“And we truly appreciate it,” Cole said. “Itis an unexpected, blessed event to have so many here to celebrateour upcoming nuptials and our love.”
The slight narrowing of the Lord’s eyes toldCole he wasn’t buying the bullshit Cole shoveled, but Cole had toutter the basic niceties. They both knew it.
“It’s my pleasure!” the Lord cried. “It hasbeen far too many years since I’ve hosted a ball, what with the warand all, but now my enemies are defeated, your brothers andfather—” He smiled at Cole, who ground his teeth together until heswore he cracked a few. “—are dead, and the good times will onceagain rule in this land.”
“Of course, my Lord,” Cole murmured.
“Musicians, play!” the Lord commanded.
The silence stretched for so long the Lord’shead spun toward the minstrels. One of them released a squeakbefore hitting the cords of his cello with too much force. Theresulting sound was far from pleasant.
The Lord laughed while everyone else in theroom winced. The rest of the musicians started playing, but no onein the room moved. Lifting his hands, the Lord clapped loudly.
“Drinks! Food! Bring it all forth. Everyone,return to dancing!” the Lord commanded.
The Lord’s bellow reverberated off the goldenwalls and rattled the windows. At first, the others were slow tomove, but they rushed to find a partner when the blue dragon liftedits head.
This ball had turned the most powerfulleaders of the Shadow Realms into the Lord’s puppets. He couldcommand them to do whatever he wanted, and they all would as longas the dragons and guards watched their every move.
He was exerting his power over them as henot-so-subtly reminded them who was in charge. In their realms,they were the elite, but they would always be at his mercy andunder his thumb, no matter where they resided.
It was a move meant to keep these leadersmeek, but it could also backfire. There was far too much pride inthis room for many of these immortals to take being pushed aroundlike this well.
The Lord leaned forward and rested his handson his knees to study Lexi and Cole. “This party is for you. Go,have fun! Eat, drink, and be merry.”
For tomorrow we die.
The Lord didn’t say those words, but they ranthrough Cole’s head.
However, he didn’t think the Lord would waituntil tomorrow to make his move.
CHAPTER 50
The next few hours passed in a tense blur.Lexi sipped champagne and picked at the food carried by harriedservers who rushed from one end of the room to the other.
When one of them accidentally dropped a trayof champagne, one of the musicians screeched their bow across theirstrings, and everyone else in the room jumped. Before the servantcould clean it up, a couple of guards grabbed him by the arms,lifted him off the ground, and carried him from the room.
When Lexi took a step toward them tointervene, Cole clasped her elbow and pulled her back. He kept hisfake smile lodged firmly in place.
“Cole,” Lexi whispered.
Releasing her elbow, he rested his hand inthe small of her back and steered her away as other servants rushedto clean up the mess. Their hands quivered as they picked up thelarger pieces of glass and set them on the tray while anotherhovered nearby with a broom.
Tears streaked the cheeks of one of themusicians while they played. At first, Lexi thought they knew theservant who was removed, but then she saw the streaks of redcoating the instrument’s strings.
Bile burned her throat as the woman’s bloodyfingers continued to glide across the top of her cello while herbow slid across its strings. And then the woman vanished from viewas immortals danced across the floor.
Cole led her over to his uncle standing nearthe doors with two glasses of champagne in his hands. The two ofthem hadn’t been far from each other since she and Colearrived.
Maverick drank one, set the glass on apassing tray, and grabbed another before downing his otherdrink.
“How long have the musicians been playing?”Lexi inquired.
“We all arrived at noon,” Maverick answered.“And they were already playing then.”
“So at least seven hours,” she said.
And the Lord didn’t have any intention ofletting them stop soon.
