His chest swelled with pride that such a woman was his. But doubt whispered, Is she?
When a vampire page announced Munro and Kereny, the queen smiled. “Welcome to Dacia! We’re so happy you two’re here.” Her accent was thick. Appalachian?
Lothaire said, “Are we happy, hellbilly?”
She slapped his shoulder. “Sakes, we are!” To Munro and Kereny, she said, “You’ve met Stelian, Dacia’s gatekeeper.” The hulking male raised his chin. She pointed to the blond vampire. “That’s King Kristoff of the Forbearers.” Kristoff stood with barely contained aggression, as if he would trace into the center of the court and fight anything and anyone. “And this here is Balery, Dacia’s oracle.” She indicated the fey female, who gave a halfhearted wave, then said, “And please call me Ellie.”
Munro liked the queen right away, could tell she was as kind as Lachlain had said. Would she be so casual about Kristoff if the male was here against his will?
By way of greeting, Lothaire said, “You stand in the halls of an ancient kingdom before rulers of exceptional power. All the interesting courtiers are off searching for my missing niece—long story—and the sixth Dacian cousin refuses to come out and play. So you are here to distract us.”
The gall of this prick. “We’re no’ your godsdamned court jesters.”
Lothaire snapped his fingers. “There! That was funny.” He relaxed back in his throne. “You may continue amusing us.”
The queen was aghast. “These are our guests. They’re not here to entertain us.”
“Are they not? She’s a time-traveling circus performer, and he could be the start of our very own menagerie.” His red gaze flicked over Munro’s face.
He’s testing me. “I’m here as an ambassador.”
Lothaire said, “Court jester or ambassador. Same difference. Either way you entertain the king.”
As if Lothaire hadn’t insulted them, Kereny calmly addressed Elizabeth: “Thank you very much for your hospitality. You’ve shown us every kindness.”
“You’re so welcome. I’ve never met a time-traveler before. How exciting!”
“This era has been interesting to learn about.” A nice way of putting things.
“But you grieve your own time, don’t you?” Lothaire asked. “I once endured a few centuries involuntarily out of circulation. When I rose, nothing had remained the same. Even if you enjoy the world better now, you still long for certain things from the past.”
Kereny nodded emphatically. “Yes. You do.” Did she still yearn to go back? Had she not cleaved to Munro?
He needed to get this conversation back on track. “We’re here for information about Dorada and her ring.”
“Ah, the Gilded One,” Lothaire said. “She and I go way back. You obviously want the ring to turn your mortal mate. Unless . . .” He gazed at Kereny. “Do you seek to return to your time?”
“I don’t believe that’s possible.”
Not exactly a resounding endorsement of her life in the present with Munro.
“It’s not,” Lothaire answered. “I tried to go back in time myself to change how I treated Lizvetta.” He covered Ellie’s hand with his own. “Yet when I turned the ring, nothing happened. Had I been in my right mind, I would’ve remembered that I’d already sought to alter the past. I’d wanted to save my mother’s life so long ago, and—all things being equal—I would have preferred not to be involuntarily out of circulation. But my oracle had seen that the ring would never grant those wishes. It’s good that you’ve resigned yourself.”
Kereny said, “You have a lot of experience with the ring. Can you use it to wish an enemy out of existence?”
Lothaire shook his head. “No more than you can wish an ally into existence. Or a loved one.”
The hell? “You canna bring someone forward from the past?”
“Not with this talisman.” Lothaire looked amused. “Ah, was that going to be your second wish?”
Munro refused to show his disappointment. He found Kereny’s gaze on him, gauging his grief. Her own plans to take out Jels with the ring were finished as well.
She turned to ask Lothaire, “If it can’t send one back in time or bring loved ones forward or eliminate enemies, then what does it do?”
“Fairly much everything else. Which makes me wonder why I should help you two find a wishgiver of such power. After you turn your mate, you might use it to harm my own interests.”
Munro said, “We’re going to find it one way or another. If you assist us, we’ll vow to the Lore no’ to wield it against you.”
“Hmm. I am disinclined.”
Ellie murmured, “Remember what we talked about, Leo.” She’d nicknamed Lothaire, the Enemy of Old, Leo? Munro liked her better by the minute.
With a huff, Lothaire addressed Munro, “My Bride—the wisest vampire in this kingdom, aside from myself—has advised me to be sympathetic and to look for common ground with you. I suppose you and I have both warred against the Horde.” When you weren’t fighting for the Horde, turncoat. “The enemy of my enemy and so forth,” said the Enemy of Old. At one time or another, he’d been everyone’s enemy.