Armed with Lady Maris's insight—both her doubts about Emperor Kaan's claim and the claim itself—King Valentin strode toward the guest chamber, where he had ordered his subordinates to escort the emperor.
"Your Majesty," King Valentin greeted with a slight nod. Though he felt slighted by the emperor and longed to make his disdain clear, he maintained the decorum expected of him.
Emperor Kaan's smile widened. He was certain he held the trump card. He had witnessed Lady Maris's desperation to save Florian from the demon—her only hope now rested with him. Riona, the one she had clung to as her last lifeline, was still recovering in the Forest of the Strays.
Brimming with confidence, the emperor asked, "When can I see him?" His fingers kept drifting back to the vial of the Blood Moon child's blood in his pocket, his excitement barely contained. Soon, he would stand before the demon and bring it to its knees.
