“Wait. So you’re sexing her up anddrinkingfrom her? Really?” Orion gaped. “Are you… Nah. Wait. Seriously?”
Khent glowered.
Mormo clapped his hands, and a giant burst of energy flew at the vampires while Val and Onvyr remained unaffected. “I will go with Valentine to the storage facility. Orion, you stay here. I don’t trust Nergal not to try to infiltrate our stronghold. He’s not pleased with Hecate’s interference in what he sees as his ability to shine.”
“He’s a dickhead.” Rolf nodded. “Kept talking about the coming Darkness. His cousin, he said.”
“Great.” Mormo groaned. “I?—”
Onvyr suddenly stood, his expression fierce. “They’re attacking Belyy Zamok.”
“What?” Val asked.
“Belyy Zamok,” Rolf explained, which explained nothing. “It means ‘White Castle’ in Russian. It’s a magical island in the ocean, in a pocket realm. Onvyr kind of inherited it when he killed its owner.” Rolf looked around. “Kaia’s mom,” he whispered loudly.
Orion sighed. “She’s over it, Rolf. Plus, she knows Onvyr killed her.” To Val, he said, “Kaia’s mom was the old White Sea Witch. A real bitch, you ask me.”
“Well, she did try to ensorcelandsex you up,” Rolf said. “You have the right to a grudge.”
“Thanks,” Orion said drily. “Anyway, Onvyr killed the old bag. Now he owns the island.”
“That’s under attack.” Onvyr looked large and strong, a warrior with violence on his mind. “I feel death coming.”
“I should go with you,” Val said automatically.
“No. You’ll come with me,” Mormo insisted. “Rolf, Onvyr, Khent. You three go to the island.” He frowned. “I wonder what Vladimir’s endgame is. Why attack Belyy Zamok?”
“Because of the staff, probably.” Onvyr looked around. A giant striped tiger waltzed into the kitchen gripping a large, sheathed sword in its mouth. “Oh, there it is. Thanks.”
The cat gave it to Onvyr, rumbled, then walked away.
“Is that real?” Val asked in a low voice.
“Yes, it’s a sword made of dragon’s blood.” Onvyr smiled.
“Wait. The staff?” Mormo’s loud question froze everyone. “What staff?”
Orion blinked. “Oh, um. Kaia had the ADR remove the Staff of Blight from the basement. They gave it to me, but I didn’t want that thing here. So Onvyr took it to his island.”
“Where it’s safe. For now.” Onvyr frowned. He withdrew the sword from its sheath, a dark red blade that felthungryto Val. The dark elf smiled. “Time to battle.”
“Night Bloode, do not let that staff get into Vladimir’s hands,” Mormo ordered.
“Yeah, yeah. Easy, Mormo. He’s a necromancer. Ahuman.” Rolf grimaced and mouthed “sorry” to Val before adding, “What harm can he really do?”
Mormo glared at them. He flashed his hand at a corner of the kitchen, where a portal took shape. “Go. Orion, you’ll watch the house?”
“And Kaia.” Orion nodded and left the kitchen.
Khent, Rolf, and Onvyr rushed through the portal toward a sandy beach, Val noted before it closed.
Mormo created another opening into her storage facility.
“How…?”
“Let’s go. I don’t like this. Not at all.”
Understatement of the year. Val followed him through.
