She went limp in the drakens’ arms, angry tears falling down her cheeks.
Benedict made a disgusted sound at the vampyres’ frustrated wails and hungry cries.
“Round them up and chain them!” he called out to the witches. “We need to find out what they know,” Benedict ordered, turning toward Nerissa. “You can interrogate them.”
Benedict pushed off from the ground, opening his wings and taking off toward the ship. Nerissa shoved off the drakens holding her, adjusting her blouse and the knife holster on her waist.
Kieran soared over us as Benedict growled.
“Right. Vampyres, chains. Got it,” Kieran confirmed.
A dozen drakens flew down to the water, air witches backing them up as the seawitches tossed them the vampyres. One by one, they each took a captive and headed around the island to the southern side and Nerissa’s ship.
“You there! Air witch! I need a ride!” Nerissa called out.
I hid a chuckle behind my hand.
Nerissa shot me a look. “You coming?”
Benedict and Kieran would hate that. “Yes.”
“Make that two!”
Ronan bristled next to me. “I don’t think they would want you down there, away from the wards. Besides, even if you did go down, I am perfectly capable?—”
“Take me down there. I am still queen, am I not?” I demanded.
He gaped at me. I rarely pulled the queen card on him. His fangs gnashed together. “Fine. Come here.”
Ronan grunted, sweating a little more than he usually did while carrying me, but we glided together around the tip of the island and to the south. A large wooden ship sat in the harbor, its sails patched and worn.
My claws dug into the wood of the deck as Ronan sat me down. My nose wrinkled at the smell of tar and blood.
Benedict was arguing with Kieran. “What do we do with them? After we interrogate them, that is?”
Ronan wiped sweat from his face, chest heaving. “They can’t be drowned,” he said. “And if we keep them here, they’ll tear apart the first guard who gets close. They look to be near-feral.”
“Then what do you suggest?” Benedict demanded, a bit impatient. His lips pursed when he saw me, but wisely he chose not to argue at this moment.
Ronan opened his mouth, then closed it, clearly thinking better of whatever it was he had to say.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Drop them into the volcano seems logical,” he said tentatively. “And quick.”
The words fell like stones.
I turned on him. “You can’t be serious.”
Benedict nodded, grudging respect in his eyes for Ronan. “It’s merciful and clean, and if we drop them from high enough the wards shouldn’t interfere.”
Nerissa shot Ronan an odd look. “That’s … creative.”
Benedict didn’t flinch. “They killed a draken,” he said simply. “And they’ll do it again if we let them.”
Nerissa huffed. “If they murdered my son, I’ll drop them in myself.”
I wanted to argue, but when I looked at her—really looked at her—I saw what I would become if anyone ever hurt the child inside me. I said nothing. I didn’t disagree.
