Page 151 of Crimson Oath
“Oh?” She was tired of him already. She turned to René and gavehim the most dead-eyed stare she could muster. “People usually call me a wolf.”
Was it her imagination, or did Oleg clear his throat? Was he hiding laughter?
The corner of Tatyana’s mouth turned up.
They had a private joke, and something about that felt warm and thrilling at the same time.
Kezia was still talking on the stage. “This night will decide the next hundred years of leadership.”
René was still whispering to her. “A little bird chirped in my ear that you and Vano are not friends.”
“Who told you that?” He was right, but Tatyana didn’t want to share her business with a thief.
Kezia was still trying to talk, but someone shouted from the back of the crowd, and then others joined in. It took Tatyana a few moments to understand what they were saying.
Dishana. They were calling for the goblets.
This entire ceremony seemed wildly chaotic, and Tatyana just wanted to leave. The breeze had died down, and the humidity in the air was bordering on oppressive. But she couldn’t leave; that would be horribly rude.
“Have you seen them before?” René asked softly. “The sacred goblets of the Poshani, each carved from a single jewel?”
Tatyana shook her head. “I haven’t. Have you?”
He looked amused. “I may have caught a quick glimpse once.”
The crowd continued to chant. “Dishana, dishana, dishana!”
Tatyana’s eyes locked on Kezia, who appeared frozen.
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
Tatyana leaned forward. “What is happening?”
“Here we go,” René whispered. “Pay attention, my little lamb.”
Why did men seem obsessed with giving her animal nicknames?
Tatyana muttered, “I’m wide awake, my arrogant fox.”
All René did was laugh as the crowd stood and continued chanting.
Dishana, dishana, dishana.
The vampires in the stands were all reacting to the mass of humans growing more and more excited. She could feel the elemental energy buzzing, and it was everything she could do to remain calm herself. Blood was flowing. She could smell the sweetness of it wafting from the assembled humans, and her fangs elongated in her mouth.
The Hazar took to the air, circling the camp in wide swoops.
What was going on?
Tatyana’s eyes locked on the three terrin on stage. Vano was looking at Radu. Radu was staring straight ahead with his jaw locked. Kezia seemed to falter.
When Kezia spoke again, Tatyana could barely hear her. “Sadly, the trust of the kamvasa has been breached.”
Madina hissed from her seat behind Oleg, and all the vampires around her froze. Nothing moved. No one spoke.
Oh God. Was it Oleg? Had they found out? Were they going to try to… What? Confront a millennia-old fire vampire publicly? Kezia couldn’t be that foolish.
“Someone has used our hospitality against us.” Kezia was looking directly at Oleg now. “The dishana, the goblets gifted to our first terrin, have been stolen.”
