He'd left behind all he loved, but he'd also shucked off his deadening existence. And at this moment, excitement over the future outweighed his regret of the past.
This close to Bettina, he could scent her light perfume and sweet skin, could hear her shallow breaths as she studiously ignored him.
Yes, I will possess her-and I'd do far worse than this for the privilege.
He almost looked forward to battling for her favor. Killing was what he did, was all he knew. And Caspion? He was a mere obstacle to be dealt with when the time came.
Somehow Trehan would devise a way to seduce her once more. I'm betting everything that she'll respond again. Perhaps he should do as the madman Lothaire did, and bargain with her?
Before the tournament began tomorrow night, Trehan would ready himself, gorging on blood and perhaps finally sleeping for an hour or two. Many of the demon lords would imbibe this eve, were already drunken. Tomorrow, they'd be compromised. Trehan would have another advantage. Not that I'll need it-
"But there's a twist," Raum announced. "Night one . . . begins in five minutes."
Gasps sounded. Those drunken lords sputtered their protests.
"Two hundred and twenty-eight will enter the Iron Ring before the gate slams shut," Raum said, his voice booming with finality. "You'll kill until the great horn blows. Though many of our contestants will never get to hear it. . . ."
As the competitors filed off to the ring, Bettina chewed on a fingernail, the fingers of her other hand drumming.
Just moments ago after Raum's announcement, Caspion had traced to her side, smoothed a braid behind her ear, then bravely set off to the warriors' sanctum.
Daciano had strode off as well, yet he lingered outside the ring. Awaiting something from her?
"So, Raum, who do you think will be the bettors' favorite?" Morgana asked.
Raum dragged his face from his tankard. "No Abaddonae would bet against their own."
Cas, my demon, who's about to be locked in that cage! Bettina started on another nail.
Morgana slapped her hand down. "I believe I'll put karats on the clear-eyed vampire."
Bettina's gaze darted to Daciano. His overall demeanor was bored. But she could see his cunning gaze taking in his enemies. She suspected she was about to witness the lethality she'd only sensed before.
Would he target Cas immediately?
Turning to Bettina, Morgana said, "I believe the Prince of Shadow is particularly motivated. He looks like his heart is in this. His beating heart."
Bettina stifled a gasp. Of course Morgana had figured out who Daciano's Bride was. But Bettina couldn't think about that now.
"The leech is blooded then?" Raum asked, taking another gulp from his mug. "Wonder what his Bride has to say about this?"
She's pissed! And terrified for Caspion. "If Cas can trace, he'll be safe in there, right?"
Morgana snorted. Raum uneasily pulled at the collar of his breastplate.
"Couldn't he just continually teleport around the ring if he wanted to?" Bettina asked. "Or if he got injured?"
"If he wasn't caught fast by a stronger opponent, then yes," Raum said. "But tracing is not without its perils. To strike an accurate blow you have to materialize fully for a split second. And whenever you disappear, you risk losing sight of your opponent, something no warrior is keen to do."
Morgana added, "Plus you run the chance that someone will predict where you will reappear and be waiting with, say, a raised mystical sword. I killed my last demon that way." She made her voice like an innocent girl's as she said, "Oh, no, please stop with your tracing! It's confusing my feeble female mind!" She abruptly made a chopping motion against the table. "Then SLASH."
Raum looked unimpressed with her theatrics. "It's also physically draining, especially for the injured. The ability is a great advantage, but it also brings great risk."
Talking around another fingernail, Bettina asked, "If a competitor gets into trouble, what's to stop him from teleporting back home or something?"
"The blood pact they signed."
So Cas was well and truly trapped? If he . . . died, she didn't know how she'd recover.