all my shortcomings, Esme, believe me… I’m not letting anyone hurt you ever again.”
“I believe you,” I murmured.
The only challenge left was to leave this room in one piece. But with one hell of an ancient ghoul on one side and his own family on the other, there wasn’t much left for us to do but fight. They had scythes and death magic. We only had ourselves, and as much as I would’ve liked it to be, it definitely wasn’t enough.
My heart shrank into a hard marble as I braced myself for what would come next.
Tristan
We reached the palace discreetly by using one of the narrow side alleys that led to the service entrances near the gardens. The soldiers were relieved of their duties, expected to return the next day to resume their usual activities.
Valaine, Corbin, and I brought Zoltan inside while the Crimson guards delivered the other Darkling prisoners to the jail. They would be kept under lock and key and in strict isolation. Danika and Acheron had left word for us that they’d like to speak with Zoltan upon his arrival, so we met them in the throne room.
The Lord and Lady Supreme sat quietly as we brought the former chief councilor in. Corbin had a grip on Zoltan, whose hands were cuffed behind his back. Valaine and I stood to the side, close enough to hear each other’s heartbeats.
Lights flickered in the wall sconces, dressing the sumptuous throne room in a warm shade of amber. It warmed Valaine’s skin, as well, some of the flames reflecting in her dark eyes.
Acheron got up first, descending the throne platform and walking toward us. His black tunic fluttered with every step he took, his heels clicking on the marble floor. He smiled as he approached Zoltan.
“You finally caught him,” he said. “The traitor. The scourge of our species.”
“The words of an ignorant fool cannot cut me,” Zoltan replied, struggling to retain his dignity. Danika watched from behind, still comfortable in her seat. I couldn’t read her expression, except for the occasional flicker of anger in her blue eyes.
Acheron struck him using his claws, drawing blood in four wide gashes down Zoltan’s cheek. “You’re right. But the claws of an ignorant fool can,” he said. “And this is merely a fraction of what you deserve. We trusted you, Zoltan. The empire trusted you.”
“The empire will always have my loyalty,” the Scholar hissed. “You, on the other hand… You’ve been selling us out to strangers!”
He glared my way, and Corbin slowly shook his head. “I’m afraid that’s all we’ve been able to get out of him, as far as a confession goes. His disdain for the throne and his conviction that he’s doing the right thing in trying to kill my daughter.”
“Your daughter will bring the Black Fever upon us unless she is killed and sacrificed for the good of our people!” Zoltan shouted.
I was tempted to intervene, but the master commander gripped Zoltan by the throat with so much strength that he almost crushed his windpipe. “My daughter did not cause the Black Fever, you moron. She’s only five thousand years old. Enough with this nonsense. Just admit you’re fanatics and you have no idea what it is you’re really doing!”
“Not before you admit you’re letting your own feelings cloud your judgment,” Zoltan croaked, barely breathing.
Acheron raised a hand, silently instructing Corbin to stop choking the Darkling traitor. He looked at Valaine and me. “You two were incredible,” he said. “The empire is beyond thankful for your efforts. I shall see you in the morning at this scoundrel’s sentencing. In the meantime, you should rest for the night. Corbin and I will have a few words with Zoltan. Maybe we’ll get him to tell us more before his beheading."
The mere mention of his impending decapitation drained the color from Zoltan’s face. He’d known it was coming, but that didn’t mean he was actually ready to face it. I figured he’d had time to think during our journey back. Maybe he’d reassessed his options and priorities. I could only hope Acheron and Corbin might get more out of him.
Either way, I could breathe a little easier knowing we’d caught the monster responsible for Nethissis’s death and my sister’s injury. I worried about Esme after our last conversation, but I was even more concerned for Valaine after what Lumi had told us.
“Thank you, Your Grace,” I said, bowing before the Lord Supreme. “We’ll take our leave then.”
“You two be careful,” Corbin warned us.