Or maybe Mother wasn’t losing her mind. Perhaps something else entirely was happening.
I shivered. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was missing something. The marriage, the Tether, the Light Elf’s murder… it was all connected. Something was happening.
Keven’s warning echoed in my mind. I had to keep Luna safe, no matter what.
“Whatever the reason, it’s making my life difficult.” Phyrra frowned.
Though she was small, Phyrra was a fierce vampire. Far older than I, she headed my spy network that spread throughout the entire country. I trusted her with my life.
“What have you learned?” I asked.
When we returned from the inn, I asked Phyrra to search for any information regarding the People of the Night.
“Nothing of significance.” My spymaster sighed. “There is a lot of information to parse through, Your Highness.”
I wasn’t surprised by that. Castle Sanguis was filled to the brim with vampires and their Sources in preparation for Mother’s ball. She had even issued invitations to have several foreign dignitaries join us. A council member from Ipotha was on their way, as well as a representative from Queen Sanja of Drahan, the southernmost kingdom on our continent.
There were no representatives coming from Ithenmyr, of course. That gods-damned country ignored everyone else, closing off their borders and keeping the rest of the continent in the dark about what was happening within their lands.
Our latest spies reported that laws in Ithenmyr were stricter than ever. Their High King treated females like they were animals, making the rest of us look like gods-damned saints. The number of skirmishes on the shared border between Eleyta and Ithenmyr was growing with each passing day. Soon, we would reach a breaking point. I could only hope that we would break the Tether before then.
“Have you heard anything from Rhain?” I asked.
Phyrra shook her head. “No, but I’ll send another message to the north. If the People of the Night are hiding near the remains of Whiterose, we’ll find them.”
“Good.” I nodded. “Tell me about the fae.”
Far to the east, beyond the Indigo Ocean, the fae lived on their own. Split into seasonal courts, their rulers were said to be vicious. Fickle. They couldn’t lie, but they lived on the edge of truth. They were reckless, using humans as pets and playthings.
The Queen of the Winter Court and the King of the Autumn Court were both invited to Mother’s ball. Their representatives had arrived three days ago, but the royals had yet to step foot in Eleyta.
Phyrra scoffed. “The entire lot of them are dramatic, Bastian. They refuse to be in the same building as each other, and they’ve set up camps on either side of the castle. Neither are particularly pleasant, and I’m fairly certain there will be at least one death before the end of… whatever this is.”
If Mother was hoping to play politics and form alliances with the fickle fae, I was fairly certain she would be disappointed.
Already, I’d overheard the guards reporting that they had broken up half-a-dozen fights between the immortal beings.
There was too much going on. Too many people. Too many threats.
How could I protect Luna when I didn’t even know what was happening in my own castle? If it wasn’t for this Tether, I could be doing all the groundwork myself.
My spymaster was watching me. “Is there anything else, Bastian?”
I shook my head. “No. Keep your eyes and ears open. Let me know if you find anything.”
A wry smile danced on Phyrra’s face. “I always do.”
She laughed, running off in a blur that left papers rustling in her wake.
* * *
By the timethe moon was high, my fangs were aching. Earlier, servants had brought coffee for Luna, and a mug of lukewarm deer’s blood for me. Reaching the bottom of my cup, I frowned. It did little to appease the hunger coiling in my stomach. I needed something stronger.
“There’s nothing here.” A book shut, and I looked up. Luna crossed her arms, her brows furrowed, and she glared at the massive tome laying between us on the table.
I glanced at the title.
The Moon-Blessed: A History of Vampire Kind.