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“Okay,” I said weakly.
Carnon gripped me in a searing kiss, one last moment of quiet in the Sacred City before we returned to politics and my grandmother and the reality of Mama’s situation.
“I love you,” he said, brushing one last gentle kiss over my lips and guiding me out of our room and off the platform to the horses below.
Cerridwen wrapped each of us in a warm embrace. I looked away swiftly as Herne crushed her to him in a deep kiss, looking a little frantic as she flew away from him.
“She’ll be alright,” I said, trying to comfort Herne.
He grunted, his beard quivering as he climbed atop a horse that must be twice the size of the one designated for me. Carnon boosted me into the saddle, then climbed into his own.
“I know she will,” Herne replied, his antlered head turning so he was looking down at me, the full force of his stare meeting mine. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t worry for her until she’s back with me.”
Carnon gave Herne a reassuring slap on the back and took off, his horse moving swiftly through the forest back to the open road to Oneiros. It took me a minute to feel steady on the horse, but soon we were following after him, Herne and Akela flanking me. Clearly, both had been commanded to guard me with their lives, and I thought I’d better have a chat with Carnon about his excessive protectiveness.
We rode hard and fast, my muscles aching with the energy it took to stay atop the horse. Carnon insisted we could reach Oneiros by midnight if we pushed, and I was half asleep on my horse when the stone gate of the demon capital finally appeared, moonstone walls glowing faintly in the side of the mountains.
I stumbled from the horse, almost falling as Carnon caught me about the waist.
“Go on ahead, Herne,” he said, nodding to the Lord of Beasts. “And take Elara’s horse. We’ll follow a little more slowly.”
“I’m fine,” I protested, trying to push out of his strong arms.
“You’re not,” Carnon argued. “And I wouldn’t expect you to be. It’s a long ride, even for an experienced rider. Let me take you the rest of the way.”
I nodded, and Herne took that as confirmation to leave, paying his toll of blood and guiding my horse by the reins through the pathway to the city.
Carnon took out a dagger, slicing his palm and smearing the blood against the gate. His hand closed instantly, and he handed the knife to me.
“How does your blood magic work?” I asked, following his example and slicing my own palm, which healed as soon as I touched the gate. Akela whined in sympathy, and I scratched his head.
Carnon raised a brow at me in the dark, his face lit eerily by the glow of the moonstone tunnel. “Any blood magic, or specifically that from the Court of Blood?” He boosted me into the saddle, handing me Artemis, who I cradled tenderly as he swung up behind me.
“Both,” I said, stifling a yawn as we entered the tunnel.
Carnon wrapped his arm around me, giving me a kiss on the neck. “Demons from the Court of Blood primarily drink blood to fuel their magic,” he explained, "which largely involves controlling others. They can bend you to their will, control your body, or even break your mind. It’s best to avoid facing them in battle, if you can help it.”
I shivered, picturing Tyr, handsome and deadly with his razor sharp fangs. “And other blood magic?” I asked. “Like the Hag?”
“It is ancient and cruel, but effective,” Carnon said behind me. “Any with magical affinity for it can wield blood magic, but the Court of Blood are experts in its lore. I understand that the library in the Court of Blood is full of grimoires of blood magic.”
“And it’s not outlawed?” I asked, frowning down at Artemis, who ruffled her feathers a little in sleep.
“No,” Carnon replied. “But drinking from an unwilling victim is. And using blood magic against another is also outlawed, at least, it is in the lands I control and the Court of Beasts.”
“Not the others?” I asked, thinking now of Scathanna and her spiders and her attempt to force Carnon to murder an innocent man.
“It is,” he replied. “But I can’t enforce it there. Unless it’s brought to my attention by official complaint, it is outside my jurisdiction.”
“Seems silly,” I replied, “seeing as you’re the king and all.”
Carnon laughed, giving me another squeeze. “You’ll learn soon enough that ruling a kingdom does not really grant you power. Responsibility, yes. But power can be wielded by anyone. It’s how one chooses to wield it that matters.”
“Fairly?” I asked, remembering Carnon’s description of himself before I knew he was the Demon King.
I felt him nod behind me. “I try. But my hands are bound by tradition when it comes to the courts. A Daemon Lord would need to commit a great wrong against me or the Darklands for me to be able to remove them. So cruelty does reign in certain courts, specifically Shadow and Blood. Maybe that’s where your friend heard all of her gossip from.”
“Maybe,” I agreed, stifling another yawn.
