see me at all. I suppose I was intrigued to see what you had to say.”
“And Lorenzo wasn’t?” The prince, or High King I suppose now, looked behind me as my guards filed in.
“Someone had to stay back and watch over the city.” After I let him fuck me, he still tried to argue his way into coming. He finally agreed to stay, but I had left before he woke to ensure he’d stay behind.
I took a seat at the opposite end of the long rectangular table from the royal couple. Captain Hale moved until he was standing behind the pair, the Queen’s sister Kara and their other friend, the witch, was sitting on either side of them along with the silver-haired wolf and a chestnut-haired female I had never seen before.
“I see you left your brother behind, afraid I might try to take him again?” I let myself smile. Losing the Adair sibling had been a loss, a loss she’d pay for in time.
The High Queen’s hands balled into fists, her eyes narrowing in at me.
“What is the meaning of this anyway?” I tucked my hair behind my ear.
“I don’t want to start a war,” Lennox said, catching me off guard. I hadn’t figured out why she had brought me here but talk of war didn’t cross my mind.
“Why not?” I steepled my fingers under my chin. “Seems fun, doesn’t it? Especially when I have such a strong army behind me.” Just because I didn’t think she wanted to discuss war, didn’t mean I hadn’t thought about it. About how quick a victory I’d make it with the Blood Court forces on my side. Captain Hale had trained them well after all.
“Enough people have died in the crosshairs of this so-called rebellion of yours and the Vanir. I want to stop any more unnecessary death.”
“Does that mean you’re giving up? Going to give me the cure for vampirism?” I kept my expression neutral despite the hope blossoming in my chest.
“No, I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” I all but sneered.
“Because there is no true cure for vampirism. If I give you the spell and you complete it, all vampires will cease to exist.”
I laughed, the sound cold and bitter. What a fucking joke she was. This, this lie was why she brought me here?Pathetic.
“Right. What a terrible lie. Who came up with that one? The wolf?”
“It’s no lie. I saw the spell myself. Written by the Goddess Astria, it said if the spell was reversed, all vampires would die.”
“So you saw the spellbook? The real spellbook? And the pages that are missing?”
“Astria’s journals—yes.”
“And what did you do with it—the pages you ripped out of the original journal.”
Lennox hesitated.
I clicked my tongue. “I will find the original.”
Lennox remained quiet before finally speaking again. “You’d give up your own life to end vampirism?”
I tensed. If this was the truth—it was an unexpected one. A roadblock. An outcome Keziq and I had not anticipated. But if I could eliminate vampires, avenge my love—I’d do it. I’d give my life up for that.
“Yes—to prevent others from losing their loved ones at the hands of vampires yes—I’d give up my own life. There is already plenty of blood on my hands—why not add an entire population before I return to the stars?”
“You won’t be resting with the stars,” the witch, Luciana, all but growled.
