Page 304 of Sorrow & Strangers

Alice knows some of the plan if things should go awry while we’re there, but the three of us have also arranged several contingencies. Alice would not be happy with most of those, but as a group, we have agreed to do whatever it takes to protect her.

Rafe nods, but then his eyes are drawn back to Mira. He pulls her close and whispers, “You look beautiful.”

Alice groans. “Can we just go before there’s a proposal, pregnancy, or leaked sex tape? I will crash the fuck out if anything like that happens today.”

Rafe’s cheeks darken. Mira blushes too, but she laughs before kissing Rafe softly.

Alice cuts her chest, the wound emitting a red glow that sparks the portal. It forms in front of her, and I watch as she fixes her mask firmly in place before we walk through. I slide my hand into hers as we arrive on the misty streets of Drãculea.

Unlike when I was here with the stranger, the streets are now bustling with mourners out to show their faces in respect of their lost leader. The jeers and sneers as Alice walks past do not go unnoticed, but Alice plays her role perfectly as she always has. Only I know the damage they do.

I keep my eyes focused straight ahead as I walk beside her, my face set into a look of don’t fuck with me. A couple of times, I let my power drift ­toward a particularly vulgar heckler. Rafe and Mira walk behind us, and while I can’t see him, I know the malevolence of the crowd has to be affecting him. I just hold on to the hope that Mira is able to help him maintain his control. They’ve been practicing, and I’ve seen a difference during our sessions. She balances him out.

It’s a little easier to move once we are in the castle, thanks to the lack of people, but none of us relax our guards, keeping our facades firmly in place. The servants we pass all lower their gazes respectfully. They aren’t stupid enough to test Alice, though I’m guessing that has not always been the case.

We come to a stop at a set of large wooden doors, and Alice takes a breath before she shoves them open with her free hand, moving them as though they weigh nothing. The ceremony appears to have started. The coffin sits on the dais, and next to it, on the red, ruby throne, sits the palest male I have ever seen. His bright red eyes snap to us as the service pauses, the room going ­eerily quiet. He smiles and flashes his fangs, pushing his dark hair from his eyes.

I know exactly who he is, even though I’ve never had the displeasure of meeting him.

“Sitting on a throne that does not belong to you is treason,” I say, my voice echoing off the stone walls to slam into every being in the room.

Alice squeezes my hand, needing a silent show of support before she speaks. “Move. Or I will move you.”

Dimstraeux slings his leg over the arm of the throne. “Ah, Elvira . . . We didn’t expect you to attend. We assumed you would be living your hedonistic lifestyle.” He waves a lazy hand. “Seize them,” he commands easily, waving his hand lazily, his smile turning more predatory by the minute.

Out of nowhere, vampires surround us, brandishing large spears and swords.

“Love you. Don’t get hurt,” Rafe whispers to Mira behind us.

“I love you,” Mira says, and I feel the heat radiating off her. It’s so hot, I’m sure my dress has fused to my skin.

One of the vampires lunges forward, trying to grab me. I smirk and pull my sai free, slicing off the hand that was threatening to touch what doesn’t belong to him. He should be grateful the stranger is not here yet. The vampire screams, and the others snarl and hiss, two of them rushing to his aid. They posture but don’t advance, eyeing me with a newfound respect. They obviously haven’t done their research on me.

“Summer,” Alice says, grabbing my arm. “Let’s just go. It’s not worth it.”

A vampire shifts, and I pull my other sai free, keeping my eyes on them. The tension in the room is so thick I think I’ll choke on it. “Alice, you are worth it. This is your realm.” I shift my stance, and then Rafe holds the baby monitor to my mouth. “Now.”

“You have two minutes.” The headmaster’s cold voice comes through the monitor. The whole room falls into the same stasis it did in the cave last year, but this time it’s not to say goodbye. This time it’s to give us time to open a new door.

I turn to look at Alice. “I don’t think it’s true that you don’t want the throne. You just think you don’t deserve it, and, Alice, you could not be more wrong. I understand that this realm and your people have let you down time and time again, but you could change things. You could be the change. You could be the reason the patriarchy is overthrown. This is yours. This is your birthright. So are you going to let it be taken from you by some dusty, small-dicked asshole who is only going to keep those oppressive laws in place? Or are you going to work to make the realm what it should be? To make a home you’re proud of? Whatever you decide, I’ll be right at your side. We all will. Just say the word.”

Alice stares at me, her lower lip trembling. Then her eyes flash with murderous intent, and she straightens her spine. “Let’s kill them all,” she snarls, her voice quivering with emotion.

“That’s my girl,” I say, smiling softly. I turn back to the vampires in front of me just as the headmaster’s spell wears off, and they surge toward me. My sai slams into the lead vampire’s chest, and he screams from the pain of the runed silver.

Alice shifts to my side, and from somewhere, she pulls out her new favorite weapon. The gun seems much too big for her hand, but it doesn’t waver as she starts to shoot. The silver bullets find their mark, right between the attacking vampire’s eyes. Rafe’s hellfire blade illuminates the haze of blood and ash filling the air. Mira fights alongside him, her fire incinerating every vampire it touches.

Bone snaps, guns fire, infernos rage, and blood spurts as Rafe, Alice, Mira, and I plow through the vampires. While the room was full of old, crusty vampires, obviously, none of them had taken any time to train since they reached their elevated status.

I pull my sai free from the chest of a recently deceased vampire. When my eyes lock on Dimstraeux, I am a little surprised to see his eyes are alight with joy as he watches. I frown when I notice the guard standing behind him. He didn’t order them to help his council. He smirks evilly when he meets my gaze, pressing the point of his dagger into his middle finger. Rafe’s head snaps up, and I see the demon in him lunge to the surface, sensing something.

“We expected you, light fae bitch,” Dimstraeux says with a chilling laugh. A heavy presence fills the room, and my power swirls angrily at the weight of it. Dark fae. Powerful dark fae.

Fuck, I need to tell the stranger. I somehow convinced him to stay on the back burner and wait for my signal, but what if I don’t get the chance to signal him?

“We made a little deal for you.” Dimstraeux giggles maniacally. “Your king would love to see you. Leaving Avalon was a mistake.”

I charge toward him, sending a wave of power in front of me to clear my way. I slam my sai into his hand, pinning it to the arm of the throne. “Is that a threat?” I growl.