One, two, three . . . I counted a dozen guards with black blades, which was the same number of magic-filled weapons I’d left in Victor’s secret room. So he hadn’t discovered that the weapons were fakes after all. Deah had told me as much with her earlier nod, but it was still good to confirm it for myself. All we had to do was get out of the restaurant and make it back to the Sinclair mansion, and we’d be safe.
Easier said than done, though. But I started looking at all the doors and windows, planning the best and quickest way to get my friends to safety. We could smash through the windows, but that would take precious time and leave us exposed to the Draconi guards. The swinging double doors on the back wall of the restaurant that led into the kitchen were our best bet. Only a few guards were stationed in front of them, and there had to be a rear exit out of the kitchen.
But Hiroshi wasn’t about to be cowed so easily by Victor, especially not in one of his own restaurants. “You really think your guards can kill all of us?” he asked. “My Family will fight you to the death before ever we join you.”
All around the room, the other Itos muttered their agreement, including Poppy, who now stood next to her father, her eyes narrowed and her hands clenched into fists, ready to fight alongside the rest of her Family.
“I don’t think my guards can do anything,” Victor said, a mocking note creeping into his voice. “I know they can. You see, I’ve known that this day was coming for a long time now, and I’ve planned accordingly.”
He swept his hand out to the side, gesturing at all his guards. “That’s why I’ve outfitted every single one of my guards with a black blade that’s filled with magic. Strength, speed, enhanced senses . . . it’s all there, all taken from monsters, with each blade matched to a specific guard to best take advantage of my men’s natural Talents, to increase their strength and speed until no one can stand against them.”
More shocked gasps rang out as people realized that Victor wasn’t joking—and just how many monsters he had murdered in order to amass that much magic. But the gasps quickly died down into an eerie, charged silence, as everyone understood just how much trouble we were really in—and how easily the Draconis could use that stolen monster magic to kill every single person in the restaurant.
“So you see, it would be far better to swear your loyalty to me now,” Victor purred, satisfaction rippling through his words. “Or I will order my guards to cut you all to pieces.”
That eerie silence descended over the restaurant again, more tense than ever before, and everyone started looking back and forth between Victor, the Draconi guards, and their own Family members, debating what to do. No one wanted to bow down to Victor, but they didn’t want to get slaughtered either, especially when they knew that they didn’t have a fighting chance.
“How about a demonstration then?” Victor called out. “Just to assure you all how serious I really am.”
No one answered him, so he turned and gestured for one of his guards to step forward into the center of the restaurant where everyone could see him. I didn’t recognize the guard, but he wasn’t important right now. Getting my hands on a weapon was.
So I sidled forward, creeping up on the Draconi guard closest to me. But he noticed the movement out of the corner of his eye, and he turned and glowered at me, brandishing his sword in a clear warning to stand still or else. So I stood still. Now wasn’t the time to make a move, but soon—very, very soon.
“Go ahead,” Victor told the guard. “Stab yourself in the heart with the blade black. Take the magic in it for yourself, and show everyone how strong you can truly be.”
The guard stared at Victor, then down at the sword in his hand. I looked at the weapon—really looked at it with my sight magic. To the casual observer, it was a genuine black blade, right down to its dull, ash-gray color. But I could see the sword in supersharp detail, and I could tell that the ashy color wasn’t from any natural bloodiron, but rather from the paint that had been sprayed on the surface.
So the guard had one of the fake weapons. I almost felt sorry for the guy. He didn’t know what he was about to do to himself, but there was no way I could stop him. Not with Victor and all the other Draconis here. Even if I’d shouted a warning to the man, I doubted he would have believed me. Not with the head of his Family urging him on.
“Go on,” Victor ordered. “Do it. Stab yourself. Now. Or I’ll have Blake do it for you.”
Blake stepped up and gave the guard an evil grin, swinging his own sword back and forth in warning. I looked at his weapon too, but it was as fake as the guard’s.
The guard swallowed and nervous sweat beaded on his forehead, but he had no choice but to do as his boss commanded. So he slowly changed his grip and turned the point of his sword around, so that it was facing in toward his own chest.
“Go on,” Victor said. “Stab yourself. Now.”