Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
WOLFE
The iron door of the cell slammed shut behind us with enough force to rattle the walls.
"Lord Thagar will see you when he's ready," the hulking guard with the snake tattooed across his cheek said. The humor in his tone pissed me off even more.
The fucker had the audacity to laugh as he and his asshole companions walked away.
Bastian, Alaric, and I watched them head away from behind the steel bars of our cell.
Another magical cell. I could break through it with my Deathwalker powers, but that would fuck everything else up.
They probably knew that. The same way they knew that Wolfe Nightblade and his court would only fucking be here if he wanted something.
Gods above.
Did I suspect this could happen?
Of course, I did. I was just hoping we’d get to Viktor first.
Vampires had an excellent sense of smell. Way better than the Fae. They probably smelled us coming well before we reached the borders. They were waiting for us. Prepared.
Before today, I’d been to Dravkava one time only, back when I was still a boy. My parents dragged Alaric, Zyrra, and me here for the vampire king’s name day celebration. That was when my father was trying his best to establish relations with the vampires. We ended up leaving early.
It was a disaster. We were insulted left and right. It was a wonder how we managed to still keep some form of alliance.
Here I was again.
And it was bad enough that they threw us in the dungeon, but they separated us. Elariya, Arielle, and Kaem were somewhere else and we were here.
“Fucking damn it,” I growled.
Alaric sighed. “There’s no point getting worked up.”
“I can’t sit here and do nothing.”
Bastian leaned against the wall and stared at me. “Can you feel Elariya through your bond?”
“Only vaguely. The magic here seems to be muting us.” I could sense her emotions, sense that she was trying to reach out to me, but I couldn’t hear her. Not a godsdamn thing.
Bastian slammed a fist against the wall.
“Guys.” Alaric glanced at both of us. “We just have to wait. You know good and well what vampires are like. They enjoy fucking with people. This is a game to them. Just ride it out.”
I didn’t know how he could remain so calm. But damn it, he was right.
“What if they hurt the girls?” Bastian pushed off the wall. “Kaem can handle himself, but Arielle… She’s already unbalanced because we’re here.”
“They won’t hurt them.” Alaric lowered himself to one of the wooden benches lining the wall and scrubbed a hand down his face. “Imagine the fallout.”
“That may not matter to them,” Bastian scoffed.
“They’re vindictive bastards. If they were going to hurt them, they’d do it in front of us and make us watch.”
His reasoning made sense. But another thought crossed my mind. “What if they contact the Citadel? Viktor is no ally of mine. He knows what’s going on in Galaythia. I may not even get the chance to show him Magdalena’s Blood Sigil.”
Alaric leaned forward. “We’ve been here for at least half an hour. If they were going to do that, the mercenaries would be here already. And you, you wouldn’t be here.”
I hoped so. I leaned against the stone beside him and sighed.
There was nothing to do but wait.
Wait and hope.
We said no more. Through the bond, I tried to focus on Elariya. It kept me sane.
As long as I could feel her, I’d have that contact. I just wouldn’t know if she or Arielle ere safe. Kaem would do his best to protect them.
We needed a plan if things went to hell. I never intended to make more enemies today.
Five fucking hours later, footsteps echoed against the hard floor and the guards returned.
“Lord Thagar will see you now, Your Highnesses,” snake-tattoo prick, the guard who irritated me most, informed us with a wicked smile.
Motherfucker.
He slid the cell door open and waved us forward.
“Don’t try any funny business now,” a shorter guard next to him warned.
I cut him such a hard stare he flinched. At least he had the good sense to do that, and he shut the fuck up.
The prick led the way.
We followed behind silently observing.
The guards escorted us through a maze of black stone corridors lit by crystal lanterns burning with pale blue flame. The glow danced across the walls with an eerie elegance that only vampires could pull off.
When we reached the end of the hall, they portaled us upward. Music drifted toward us long before we reached it.
Violins and Cellos.
On the edge of the mellow music was laughter and the clink of goblets.
We turned the corridor, and it opened onto a vast balcony overlooking the grand ballroom below.
Hundreds of vampires in gowns and tailored coats danced across the floor in graceful circles beneath the glittering chandeliers.
A ball.
I’d heard how vampires loved their balls. The rumors were right.
A tall figure stood alone at the balustrade, one hand resting lightly on the carved stone as he watched the dancers below.
He carried himself with the effortless authority of a man who had ruled for centuries and knew he would always be obeyed.
Long silver hair fell neatly to his shoulders. He wore a black tailored robe that showed the outline of muscular shoulders.
Without turning, I knew exactly who he was.
Lord Viktor Thagar.
"Leave us," he threw the words over his shoulder.
The guards obeyed without question, leaving us in the mercy of their leader.
"So..." Viktor faced us, his ice-blue eyes shimmering with interest. "What madness has possessed Wolfe Nightblade to walk willingly into Dravkava? Especially when he is a wanted criminal."
It was madness, indeed. And deep desperation.
"It was a matter of urgency, my Lord. A matter that affects the entire magical realm," I answered.
Viktor chuckled deeply. "All Fae think the world revolves around them. What may affect you may not affect us."
“This is different.”
“Pray tell, Your Highness.” The menace in his eyes amplified.
“It’s regarding the Deathless.”
Viktor’s bright eyes widened and shock registered on his already pale face. "I'm listening."
“They are trying to break from their prison and strong enough to manifest in our world. They killed my uncle. Now they wish to continue what they started.”
He considered for a moment. “A vampire court does not have power to deal with the Deathless. If I’m not mistaken, the Nightblades were guardians of the very ring that sealed them away.”
“Indeed, but the ring went missing when my father died. I seek to retrieve it now. I need your help with your time management abilities."
"Interesting. Though I wonder what would make me help you? The Deathless hated the vampires because we could not be contained. We could give them a good fight. The Fae, on the other hand, not so much.” His smile turned mocking. “I wonder how life would be if the Fae were wiped out.”
This guy was a fucking asshole. I couldn’t believe he was Magdalena’s father.
Better not to reason with him and cut to the chase. I reached into my pocket and pulled out Magdalena’s Blood Sigil.
That wiped the smile right off his face.
His eyes flicked from me to the sigil in my hand and he moved closer. He stopped before me, and I held the sigil out for him to take.
He took it. Looked it over, probably checking it was real.
When he met my gaze again, it was with renewed interest and something more that looked like longing. The kind you’d see on a father who missed their child.
He waved a hand, and the sound around us muted. I took that to mean no one could hear us, too.
"My little girl. Is she okay?" he asked. “We may speak freely.”
"Yes, she's doing very well.” I nodded. “She thought that you would help us if you saw that. We're hoping the same."
“It’s been a long time.” His voice broke. “It almost feels like another life. But maybe that’s just me. Or what happens when you’ve lived for several millennia.”
“I think it’s a bit of both.”
“What exactly do you need from me?”
“Whatever you can give.” I proceeded to tell him about Elariya and why we needed his help.
After keeping those secrets for so long, it felt odd speaking about it so openly. But I had to do it.
Viktor listened, hanging on to every word. And he seemed deeply intrigued by Elariya.
"I’ve only ever met three time mages in my life. They are most intriguing. Children of the Hourglass."
“Now you have another within your midst, my Lord.”
“Indeed.” His eyes brightened. "I shall grant your request, but I want something in return.”
I glanced at Alaric and Bastian.
“What?”
“Give me a dance with your mage."
My blood heated, and I couldn’t tamp down my annoyance at his request. “Why? Why do you need to dance with my wife?”
No matter his curious intentions or whose father he was, I didn’t want him near my wife.
The sinister smile returned to Viktor’s face. “If you want my help, young Nightblade, then you won’t question me.”
Alaric grabbed my elbow. "Wolfe, just let the man have a dance and be done with it.”
I clenched my jaw but eventually nodded. “Fine. One dance."
Viktor chuckled. “One very long dance.”
He snapped his fingers, and Elariya appeared down below on the floor with the other guests.
Instead of the casual black clothing she’d worn, she was dressed in a black ballgown and hair adorned in an updo like a queen.
She stood amongst the sea of vampires. The music had stopped and they’d stopped dancing, too, to watch her.
Elariya’s terrified eyes found mine, and I hoped this wouldn’t become another disaster.