House of Kings(38)

Gasps rise up into the air. Low murmurs roll through the room like a slow tidal wave.

I feel cold. Numb.

Cyrus has two faces.

I must never forget that.

He’s just invited my own House to abandon me and join him in Roter Himmel.

My eyes flash to my House, and I cannot hide the panic on my face. My eyes first meet Nial’s. He stares at me, thin lipped, a look of fear and disgust warring on his face, and he shakes his head.

Anna does not look toward me. She stares at the King, as if to dare him to try harder to get her to leave her position.

Samuel’s eyes are glued on Christian, as if he’s just waiting for Christian to step forward and leave once again. But Christian meets my eyes, and he nods, as if to reaffirm everything he said before the party.

Cameron meets my eyes and shakes his head. “Not a chance,” he says, without a waver in his voice as it cuts through the silence.

And as he says it, the tattooed man Samuel brought steps forward. His eyes are fixed on Cyrus, his shoulders squared. “I’d like to be given that chance.”

A woman with hair down to her butt steps forward, as well.

My heart starts racing. How many will come forward? There’s fifteen seconds left, and to a vampire, that’s an eternity for something to happen.

“Bad idea.” Danny’s gravel voice cuts through the quiet. I look over at him and see him shake his head, his long hair falling into his face. His arms, which were folded across his chest, slide to his sides and his fingers roll into loose fists, as if he’s preparing for a fight.

“Ten seconds,” Cyrus says, the smile twitching on his lips again. “The time to decide is now.”

A low chatter cuts through the crowd. All eyes flicker to the twin girls X recruited. They argue, and it’s clear: one wants to join Cyrus, the other isn’t so sure.

But after only another moment of debate, they both step forward.

Another small movement draws my eye to the right. Trinity stands there, her eyes fixed on the floor between Cyrus and I. She teeters on her toes, as if she will take that defining step forward any second now.

“Tick tock,” Cyrus teases her.

“Trinity,” Cameron says. “Don’t do it.”

She wobbles, as if about to step forward. She curls her fingers into fists. And as time ticks down to three seconds, she finally looks up, and settles back onto her feet.

She’s chosen to stay.

“Well, well,” Cyrus says, that smile on his face. “Out of twenty of you, only four have chosen to change sides. Only four of you wish for esteem. For a grander life than the South. Only four of you wish to reach for the status that has been out of your grasp your entire, long lives.”

“Their mistake.” It’s Markov who says it quietly, but without hesitance.

Cyrus looks over his shoulder at Markov. And the ice in my chest grows colder when the smile returns to his face.

“Their mistake indeed,” he agrees. “Only four of you chose to abandon your true calling in life and show your true, traitorous colors.”

Cyrus draws the sword, which has dangled at his side all night seemingly for costume, and with one swift motion, beheads the twins in one sweep. Their heads drop to the ground, their bodies collapsing. Blood sprays over the party. With a twirl, Cyrus embeds the blade in the tattooed man’s chest. The woman with the long hair turns to run, but not before Cyrus throws the blade, embedding it into her back. She drops to the ground, dead.

“Let this be a lesson you all learn today!” Cyrus bellows, causing everyone in the room to flinch. “I am your maker. You exist because of me! Above all else, I value loyalty. We are born into our stations not by accident. If you will not remain loyal to those who will take care of you, you do not deserve to live!”

I reach up and wipe a few drops of blood from my face, where I was sprayed when he took the twins’ heads off. My hands come away covered in red.

Fear blankets the immortals around us. They do not dare speak. They dare not move and draw attention to themselves. They huddle together just a little closer. They are all remembering why it is Cyrus who rules them.

“Ignore the possibility that Alivia may be your resurrected Queen,” he says, his voice dropping back to normal levels. “She is of Royal blood. A descendent of the third son. Those that remain in the House of Conrath, do not soon forget your first loyalty is to this woman. Others may deceive you, they may try to change your minds, but you must never forget. This is her birthright.”

Cyrus suddenly grabs two men from my House, shoving them back into their own, new line. He stalks forward, scanning the faces of those that remain in the Conrath line up. He stares down Christian. Nial who stands beside him. Cyrus grabs the woman beside Nial, and she gives a whimper and a cry as he harshly shoves her into the new line.