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I clear my throat. “I did. And I’m anxious to get back to the palace and give the address. When can all the citizens and leaders be assembled?” My understanding is that I give my inaugural address, and then everyone goes home. I then hit the road with my army, traveling from kingdom to kingdom, demanding they bend the knee. Not a very practical process, but I’m not here to argue. I’m here to stop these monsters from taking down the wall.
Alwar sounds relieved. “We can send Fliers out to make the announcement and summon all the kingdoms. Their leaders will expect to be flown to your palace.”
Great. I need to arrange Flier mail and air transportation for the elites. “So I need to visit the Flier queen and bite her?”
“I believe so,” Alwar replies, “but perhaps your general can assist.”
I need to speak to Rool anyway. “Have you seen him?”
“The vampires are just over that hill, waiting for you.” Alwar points to a small stand of spindly trees with bulbous branches.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Do not take too long, Lake. We have only a few hours of darkness left.”
I nod and walk in the direction of the hill, avoiding the long tentacles hanging from one of the willow trees. I’m more than a little sad that Master decided to stay behind without telling me. I know he’s not a dog, but he still feels like part of my family. He was all I had left of that life, really. Bard isn’t Bard anymore. Grandma is dead. My parents are gone. Even my ex, Dave, is dead. I have a few good friends, like Sunnie, but I wonder what kind of relationship we’ll have if or when I get home. I’ll never be able to tell them the truth about what’s hidden away inside my family’s estate or the dangers lurking inside the walls.
It suddenly hits me. Even if I get to go home, there’s no going back. The life I had is gone because the woman I was is gone. She’s a vampire now. Hopefully not for long, but still, I’ve been forever changed by Monsterland. And someday soon, I’ll have to accept that and move on from the past. Because once this is all over, I plan to start over.
I’m not giving up on my dream of finding love, having children, and living a full, happy life. But to have that, this threat has to go away. Otherwise, I’ll never find peace.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I spot the horde of Blood soldiers sitting under the red moonlight, munching on…stuff. From here, it looks like small furry creatures. Poor things, but at least the soldiers aren’t trying to go after one of Alwar’s men. Giants are tasty, so can’t say I’d blame them.
“General Rool,” I call out.
He seems to come from nowhere. “You have returned.”
“Yes.” I step back, startled that he can appear out of thin air. I might need to learn that trick.
“You smell…gods, what is that?” he says.
“Thorn serpent stomach juices,” I reply.
“So it is true. One must ride inside their stomachs to return from the temple.”
“You knew about that?” Why does everyone in this place mention these details after the fact?
“I do not know any Blood People who have made the journey inside. We keep our own records.”
“I actually wanted to talk to you about that,” I say. “You said you’re five hundred years old, right?”
“Approximately.”
“What were you before being turned?” I ask.
“I was one of the First People.”
I’ve never heard of them. “Where did they come from?”
“What do you mean? They have always been here.”
These must be the humans the scholar was talking about. I actually feel excited. I’m finally getting somewhere. “So you were born in Monsterland.”
“Where else?” he asks.
“Are more First People here?”
