Do I attack them? Do I take vengeance now? I would have to do it on my own. Fight against them all. I think I can take them. I think I can do this. Shooting a glance at Apollo, I hope for his guidance, his orders, a sign of what he thinks I should do. He’s lying with his back on the ground, chest heaving as he catches his breath. I see his scales glinting on his knuckles, but he doesn’t look conscious. Did they beat him up this badly?
More anger rises inside me. I bare my teeth. The vampires step away, crouching into an attack stance. I will kill them. I will destroy them for what they did to Cass and Apollo and Donatello. I take a step out of the cell, gripping at the bars, making them twist in my hold. The vampires widen their eyes,but they don’t move, and they don’t run. They stand their ground, glaring back at me.
“Tristan,” Ren calls out. I look around to find him pressed to the bars of his cell, his eyes on me. “Do what they say.” And he gives me a curt nod, as if saying we’ll have our vengeance. I read it in his eyes. How he wants me to lie low for a while longer before we are strong enough to make a counter-attack.
Ren has hope. He thinks we can make it out. So, I let go of the cell and slouch my shoulders. I do as I did with the Collector, and I surrender.
The vampires don’t waste a second. They jump on me, gripping my wrists, twisting my armsbehind my back. I grind my teeth together and don’t make a sound as they drag me out of the underground cells.
I don’t know how long we’ve been here. Certainly a few days. As the vampires drag me out of the cell and upstairs into the main rooms, all with heavy curtains closing the windows, I can’t help but hate Kayn and what he represents. Just like the Collector, he lives in a place of servants, another palace full of riches where he and his friends live comfortable lives as others slave away for them.
My jaw hurts from how hard I clench it. The vampires keep sliding glances my way. The hesitant manner with which they treat me makes me feel powerful. Cass was right. I can do so much.
We pass double doors into a library, much bigger than the one the fae had. Kayn must really like his books. Shelves of dark wood, leather-bound books, rugs, and soft chairs. They guide me to an open space near closed windows. The vampire lord sits in a wingback armchair with a glass of red liquid in his hand, legs crossed as he looks away, into the distance. It takes me a moment to see he’s not alone.
Donatello is tied to the leg of the chair like a dog. Less than a dog, even. He lies sprawled on the ground, covered in blood, his blond hair matted with the liquid. My stomach churns at the sight of it, fear shivering down my spine. Is he alive? He doesn’t move. Is he gone, too?
His head turns, and relief washes over me. He does nothing else, too beaten up, too wounded, but at least I know he’s alive.
Someone hits me on the back of my knees. The pain is bright, blinding, and I drop forward, kneeling in front of the vampire lord. The others keep holding me still, in place. I let a roar of anger rise from my chest.
“The lot of you have been notoriously hard to break. Even the smallest information takes so long to retrieve,” Kayn says without looking at me. He sighs and turns to glance in my direction. “So, you’re a gargoyle hybrid. Interesting. Never met one.” His voice betrays no feelings. He looks hopeless, empty. Almost as if Cassandra’s death left a mark on him, too.
I dart a glance at Donatello. “Donatello. Are you awake?” I call out, knowing very well everyone can hear me. I need to know if he’s well. We will need to rescue him before we escape.
Donatello grunts. Kayn glances at him and releases this dry, humorless chuckle. “Beaten up,” Kayn says. “He’s receiving his due punishment for all the betrayal.” Another sigh,and he looks out of the closed windows. “Things could have been so different. If Donatello had brought her to me like I asked, she would still be alive. She wouldn’t have gone through this nonsense of attacking the Collector.” He turns to Donatello, his brow furrowing as he lands a kick on Donatello’s back. “You hear? If you had brought her to me, she would still be alive.”
I wince at the words. Maybe Kayn is right. If she hadn’t gotten involved, hadn’t decided to rescue me and the others... Cassandra might still be...
“Don’t listen to him, Tristan,” Donatello says, his voice weak, broken. “He’s mad.”
Kayn scoffs. “Every genius is called mad before people realize what they’re doing. You just haven’t understood what my plan is, Donatello. You don’t see the forest for the trees.” Kayn shoves himself off the chair, stepping closer to the window and opening the curtain an inch. “There is an entire world out there. A mad world. A cruel world. All this time, I wanted to make the first move and keep my people protected from my mother... Things are much more clear for me now. I shouldn’t have depended on someone else. Shouldn’t have made my plans based on the existence of the Shadow Mage.” He lets the curtains close and turns to face me. His dark hair is mussed,as if he hasn’t cared about brushing it in a while. The clothes fit him strangely, too wrinkled. He does look a bit mad. “Things change, gargoyle, and we have to adapt to them. I need powerful people on my side, and I will not hold grudges. What I’m going to do will change the world. Make it better. And, if you so desire, you can be by my side when the time comes.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m offering you amnesty,” he says. The word falls short on me. I blink, not understanding.
“He wants to take over the world,” Donatello breathes out. Kayn doesn’t contradict him.
I bare my teeth, struggling with the vampires who still hold me. “Why would I want to help you?”
Kayn shrugs and sits again. “The other option is not so good. You can either join me, and I will forget what you lot did to me. All of you, except Donatello, of course. You see, it’s a personal matter. He’s one of mine, changed with my own blood. I don’t take betrayal lightly. Anyhow, you can either join, or I will keep you to torture every time I feel bored.” He forces a strange smile to his face. “And I am very bored these days.”
“Is that why you brought me here? Because Apollo wouldn’t take the offer?”
Kayn twists his lips and sways his head from side to side. “Something else, too. I don’t know how strong you are, after all. We’re going to need to run some tests. Just to see how far you can go. The dragon is already surviving through them, so I know you can do it, too. The wolf...” He makes a face. “Not so sure about him. But if you or the dragon were to accept the offer, I wouldn’t have to get to him, or the girl.”
My body grows taut. He’s threatening to hurt both Ren and Mei. Fear becomes a solid thing inside my chest. I can’t let it happen. Can’t let them get hurt. Not another one. No one else.
“How?” I blurt out as Kayn crosses his legs again and drains his glass. “How are you going to conquer the world? Everyone is going to try to stop you. You’ll have to fight, like, everyone.”
Kayn stretches his lips, but he looks sad. “I have a secret weapon.”
Secret weapon? “Then why didn’t you use it against us?”
“Ah.” And he shrugs. “You had the weapon then. Now I’m the one who does.”
My brows drop over my eyes. Why does he have to speak in riddles? We had no weapon. Does he mean the guns we got at Giulia’s? He can’t take on the world using those guns only. It’s impossible. The world is too big. I think.