The queen had been a barely Made Fledgling vampire when she and her husband killed the last queen. Nearly fifteen years had passed since then, but what was a decade and a half when vampires lived for eternity?
And then, there were the rumors about the imposter queen’s blessings. She was thrice blessed, the same quivering man had told her. Even after Therese pried, he wouldn’t divulge the third blessing.
It didn’t matter.
The castle was close, and Therese had a plan. She was growing tired of being the only powerful one, the only one who recognized her strength.
That wouldn’t do. Not long-term.
She would rebuild her court and reestablish herself as the head of this country. Once she dispatched the imposters, this land would be hers again.
Her victory was so close, she could taste it.
Welcome to Death Mountain
“According to the queen’s research, the obsidian dagger is hidden here, in Death Mountain,” Xander said, gesturing to the looming shale behind them.
They’d landed a few minutes ago, the ride one that Marius would never forget.
He snorted. “Well, that’s ominous.”
The dark mountainous location seemed just as delightful as its name portrayed. It made sense, in a twisted way, that this was where the blade resided.
Vivienne stood beside Marius, having climbed off the dragon the moment they landed.
“So, we’re going in there?” His bodyguard pointed to a cave a few feet away, and she scowled. “Great.”
She sounded like she’d rather be anywhere else. Honestly, no one in their right mind would enter a place called Death Mountain with a smile, so it made sense. Even Marius felt a sense of trepidation.
“Are you coming, Xander?” he asked as the shifter pulled a shirt out of his bag and tugged it over his head.
“That’s the plan,” he replied, walking towards the cave entrance. “Your sister thought…” Xander’s voice trailed off as he froze, his foot raised in the air. “Damn.”
“What’s wrong?” Vivienne asked.
“I can’t get in.” The shifter frowned, raising his palm and pressing it against the air. Darkness seemed to ripple and shimmer around his hand. “It’s warded.”
That could be a problem.
Marius’s brows furrowed as he walked forward, but even though magic crawled over his skin, he was able to move past the dragon shifter and enter the cave.
“That’s odd.” Marius stepped in and out of the cave, the magic tingling his skin but not stopping his movements. “Can you come in, Viv?”
The vampire grumbled under her breath about how a place called Death Mountain would surely be filled with trouble, but she was also able to enter the cavern.
“It must be warded against shifters,” she said from beside Marius, looking apologetically at the dragon shifter. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Xander replied. “The wards aren’t your fault.”
Marius ran his hand through his hair. The dragon shifter was a renowned warrior, and he would’ve been a welcome addition to this part of their quest. “What will you do?”
“Someone I care about is staying with the Nightwings,” Xander said. “I’ll visit her while you two search for the blade, and I’ll come back tonight for you both.”
Marius didn’t like it, but they didn’t have any other options. Hecrossed the ward again and thanked Xander, who produced two notes and handed them to him with a handshake.
Xander stepped back as Marius moved to Vivienne’s side. The warrior shifted once more, and he rose into the sky with a farewell roar.
“Well, he’s dramatic,” Vivienne remarked as the dragon became a speck in the sky.