(Kingdom of Vortemyr—The Palace)
King Festus sat atop an iron throne, its high back shaped like bat wings. Dressed in deep blue robes with armored shoulders, dark veins pulsing faintly along his pale skin, his red eyes glowed.
Unlike the pure-blooded vampires, who have the ability to hide the red color of their eyes, he bore his taint like a crown. Ruthless. Unapologetic.
Beside him stood a man of lean build, his features similar to Leander’s. Azelar— Leander’s half-brother.
“The reports are... something else,” Azelar murmured. “The spy you planted in Slovenia confirmed it: Leander was to wed a human. And he’s gone mad since her disappearance on the wedding day.”
Festus arched an eyebrow, lips curling into a sinister smirk. “A human?” he repeated with a mocking scoff. “Our great and
