Page 3 of Siege of Blood and Betrayal

“Speaking of making special arrangements,” Father says, “why are we here, old friend?”

Ashikaga is facing us and the back of the room, so no one at the kings’ table sees the tightening in his expression. “There is news. Come, let us begin.”

Father doesn’t question the man and simply moves to the carved teak throne with our family colors—black, silver, and oxblood.

He takes his place and scans the others already seated.

When he dips his chin in greeting, I make a mental note of who he seems to respect and who receives cool politeness. His gaze locks on a man perched on a throne across the table, and he neither nods nor offers a cool greeting.

What is that about?

“Thank you all for making the trip,” Ashikaga says, standing in front of his chair. “I apologize for interrupting your busy lives but called this gathering because there is a development which is best shared in person.”

The cautious way he says the word ‘development’ makes it clear he’s not pleased about what he has to tell us.

“Two nights ago, Heinrich Rainier was dispatched to his final death. Leon Miller and his clan of turned vampires have assumed power in Berlin.” He gestures to the dark-eyed thug, looking smug in a four-thousand-dollar suit. The brute is the one sitting opposite us and now I understand my father’s reserve. “By the laws of the Fondatori, when the Rainier clan was ended and Miller and his family took possession of the tiger’s eye dagger, he assumed control of the Berlin seat of power.”

The room erupts in a thundering overlap of shouts.

“How could a pathetic outlier have bested Heinrich?” someone shouts. “He was a bloodline vampireanda noble.”

“If these made thugs are brazen enough to come after one of us, what does that say to wolves, witches, or even the demons?”

“It says our enemies think too highly of themselves!”

“An ant can be squashed without effort, but a colony of ants can clear-cut a forest overnight.”

Miller stands, slamming his palms into the table. “Are you assholes calling me an ant?”

Nikolai scoffs. “An ant is too good for you, mutt. You are a cockroach.”

The chaos continues as Ashikaga tries to get control of things and reminds everyone of the Fondatori laws.

What does this mean, Father?I ask directly into his mind.

He doesn’t answer.

He’s grown rigidly still.

And though he has schooled me about locking down my emotional responses for decades, he is emanating a murderous rage.

He and Rainier have been friends for centuries.

If this man killed Heinrich and his children, why would Ashikaga defend him? Why did he allow him to sit at your table?

He has no choice, l’uomo. The edicts we live by are clear. While I find it unconscionable that this outlier trash ended Rainier, and claimed one of the Fondatori daggers, it’s done.

I can’t wrap my head around that. Deiter, Fritz, Johann, and Greta? I’ve known them since we were kids.

“How do we know this is true?” the ruler of Turkey asks. “An outlier might be deceitful enough to steal one of the jeweled daggers of power, but to end Heinrich and his family? I don’t believe it.”

“Do we have proof of death?” my father asks.

The thug across the table grins, the tips of his stumpy fangs showing. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Miller raises two fingers and signals his second-in-command. The brute standing behind his right shoulder raises a remote and points it at the table. In front of each of the kings, a viewing monitor turns on and the proof of death video begins.

It’s a horrible thing watching as Heinrich Rainier and his four adult children are beheaded and their bloody bodies are left in the sun. These are people I grew up knowing.

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