Page 65 of When Night Falls
"My fucking brother! You will fucking pay for this!" A loud and domineering voice shatters in echoes across the great hall, interrupting Zharus and completely catching me off guard, but I don't let it cause me to falter.
"I advise you to control yourself, Viktrum." My tone is husky, low, and precisely the opposite of what he’s portraying as he approaches rather quickly. His face is red with anger and I can tell he wants to fight.
"I know the person responsible is within this compound, Rivian!" His accusation can be likely heard from outside of the castle, which alerts me to try and diffuse his confrontation.
"Where's your proof?" I ask more subtly. He finally stops and stands within three feet of me. Close enough for me to see the rage burn in his eyes.
"One of my men followed one of your guys back here this morning after we found my brother's body." I wince at his confession. Viktrum's brother, Dominek, is of royal blood. This is not fucking good. And if what he's saying is true, I need to buckle the fuck down and get to the bottom of this.
"He must have been mistaken. No one has left this compound for days," I lie, only because I can't be sure no one really hasn't left.
"Then that just proves how unkept your kingdom is under your unmarried control, because the footage says otherwise." He pulls his phone out from his pocket and starts typing in a code to unlock it.
"There has to be a perfectly good explanation as to why someone was at Valor. What reason do you believe to have forthe person responsible? Why would they go through all this?" I try to defend as he pulls up the footage, but I honestly doubt I'd know how to explain it away if what he's about to show me is real.
"How the hell am I supposed to know, Rivian? Maybe someone is trying to find that stupid run-away queen of yours again. Maybe someone wants their mommy back." I know he's pointing that accusation at Travois and for a second, I can imagine him being the reason behind all this. But my mind goes somewhere else.
"Do you know where she is?" I ask, stern and attentive.
"Your former queen? Why would I know where she is? For all we know she's dead. It's been eleven years." Viktrum steps forward and flips the screen toward me.
I watch what seems to be a man, a little shorter than me, sneaking out of the Valor Cove gate wearing all black and a face covering.
"This goes all the way right back to the gates of Hollows Trace," he adds as I lose interest in watching the rest of the video.
I believe him. One of my men was sneaking out. And now I know who.
"That could be anyone, Vik. What the hell do you want me to do about it?" I say deadpanned, obviously not giving him the response he wants.
"Someone in this Society broke treaty! You're lucky I don't call an all-out war, Rivian." He's panicked, I can tell in the way his voice shakes but something does seem a little off.
Though, Viktrum would have every right to call for war if he wanted to, granted that his assumptions are proven true. I just don't see why anyone would act out against Valor, unless someone is intentionally trying to makemelook bad.
"And what if you're wrong?" I ask him calmly, but he doesn't seem to entertain that idea.
"You better be thankful that I don't act on my suspicions. Unlike you, I provide order in my kingdom. But I will say, my Nocturnes are rioting. Valor is in grave risk of being exposed, a lot of damage control has been needed because of these attacks. And my brother…"
I understand his concern. Vampire societies hold composure and order in towns where humans reside. They provide blood supply, so they're needed to keep the Nocturnes fed but with so much death in one town, the species risks exposure and kingdoms have fallen at the great lengths that Outsiders have gone to rid of such.
And his brother. It's one thing to kill a Nocturne. But a Royal? That goes beyond the treaty. That's principle. That's a form of disrespect.
"Maybe you should look internally, Viktrum. Maybe one of your men is acting out against you in order to make you look bad."
There isn't much else I can do in the matter. I can make sure my guards monitor every Nocturne within the compound. I can decree a strict boundary and curfew for the compound; no one leaves the grounds for any reason. But that would cause chaos within my own Society. Taking privileges isn't something I want to play around with.
"Fuck you. I know someone within these walls is responsible, and I will fucking find out who and deliver their head to you on a stick," he threatens, and I know Viktrum's words are true. He isn't afraid to fight back if he has to.
"Your claims are baseless. I dare you to touch one of my men."
"As if you didn't already kill one of mine."
"I wondered when you'd ask about that." I think back to the way his lacky's heart pumped in my hand as I squeezed it to apulp. The way it felt to end someone's life and how liberating it was.
"I had a reason for sending him," he says, trying to validate his actions.
"And I had a reason for ripping his heart out of his chest," I say with satisfaction playing on my lips.
"The treaty has already been broken, Rivian. You do realize that don't you? Even if my men are wrong, and I am accusing you inaccurately, a war will break out and you'll have to decide whose side you're taking. Your Society could be next. So if I were you, I'd tie your bitch down real fast-"