Moonlight Prince (Vampire Girl #4)(45)

"Zeb's realm," says Dean. "I don't see any fires below. Hopefully, that's a good sign."

Hopefully.

Dean lays his head on my shoulder, his voice soft. "We really are going to go back for the others, right? I'm kind of fond of my little brother."

"I'm fond of Fen, too," I say with a bit of snarkiness. "And yes, if we must, we will go back."

"If?"

"We may not have to return to the Rift. Because I hope… I hope that when our friends realize we're gone, they'll leave to find us. That Fen will leave to find me."

A breath. "And what if he doesn't?"

I don't think about that. I dare not.

We press on. To a realm of yellow rocks and sparse shoots of grass. A realm of cliffs and canyons. The Realm of Sloth. In the distance stands a grand city. It is surrounded by walls and watched over by a fortress.

I whisper under my breath, casting illusion, making us all translucent and blending us with the night sky. If nothing else, the incessant and repetitive training with Tavian has drilled spells and magic into me so deeply I could do it in my sleep, and to some degree was. This training is a part of me in ways I still don't fully realize. I have become truly one with my magic. Silently, we glide past the walls and land in an empty square. People must be in their homes at this late hour. That or… I don't allow myself to think of the alternative. Ace must still be in control of this realm. He must.

We dismount, and I summon my happiness, turning Yami smaller. He jumps up on my shoulder and snuggles against my neck.

"Follow me," says Dean. "I know the way to the fortress."

We walk down a street, and I quickly realize this city is far larger than I even thought. It's funny how small things can look from up in the sky. Down here, everything looms over me. A few minutes pass, and people start to leave their homes, setting up shops, tending to jobs. I note their fancy clothing and clear eyes. Vampires. Good. The sun begins to rise, though the sky turns barely brighter. It seems we must live in Darkness while Lucian still draws breath.

I allow myself to look around, to enjoy this place I've never visited before.

The Realm of Sloth is truly a place of marvels. Golden carriages ride on rails throughout the city, taking nobles to grand halls and splendid manors, while others with less fortune travel by canal or on foot, filling up giant market squares where goods and inventions are traded. Green vines spill over the golden buildings, and glass doors and ceilings are common, filling the city with the dull hue of a diluted sun blocked by Darkness. It's all very steampunk fantasy, at least according to the standards of my own world. It's funny how far away that seems. I haven't thought about social media or cell phones or cat videos in so long. Everything about me has changed. I guess it's part of survival that we so easily adapt to the circumstances in which we find ourselves. That and maybe there's something in my blood that always knew this place, this world was part of me. Steam contraptions pop and fizzle on the sidewalks, creating juicy drinks one can purchase on the go. Dean buys me one, and I find the taste a mix of pineapple and something unique to this realm, something that makes me tingle. Then we reach the fortress.

The Golden Castle stands atop a hill surrounded by canals, its golden walls shooting up into the sky, filled with trebuchets ready to fire at enemy forces and soldiers prepared to fight off any invaders. It is larger than High Castle, Sky Castle, even Stonehill. Pathways connect it to the giant walls spanning the entire city. Dean explains the reasoning, waving his hands in grand gestures. "The gates can be reinforced with troops straight from the castle. For the metropolis to fall, the fortress must fall. This was not the way with Stonehill, where too often the city was ruined while the castle stood strong. Here, civilians are safe during battle. Ace is a bloody genius I tell you."

We reach the castle gates, and the guards, two men clad in golden armor, recognize Dean instantly. "Prince Dean. We'd heard reports your realm had fallen to the Fae. We thought you were…"

"Alive and well, as you can see," he says with a smile and a wink. "We must see Prince Ace immediately. "

"Of course, but…"

Dean clenches his jaw. "But?"

"He's in an important meeting."

Dean and I exchange glances. Important meeting? Lucian said he would offer his children a chance to pledge allegiance. If that's what happening now… "We must get to him immediately," I say, drawing my two swords. "Take us to him now, or else face a vampire prince and the Midnight Star."

Their eyes go wide at the mention of my title. "Of course, Prince all Powerful. This way."

Dean chuckles as the guards open the gate, and we follow them inside, up golden stairs and hallways until we reach a grand door. I push it open, swords at the ready in case Ace proves foe rather than ally.

The Prince of Sloth stands by his war table, a brown cloak falling from his shoulders, a belt of gadgets strapped to his waist. A clock-like gizmo hangs on his wrist, and a sword hangs at his side. He no longer wields the cane. His face is hard. Eyes like brown marble. Dark brown hair neat. This is not the injured Ace I last saw, but a prince ready for war.

A familiar face is with him. Zeb leans over a map, his shady hair messy, his eyes too tired. So, this is who Ace was meeting with.

Tension hangs in the air between us.