“Ahem.” Marius.
They broke apart and looked at their staring audience.
“Sorry to interrupt,” he continued. “But we couldn’t see everything that happened on the battlements. The ice storm was thick. I need to know…is my mother dead?”
Mina’s expression softened to compassion. “I’m sorry, Your Highness. She is dead. I—”
He raised a hand and sighed relief, squeezing Arabelle closer with a kiss to her crown, their armor clanking together. “Thank the stars.”
Mina relaxed in Mikhail’s arms. “I’m afraid your father is gone, too.”
He glanced toward the burning castle. “I knew that. I knew she wouldn’t let him live.”
Gregoravich, covered in bloody scrapes on every piece of exposed skin, leaned against a trunk. “Her damn man Radomir escaped.”
“We’ll find him,” assured Dmitri.
Yuri nodded in agreement as they shared a silent vow to track down all who’d escaped.
“Did everyone get out of the castle? The servants?” Mina’s eyes were round with dread. “The king’s daughter?”
Mikhail squeezed her close, knowing she feared in her rage she’d killed innocents with her dragon fire. “The Bloodguard swept the entire castle when the flames caught on the rooftops. Everyone was taken clear of the castle.”
“But we never found Lucille, the king’s daughter,” added Yuri.
They were all silent for a moment, wondering what might’ve happened to the young, frail princess. Hopefully, a servant had helped her escape like the knight who’d helped his great grandmother Tamora so long ago.
Mina turned her attention back to Marius. “You must take the throne at Glass Tower, Your Highness. With your queen, Arabelle, at your side.”
Arabelle grinned, her vampire-bright hazel eyes widening. “Queen!”
Marius laughed. “Unless you plan to abandon me.”
“Hell no. I’m going to be the best damn queen Varis has ever seen. Oh, except you, of course, Mina.” She prattled on, her face lighting with ideas. “We’ll start legislation right away, change the caste laws and property laws.” Her eyes gleamed brighter. “And open charity houses for those who’ve lost too much. Oh, and orphanages.”
“I second orphanages,” said Brennalyn. “I can help you with that.”
“First,” interjected Friedrich. “We’ll return to Winter Hill. With our children.” He glanced at Mina. “And you’ll return to Briar Rose. We need to put all back in order, assure the people they are protected. Then we can start on Arabelle’s plans to change the whole world.”
“Yes,” said Mina softly, turning her gaze on Mikhail. “I’ll return to Briar Rose.” She clutched a fist in his shirt, as if he planned to break his vow and not go with her.
“I heard what you said,” said Nikolai, stepping up out of the shadows. “I also know it was your healing bite that helped Sienna. Only a powerful elixir could heal her so quickly.”
No one realized Nikolai was there until the silence drew his gaze away from Mina and to the sober, blond-haired vampire. All other eyes rested on him as well.
“What was that?” asked Mikhail.
“I heard what you told the butcher king. Before you ripped his head off and threw it over the wall.”
Silence settled among the group, all intent on Nikolai. There was import in his purposeful gaze and slow words. Mikhail waited, knowing his secret would be no more. Now was the time to own it.
Nikolai stood straighter. “You’re the great-grandson of Rodin Varis. The brother and king who sat on the throne before Morgrid murdered him.”
Brennalyn gasped. All eyes locked on Mikhail, except Dmitri, who stood beside him, arms crossed over his chest.
“Aye,” said Mikhail. “I am he. King Rodin’s wife was with child when Morgrid bit him. He didn’t die right away. When Queen Tamora fled to his side to help him, he bit her in his raging bloodlust, turning her unborn child vampire. My forefathers changed their name and hid among vampirekind.” He gripped Mina tighter. “But I’ll hide no more. I am a Varis, and I’ll take back the name that was stolen from me by that dead witch burning up on that hill.”
He nodded toward Izeling, sweeping his gaze back to the shocked faces around him. All except Dmitri who grinned from ear to ear.
“Aye,” agreed Nikolai, his mouth quirking on one side. “Then you are the rightful heir. Your Majesty.”
Mikhail frowned at the title.
“Oh, hell!” exclaimed Arabelle. “That means the Glass Tower is yours.”
Marius opened his mouth to speak, but Mikhail silenced him with a hand in the air. “I don’t want the Glass Tower. I just want my name. My true name.” He turned to the woman on his lap and cupped her sweet, beautiful face. “And Mina.”
She smiled, the emerald green fading from her eyes, returning to the deep sea-blue that had caught him from the moment she opened her eyes in that tower at Briar Rose. Lacing her arms at his neck, she nuzzled close and whispered against his lips, “You have me. My king. You’ve had me from the very start.” She leaned close, pressing her cheek to his, her mouth near his ear. “I dreamed my dark prince would come and save me. And you did.”
He murmured against her ear. “I believe we saved each other, my love.”
She embraced him tighter and he her, for there was nothing more to say. Mikhail had always followed his strategic plans—a captain’s best asset—seeking the goal of triumphant victory. But in the end, he’d only needed to follow his heart. A lesson he was sure Mina would teach him over and over again. And he looked forward to every one of them.
Epilogue
“Hail! Mikhail Romanov Varis, King of Arkadia!” Lord Rathbone shouted to the dome of the Grand Forum.
The lords and ladies of Arkadia leaped to their feet, erupting in cheers and applause. This was never the goal he’d sought, but Mikhail welcomed it. He would be a strategic and cautious king next to his compassionate and wise queen.
She took his hand, led him to the center of the Forum floor, and circled with him to greet his people. As well as some visitors.
A line of the Bloodguard stood at attention on the Forum floor, clapping—his Elite and Katya. Dmitri smiled at the head of the line, now the Captain of the Bloodguard. One concession he was forced to make to his new wife. A king couldn’t be running around the country chasing rogue vampires. As difficult as it was to lay that task down at his brother’s feet, he did so and took up his new mantle.