Page 100 of Of Nine So Bold

“No need to confuse these Zeniryans with your details, scholar,” the duke interrupted.

“We are not confused, I assure you,” Casimir said mildly.

The duke sniffed. “We have an escape route. That is what you need to know. To utilize it, we only require the removal of these pathetic Aneiran devices and the application of whatever magic your citizens might possess. As the Aneirans are now dead, whatever key master may have existed among their number is not available to us. Thus, it falls to Zenirya to liberate us. And as a sign of gratitude for their service to the crown, I will grant thehonoraryZeniryans and their king—” I could hear the sneer in his voice. “—the right to escape with us through our Erenlian gateway.”

“Gateways belong to no one,” Byron said quietly. “And the beings within them do not take kindly to anyone who believes otherwise.”

The duke leveled a look on him that bordered upon contemptuous before turning back to Casimir as if Byron hadn’tspoken. “We would have the answer of the Zeniryan king and his entourage now.”

Casimir’s eyebrow arched. “And I would confer with my advisors.”

“Thekingcan’t just make a decision by himself?” Norbert sneered.

Clay made an angry noise, and I bit back one of my own. People were starving while he and his father clearly weren’t, and yet he still had the audacity to thinkCasimirwas the weak ruler?

“A good king listens to his people,” Casimir replied calmly. “He takes their needs into account and makes decisions that benefit more than just himself.”

He never looked at the duke while he spoke, and his tone was neutral with no trace of threat.

But the message was more than clear.

Anger flashed through Duke Ensid’s eyes.

Calmly, Casimir turned back to me and my other men. “With me, my advisors.” He walked past us, head held high.

“So we’re Zeniryan,” Dex said without preamble when we reached a space away from the other giants.

Casimir bobbed his head in tacit apology. “Forgive me, my friend. It seemed the best way to protect you all.”

“Oh, I’m good with it,” Clay replied. “I’m going to need a title, though. Preferably several.”

The vampire chuckled. “Consider it done.” His humor faded as murmurs came from the duke and his loyal followers. I couldn’t make out all the words—they must know something of vampires, since they kept their voicesthatlow—and they were speaking Erenlian, regardless. But from the few words I could pick out, it sounded like they were planning how to force us to help.

“Thoughts?” Casimir continued in a more serious tone.

Grim looks passed over the others’ faces while I bit my lip nervously. “If we let them out…” I started.

Byron frowned. “With those wristbands in place, there’s every chance they would never make it through the gateway, regardless. The deadening power of those devices would likely infuriate the gateway demons.”

“Hold on,” Clay said. “Gateway demons? What the fuck are gateway demons?” He glanced at Roan. “No offense.”

Worry hovering in his eyes, Roan didn’t respond.

“They are the beings who live within the energy of the gateways,” Casimir explained. “Or so many scholars suspect,” he added with a nod to Byron.

“They’re not like the Voidborn, right?” Niko asked with a worried glance at me.

Anxiety tangled in my gut. We all knew what the Voidborn could do to vampires, and it wasn’t good.

My nervousness lessened only slightly when Casimir shook his head. “Little is known about those creatures, but based on every book I’ve read… no.”

“But is it safe for the princess?” Roan pressed. “Or… any of us?” A slightly nauseated look flickered through his eyes.

“Are you feeling something from that?” I asked him with a nod toward where the strange stones waited near the duke and his bullies.

Roan made a grunt that could mean anything. “I’m fine.”

That wasn’t what I’d asked.

---