King of the Vampires

Chapter Fifty Nine

Anyone who looked at Seraphina would know that she was a large woman. With a brother the size of Xion, it was clear that they both came from substantial stock. But when we had to move her to the dungeon below the palace, I wondered if the woman was made of lead. Devlin hoisted the majority of her weight into his arms but I let out a graceless grunt as I lifted her thick legs.

Thankfully, Daisy was small enough that my father could carry her alone.

And when we descended down the stairs, one of my questions was answered.

"What the fuck are you all doing down here?" Devlin gasped.

And, stacked like dead fish at a market, a single cell was stuffed with human beings. Staff members. There was a cook, the pastry chef that Xion adored, the groundskeeper who would offer me little ripe fruits when she spotted me in the garden, and a handful of guards, their uniforms filthy.

"Finally come to kill us?" one of the growled.

Devlin didn't flinch, though I felt like I had been slapped and my father almost dropped Daisy.

"Look, they have Daisy," someone else pointed out.

A maid who was pressed against the bars eyed me warily. "Where is the king? They said they were going to kill the king, then make examples of us as those who couldn't be loyal. Is that what you're here to do? To make examples of us?"

"Actually, we were just going to lock Daisy and Seraphina up. Seems like stumbling onto you all has been a wonderful accident," Devlin corrected.

No one inside the cell seemed to believe him, but my arms were getting tired and I knew that Seraphina could gut me with ease, even if surprise was on my side. I gestured for Devlin to move with me and together, we got the women in the cell and secured the door. I couldn't help but stare at Seraphina.

Had she really betrayed her brother for her lover? Or was this all just a misunderstanding?

I swallowed hard, grateful that I was not in Xion's position for once.

"Peter?" Devlin said.

A solider stood quietly at the back, his eyes focused, his mouth unsmiling.

"Oh fuck," Devlin hissed, "Get the keys. Peter is the most loyal man we have on the ground."

"Is that a wise idea?" my dad interjected.

"We need all the help we can get," I said with a shrug. Who knew who was foe and who was friend anymore? How was I supposed to decide who was innocent when I barely knew these people and had killed someone myself?

"No, Lark," my father pushed back. "They need all the help that they can get. You do not have to be a part of this if you do not want to be."

I turned to the man who had raised me, stunned.

"You have done enough, more than these people might deserve," he added. "This might have been your battle, but this does not have to be your war. We can leave right now and you can have a clear conscience for the rest of your life if you so choose it."

I saw my father for what he was then. With blood on his farm shirt and dirt on the skin of his face, he was a simple man from a small village that knew how to survive. And, above all else, he knew how to do whatever was required to keep his family safe.

"This is my war. He is my mate, regardless of his mistakes," I said firmly.

My dad watched me for a moment, studying my features as if he were searching for a lie. When he could not find anything telling, he simply nodded his head once.