Page 239 of Blood Feast

“You know I am ancient. It should not surprise you to learn that I was alive during the reign of King Lucian and the witch Ebah, who became Queen Hedera when they wed. In all mycenturies of existence, I have seldom come to hate a pair of mortals so much.”

Lucis scoffed. “What did he do, then? Steal her out of your bed?”

Kallikrates made a noise of disgust. “I would never go to such lengths for mere lust. I have greater concerns than the base desires of mortals. But these two thwarted my plans at every turn. Even in death, she deprived me of my revenge by leaving him alive, out of my reach, for their heirs to call upon for aid against me.”

Lucis eyed him. “Well, well. Someone in history got the better of you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Lio took a step toward Lucis. The warlord didn’t draw back.

“His reign will end in a glorified royal crypt,” Kallikrates said coolly. “Keep that in mind, as well.”

“I’ve given my blood to claiming the throne of Tenebra, only to be told my predecessor from sixteen centuries ago isn’t dead. If I must put the Mage King himself properly in his grave to get what should be mine, so be it. But I do hope there is more in it for me than another battle, or I may grow tired of our bargain.”

“I suggest you adhere to our agreement to the letter, if you wish to get inside that barrow at all.”

“Give me one reason I shouldn’t leave him down there to rot, where he has been all along.”

“Immortality.”

Now Kallikrates had Lucis’s attention.

“Your reign will not end at all,” the Collector promised. “I will bestow his fire magic and his everlasting life upon you. Tenebra will be yours forever. And why stop your conquest here?”

“This witch’s spell will work on me?”

“Yes. I have spent all this time becoming an expert on her magic.”

“If you’re willing to let me walk away with such a prize, there must be an even greater one for you.”

“Of course.”

Lucis waited.

“I assure you,” Kallikrates said, “it would be of no interest to a pragmatic man such as yourself. But for me, a collector of arcane secrets, it is the endgame.”

“You’ll have no help from me unless I know the whole truth,” Lucis said.

“Immortality isn’t reason enough?”

“I must know what I’m fighting my way into.”

“Ah, Lucis. Never one to hack blindly toward your goals, like the man at your feet. Fair enough. The witch queen left her husband behind not only as a champion for their descendants, but as the eternal protector of her legacy. He is guarding the source of her power.” Lio felt the Collector’s face twist in a smile. “You cannot imagine how long I have been chasing what she tried to keep from me.”

Lio’s mind reeled. Whatever he had imagined, it had not been this. He was certain of only one thing.

The power source Lucian was guarding belonged to Cassia.

Lucis crossed his arms. “So be it,” he said at last, as if he had the choice to agree or disagree. But he was more tangled in the Collector’s web than any of them. A covetous light in his eyes, he asked, “How do we open the barrow?”

“First, you must sire the witch’s heir.”

THE RELIC BLADE

The battlefield flickered aroundLio. He sat in Agata’s kitchen over a tray of apple tarts. Then across from Lucis in the solar while the king poured him a glass of wine.

Miranda’s life and the Collector’s secrets shuddered past each other until Lio fell through the cracks of her suffering mind. He landed on his hands and knees on a stone floor.

First, you must sire the witch’s heir.

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