With two moons suspended high in the sky, one casting a pale glow and the other bathing everything in a faint blood-red light, the heavens seemed to observe the scene like a pair of silent judges.
In the center of the arena, standing calmly, was Lucien. His gaze was fixed on Roxana, who remained seated elegantly next to her Vykram, maintaining a neutral expression.
A little further on, in a specially prepared area, were Koen Nadir and Scarlet Foc. Given their status, Vykram had made sure to give them seats worthy of their names; after all, denying hospitality to a lord of gravity and a woman famous for starting wars for fun was, without exaggeration, a death sentence.
And Vykram, like any sensible vampire who wanted to live for more than a thousand years, knew that prudence was a necessary investment.
In a separate box, Selene and Sesha watched the arena from the comfort of a sofa covered in shiny fabrics.
