Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

The huge double doors of the mountain entrance were shut tight as we parked in the insanely large parking lot at the base of the winding stairs.

When we reached the doors, Cross pulled on a thick rope. A low sound echoed inside the mountain, and a small chest-height panel opened right in front of me.

“Oh. Er, uh, I…um,” a gruff voice stammered.

Cross nudged me back a few steps, and I saw a set of brown eyes gaze from my chest to my face then back again before Shepard stepped in front of me.

“Shepard Ulv and Brodier Cross, as requested by King Curran,” Shepard said.

The panel slid shut abruptly. Metal clanked together as the massive lock retreated, and the heavy wooden door opened.

We stepped into the largest entryway I had ever seen. Not only was the gilded ceiling three stories high, but it had to be a quarter mile deep. Gold columns were positioned in rows to keep the massive space from caving in onto the white marble floor.

Four dwarves in silver armor guarded the door while a dwarf in gold armor nodded to us.

“The king has been anticipating your arrival, Alpha,” he said. “I’m Tryn, the leader of His Majesty’s personal guards. If you will follow me, I will take you to him.”

I was not physically prepared for the trek through the mountain. It would have been paradise for Vena, but I was out of breath by the seventh staircase.

“Out of curiosity,” I asked between panted breaths, “are there any elevators or escalators in this place?”

“There is only one elevator, which is designated for the royal family should there be a need to escape quickly.” The guard didn’t wheeze at all as he talked.

Having to traverse this mountain regularly probably kept him in shape, but I was ready to end the torture.

By the thirteenth staircase, we had entered the heart of the mountain where the dwarves lived. My gaze darted around as a market came into view. I spotted stalls for food, clothes, and jewelry. Children ran around as adults shopped.

The scent of grilled meats filled the air. Yet, for an entire dwarf population to be stuck inside the mountain, the space didn’t feel stifling. Fresh air came from somewhere and carried away the grill smoke.

Once we passed through the market, I saw a few more areas designated for living and recreational space. Six dwarves played a game in a blocked-off section. It reminded me of basketball but was very aggressive with a lot of body-checking.

By the twentieth staircase, I could barely lift my feet to the next step despite seeing signs that we were getting closer to the royal family. The opulence had grown exponentially. Even the stairs were encrusted with jewels.

“Are you okay, Everly?” Cross asked as I stumbled on a sparkly step.

I blew out a breath and held the stitch in my side. “How much longer until we get there?”

“It’s only a dozen staircases more,” Tryn said.

I groaned. “Just leave me here. Come get me on your way out.”

“I’ll carry you,” Cross said.

“You’re too old,” Shepard teased. “You’ll throw out your back. I’ll carry you, Everly.”

“And I’m sure your youth is what attracted Effora,” Cross said with a grin. “But let’s not argue in the mountain. Shall we settle this the way the young do? Have you ever heard of Rock, Paper, Scissors?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Shepard said.

“I’ll take that as a yes–unless you want to forfeit.”

Shepard growled but held out his fist.

Cross held out his as well. “Begin.”

Their hands blurred in motion for what seemed to be too long for a standard game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Tryn looked on in the same confusion.

“You’re cheating,” Shepard said.

“I never cheat. I’m only faster than you.”

“Stop,” I said, realizing they could see what the other was doing because they were so fast. “Face back to back.” I didn’t care that they were playing the most ridiculous game two ring-bearers could play. It allowed me to rest for a minute.

Both men pivoted away from each other.

“Try not to get frisky,” Cross said when their butts accidentally brushed together.

I didn’t hear what Shepard muttered back, but it made Cross grin.

“Get ready,” I said. “Go.”

I looked at both their hands. “Cross wins with scissors to paper.”

Cross squatted down in front of me, offering his back, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his hips.

As he stood and walked past Shepard, he said, “Don’t worry. You still have Effora.”

“I will kill you,” Shepard muttered.

“I heard you lack the penetration to see the deed done.”

The dwarven guard made a choked sound and turned away. I lightly swatted Cross' shoulder.

“Behave. Remember where you are.”

Shepard shot Cross a smug look and continued after the guard.

Cross clasped my legs, and I was acutely aware of his wandering fingers as he ascended each one of the remaining twelve meandering staircases.

My legs ached as he eased me to my feet outside a set of closed golden doors sentineled by another two dozen golden guards.

“I will announce you,” Tryn said before slipping inside.

Shepard brushed my hair off my neck. “I’ll carry you down when it’s time to leave.”

“Deal.”

The doors opened wide, and our escort motioned us forward.

I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but the cozy living room decorated in gold and silver brocades wasn’t it. An older man sat on an appropriately sized sofa along with a young woman. Both of them wore custom-tailored clothes that probably cost more than my rent. But I didn’t envy them that when they also wore their grief like a cloak. It weighed their shoulders and their movement as they got to their feet to welcome Shepard.

“It is good to see you again, Alpha,” the king said.

“I’m sorry it’s under such circumstances,” Shepard said.

The man nodded and sat again with a sigh, gesturing for us to do the same. His gaze swept over us, lingering on Cross.

“It is the cruelest of fates for a parent to outlive their child,” Cross said. “You have my deepest condolences.”

“You aren’t what I was expecting.” King Curran looked from Cross to Shepard. “I didn’t fully believe you when you said you would bring a vampire with you. I never would have thought the wolves would agree to a truce with vampires.”

“We haven’t,” Shepard said. “The truce is with Cross alone, not his kind.”

“And why is Cross the exception?”

“He doesn’t feed like the rest of his kind,” I said, needing to speak on Cross’ behalf. “Not for sport or control or pleasure. And there’s also this.” I lifted Cross’ hand to show the ring he wore.

His fingers lightly squeezed mine in affection, and I released my hold as Curran’s gaze landed on me.

“We haven’t been introduced,” he said.

“I apologize,” Shepard said. “This is Everly Reid, a friend of the Hunters and a human Cross and I both implicitly trust.”

I would need to remind him of that the next time he questioned where I was going.

The king nodded to me. “You may call me Curran. This is my daughter, Indri.”

She was lovely with dark hair and vivid blue eyes. She sat poised next to her father, but I could see it took effort to keep a calm expression.

“I’m sorry to meet you under these circumstances,” I said.

Curran nodded and looked at Shepard and Cross again. “I would very much like to know why Miles sent a message to both of you. It wasn’t what I’d expected when I’d allowed him to use his phone. I’d hoped he would message his accomplice.”

“Accomplice?” I echoed.

“Yes, we wanted to believe he didn’t act alone when he…” Curran’s hazel eyes watered, and he cleared his throat. “When he poisoned my son.”

Poisoned? Miles? It didn’t make any sense.

Indri started silently crying, and I looked at Shepard. His hand covered mine, giving me comfort.

“Miles isn’t the kind of human who would poison another person,” Shepard said.

“His parents have stated the same, which is why I was willing to believe perhaps someone misled him. At his age, he would still have much innocence yet to lose. I’d hoped, for their sakes, he was coerced or tricked.”

“Or thralled,” Cross said. “With your permission, I would like to discover the truth.”

Curran nodded and stood. “Come. For the safety of my daughter, we’ve locked him away.”

Indri and the rest of us followed the king out the main doors, which opened at his approach. We didn’t speak as we descended the stairs–only one set, thankfully–and took a hall that branched from the landing.

Within a few minutes, I spotted a silver guard in the hallway ahead.

“Open the door,” Curran said.

The guards hurried to obey and stepped aside so Cross could enter the room first. I was two steps behind him and saw Miles sitting at a small table. With an angry gaze so unlike his usual teasing one, Miles watched us enter.

Shepard took my hand as Cross stepped in front of Miles.

“Stand and face the king, Miles,” he said.

I appreciated the kindness in his tone and watched Miles' gaze immediately soften as he did what he was told.

“Miles, you will answer our questions honestly and fully to the best of your knowledge, including suspicions and guesses. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Miles said.

Cross gestured to Curran, indicating it was his turn.

“Why did you kill my son?” the king asked in a choked voice.

“Master told me to.”

My stomach sank, and a chill raced through me.

“Who is Master?” Curran asked.

Miles cocked his head to the side as if confused. “He is Master.”

“Master is a vampire also known as Adriel, who attacked during the Alpha challenge a month ago,” Shepard said.

“When did Master tell you to kill the prince?” Cross asked. “Be specific.”

“He came to me four days ago. He said I needed to follow my parents into the mountain and kill the prince.”

The tears that had pooled in Curran’s eyes quietly spilled over.

“Did he tell you why?” Shepard asked.

“He wanted the prince’s ring.”

“Where is Master now?” Shepard asked with an angry growl.

“In the mountain.” Miles smiled, an odd tilt to the corner of his mouth. “He’s been waiting for you.”

“Is that why you sent a text asking us to come to the mountain?” Cross asked.

“Yes. Master wants all the rings.”

Fear crept along the back of my neck as I understood what we’d done. We’d gathered two of the rings in the same place where Master had already managed to steal one.

“Did Master feed from you again since the incursion at the alpha challenge?” Cross asked.

“No,” Miles said. His gaze finally shifted to me. “He’s hungry for something sweeter.”

Shepard swore softly and motioned for Curran to step out into the hallway. He waited until Cross joined us and the door was shut to speak.

“We have a lot to talk about, but not here. Please keep Miles locked up for now. He’ll be safest here.”

“Of course he’ll be locked up. He killed my son.”

“And as you suspected, he didn’t act on his own. He was used like a puppet,” I said gently. “You saw how Cross made him answer his question, right? The other vampire, Adriel, had the same control.”

“No,” Cross said. “He has more control over Miles. I can only make Miles do something within his nature without taking his blood. After drinking from Miles, Adriel can make him do anything. Even things he wouldn’t normally do.”

“So, would you blame the puppet or the puppeteer?” I asked the king.

I already knew who Miles would blame. He’d feel guilty about this for the rest of his life. And Vena…I didn’t even want to tell Vena.

“I never should have given Hakon the ring.” Curran made a choked sound and pressed a handkerchief to his eyes.

Indri wrapped an arm around his shoulders as Shepard led the way back to their living space.

“I don’t understand what’s happened,” Indri said when the doors closed behind us. “Did a vampire ask a human to kill my brother because of the ring?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Shepard said.

Curran ushered her to the sofa. I sat on an intricately carved wooden chair that had a padded seat while Shepard and Cross remained standing.

“Adriel is an extremely dangerous vampire,” Cross said.

“We thought he died at the alpha challenge,” Shepard added, “but found evidence an hour before I contacted you that he hadn’t. He’s not like other vampires. He can change form into a cat. It allows him to move around in daylight and may be how he managed to sneak into your mountain.”

“But why would a vampire want a ring?” Indri asked. “The ring’s only purpose is to find minerals and gems.”

Curran wiped his eyes before looking at his daughter. “There are things I have not told you. Our ring isn’t as simple as it seems.”

“None of them are,” Cross said, holding up his hand to show his ring.

“Which is why we must protect them,” Shepard said. “All of them.”

“Yes. Of course. It is gravely troubling that a vampire wants them.” Curran glanced at Cross.

“I agree,” Cross said. “And I don’t believe he is working alone.”

“A month ago, we discovered the vampires had set up a blood center of sorts,” Shepard said.

“They were keeping feeders, collecting their blood, and making it available to any vampire,” Cross said. “It enabled them to remain hidden in plain sight within the Alpha’s territory until Everly revealed their location.”

Both Shepard and Cross glanced at me, and I could feel the weight of their warning never to do anything like that again. Did they honestly think I’d wanted to discover a hidden nest of vampires?

“Once we flushed them out, they went into hiding,” Shepard said. “I thought they’d scattered. Instead, they’d regrouped and attacked the night of the Alpha challenge in an attempt to get my ring. However, my people, with Cross' help, ended the attempt quickly.

“We need to do the same now. With your permission, Cross and I will scour the mountain for Adriel.”

“Granted,” the king said. “But when you find him, I ask that you return him to me alive. I am owed a life and a ring.”

“You have my word,” Shepard said before looking at Cross.

“One of us should stay behind,” Cross said.

“This is a mountain, not a grocery store,” Shepard said. “I can’t do it alone.”

“What if you leave us with a couple of guards?” I said. “Cross can make sure they aren’t under Master’s control before you go.”

Cross still looked uneasy but nodded.

Once he decided on two guards, plus Tryn, they left, and we were locked in.

“Thank you for trusting us,” I said to Indri and Curran.

“Do we have any choice?” Indri asked bitterly.

“Daughter, please,” Curran said with a sigh.

Before Indri could say anything else, I asked, “Where are Mr. and Mrs. Hunter?”

“We were unsure what to do with them, given the situation,” Indri said. “Would you care to see them?”

“Please. I would like to explain what happened. They must be scared and confused.”

Indri nodded and rang a silver bell with a ruby handle. A panel on the wall opened, and a butler entered. When Cross and Shepard had us locked in here, they hadn’t known about the hidden door. Were we safe here?

“We’re ready for dinner,” Indri said. “Escort the Hunters, please.”