I stumbled forward as the ward broke apart and the circle admitted me. I scooped up the stone and held it against my chest. I felt a rush of power as the magical connection transferred to me. Incredible.
All at once the metal monsters and trees came to a halt. The cloak of air dissolved and revealed Dashiell. The druid stood at the edge of the clearing, observing the carnage from a safe distance. No doubt he anticipated returning to the circle for the stone the moment the last body was ground into the earth by the heel of a metal monster.
His face reddened and he staggered toward me in disbelief when he realized what happened.
“How? It isn’t possible!”
Dashiell shook an angry finger as he advanced toward me. He didn’t make it very far. I blinked and Callan was between us. He grabbed the druid by the neck, squeezing until I heard the telltale snap. He released the neck and let the limp body fall to the ground.
Slowly the other knights edged toward us with one eye trained on the frozen monsters. They seemed wary that our opponents might spring to life again at any moment.
“I have the stone,” I announced. “They won’t move now unless I will it.”
Ione patted her right shoulder. “I think someone needs to reset this. It’s out of socket.”
Neera perked up. “Ooh! I volunteer.”
Ione scowled. “You’re my big sister. You shouldn’t look so pleased. You know it’s going to hurt.”
Neera feigned ignorance. “That thought hadn’t even occurred to me.”
“You should keep hold of the stone,” Callan told me. “Bring it to the palace tomorrow.”
I peered at him. “You don’t want to take it home with you now?”
“You were tasked with the assignment. I think it would make more of an impression if you delivered it to the queen in person. You can collect your fee then.”
Why did the Demon of House Duncan care whether I made a good impression on the queen?
“I’ll bring it tomorrow then.”
“Very good. We’ll expect you at ten.”
I glanced in the direction of the bus. “Aren’t you going to ride back with us?”
He hesitated. “I think I make the other knights uncomfortable. Now that the danger has passed, I think it would be best if I made my own way.”
I didn’t argue.
I watched in silence as he strode toward the black line of the horizon.
Briar shifted back into her human form and jogged over to me. Her magical armor was shredded and stained with blood but covered enough skin to preserve her modesty. “How did you do it?”
“His ward sucked. Too bad he couldn’t create it after he had more power. Then it might’ve been a challenge.”
Stevie joined our little circle, her expression quizzical. “I tried to break it.”
“No, you tried to run through it. Not the same.”
Kami limped over, clutching her stomach. “Briar, if you wouldn’t mind putting those hands of yours on me…”
The knights gathered into a tight ball of relief and concern and focused on treating wounds. Their questions about me were quickly forgotten. By the time I snuck a glimpse at the horizon in search of the vampire, the night had swallowed him whole.
19
I arrived at the palace promptly at ten the next morning and silenced the alarm bells ringing inside me. This was it. One final interaction and then I’d return to obscurity where I belonged. My survival depended on it.
I was escorted to the throne room where I was left alone. No sign of Callan. Was I disappointed? Did it matter?
A moment later the doors opened and a disembodied voice announced the arrival of the king and queen. King Casek and Queen Imogen entered the throne room with the regal air you’d expect of them. Despite their role as heads of state, neither possessed the same level of intensity as the two princes. It seemed that Maeron had inherited his biological mother’s and Callan had inherited his biological father’s. No surprise the brothers clashed as often as they did.
“You must be our fair knight, Dame London Hayes,” the king said, giving me a speculative look. He was an attractive man with kind gray eyes, a square jaw, and broad shoulders. He wasn’t as tall as I expected. A smidge over six foot at most. I glimpsed a hint of silver in his hair. Only the oldest and most powerful vampires managed to acquire heads of silver. I should’ve been more frightened of him.
The queen placed a hand on his arm. “Knights don’t use titles anymore, dearest.”
I bowed. “Just London is fine.”
“Thank you ever so much for the return of our daughter,” the queen said. “I’ve told her she must learn to control her flights of fancy.”
It seemed Queen Imogen still refused to admit that Davina had been in genuine peril. A parental weakness or an attempt to save face, I wasn’t sure which.
The king eyed my satchel. “I understand you’ve brought us more than our daughter.”
I opened my satchel and retrieved the stone. “As requested, Your Majesty.”
The queen accepted it with a warm smile. “It will look lovely next to the other one. A matching set is always preferable.” She glanced at her husband. “Isn’t it, darling?”
She acted like they were bookends when she knew exactly how much power they packed. Did she think I didn’t know or that I was too afraid to call her bluff? I mean, I was afraid, but it was still insulting.
“Your cooperation and loyalty to House Lewis has been noted.” The king angled his head. “Pay the lady her fee, Nigel.”
Yes, pay the lady before she glows silver in the middle of the palace and signs her death warrant.
A vampire stepped out of the shadows with a pouch and handed it to me with a slight bow.
“Thank you,” I said. The bag was dense and I could feel the weight of the coins as I tucked the pouch into my satchel.
“Nigel will escort you out,” the queen said.
“Not yet.”
I turned to see Davina enter the room. In a yellow dress that brushed the floor and her golden hair in a French twist, she looked like a very different vampire from the one I’d met in the chapel.