I looked to the other fallen angels and frowned. They all just stared at our Vampire Queen with blank expressions. Asmodeus and his Reuelle shook their heads, wrapped their arms around each other’s bodies, and strolled out the now open wall. The female named Soneillon looked down her sharp nose with red eyes full of disgust. I scanned her skin for the runes on her body, the black ones that glowed red when she was using her power, but the runes were black. That meant all this rage was of Sweyn’s own making. Soneillon flicked her black hair over her shoulder, causing her red horns to poke out. She rolled her red eyes, then sauntered out through the ballroom doors. Mammon and Astaroth looked to each other with bored expressions and shrugged before turning and flying away.

Sweyn narrowed her red eyes on the spot where all the fallen angels had been standing and growled, crumbling glass into glittery dust in her fists.

“You are an embarrassment,” the Prince snarled.

Sweyn’s upper lip curled back to reveal a long fang. “There are plenty more fallen angels where they came from⁠—”

“And I’m sure you’ll embarrass us just the same with them,” the Prince snapped, his eyes flashing. The flush on his cheeks was new and it was unbearably hot on him. “How you were put in charge here is beyond me.”

“I am Queen⁠—”

“You are a figurehead!” he yelled, his magic coiling in his hands.

Sweyn screamed. Everest had said those exact words to her not long ago.

“You are some Queen, dear Sister. You’ve managed to fail repeatedly, and yet Lilith has allowed you to remain on your ice throne.” He threw his hand out toward what used to be the Land of the Lore. “Now you’ve lost our best asset. Lilith will be furious⁠—”

“If Lilith herself didn’t see her son’s betrayal coming, how was I supposed to?” Sweyn shrieked.

The Prince looked down his nose at her in disgust. “Perhaps if you had stayed out of his bed, you would’ve used your mind a little better.”

I gasped. Pierce straightened. The other vampires took a step back.

The Prince spun on his toes and marched for the doors he’d broken on his way in.

Sweyn growled so loud the whole room trembled. “Where are you going?” she growled.

“To salvage what we have left.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

FRANKIE

I stood in the middle of the infirmary in the hallway outside the room they had Everest in. My whole body trembled. My skin was clammy yet cold. I wrapped my arms around my waist and shifted my weight from foot to foot. I needed to get in there. I needed to see him.