Page 4 of Serpent and Shadow

Malefic thought all these things as the fire warmed his back, his mangled arm hanging off-kilter at his side.

He watched until the hall emptied completely. Only when he heard the click of the last two doors closing did he shift from his rigid stance.

He tossed the soiled handkerchief into the fire after he’d finished wiping off his suit, neck, rings, fingers, and face. The prop had done its job in conveying the message he wished to convey, and now he wished only to be rid of the whelp’s filth.

He clicked his fingers for the goblin, Yegsi, to fetch him something to drink.

Like all goblins, it moved quickly, despite its apparent lumbering and lack of visible coordination. Long arms of blue-gray skin, short, knock-kneed legs, and strangely blank faces made all goblins look far less capable than they truly were. Their small features, dark eyes, small mouths, small noses, invisible chins, and flat cheeks, added to the impression of vacuity, but they still proved the very best house servants, apart from humans.

Within seconds, Yegsi returned with a cart loaded with enough full glasses for all of them. The goblin rolled the cart directly to Malefic’s reach.

After he plucked a glass off the silver surface, he waited until the others had been served before clearing his throat.

“It is time,” he said, lifting the glass.

None of them spoke.

He saw a shrewdness rise to Valefor’s eyes. Something closer to greed gleamed in those of his older ancestor, Raughloch. Morticia La Fey only gazed at him fervently.

Malefic waited one more breath.

“I thought we might talk about what happens next,” he said, lifting an eyebrow. He took a swallow of the family blend, savoring it on his tongue. “Before we begin, we should perhaps discuss which parts of the human dimension of Earth each of you would like for yourselves.”

There was a silence after he spoke. A darkly humorous satisfaction reached him when he saw that he’d managed to surprise them.

All of them, apparently.

Perhaps less surprisingly, Ancestor Raughloch recovered first.

He let out a deep, raucous laugh, right as he stepped forward and clapped one of his enormous hands on Malefic’s good shoulder. The gesture was rough, borderline violent, but it also held real affection, even before he grinned warmly into Malefic’s face.

His silver eyes flashed as he measured Malefic openly, looking him over without guile, perhaps for the first time.

“How about South America?” he asked jovially.

Malefic’s lip twitched the tiniest bit.

He lifted his glass, and nodded with mock solemnity as he drank. When he lowered the glass, he let the twitch evolve into a visible smile.

“I think that can be arranged, beloved Ancestor,” he said with a short bow.

Raughloch laughed again, not hiding his delight.

He glanced at Valefor, and clapped Malefic’s shoulder a second time.

“Gods of the Underworld, I believe these pricks have chosen the right king, at last,” he boomed to the other Bones patriarch. Raughloch’s eyes returned to Malefic, and his face grew deathly serious. “When do we begin, King?”

Malefic didn’t hesitate.

“We already have,” he said calmly.

He flared his aura hotter and denser, and saw the mages and witch in front of him stand straighter, their eyes gleaming in the firelight. Malefic watched the two mages gaze at him with new respect, and let the heat of their stares warm his belly.

Yes, he would be king.

He would be the king to end all kings.

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