imagination.
“What danger?” Soren mocked. “I daresay the rabble was enough to frighten the servants, but we vampires have nothing to fear from such riffraff.” He peered down his nose at Lucian. “As the trick with the bats attests, the mortal mob runs at even the illusion of our presence. The events of yesterday prove beyond a doubt that while the humans may dare to challenge mere lycans, they would never dream of confronting those of our blood.”
Lady Ilona nodded. “Your point is well taken, Soren. It is hard to believe that any mortals would risk attacking a caravan guarded by none other than my fellow Death Dealers.”
Her immaculate features appeared set in stone. “In any event, I have not laid eyes on my husband for well nigh two centuries, and I shall not be kept away from his Awakening by a throng of troublesome mortals. The pilgrimage to Buda will proceed as planned.”
Her adamant tone closed the debate. Nevertheless, Lucian could not resist pressing his luck a bit further. “In that case, milady, may I humbly request to accompany the pilgrimage, so as to assure myself of your safety?”
In actuality, it was Sonja’s safety that was of paramount importance to him.
“Ridiculous,” Soren jeered. “What difference could a single lycan make?”
Lady Ilona looked as though she agreed. “It hardly seems necessary…”
Before she could render a final decision, however, Sonja surprised everyone by speaking up. “I would be most grateful for your protection on our journey,” she declared, stepping forward to address Lucian directly. “Your courage and devotion to our court have not gone unnoticed.”
Lucian could scarcely believe his ears. I must be dreaming, he thought. Emboldened by the princess’s kind words, he lifted his eyes to find Sonja smiling down on him. Their eyes met, and it was as though their souls reached out to each other, recognizing kindred spirits. A faint blush appeared on her alabaster features, and Lucian felt his heart pound within his chest. Can it be, he wondered, that she feels something for me as well?
“Very well,” Lady Ilona conceded, breaking the moment. “I suppose one more pair of eyes cannot hurt.” She took Sonja’s hand and gently led her back to her place before the throne. “And it’s not as though I intended to make the trip without a decent retinue of servants!” The lady laughed, a sound as cold and crystalline as ice. “That is all, Lucian,” she informed him. “You may return to your fellows.”
“Yes, milady,” he answered. Bowing low, he turned and walked back down the aisle toward the other servants. Soren glowered at him as he passed, but Lucian barely noticed the overseer’s baleful glare; his heart and mind were still reeling from his brief communion with Sonja. Not even in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined sharing such a moment with the sublime vampiress, let alone basking so in the warmth of her regard. Is this just a wild fancy, he asked himself uncertainly, or did something profound transpire between us?
A sort of euphoria enveloped him as he returned to his place at the back of the throne room. His lycan brothers and sisters congratulated him heartily, slapping his back and oohing over the ornate knife in his hand, but Lucian accepted the accolades as though in a daze. In his mind, he was still back before the throne, hearing Sonja praise his courage and devotion, lost in the depths of her bottomless brown eyes.
“This concludes tonight’s ceremonies,” Lady Ilona announced from the dais. “So let the festivities begin. There is wine and freshly decanted steer blood in the great hall, as well as ale and raw venison for the servants. Let all make merry until the dawn!”
The other lycans howled in anticipation of the feast. Although eager to get to the banquet, the servants nonetheless stepped aside to let the vampires exit the throne room first. Not until the lowest-ranking of the undead filed out of the
“What danger?” Soren mocked. “I daresay the rabble was enough to frighten the servants, but we vampires have nothing to fear from such riffraff.” He peered down his nose at Lucian. “As the trick with the bats attests, the mortal mob runs at even the illusion of our presence. The events of yesterday prove beyond a doubt that while the humans may dare to challenge mere lycans, they would never dream of confronting those of our blood.”
Lady Ilona nodded. “Your point is well taken, Soren. It is hard to believe that any mortals would risk attacking a caravan guarded by none other than my fellow Death Dealers.”
Her immaculate features appeared set in stone. “In any event, I have not laid eyes on my husband for well nigh two centuries, and I shall not be kept away from his Awakening by a throng of troublesome mortals. The pilgrimage to Buda will proceed as planned.”
Her adamant tone closed the debate. Nevertheless, Lucian could not resist pressing his luck a bit further. “In that case, milady, may I humbly request to accompany the pilgrimage, so as to assure myself of your safety?”
In actuality, it was Sonja’s safety that was of paramount importance to him.
“Ridiculous,” Soren jeered. “What difference could a single lycan make?”
Lady Ilona looked as though she agreed. “It hardly seems necessary…”
Before she could render a final decision, however, Sonja surprised everyone by speaking up. “I would be most grateful for your protection on our journey,” she declared, stepping forward to address Lucian directly. “Your courage and devotion to our court have not gone unnoticed.”
Lucian could scarcely believe his ears. I must be dreaming, he thought. Emboldened by the princess’s kind words, he lifted his eyes to find Sonja smiling down on him. Their eyes met, and it was as though their souls reached out to each other, recognizing kindred spirits. A faint blush appeared on her alabaster features, and Lucian felt his heart pound within his chest. Can it be, he wondered, that she feels something for me as well?
“Very well,” Lady Ilona conceded, breaking the moment. “I suppose one more pair of eyes cannot hurt.” She took Sonja’s hand and gently led her back to her place before the throne. “And it’s not as though I intended to make the trip without a decent retinue of servants!” The lady laughed, a sound as cold and crystalline as ice. “That is all, Lucian,” she informed him. “You may return to your fellows.”
“Yes, milady,” he answered. Bowing low, he turned and walked back down the aisle toward the other servants. Soren glowered at him as he passed, but Lucian barely noticed the overseer’s baleful glare; his heart and mind were still reeling from his brief communion with Sonja. Not even in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined sharing such a moment with the sublime vampiress, let alone basking so in the warmth of her regard. Is this just a wild fancy, he asked himself uncertainly, or did something profound transpire between us?
A sort of euphoria enveloped him as he returned to his place at the back of the throne room. His lycan brothers and sisters congratulated him heartily, slapping his back and oohing over the ornate knife in his hand, but Lucian accepted the accolades as though in a daze. In his mind, he was still back before the throne, hearing Sonja praise his courage and devotion, lost in the depths of her bottomless brown eyes.
“This concludes tonight’s ceremonies,” Lady Ilona announced from the dais. “So let the festivities begin. There is wine and freshly decanted steer blood in the great hall, as well as ale and raw venison for the servants. Let all make merry until the dawn!”
The other lycans howled in anticipation of the feast. Although eager to get to the banquet, the servants nonetheless stepped aside to let the vampires exit the throne room first. Not until the lowest-ranking of the undead filed out of the
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