The King's War

24. The Bullet

NATHANIEL

The war council looked like a villainous tribunal from an old spy movie — a rogues gallery of generals, advisors, and kings gathered around a circular table in a dimly lit room. King Abel sat at the apex of the circle, with King John of the Western Central Territories at his right. The other king would not stop glaring at me from the moment I entered the room. I did my best to ignore him.

The other members of the council were generals and advisors, Frost included. I recognized a few of the vampires from war meetings way back when but I wasn't overly familiar with any of them.

The doors at the other end of the room opened and three women walked in. All had tanned skin and dark curly hair worn in varying styles, and there was an obvious resemblance in their features, though the one at the center was visibly older. The younger ones both wore drab, casual clothing, while the older one donned an embroidered red kaftan that billowed like a curtain as she walked. Her hair was pinned up with elaborate gold pins and a pair of enormous hoop earrings hung from her ears.

They were not vampires, that much was clear. Each one radiated power like a beacon. They didn't try to conceal it the way Daphne had. They didn't need to. They were Abel's secret weapon.

"Nathaniel, meet Madame Beatrice Levesque, and her daughters, Monique and Elise," Abel said.

Madame Levesque acknowledged me with a cold nod and sat down in one of the empty seats. Her daughters joined her silently. Something was off about the way the two of them carried themselves. Their eyes were distant, their faces empty of expression in a downright robotic way.

"King Nathaniel has recently pledged his support to me," Abel explained. "As a kindness, I've allowed him to be privy to this meeting."

Madame Levesque crossed her arms. "You don't think he could be a spy for her?" She had a faint trace of a foreign accent, but not one I could parse.

A brief smirk of satisfaction flashed across King John's face. "I've been wondering the same thing."

I readied to defend myself, but Abel beat me to it by putting up a placating hand. "Nathaniel has assured me that he has severed ties with Daphne Sinclair after learning of her involvement with anti-vampire rebels. Isn't that right?"

I nodded bleakly.

"That hardly warrants him a place at this table. All it shows is that he wants to use us on his own personal revenge quest," John pressed. He stood up, causing my agitation to spike. "I say we call for a vote."

Murmurs of assent sounded throughout the room, but Abel silenced them with a glare. "I'll hear no more on the subject. This is my house, my council, so I say what goes. Understood?"

John sneered contemptuously at me. One of the generals looked like he had something equally damning to add. I was an outsider, despite Abel's lukewarm support.

"As it happens," Abel continued, "Nathaniel was generous enough to rescind what would have been his share of the territory."

John sat back down, seemingly placated. An uncomfortable silence descended.

"Is everyone good now?" Abel sneered. No one answered. "Fantastic." He turned back to me. "I'm sure you're wondering how we intend to kill the unkillable. Well, I'll let Madame Levesque explain."

Madame Levesque turned her head in my direction but refused to look directly at me when she spoke. "Daphne Sinclair is not as omnipotent as everyone believes her to be. Especially now. Something's causing her to burn through her power expenses at a rapid rate. She's had to perform sacrifices far more often in order to replenish her magic. Whatever the cause, it gives us a much-needed advantage. The next time she's weakened, we can trap her and kill her."