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“I don’t know, but…” he looked around at the watching vampires. He turned, grabbing something from the mortal, then threw me a dagger. I sensed its magic, one like Erianna’s. But it wasn’t hers. I nodded in his direction, for the first time having a morsel of respect for the asshole.
“Salenia,” I said breathlessly. “Where is she?”
“I’m sure she heard you, Vangard. The entire castle did.”
I felt everyone’s eyes bore into me as my wings erupted from my back again, and I fell down the center of the staircases, the wind whistling through my battered wings as I left them all behind.
The moment I landed in the foyer, ten guards surrounded me. “Your real queen is not dead,” I announced, seeing as Salenia had brought her here, anyway. “Salenia does not care for any of you. She will kill you all in the end. I am your king!” I shouted at them, grasping at straws as they looked at each other, conflict in their expressions. “Help me find her or let me go.”
They readied to fight, pulling out their swords. “Cowards,” I shouted, when Adrian spotted me. His pale eyes widened at seeing me. We’d never gotten along much, but he looked the same as Niall, relieved to see me.
“Sebastian.” He pushed through the guards, but one stopped him. He grabbed the guard’s arm, shattering his wrist under the grip. “I have centuries on you. Do not test me,” he snapped. “This is your true king; show him some respect.”
I wasn’t sure what was happening, but I didn’t care. “Salenia has Olivia,” I blurted, and Adrian’s jaw clenched. “Where are they?”
“I didn’t know they were here.”
The throne room doors opened, spilling light into the foyer when Salenia stepped out, her chilling voice angering me further. “Stand down,” she ordered. “Mr. Vangard here is mistaken.” Her gaze narrowed at me, reminding me of the iciest depths of blue. “Your wife is dead. She is not here.”
I lunged at her with the dagger, but three guards held me back, and the dagger fell to the floor. Adrian quickly pocketed it. “Where is she, you whore!”
“I have given you a lot of courtesy,” she said, her expression stoic. “Because you were loyal and honest, unlike most men, but that is not enough to save you if you try to attack me.”
“I’ll do more than that. I’ll fucking kill you.”
She rolled her eyes up, a pained expression crossing her soft features. “We can discuss this calmly, or you can fight my men.”
I ripped my arm from one of their grasps. “I’ll fight.”
“Fine.” She sighed. “Take him to the dungeons.”
I wrestled with the three, but the other seven surrounded me. Adrian hesitated, but stood back. I understood. He couldn’t fight ten men for me. He’d get himself killed. As they dragged me away, I glared over my shoulder, sending the promise of murder with one look.
TWENTY-NINE
Olivia
Ifoughtagainsttherestraints on my wrists, chaining me to the stone wall. I clenched my teeth as the metal bit into my flesh, aching my already sore muscles. I twisted, each movement a struggle.
The chill of death in the air froze me with fear once again. The stench of rot and decay hung in the dungeon, clinging to the walls. I looked at Erianna, bound nearby but hidden from my line of sight behind the stone altar.
I felt a sharp chill in my bones, and the memories of being locked away recently filled my head. Panic seized me as I turned my stare to Erianna, who was bound and gagged.
Torchlight flickered off the ancient stone, casting eerie shadows around the room. Along each wall stood small cells, their gates made of iron bars. The floors were filled with dust and mysterious liquids. I stared at the altar, then realized it wasn't made of stone at all-but entirely of bones.
I looked around at the other prisoners staring through the bars, groups of wretched figures huddled together in the chilly darkness. Some of them were mortals, knowing they were going to be brought up soon for the sangaree and aniccipere to feed on. Others were vampires, their eyes wide, their faces gray from the lack of blood. No matter the reason for us all being here, we shared one thing in common: hopelessness. Despair permeated the air, dragging me into a deep depression.
It was as if I was back at the house in the south, captive to the soul vampires, listening to them feed on mortals, killing them in front of me.
I shook my head, discarding the memories as I looked around through my tear-filled gaze.
At the center of the dungeon was a large chamber, with a heavy door at either end. Then I realized why we hadn't been moved yet. This was the torture chamber, from where I could hear the screams of other prisoners echoing through the dark hallways from when I'd lived in the castle.
Inside were a variety of instruments designed to break the body. Shackles and chains hung from the walls, while a great stone slab dominated the center of the room, the unlit candles sending a jolt of panic through me.
A rat scurried in the shadows, feasting on scraps of flesh. Its red eyes glinted, and I closed my eyes against the darkness, thinking only of Sebastian, Zach and Anna, praying they were okay, hoping they weren't taken, or worse, killed.
Avyanna walked in, then sighed, not looking at either of us. She muttered another spell, ensuring my magic remained numb so I couldn’t use it. But it didn’t matter. Having it taken from me so many times meant I wasn’t reliant on it like she was. I’d find a way out of here without it. I had to. “Sebastian,” I spluttered, coughing into my shirt. “Zach, Anna. Are they okay?”
