To get one step closer to that ring? “I’m ready,” she said, “with reservations.” She had to believe she’d made inroads into Munro’s stubborn thinking. Though he’d promised he would be ruthless to protect her, he’d also shown himself to be fair. Surely he would give her the choice.
Before I take Munro’s from him. She’d considered confiding in him about her plan to eliminate Dorada but decided against it. He wasn’t ready yet.
He read her pensiveness. “We’re only going to get information. That’s all.”
Just because they visited this vampire court didn’t mean Munro was doomed to be enslaved to a sorceress and Ren was doomed to be transformed against her will.
They exited the villa and descended the stairs to a cobblestone lane. As Ren and the wolf headed toward the imposing keep, Dacians on the streets turned and stared.
In a low tone, he said, “Aside from vampires, I scent fey, nymphs, and even demons within these mountains. But a Lykae and a human must be rarities indeed.”
“Either that, or they’re looking to top off their blood fountain,” she murmured.
“Think they’d frown if I took a leak in it?”
She laughed, was still chuckling as they walked up the grand stairs to the castle.
The immense doors bore engravings of five shields, each with a symbol: a heart, a sword, a fist, a gateway, and, in the center, an eye.
All humor fading, Munro said, “Stay close to me.”
When the doors opened, Ren muttered, “Showtime.”
FORTY-SEVEN
As Munro and Kereny entered the lavish court, he committed details to memory. The black stone floor was inlaid with gold. Wall murals too. From the ceiling hung rich tapestries with that eye symbol they’d seen on the castle’s entry.
Atop a dais, the two vampire regents sat in side-by-side thrones adorned with gold-plated skulls. The queen was a pretty brunette with gray eyes. Lothaire was tall, with pale skin and light-blond hair. Arrogance emanated from him.
One look at the leech’s red eyes, and Munro’s beast stirred for a fight.
The court was emptier than he’d expected. Stelian stood off to the side near a dark-haired fey female. A blond vampire standing along the opposite wall of the court caught Munro’s attention. King Kristoff?
So Lachlain had been right; the leader of the Forbearers was indeed alive and in Dacia. Kristoff’s lieutenants had reported to Lachlain that their king had been abducted—by the Enemy of Old.
Which means my mission is in play. He was to rescue Kristoff.
Munro had figured he’d be in some dungeon like Quondam’s, but the male walked free. Maybe he’d had his teleportation bound.
At the thought of liberating the vampire from under Lothaire’s nose, a charge stole through Munro. He would fulfill his duty—as long as he could keep his female safe. He gazed down at Kereny to see how she was doing.
Gliding beside him in her elegant gown with her knife proudly on her arm, she wore her customary poker face as she surveyed the grandeur all around. In the light of the castle’s thousand torches, she seemed to glow.
His chest swelled with pride that such a woman was his. But doubt whispered, Is she?
When a vampire page announced Munro and Kereny, the queen smiled. “Welcome to Dacia! We’re so happy you two’re here.” Her accent was thick. Appalachian?
Lothaire said, “Are we happy, hellbilly?”
She slapped his shoulder. “Sakes, we are!” To Munro and Kereny, she said, “You’ve met Stelian, Dacia’s gatekeeper.” The hulking male raised his chin. She pointed to the blond vampire. “That’s King Kristoff of the Forbearers.” Kristoff stood with barely contained aggression, as if he would trace into the center of the court and fight anything and anyone. “And this here is Balery, Dacia’s oracle.” She indicated the fey female, who gave a halfhearted wave, then said, “And please call me Ellie.”
Munro liked the queen right away, could tell she was as kind as Lachlain had said. Would she be so casual about Kristoff if the male was here against his will?
By way of greeting, Lothaire said, “You stand in the halls of an ancient kingdom before rulers of exceptional power. All the interesting courtiers are off searching for my missing niece—long story—and the sixth Dacian cousin refuses to come out and play. So you are here to distract us.”
The gall of this prick. “We’re no’ your godsdamned court jesters.”
Lothaire snapped his fingers. “There! That was funny.” He relaxed back in his throne. “You may continue amusing us.”
The queen was aghast. “These are our guests. They’re not here to entertain us.”
“Are they not? She’s a time-traveling circus performer, and he could be the start of our very own menagerie.” His red gaze flicked over Munro’s face.
He’s testing me. “I’m here as an ambassador.”
Lothaire said, “Court jester or ambassador. Same difference. Either way you entertain the king.”
As if Lothaire hadn’t insulted them, Kereny calmly addressed Elizabeth: “Thank you very much for your hospitality. You’ve shown us every kindness.”
“You’re so welcome. I’ve never met a time-traveler before. How exciting!”
“This era has been interesting to learn about.” A nice way of putting things.
“But you grieve your own time, don’t you?” Lothaire asked. “I once endured a few centuries involuntarily out of circulation. When I rose, nothing had remained the same. Even if you enjoy the world better now, you still long for certain things from the past.”
Kereny nodded emphatically. “Yes. You do.” Did she still yearn to go back? Had she not cleaved to Munro?
He needed to get this conversation back on track. “We’re here for information about Dorada and her ring.”
“Ah, the Gilded One,” Lothaire said. “She and I go way back. You obviously want the ring to turn your mortal mate. Unless . . .” He gazed at Kereny. “Do you seek to return to your time?”
“I don’t believe that’s possible.”
Not exactly a resounding endorsement of her life in the present with Munro.
“It’s not,” Lothaire answered. “I tried to go back in time myself to change how I treated Lizvetta.” He covered Ellie’s hand with his own. “Yet when I turned the ring, nothing happened. Had I been in my right mind, I would’ve remembered that I’d already sought to alter the past. I’d wanted to save my mother’s life so long ago, and—all things being equal—I would have preferred not to be involuntarily out of circulation. But my oracle had seen that the ring would never grant those wishes. It’s good that you’ve resigned yourself.”