Page 38 of The Time Of Queens

It was not his rule that piqued my interest, but instead his death. Li Congke was later overthrown by his brother-in-law, Shi Jingtang, with the help of others who wished to see the fall of the Later Tang dynasty. Knowing of his impending end, Li Congke ordered his family members, as well as the guards most loyal to him, to ascend a tower. Then he himself set it on fire, committing mass suicide, where all perished in the flames. But this was not all he wished to take with him into the afterlife, as he clutched onto the Seal of the Realm, hoping to take this power to rule with him.

Needless to say, it did not happen this way.

It took us a while to discover where the remains were buried, as after his brother-in-law, Shi, entered Luoyang and took over the Later Tang realm, it was said that he had Li Congke’s bones gathered up. This was so he could be buried near his adoptive father, Li Siyuan's tomb. However, for some reason, whoever was charged with this task also gathered up much more than that, no doubt not wishing to sift through the mass grave too deeply. Therefore, the seal ended up buried with the voluminous remains of Li Congke’s family and guards.

“And was it found where we believed it to be?” I asked as I took the seal from my hidden safe.

“It was in Mengjin County, yes,” Lucius replied before asking, “And what now? When do you plan to visit with the King of Diyu? For I also took the liberty of bringing you a coin from your treasury in case you were without.”

I had to grin at that, as my second certainly thought of everything. But there was a problem, as once I entered the Janus Gate and into the Diyu realm, I would likely be there for quitesome time. Time I could not afford if I was to find my Chosen, and that was not something I was prepared to lose. Not for anyone, not even a God. So, as I examined the Seal of the Realm, a four-inch piece of jade with a corner made from solid gold, I told him,

“I have another task for you.” I then turned over the seal and read the inscription that was quite apt to my own circumstances in life, as it read,‘Having received the Mandate from Heaven, may the Emperor lead a long and prosperous life.’

I couldn’t help but ponder the words, for would it soon mean to be a long and prosperous life with my Chosen One?

“And pray tell, what task would you have me succeed on this time?” Lucius asked, his words laced with smug knowing.

“A hunt… which is your specialty, is it not?” I replied, replacing the jade piece topped with a vivid interlaced dragon.

“You know it is, but as of what, you are yet to tell me,” Lucius replied, no doubt eager to discover his next target. Which was when I finally granted him his answer, after placing one treasure back within the safety of my grasp and wishing it was another.

A treasure far greater than all before it.

The treasure of discovering…

“My Electus.”

15

VAMPIRE COMPLICATIONS

KEIRA

“Iswear, this is going from bad to worse!” I complained after Pip and Sophia had swiftly taken me from his room and, once again, we were back in our meeting place. At this rate, Pip’s room would be known as the ‘war room’.

“Well yes, it certainly complicated matters having the cook attack you,” Sophia added, making me sigh and throw my hands up dramatically.

“I’m not talking about that bitch, she had it coming… no, I am talking about throwing a Vampire into the mix,” I said, because if there was one thing I knew about Lucius, then him being here now meant having another hound on the hunt. One that was tenacious when he had a job to do. Lucius wouldn’t give up until he had discovered the truth. Which meant that shit just got a whole lot harder.

“Oh Lucius, well, he will…”

“Do everything in his power to discover where Draven’s Electus ran off to… yeah, he will,” I interrupted Sophia, who then looked to Pip for confirmation. Pip started nodding her head and after tossing her thumb my way, added,

“What she said.”

“Alright, that might be so but until then, the arrival of Lucius is actually a good thing,” Sophia said, making my mouth drop before asking a dumbfounded,

“How so?”

“Because he was on a mission and, with it, means he would have also brought a coin from my brother’s treasury.” At this my head snapped up.

“You’re certain?” The eagerness in my voice was easy to hear, as this was the answer to all my problems if it was true.

“Yes, as my brother can’t complete the task unless making his way down into the Janus Temple. It’s why we are here, after all,” Sophia replied with this grateful nugget of information.

“So let me get this straight, you’re not usually here this time of year?” I asked, and Sophia shook her head.

“No, we are usually in Maine, at our home…”

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