Chapter 728: Castle Wilhelm
I walked the length of the throne room at Castle Wilhelm, smiling at the welcoming vampires who nodded to me as we passed. Not the greeting I had initially, back when Batsheva Moromond led the blood clan, when the Brotherhood's taint controlled and manipulated the vampires. It was a nice change, the friendly greetings, compared to "We hate you forever, Sydlynn Hayle."
Well, most of the vampires welcomed me. With one clear and furious exception. Piotr Wilhelm used to keep his distance, his twisted heart still aimed right at my destruction. For some reason beyond any understanding, he blamed me for the death of Yvette, his beloved queen. Personally, any ruler who fell to the likes of Batsheva Moromond got what she deserved.
This time was different, for the first time. His go-to tattletale recipient was gone, since Council Leader Margaret Applegate's retreat from the leadership and her ties to the Brotherhood ended with conclave. Piotr's frustration shone clear on his face as he took a step forward, past his queen.
Into my space.
"You're not welcome here," he snarled, showing fang.
"Really feeling the love, Pete," I said. Waved my hand in front of my face. "You might want to do something about your breath, old boy. Rank."
Sunny was at his side a snapping instant later, one hand around his throat, claws extended, indenting his pale skin.
"You go too far," she hissed. "And have been warned in the past."
He didn't look as scared as he should have. "Then kill me, my queen," he said. "Take my life. Because I will never welcome this thing," he flipped one hand at me, lace cuff bouncing around his smooth flesh, "here."
I didn't come here to witness a vampire fight. Or to relive my own draining, thanks. Still had the odd nightmare about Batsheva's face and all those teeth and mouths on me.
Shudder.
I saw Sunny's hesitation and wondered. Worried for a moment. Not that I thought violence was the answer to everything-some things, sure-but if Sunny wasn't strong enough to control her blood clan, if a challenge like this one went unanswered, there could be major problems in undead land.
Problems I didn't need.
"Your majesty," I said. "If you wouldn't mind? I hate to intrude on vampire law, but I'm the one he insulted. Might I ask permission to deal with him personally? Save you the trouble of getting blood on your beautiful dress." Pink tonight. Lovely, really.
Would be a shame.
Her eyes lit with agreement as she leaned closer and whispered in Piotr's ear. "You'd better hope the maji is more understanding than I am," she hissed. "And that she spares you. Because you have had your last warning. Disobey me again, and your blood is mine."
He flinched. Okay, so he was scared. Staggered as Sunny gave him a solid shove toward me. Only to impact against my shields and bounce away with a howl of pain as the rippling magic seared him with demon fire.
"Thank you, most gracious queen," I said, bowing to her. Turned to Piotr. "You hurt my feelings," I said. "I don't like meanies."
He didn't say anything, staring at me with a mix of loathing and concern.
"What do you think, Your Highness?" I turned to Charlotte who watched him with her wolf in her eyes, body loose and ready for a fight. "Dismemberment? And then, disembowelment, I'm thinking." I turned to her with a bright smile. "I'll let you eat his heart."
She didn't crack a smile. "Most kind of you, maji," she growled.
I turned back to Piotr, frowning as I tapped my chin with one finger. "Hmmm. Then again, he'd probably poison you," I said. Sighed and threw my hands in the air. "I guess I'll just have to use fire."
"The cleanest method, maji," Charlotte said.
"It is," I said. "And would save poor Sunny having to have her floor scrubbed." My vampire friend's lips tightened as Uncle Frank coughed behind one hand. Nice to know they were enjoying themselves.
Okay, fine. They weren't the only ones.
Piotr swayed where he stood, head dropping. "Forgive me, maji," he said. So softly I barely heard him.
Tipped my head to the side, fingers by my ear. "Sorry, what was that, Pete?"
I saw his lips curl, fangs appearing again as his hands fisted at his side. But he looked up and met my eyes.
"My apologies," he said. "For my rudeness."
"Oh," I said, smiling at Charlotte, turning to beam at the watching vampires. "He's sorry. So that's all right then, isn't it?" I let my own vampire out as I lunged the next moment, one hand at his throat as Sunny had done, the other over his chest, all five fingers pressing into the soft velvet of his frock coat. "You challenge me again," I said, "and what Sunny plans to do to you will feel like a picnic in the park. Because she can only kill you once."
White fire flared in his eyes, but he nodded.
I released him, dusted my hands together. And walked away from him.
Thank you, Sunny sent.
Um-hum. I followed her to the back of the throne room without saying anything further. We sat in the private cubby behind the thrones, Uncle Frank perched next to Sunny as Charlotte and Piers took seats on either side of me. I spotted Piotr still watching, but had no worries about him anymore.
The asshat little traitor was scared of me at last. And without Sunny's support, with no one to watch his back, he'd put himself into the final line of fire. It made me wonder, though, if his network of tattletaling had fallen on hard times or if he still, somehow, had a connection to the Brotherhood.
No way. Not with the repressed fury in him, the way he felt so helpless in his rage. Piotr was on his own, had made his coffin and now had to lurk in it alone.
Boo freaking hoo.
"You really need to do something about him," I said as I watched him turn and leave the throne room, knowing it was true, ultimately. That kind of animosity wouldn't just sit lightly. He might be out of power now, but who knew what darkness he'd sell his soul to in the state he was in? "I wouldn't be surprised Piotr will go looking for a way to interact directly with the Brotherhood."
Sunny nodded slowly. The last time I'd called her on him, she'd clearly sent a message my interference wasn't welcome, and fair enough. But this time she'd allowed me in, gave me the right to present an opinion by offering him to me, so I didn't feel like I was out of bounds on the topic anymore.
"I like to keep him close," she said. "Just in case I discover a way to use him against those who hold his reins."
I could understand that, but still. The Brotherhood were ahead of us at every corner. And allowing Piotr access to Sunny and Uncle Frank made me incredibly nervous. "I just want to remind you about Celeste and Mom's decision to keep her around," I said, keeping my tone mild. "And how well that little plan worked out."
Sunny's grimace wasn't aimed at me. "Noted," she said. "Now, tell me about how we're going to destroy Pannera and drain her whole clan to the dregs."
Vicious. I grinned and shrugged, letting Piotr be Sunny's problem. "Femke's a little sick of being ignored," I said. "Asked me to drop by and see what Pannera's problem is." I folded my hands in my lap, giggling inside at the excitement of action-such an adrenaline junkie-while feigning casual nonchalance. "Thought you might like to come along for the ride."
Sunny rose to her feet, curtsying with a grace only the undead could master.
"I'm at your service, maji," she said with a truly terrible twinkle in her eye.
I loved Sunny so much.
In the end, though he grumbled and complained, we left Uncle Frank behind.
"Just in case this goes badly," Sunny said to him, gripping his hands in hers, earnest love passing between them, so powerful I felt it from steps away. "I need to know you are here, with our blood clan."
How many times had I left others to protect my family in similar circumstances? My heart hurt for both of them, though I knew this would end badly for one person and one person only. No matter what it took, Pannera was going down and I refused to let her take anyone else with her.
"I assume I'm still invited?" Piers watched me with hooded eyes as Sunny joined us. "As an objective observer, naturally."
I took his hand again as Sunny gripped my free one, Charlotte's hand on my shoulder. "Naturally. Besides, I want to keep my eyes on you for now. And have a talk later about what it is you have up your long, gray sleeves."
He didn't comment. Or argue.
Which meant I wasn't going to like it even a little bit. The veil opened and I honestly half-expected a horde of European Enforcers to appear, to stop me from acting, Margaret Applegate at their head, snapping with power, the taint of the Brotherhood firmly holding her in thrall. But we stepped unfettered through the gap, Ahbi carrying us safely through the veil, and out the other side.
Not exactly in the middle of the Sthol throne room as I'd planned. In fact, the breeze cutting across the mountain pass at the gate was as familiar as the sight of the group of vampires snarling and blocking our path.
Expecting us. So Piotr still had his contacts here. Why was I not surprised?
It didn't matter. The fact I was stopped here, outside the castle, drove my worry up a notch. I shouldn't have had restrictions, not with my maji power in full force. And yet, something kept me from entering, a power at once familiar and not. But whoever it was, that power swelled by the moment, filling with the darkness of sorcery and holding me at bay with the very taint keeping Pannera in thrall.
I had to get in there. Now.
I released my friends, feeling Sunny swell and change as her true form emerged, shuddering inwardly at the glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye, all teeth and fangs and transparent skin. Charlotte half-changed behind me, the push of her wolf against my back even as the black emptiness of Piers's power flowed outward, pushing up against my sorcery.
I didn't plan on needing them, but it was nice to have the backup.
"Evening," I said to the snarling vampires in full-blown defense mode, as spooky as any Hollywood version, but no match for me. "I'm here to see your queen." My maji power rose in a spinning column of iridescence, surrounding me in a sparkling tornado of creation power.
They stared, looked around in fear as they realized I wasn't taking no for an answer.
"Knock, knock," I said. And hit them full-force with the strength of my magic.
I think they landed somewhere in Africa. I'd have to check with Ife Maalouf, the Council Leader for that territory, and find out for sure.
Meanwhile, the doors to the castle stood undefended. And opened with a thundering bang as my maji energy made short work of the magic holding them closed.
I turned to Sunny who shrank back to her stunningness and bowed a little. "After you, Your Majesty," I said.
She curtsied in response. "Why, thank you," she said before strolling inside.
Piers grinned at me. "You have the most fun," he said.
I laughed as Charlotte gave me a gentle push between the shoulder blades to get me moving.
Was it wrong I agreed with him?
The moment I passed through the front gate, I felt Pannera's power retreat from me, howling in madness, paired with that familiar power. So familiar, masked in emptiness, humming with blue.
Enforcer?
What the hell was going on?
No way was I letting her escape, my magic engulfing the castle as I ripped at the veil, my friends around me, now able to ride right to the vampire queen.
Emerged in a throne room so similar to Sunny's I almost did a double take.
Didn't have time.
Not when I finally saw the reason for the vampire queen's retreat, the source of the magic I knew and didn't, hovering over the fallen undead leader, drawing out a pool of black as it siphoned from all the vampires in the room.
The taint. Pulled free and devoured.
By Ameline Benoit.
Pannera collapsed the rest of the way as the last of the Brotherhood's black power left her and slammed into my nemesis. Ameline smiled at me, wiping delicately at her mouth, touched with blood. It was clear from the red marks on Pannera's neck Ameline had bitten her to start the transfer.
I shuddered with disgust, grateful I didn't need to feed that way in order to free Sunny.
"The bitch is liberated," Ameline said. "You're welcome." I lashed out to capture her, knowing now how close she was to being complete maji, fear surging even as blue power flared, the Enforcer magic I'd felt, no longer shielded from my touch, the same power she'd stolen from my grandmother reaching back for me before Ameline vanished.
Her laughter echoing in my head as she went.
***
