Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115432 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“May I help you?” I asked her.
“Yes.” She nodded and looked me over more. “I do sense you may have hailed from my lands. Very good. You may bow in respect now.”
“Excuse me?”
“As you hail from my lands, I am your princess, daughter of King Orie, ruler of all Maduka, greatest of the five African kings. You may bow in respect.”
My mouth dropped slightly, and I looked over her shoulder to Theseus, who shook his head.
“I see time has not changed you in the least bit, M’kena,” he said to her.
“Thank you, Prince of Night. Perfection does not desire change,” she said to him while still looking directly at me, apparently waiting for that bow.
Luckily, her mate, Jabari, came up beside her and put his hand on her shoulders. “Mahaba, we are no longer in Maduka. She technically outranks you here. And it would be quite rude of her to bow to you when she has not yet bowed to my father.”
She frowned. “You have not bowed to King Sigbjørn?”
“Was I supposed to?” I asked quickly.
Her gaze narrowed, and she broke away from her mate’s hands. For the first time, she looked away from me to where Sigbjørn sat, still reading. She bowed her head to him. “Forgive her, Your Majesty. She is still young.”
Sigbjørn simply nodded his head.
“M’kena, how many times must we tell you that such procedures and formalities are not done among us here in Ankeiros…at least to such a degree,” Rhea said, tiredly, as she rose from the arm of her chair and placed her glass on the side table.
“Of course, Your Highness,” she replied, not seeming to get or maybe getting completely and still refusing to agree.
Jabari stepped forward, a gentle smile on his lips. And just like the rest of his family had done before, he grabbed me by the hands, pulled me to him, and kissed my forehead. “Welcome, sister. I am Jabari Dubaku Thorbørn. You do not know how pleased I was to hear of you. My brother, Theseus, has waited much too long for such happiness. May you both be blessed.”
“Thank you,” I said. Before I could say more, Jabari’s mate came forward, copying his actions and offering me a small nod.
“Jabari,” Sigbjørn called out as he closed his book, slowly, as if he were human, rising from his chair.
“Yes, Father.” Jabari turned to him immediately.
“It is only your son who is missing among all who have gathered. Why?” Sigbjørn asked, placing his book on the table at his side.
“Sadly, he has taken more after Theseus—forgive me, past Theseus since the death of his mate, Azami, last year. I do not believe he wishes to be—”
I felt the air move as Sigbjørn was now before Jabari. Even I felt the need to step back. Sigbjørn looked calm, but my senses were telling me he was dangerous at this moment. “When I summon the family, you arrive—all of you. Witches have attacked not only on our lands but the lands of other vampires in the last several days. The air is changing.”
What does that mean? I thought and sort of hoped he’d answer me, but he did not look away from Jabari.
“Forgive me, Father,” Jabari spoke, looking him in the eye.
“No,” he replied. “We shall go out there together, and then you will excuse yourself and bring him. Understood?”
“Yes.”
Sigbjørn’s shoulders rolled back, and he looked him over once before putting his hand on his shoulder. “Welcome back.”
Jabari opened his mouth to speak when, all of a sudden, Sigbjørn’s attention was on me. He looked me up and down, the look on his face one I couldn’t read, but he did not say a word. Instead, he stretched out his arm, not for me, however, as Rhea stepped forward, gently putting her hands on his, and they walked toward the doors.
Ulrik came over, shoving Jabari quickly with his elbow before following after his father with Melora. Even Hinrik patted Jabari’s shoulder. I really wished someone would clue me in. At times like these, I wished I wasn’t an abandoned vampire who knew nothing about this vast society that I was now part of.
“Druella?” Theseus said, now beside me again, his hand outstretched for me.
I took it and squeezed, looking up to him. I wanted to whisper and ask him to explain what I was going out to see, what was happening or supposed to happen, but whether I whispered or screamed, my questions didn’t matter because everyone would be able to hear me.
“Later,” I said to him as we walked out.
He nodded, and I braced myself. When I stepped out into the receiving hall of the Thorbørn family, the light of the full moon hovered above at least two hundred vampires. Some I remembered from Montréal. They all stood with crystal glasses filled with blood, staring directly at me, and not one of them spoke, which was vastly different from my first vampire ball.