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“Count,” Robby said with a bow. “Circumstances dictated haste.”
The man—vampire?—raised an eyebrow.
“A nothingness storm has destroyed Dream Palace and Nightmare Castle already fell.”
“Seems none of you are doing a very good job of protecting our world.” The count turned and walked away with fluid grace.
My jaw dropped at his audacity.
I turned to Robby, who watched the count leave. “He’s not necessarily wrong. Come on, let’s see if we can find a place to regroup. Baz needs a few minutes to recover from being mostly dead.”
I swore he was quoting a movie, but I couldn’t place it, and I didn’t dwell on that thought as we all followed Robby to the main entrance. Well, I assumed it was the main entrance. The doors were huge, ornately carved heavy wood. When Casey pushed them open for us, they opened into a twilight-gray evening. The courtyard was as impressive as the inside had been, if muted in color due to the lighting. Distantly, I wondered if it was always twilight here.
“Jester, you may remain in my castle. I did not intend for you to leave.” The count appeared in front of us. Like, out of thin air appeared. “I was simply commenting on the destruction of our world.”
Ash’s breath caught again, and I thought she might have her first crush on a guy in her entire life. I glanced at my cousin. She did look a little flushed. The princesses were clustered around her, and they all looked terribly amused.
What the heck was that about?
“I fear it will get worse before it gets better, if it ever does.” Robby glanced at me. “Ember still has to tell us how she escaped the nothingness storm. I suspect the others are lost.”
That quieted the princesses, and everyone’s attention fell on me. I pressed my hand against my stomach and fought off the emotions that tried to bury me.
“Yeah, about that—”
“Come, the courtyard is not a place for such heavy tales.” The count gestured for us to reenter the castle. “Perhaps some wine?”
“If you don’t have anything stronger,” I said as I went back inside.
“Whiskey or bourbon?”
“Whiskey. Thank you.” If I drank enough, I might be able to get through the story.
We retired to an extravagant sitting room. The fireplace crackled merrily, and I sat in a comfortable chair as close as I could get to help ward off the chill. Casey curled up in Robby’s lap and buried her face against his neck. If she felt half as done in as I did, I didn’t even know how she was still functioning. The princesses sank down onto a loveseat, and Ash dragged a chair over and clasped my hand.
The count sat opposite me and steepled his fingers.
A young man in a butler’s uniform came in with whiskey and wine.
After some liquid fortification, I told everyone what had happened, starting with my experience in shadow and ending with the nothingness storm.
“How did you escape?” The count leaned forward, seemingly especially interested.
Had he lost someone to the storms? At this point I suspected everyone had.
“I still had the bit of Baz’s essence, and it left a trail. That’s the only way I can describe it.”
“And the others?” Robby’s neutral tone let me know he already thought he knew the answer.
“I really don’t know. Like, I guess I can still sense my bonds with Nic and Dio, but they’re distant.”
“Do you think you could follow their trail?” Robby drew small, slow circles on Casey’s back with his fingers while he talked.
“Maybe.” I hated to commit to an answer one way or the other when I just wasn’t sure. “I’d have to find a way to get between the realms if nothing else.”
“We’re lost without all of us,” Esin said.
“We’ll have to go back in and find them,” Baz, his voice rough with disuse, said. My heart skipped a beat hearing his voice. Though his tones reminded me of the deep, rich voice not-Baz had while possessing the real Baz’s essence, it lacked the power, the assurance, that I had expected. I supposed being mostly dead for an extended period of time was tough on the body. Still, I was glad to hear him talking.
