The Demon Queen (Otherworld Series #5)

Chapter 3- Traitor, Traitor and Traitor

I sat up straight and crawled towards the bars.

"Oh, Lunia. Let me see your face." Munroe said tearfully as she raised a lantern close to my face.

I squinted my eyes and raised my own hand to shield my eyes against the light.

"A little consideration for my sensitive eyes that haven't been exposed to light for the past three weeks or so?"

"Oh? Right , sorry." She said and clumsily laid the lantern down on the floor.

"So...The message? "

"Huh?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

I signed. "The message from Hanes? The one you came to give me?"

"Oh, yes!" She looked either side first, my mouth tugged up into a smile.

"There's nobody here that needs caution. Go ahead, Munroe. Quickly."

She nodded. "Alicia and Lucelle had been trying to make contact with the Vampire King since last Thursday. They finally got a missive back. It was signed by Pius Valor or should I say Vitely? "

"Vitely, Valor, it doesn't matter." I replied, eager to hear the rest. My father had finally replied? I hoped he had some plan sorted out. I had no idea what I was going to do after I got my freedom.

Munroe did not continue, she still looked confused.

"Munroe, it's Pius Vitely, now continue further." I said, motioning quickly.

Her expression brightened. "Pius Vitely signed it. It said that Hanes and Pius themselves would come undercover to the execution and would wait for you at the banyan cove. "

They were coming personally? It seemed dangerous but expected of Hanes. That man loved me more that his own life. I'm gonna give him a big hug when I see him....or maybe continue my huff with him.

Banyan Cove....

Gods. In between saving Centaurs, creating treaties with Dire wolves and getting kidnapped by dragons, I had no time to tour Dinhae and had no idea of where the he'll banyan cove was.

"Banyan cove....where is it?"

Munroe looked surprised, like she didn't expect me to ask that and thinks I'm a loser.

"Hey, I was missing for a few weeks, didn't exactly get the sunshine special tour of wonderful Dinhae."

"I'm glad you think Dinhae is wonderful. You haven't even seen the glower falls yet. "

...Yeah, sarcasm went over her head.

"Munroe, the guards will be here soon. You have to tell me where Banyan cove is."

"Oh, yes, guards." She said and ducked to pick her lantern. "You will find Banyan cove in the south of the Execution square, just keep going and you'll find an area full of banyan trees, Hanes and Pius will be waiting under the biggest tree. Okay?"

"Thank You, Munroe. Take care of yourself. "

"No. You take care of yourself out there. And come back to be our Queen. Don't get executed. Bye." She waved and rushed away.

She was gone within the blink of an eye.

I looked back at my bed. I might as well try to continue my dream.

------

Lunia went back to sleep in her pile of blankets. 

A figure moved in the shadows inside the cell on the left. Stavros stared silently at Lunia's sleeping form, checking to see if she was really sleeping.

He heard her breathe slowly and smiled.

As quietly as he could, Stavros opened the lock on his cell and tiptoed out. He left a pile of his clothes under his bed sheet so that Lunia or Stan wouldn't be suspicious to see him gone.

He then headed back up the stairs after locking his cell, towards his master....In the throne room.

Dimitri Shizkov stood in the throne room, staring at the throne as he stood before it.

Stavros cleared his throat. The Shizkov who was second in line to the throne looked at him with a welcoming smile.

"I assume, you've found something that needs my attention." He said, his voice low and deadly.

Stavros nodded, swallowing loudly, Dimitri was the sly and cunning one of the three brothers. Stavros had always thought that Nikokai was the most dangerous of the brothers but now as he stood before Dimitri Shizkov, he had a feeling that he was in the presence of the real devil.

"Go on."

"Lady Alicia and Lady Lucelle are the traitors helping the Vampires."

Dimitri Shizkov's eyes flashed. Stavros swallowed again. Alicia was after all Dimitri's wife. Stavros feared for his life.

"How did you get this information?"

"A female demon...Munroe came to visit Lunia in her cell. She told her about their plans."

"And these plans are?"

So Stavros told him the plan of the Vampires. 

"Any idea how Lunia is going to escape?"

Stavros shook his head. "They only discussed where she will meet the Vampires. They did not say how they contacted the Vampires or how Lunia will escape. I'm sorry, sire."

Dimitri nodded. "It's alright. Lunia is crafty and Munroe is....dumb." He pondered for a while and then turned back to the throne.

"Stavros, you have been of great help. Now there is only one more thing I want you to do for me." Dimitri said.

"What is that, sire?" Stavros asked, eager to help.

"Make preparation for an earlier execution. "

"Earlier...as in?"

Dimitri turned around. His face cold. His eyes frosty. A sly smile on his face.

"Earlier as in tomorrow."