Page 4 of The Vampire King's Gift

“So was Elena seekingKalyto punish? Oryou, Julian?” Balthazar asked, his gaze still on Elena.

“She was confused and hurt and–”

“Julian, she attacked you, correct?” Balthazar asked.

“She… I…”

But it didn’t matter what Julian said. There was communication going on between Balthazar and Daemon. Like he and Daemon had, the two of them could speak without words. That bleakness increased. Balthazar’s lips firmed into a tight line.

“By rights, you have all rights to challenge Elena, but I would ask to do so in your stead, King Daemon,” Balthazar said. “This is my House. She attacked one that is a brother to my fledgling. I–”

“No, my lord!” Ridley jumped up and clutched at Balthazar. “Take me! Challenge me! I’ll take her punishment! I should have known that something was going on with Heath! It’s my fault for not protecting my little brother!”

Julian turned anxious eyes to Daemon. He reached out again, practically banging on the door between them.

Don’t do this. De-escalate this. Please!

“This is madness,” Elizabeth said. “Can’t you all see that this is madness? How can death be so cheap to those who are immortal?”

“Fear,” Sophia spoke and her word was like a bell that had rung. Daemon turned around to look at her. “Will you act out of fear, King Daemon? With a brush of your mind you could end her suffering. With the blow of your hand you could end her life. What kind of king will you be now when you have so much to lose?”

“Not a weak one,” Daemon told her.

“Weakness would be acting as if she had been some kind of threat to Julian!” Elizabeth cried as she gestured to the sagging Elena. “Weakness would be striking down someone who is mentally ill! As Julian’ssecondmother, I can tell you that ifanyonewere to hurt him I would rip their throat out. But this woman… There is no danger from her, surely.”

“Daemon, please don’t do this,” Julian pleaded. He saw that his Master’s eyes shifted to him for a moment. “I know you don’t want me to interfere in this. I can feel it even though your mind is shut to me right now. But I really couldn’t accept this kind of protection.”

Christian laced his fingers through Julian’s and held on tight. He, too, looked between Balthazar and Daemon as they conferred once more without words.

It was Balthazar who spoke, “King Daemon has granted Elena a dispensation for this vile act. But her mind will be altered.”

The words hung heavy in the air like frost on winter’s morning. Elizabeth let out a gasp. All this talk of magic and she couldn’t quite believe the power that these Vampires wielded. Balthazar turned towards her and gave her a soft, sad smile.

“Don’t worry, Elizabeth, she won’t remember a thing,” Balthazar told her with no uncertainty in his voice. “She’ll be happy again.”

“No mother can forget a child,” Elizabeth said hoarsely.

Again, that sad flickering smile crossed Balthazar’s handsome features. “She will only remember what I allow her to. That is mygift.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “That sounds more like acurse.”

Balthazar said nothing, but there was something in his eyes that said he felt that, too.

WALK ON THE BEACH

“On a scale of one to ten with ten being the most angry and one being the least, what are you feeling?” Julian asked as Daemon curled an arm around his shoulders.

The Vampire King considered this. Was Julian asking if he was angry athim? Or angry atElena? Or angry ingeneral? Probably all of them, with the true emphasis on himself.

“I am not angry with you,” Daemon answered. Julian let out a breath, but then tensed as Daemon continued, “I amconcerned.”

“Concerned? That somehow sounds worse. Anger fades. Concern often grows?” Julian made that a question.

“You are so young. I forget this. You do not know our ways or what it is to lead predators,” Daemon explained.

Julian bit his lower lip and his head drooped like a flower on a stem. “I just couldn’t let you kill her. I just–”

“I know you couldn’t. I shouldn’t have allowed you to influence me,” Daemon said quietly.

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