“Why spill your disgusting poison in the presence of others? Do you intend to cause offense?” “This is what I wake to, baneblood?” Allixta glared at his arrow. Rune hissed back, baring his demon fangs. Curses hopped atop the table, reclined its gigantic frame, then hissed at Rune. The creature was an Elserealm breed of panther, so large its whiskers brushed her shoulders.Īdjusting the brim of her oversize witch’s hat, she sank into her chair. “Are we finally here?” Curses, her familiar, trailed her. How she walked in such a skintight dress baffled Rune. With those demonic runes, he could focus his fey magicks, amplifying a regular arrow into one of power.Īllixta, the Overlady of Witches and the newest Møriør, entered, sauntering toward the table. He tapped his forefinger on the arrowhead, collecting some of his black blood to draw symbols on the shaft.

Out of habit, he slid an arrow from the quiver strapped to his calf. They were in for some graphic scenes Rune had spent most of his years plowing slick nymph flesh. Once his allies had convened, they would delve into his memories, updating their speech and learning about these new times in which they would war.

As you’ll soon see.” Rune had been the others’ eyes and ears over the last five centuries, documenting every realm he’d visited. Gives us time to prepare.” He took his seat at the table. Sian turned his green eyes toward the glass wall. Rune could admit the prince of hells was as wickedly handsome as the devil who’d sired him. He wore leather bands over his broad chest and dark trews. Sian, as his compatriots called him, was over seven feet tall and muscled, with long black hair. Two seats remained vacant, and four Møriør would slumber on considering their natures, waiting to unleash them on Gaia was for the best.Ībyssian Infernas, prince of Pandemonia, was the first to join Rune. He took one of the twelve empty seats at the table, propping his boots up on the gold surface as he awaited his allies. Outside the glass, against a slate of black nothingness, images of worlds flashed by, as if from a film projector. Rune had sounded the telepathic call moments ago.īoots clicking across the ancient stone floor, he entered the war room-a chamber with a massive star-shaped table and a wall made of blast-proof glass.

Sweet Ruin by Kresley Cole