A Clash of Storms (A Shade of Vampire #50)(63)

“I love you!” Sverik snapped. “I will not apologize for that! I did what I did for love!”

“You don’t keep the one you love in a cage,” Draven shot back. “You truly are the worst of your kind, Sverik. And you will go on trial. You will be punished for your crimes. And you will never be remembered on the right side of history.”

“Listen, I know I’ve done some horrible things, but I did it all so I could be with Isla! But then I met you, Draven… I saw the strength in your alliance, and my entire mindset changed because I started envisioning a world without Azazel in it. I wasn’t happy with him in power to begin with, and I did what I could to keep myself and Isla safe, but I didn’t tell Azazel who you were, either. I told him there was a Druid, but I didn’t tell him whose son you were. I was aware of his issues with Almus and Genevieve and, that if he knew your identity, he’d come at you twice, if not thrice as hard! I kept my mouth shut on purpose, to give you a chance… You have to believe me! I’ve done some stupid, selfish, and horrible things because I thought there would never be a world without Azazel in it, until you came along… I tried to do one thing right. So, please, have mercy,” Sverik pleaded, his right eye swollen shut.

“Justice doesn’t know mercy.” Isla spat and kicked him in the ribs, making him grunt and curl up in a fetal position. “I never got to tell Kristos I loved him. You don’t deserve mercy!”

“His heart, as twisted as it may sound, was more or less in the right place,” Draven said as he gently pulled her away. “I do understand doing horrible things for those we love, and I also cannot overlook the fact that he’s telling the truth. Sverik withheld my identity from Azazel. While that does not grant him a pardon, it should at least guarantee him a fair trial. The Sluaghs were mindless and greedy beasts looking to cash in on all the corpses that Azazel’s war left behind. They do not deserve a trial; they’ve done nothing but harm. Rest assured, Isla, Sverik will pay for what he did. In full, after his sentence. Because he will be found guilty.”

I had a feeling that a few more kicks and punches would eventually rupture something, and we’d lose Sverik before he got to spend the rest of his long and miserable life in a cage downstairs, or worse, if he was to be sentenced to death.

“Take him away,” Bijarki said calmly. “Put him in the dungeon with the rest of the traitors.”

Isla and the other succubus nodded briefly and dragged Sverik out of the throne room. We heard him moaning and wailing as they carried him off to the basement, his voice echoing down the hallway.

I took a deep breath, feeling slightly relieved after punching Sverik’s lights out, and, judging by the looks on Vita and Bijarki’s faces, so did they. I’d never been one to condone violence against a creature that couldn’t really defend itself, but Sverik was truly a special case that deserved the exception. We’d nearly died because of him. The grief I’d felt after we’d lost Vita had left a permanent mark on my soul, and it was all thanks to Sverik.

He deserved whatever he had coming next.

A heavy silence weighed over us. The torch flames burst bigger and brighter, and a cold wind howled through the throne room, sending shivers down my spine. We looked at each other, concern etched on our faces as whispers circled us, riding the cool draft.

Wisps of pink dust gathered in the middle, and we all stepped back, making room for the Daughters of Eritopia who materialized before our very eyes. All nine of them, covered in fine silks and gemstone jewels, with long, reddish pink hair and golden masks.

Nine Daughters, including Viola and Nova.

Their eyes glowed violet as the wind settled and the fires dimmed, restoring the warm amber light that softened the harshness of the black marble walls and stone floor.

The Daughters of Eritopia had finally revealed themselves to the people of Calliope, not just Draven and our group. Hansa and Anjani held their breath, while Jax, Heron and the wards, Zeriel, Grezzi, Jasmine, the Bajang twins, and the Druids were left speechless, their eyes wide and their mouths gaping as they saw the Daughters for the very first time.





Phoenix





I could feel the awe of our alliance. I could see their wide eyes and parted lips. Some of them were looking at the Daughters of Eritopia for the first time. The rest of us, who’d already been acquainted with the powerful yet capricious demi-goddess-like creatures, were struggling with a feeling between angst and anger.

All this could have been avoided, had they been better Daughters.

I counted nine of them, recognizing Nova immediately as the shortest one. I worried that by covering her face with gold and wearing their layers of silk and jewels, Viola had officially become one of them. That I would, eventually, lose her to her sisters. My heart struggled to cope with that idea, and my stomach tied itself up in knots as the Daughters turned to face us all, in a smaller circle, their backs to one another.

I couldn’t help but worry about Viola at that point, my nerves stretched beyond their limits. One of the Daughters cocked her head to one side as her glowing violet eyes focused on me. I exhaled sharply as she took off her mask and I found Viola smiling at me.

“Don’t worry, Phoenix,” she said gently, and winked. “I’m not leaving you again.”

She broke rank and came to me. She took my face in her bejeweled hands and dropped a short, sweet kiss on my lips, setting my insides on fire. I wrapped my arms around her waist and kept her close, despite the dissatisfied glares that her sisters gave me. I gave them a smirk back, comfortable holding Viola there.