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The atmosphere in the room shifted, as if a gust of wind had swept through, heralding a new era.
This served as an even bigger move toward mage and vampire relations. The very idea of mage and vampires uniting again, sent ripples of excitement through me.
Can this all be really happening?
The negotiations continued well into the night, lit by flickering candles and fueled by the hope of a brighter future. In the end, we forged an alliance that would not only alter the course of our own lives but also the destiny of the entire planet.
And now to solve the other problem.
Three hours before the moons would recede and the sun rise, Ground Mover, Xander and Camille walked with me to the wagon that Tote guarded for me.
The night air hung heavy with sorrow. The silence punctuated only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant hoots of Luminara owls.
As we journeyed to the wagon, I caught a glimpse of those night birds. Tons of them crowded the trees. They had these iridescent feathers with eyes that were deep and mysterious as the cosmos themselves.
Luminara owls never ventured close to Capitol City. Most believed that they could not be in the presence of vampires due to being created by Ressi.
Throughout the ages, Luminara owls became a symbol of hope.
Tonight, I leaned into that hope, needing my future to be as good as possible.
Xander had considered sharing his queen with me for a moment or two, and it was a thought that filled my heart with a warmth I hadn’t expected.
Did that really happen?
Being that he was such a young king and would be prone to jealousy and violence, I took his consideration seriously. Xander’s bringing the proposal up was a testament to his willingness to put her passions before his own.
It showed how much restraint he truly had with his power, as well as his undying love for Camille—a love that was so strong it could challenge even his most primal instincts.
Please, Ambi. Let this be possible.
The thought of being part of such a powerful bond—even if only for a fleeting moment—was both humbling and exhilarating.
Ambi, show me how to share properly this time.
I would not squander this precious opportunity that Xander had gifted me with. In those moments, I planned to completely respect him and the love that he shared with Camille.
I would honor their connection and tread carefully, cherishing the trust they placed in me. I was determined to prove my devotion to them both.
But. . .dare I hope that. . .there would be some room for me to feel her hot passion. . .on cold, lonely nights.
The Luminara owls hooted as if telling me that all would be perfect.
Ground Mover spotted the owls and frowned. “This is not good.”
“What?”
“They are never here at this time. And from the look of their feathers, many owls are coming from the West and seeking out our forest to hide in.”
I looked at him. “What does that mean?”
Ground Mover sighed. “Many more vampires are heading our way.”
“The Quiet King?”
“I pray to Ressi that it is not him. We still must learn how to fight together.”
When we made it to the wagon, Tote rose, looking exhausted.
“You were correct to tell me about this.” Ground Mover’s eyes glowed bright. “There is great evil inside of there.”
I ordered Tote to leave and get some sleep. He hurried away.
Ground Mover whispered a prayer and then motioned for me to open the wagon.
Under the somber glow of the twin moons, I unbolted the wagon with a solemn expression and revealed Phinova’s dead body to Xander, Camille, and Ground Mover.
Silent, they stood beside me. Their expressions were a mix of shock, disgust, and sympathy.
They must think that I have gone insane.
The sight of Phinova was more haunting than ever.
Once a vibrant queen. . .now reduced to a lifeless husk.
Phinova whispered in my mind, I am alive.
I shook my head and saw the truth of her.
Since her corpse had been unhooked from the blood supply in Nai’s castle bedroom, her body had begun rotting. Many of her lovely red strands had turned gray, a stark contrast against the remaining crimson tresses. The rich brown flesh on her face cracked, turning into a gruesome mosaic of decay that spoke of the relentless passage of time that had occurred.
Phinova’s voice slipped into my head. Yes, my love. You finally brought a blood mage to me.
I pursed my lips.
Now, slice her neck and spill her blood into my mouth.
A shiver ran down my spine.
The air grew thick with the sickly scent of decomposition.
“I am glad that I brought my amber stones for this. It appears the Quiet King increased the corpse’s power to great lengths.” Ground Mover stepped back. “So many have died to preserve this body, yet. . .the evil within it also drank the spilled blood. And that evil, it lived and grew strong within that castle.”
