That boy had vanished. Roderick was certain Ol'gaz had discovered their secret dealings—and Florian's desperate attempts to build mental defenses. The latter had failed, spectacularly so. There was no other explanation for Ol'gaz's smugness, that insufferable look like he ruled the world.
There used to be two Florians: one, the real boy—a young vampire with a fragile will—and the other, a malevolent impostor. They would arrive together at the meeting chamber. Lately, the boy would cause a scene and end up locked in the adjacent room.
But now, only one Florian came.
Which one came? Where was the other one? He didn't need an answer. It was painfully clear who stood beside the emperor. The expression, the posture… it was the demon.
Roderick clenched his fists. He swallowed the one burning question that he needed to know: Where is the boy?
