Chapter 3

The dreadful thirty-minute ride came to an end as the carriage rolled beside the meeting hall. They were late since the path they would have taken was blocked off by some rubble and debris, forcing them to take an extended route. Dom helped Lor out of the vehicle in spite of his frustration with her. They both walked inside the massive three-story building, shaped like a temple.

Lor found herself overwhelmed by the hallway since the grainy, cement walls, cerulean in color, soared up to the sky-high ceiling. It stretched across the center, dividing the building into two sections, the west wing, and the east wing. Trying to keep up with Dom, her heels hastily clacked along the glossy floorboard. She noticed two doors to her left and right, wondering which one they'd go in. Dom went inside of the left door and she followed.

Inside the conference room, rows of wooden, tiered benches paired with stairs to access them, sat 90 council members. Dressed in sleek button-ups, paired with their best, tailored jackets, they quietly watched King Leonebus's speech, some even in full minx form. To the front of them, an unconnected bench sat the traditionalist, The Council of Ten, wearing their archaic robes.

In the center of the large room, King Leonebus stood at the podium, his deep voice booming across the room. Lor and Dom came in from behind him, stealing a quick, narrowed gaze from him. His nostrils flared in contempt, brows scrunching together, making Lor wonder if it had anything to do with their tardiness. Or maybe he still held a grudge from their encounter last night. When he looked away, attention back on the council members, she let out a sigh of relief. She took a moment to listen as he spoke, before finding a seat.

"A union must happen for the greater good of our country. I will take your arguments, but know that they will lightly be considered." King Leonebus collapsed to his chair sitting with a lean, his cheek resting in his palm. He let out a sigh and carelessly pointed to the upper row of seated men. One, by the name of Felix, physically in full form, fur coat of shiny silver, and light blue eyes, captured Lor's attention as he cleared his throat before speaking.

"I am with you, your excellency. I haven't heard of a vampire attack in months since the vampires finally took action and arrested those responsible for the attacks. Let's keep it this way by forming this union."

Lor's eyebrows furrowed, disappointed by having one less person on her side. She wondered who else stupidly agreed with her father. Had they forgotten all vampires done? Nonetheless, nothing would convince her to change her mind about them. She still stood behind her father, eyeing a place to sit, while hoping someone would speak against her father's plan at the same time. Just as she spotted an open seat in the row of benches, a member from The Council of Ten spoke. She made her way to it, realizing Dom quietly took his exit. The nerve of him leaving me to deal with this alone.

The old man's voice pulled her attention away from Dom, however. She felt her heart race with enjoyment, having someone agree with her. Then again, she knew he would for The Council of Ten was resistant to change.

"There was once a time we blindly trusted the Ustorians, but we cannot forget all that has happened. All the bloodshed by their hands. And it would be an act of evil to have our own kind marry one of them, just to seal a bond between our countries that will break. They will betray us again." The old man used his wooden staff to pull himself from his seat, certain that standing would help him better articulate his sentiments. With deepened creases on his forehead, he wore an earnest face, hoping Leonebus would reconsider. "Think about what's happened in the past. If she has the prince's children, their blood will be tainted by his, putting them at risk. Is that what you want my king? Do you really want mixed bloods to be the princess's heirs? Abominations to both our societies?"

"My son is both a minx and vampire," said Felix with a scoff. "He's just fine and so are the other mixed bloods."

"It's obvious you want us united for your own personal desires. You like sleeping with the enemy, don't you?"

"Watch yourself, old man!"

"No! You watch yourself, willingly spawning demon children! You know it goes against our code. There's a reason he isn't here with us, shunned to be with his wretched mother."

To everyone's surprise, Felix leaped from his seat, claws and teeth both drawn, as he charged toward Sigrid, but a guard swung him back. His body slid across an empty bench by the blow. He instantly stormed out of the room enraged, yearning for a crushing maul on Sigrid's neck.

King Leonebus waved his orbs across the bleachers, hands choking the armrest, as he took in the whispered chatter and commotion of his council members. The beat of his heart rammed through his chest as the blood in his veins fumed. Things were getting out of hand he knew he needed to correct the situation. In an instant, he rose, slamming both fists on the podium.

"I DEMAND ORDER!" His eyes leered from member to member, causing a hush to sweep across the room until it was quiet. Then, he said a word that caused everyone's brows to raise with confusion. "Valmorin." Their muddled expressions captured him. He took a huge sigh, both hands clamping the edges of the podium as if that would make it any easier for him to say his next set of words. "They've returned. So if you must know why it's in our best interest to come together with them, there's your answer."

Another council member in the back row spoke. "We killed those ghastly beasts years ago. Broke the curse. There's no way-"

"The curse still lives." Leonebus took a moment to pat his sweaty brow with a handkerchief, before revealing all he knew. Just the horrifying thought of them made his body tremble in fear, certain everyone in the room expressed his exact emotion. "One of our villages was slaughtered a few days ago by one. There was another spotted in Zayrut Mountain. We believe a bunch of them are stationed there." He cast a serious gaze toward Lor who was oblivious to the matter since the Valmorin reigned before her time. "We must seal this marriage to gain an alliance that grants us more troops. Our war with vampires must end because something far greater awaits us." A rush of gasps and panicky whispers filled the room.

Then, Leonebus looked over his shoulder at one of his soldiers posted in a corner behind him. "Bring it in." The man took heed to his command and left the room in a hurry. When he came back, there were others with him carrying in something soaked and wrapped in a tarp. They dropped it to the floor in front of the podium, ripping the covering off. It revealed a skin, crawling creature, sending everyone into a terrifying uproar. Its head was severed, its body slashed and plucked with arrows. "This shall be all the convincing you need."

The unsettling smell of the monster lingered in the air. Lor used her arm to shield her nose as her bulging orbs locked on the beast's deformed body. Something about it appeared familiar, but without its head, she remained puzzled. It had to be seven feet tall with awful claws coated in minx's blood. The idea of there being more of them made the hairs on her neck sprawl. A dreadful feeling spread through her body, one she couldn't pinpoint or shake. What is that thing and why does it smell like a vampire, but worse?

Lor looked to her father hoping he would elaborate further on the foul, scented monster. She saw the terror in his eyes. Never did she witness her father rattled by anything. That was concerning to her. Why did this beast pull such a reaction out of him? Why did they need the help of the vampires to kill the rest of them, if there really were more out there? Did he really think they couldn't do it alone? It terrified her knowing that perhaps they weren't strong enough to defeat the monsters, conflicting her emotions about the union.

"Father? What is it?" said Lor, voice trembling as her eyes focused on the beast's elongated torso.

"It's a Valmorin. Vampire mixed with minx-"

"That's a result of vampire and minx sleeping together?"

"It's the result of a heartless curse used to mock the relationship between a minx and vampire. A punishment for the children they bore. Long ago, we did live among vampires. Then a vampire sorcerer, named Ahkmen Vor came, who did not agree with our unity. All biracial children fell ill and died. Days later, they rose again as Valmorin, led by Ahkmen and other vampires. Our troops had no choice but to kill them off. They sadly could not be turned back." Her father turned his face to the side as he closed his eyes, saddened by what he told her. Then he spoke again, with conviction this time, his gaze back on Lor. "My ancestors before me were thought to have killed Ahkmen and his curse. He must still be alive. He must be summoning mixed children again to carry out his plan, to kill all minx."

"That's awful! Doing that to children? His hate for us." Her eyes rounded with fear.

"It's not just children, but anyone with mixed blood!"

"And we can't fight these beasts alone?"

"The vampires helped us kill them off long ago and they will do so this time."

Back at the castle, Lor lay in bed, unsettled by all she learned hours prior, realizing her fate conjured by the Valmorin's arrival. She finally understood what Dom meant when he said that he agreed with the marriage. He was aware the Valmorin returned, believing her marriage to Nel would strengthen their country, giving them a fighting chance against them.

Just as her cheek pressed her pillow, now that her eyelids grew heavy, she heard a light knock at her door. She leaned on her side, yawning before getting out of bed and dragging her feet to the door. Apart of her hoped to see Dom on the other side so they could finally make amends. When she opened it, to her surprise, King Leonebus, stood at the entrance.

"Hello, my daughter. May I come in?"

"Of course, father." She moved aside as he quickly brushed by. The reason for his presence had to be extremely important.

"I came to say I'm sorry for putting you in this position."

"Does that mean you'll reconsider? Don't make me marry him. There has to be another way to form peace."

"Actually, I've come for the opposite reason. You will still marry him. In fact, you will be going to Ustoria tonight."