Vampire Lord Caspian bowed first to his mother, then turned and paid his respects to the king.
Malachi bristled at how his father's loyal hound could come and go from his mother's castle at will. He made a mental note to strengthen the boundary spells around her home—to ensure his father could not use Lord Caspian to spy on or harm her.
"How did you learn of my return?" Malachi asked, stepping instinctively between Lord Caspian and his mother. "I don't recall any official announcement," he added in a frosty tone.
Lord Caspian forced a laugh, hoping to ease the tension. In truth, he had always been intimidated by the vampire before him—a creature who bore the seal of a goddess and whom the old, mad king feared above all. Caspian still did not know the full extent of Malachi's capabilities: a vampire blessed with numerous gifts, the most potent blood coin, and an activated god‑gene. Such a being was not someone one treated lightly.