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At my taunt, Custodis lurched forward, baring fangs.

I welcomed the battle, hissing in retaliation.Come and get me, asshole.Finally, I’d fractured the vampire’s stony composure.

Kronk thrust his booted foot into Victor’s chest, slamming him back into his seat, causing the wagon to wobble. The vampire wheezed, his sternum cracking.

“Hey! Settle down back there,” the driver barked.

“Enough,” Drazen growled. “Both of you. Before you call the guards down on our heads.”

Kronk released the leech with an antagonistic snarl while I preened, leaning into Kronk’s mighty arm.That’s right, vampire.My big brother wasbig,and he had my back. Always.

The vampire’s pale eyes darted between the two of us, then narrowed with some strange emotion I didn’t care to analyze.

We continued our journey in silence, alone with our dark thoughts. Too soon, the foliage became sparse. What was left of the vegetation slumped with exhaustion, withering with decay. Black craters scarred the ground like some beast with many tentacles had a grip on the land. Stark trees, void of leaves, lined the road, and a sense of foreboding crept down my spine. The state of the kingdom was so much worse near the source of the darkness.

It wasn’t long until Slyborn Castle came into view, situated atop a rocky hill with its high walls, toothy battlements, and rounded towers. Over the massive structure, dark clouds loomed like a burial shroud. Dozens of purple flags bearing the king’s image flapped around the structure, slashing the sky. Like the gallspawn creature, it seemed the stone walls contained a hundred eyeballs, the narrow windows peering down on us in judgment.

The captain of the guard rode ahead, signaling to a soldier in the guardhouse. Massive gates made of enchanted metal creakedon their hinges, allowing our party to enter. Inside the lower bailey, merchants in small booths hocked their wares. Through our barred windows, a mixture of scents wafted in the air, some savory, some sweet, though my stomach rebelled at the thought of food.

Our driver steered us onto a narrow side road, traveling around the crowded bailey to a smaller pair of doors set into the rocky foundation of the keep’s many towers.

“Guess we’re not getting the red-carpet treatment, seeing as how they’re sneaking us in the back door,” Drazen muttered.

“We’ll be lucky if they don’t feed us straight to the hellhounds,” Kronk answered.

Rather than deposit us outside, our driver took us into the building, horses, wagon, and all. Behind us, the heavy doors slammed shut, trapping us inside.

Synchronized boots struck the stone floor, marching in unison. Approximately a dozen soldiers entered the space. One by one, they peeled off, forming a circle around our carriage, swords at the ready.

“What the flark is going on?” I whispered. “This isn’t their procedure for handling prisoners.”

Where was the stock yard? The other inmates? The low security pen we could easily escape.

“Perhaps they have heard of our awesome prowess and many accomplishments,” Kronk offered.

“Or perhaps they know when a noble leader is in their midst,” Victor contributed.

I fought an eyeroll. I truly was surrounded by idiots.

At last, the captain swung our door open. “Lucky you. Our noble king has taken a personal interest in your crimes and will hear your case immediately.”

Dread washed over me in a flood. Luck had little to do with this. There was definitely a darker power at work. One I feared I knew all too well.

Chapter Eight

VICTOR

Once more,I stood on a proverbial cliff, my circumstances taking a turn for the worse. While I was born here, I’d few memories of Carcerem’s kings and castles. Perhaps because my mother and I lived in squalor, too busy surviving this brutal land to worry about such things.

As I expected, Slyborn Castle was a dismal canker sore, rotting upon a desolate land. Why anyone would want to rule in such a place was beyond me. The barbaric architecture was as stark and unwelcoming as the rest of the kingdom.

Though I’d managed to mask my reaction as we’d approached the castle, a strange energy made the hairs on my arms spike to attention. Once we were inside, the energy built to the point I feared it would splinter my ribcage, leaping out of my chest. Despite the desolation of the land, something here was very much alive.

After we exited our conveyance, armed guards ushered me and my former captors through endless corridors until, finally, we arrived at a monstrous throne room. Smoky marble withgolden veins stretched out beneath our feet. Scores of spectators filled blackened benches placed on either side of a wide aisle. The cathedral-like space had domed ceilings. The supporting pillars were shaped like long fingers with claws. Ropes of crimson ivy twisted around the soaring columns. Whether it was dead or alive, I couldn’t discern. Regardless, it gave the illusion that the very walls bled.

Still, I maintained my composed facade until my gaze landed on the throne. One glimpse and drool pooled in my mouth, my jaw dropping.

At the center of a raised dais was a massive tree made of ebony stone. Thick pulsing roots rolled out from its enormous trunk, delving deep into the floor and to parts unknown. Sturdy branches with copper leaves stretched up into a domed skylight. Carved into the bottom of the tree was a throne, blackened roots slithering from beneath its base.