The Aether Spire
The vampire’s smile was perfect. It was the smile of a predator who believed he was the smartest creature in the room.
"The Truce is over," the vampire repeated, smoothing the velvet of his lapel. "I am here to negotiate the terms of your—"
Shing.
There was no speech. There was no challenge. There was only the blur of black iron moving faster than the eye could follow.
Ethan didn't think. He didn't weigh the political ramifications of executing an envoy from the European clans. He didn't consider the treaty.
His mind was a fractured landscape of trauma. He saw Beatrice falling into the abyss. He saw Damon dissolving into light. He saw Emily bleeding out on the altar. He felt the crushing weight of the crown he had just forged for his son.
He simply snapped.
The bla
