The voice creeps me out like the most whispery, shrill scream of a terrified soul in the darkest hour would. Only, this voice is harder to describe. And it gets under my skin, slithering through my pores to my bones, chilling me from inside out. The voice is almost human, yet ghostly, like a ghastly shroud of a voice. Ghastly. Now I can tell people I’ve heard a truly ghastly voice.

But while my mind is coming to terms with the ghastly voice of Ttrowtos, every other reaction around me is much more dramatic. Gasps, several screams and a few shouts of ‘monster’ ring out in the chamber of Demortams, and there are supers and humans scrambling about behind me.

The Federation members are more collected than the rest, rising to their feet and standing together in a surprising demonstration of unity.

Edith is the first to speak as usual. “How can we verify the identity?”

Ttrowtos’ss bloody red eyes shift to rest on Edith and even though they are not on me, I can’t help but shiver. He or she—or it—takes a step towards Edith and to her credit, she doesn’t budge. “You ignorant schnit. Who gave you the right to speak. Shut that useless opening.” Those red eyes then sweep to the other members of the Federation. “These mortals are blagues. Who let them in here? Kharne, explain this atrocity.”

Kharne, I realize, looks nothing like his usual pompous self. It’s like someone came in and deflated him completely, leaving him standing there looking smaller than he has ever been. “It is as agreed in the treaty—”

A fearsome growl is accompanied by the flash of gruesome canines, decayed and fossilized by time. “Imbecile!”

Oddly, I am reminded of the way Ms Pink used to say ‘stupid human’, before it came to mean something else to us. The belittling of a species they deem inferior or unworthy of their time. My intestines squirm at the thought that Ms Pink should even share the slightest bit of similarity to this seething monster, but they are vampires after all . . .

“Ttrowtos,” Edith tries again but a blast of heat has me shielding my face and back pedalling. I find myself backing into Ms Pink but she holds me steady with hands on my hips. The air is filled with black-red flames scorching the walls and ceiling and it hurts to even breathe. I shudder to think about the extent of Ttrowtos’s and what he or she or it, can do.

“Be still,” Ms Pink whispers in my ear and as I turn and look into her eyes, the weird flickering in her eyes stops and her eyes glow solid radiant pink again. Her fingers dig into my body and there is a strange buzz emanating from around her. What is happening to Ms Pink?

With a rough pull, I am behind Ms Pink and she stands stiff, palms open by her side. Flames burst out and flicker around her mirroring the massive flames dancing around Ttrowtos. Those red eyes are now on Ms Pink and I begin to shake from the unease warring inside my gut. She takes two steps towards Ttrowtos fearlessly, flames growing in intensity every passing moment, and he matches her steps.

The entire chamber has its breath hanging frozen in the air now. Everyone is waiting to see what happens next. Some might be expecting Ttrowtos to throw a fit. Others might be thinking it is Ms Pink’s final day on Earth. But I don’t think anyone is expecting to see Ms Pink getting down on one knee and bowing her head before Trowtos.

Edith’s jaw is hanging loose. So is Sintix’s. But even in my confused state of mind, I notice how Yuri doesn’t look at shocked as everybody else. She is just standing there, arms folded into her luxurious fur coat, looking relatively unperturbed. Did she know this was going to happen?

“Princess Pan Ni! Traitor!” Attention is shifted to Sesgo, the crooked nose witch, as she points a gnarled finger at Ms Pink. “She fooled us all.” She takes two tentative steps to Ttrowtos, bowing to him. “Ttrowtos, you cannot trust Princess Pan Ni. She is a two-headed snake.” Bowing even lower, she adds, “But I have heard of your brave journey into Lakkos and have always admired you. I will stand by your side faithfully.”

A spit of an eerie laugh resounds in the chamber and Ttrowtos’s broken lips curl into a snarl. “Who are you to tell me who to trust. Do you dare to insult my intelligence?”

Sesgo trembles and drops to her knees. “I am sorry, my lord, Ttrowtos. Please pardon my overzealous instinct to defend you.”

Ttrowtos’s unhuman voice creeps across the chamber, permeating every ear. “Argute you are.” With arms spread open, wielding flames dancing on palms, Ttrowtos addresses the chamber, “You have one chance to align yourself with the new order.”

I can feel my jaw dropping as I witness the most unbelievable scene unfolding before my very eyes. And if I think Sesgo’s speech was surprising, the next person to step forward is even more shocking—Miras. I am rooted to the ground, my body, stiff and my mind, stunned. I couldn’t disobey Ms Pink even if I wanted to. What is this reversal of alliances and shift of power? Why is everyone throwing themselves at Ttrowtos?

“We are with you, Ttrowtos,” Miras announces.

Ttrowtos stands tall above it all, head and shoulders higher than everybody else, even Kharne. But right now, Kharne is surprisingly quiet and isolated. Sintix and even Yuri have inched to Ttrowtos’s side but Kharne hasn’t budged from his spot.

At Kharne’s silent resistance, Ttrowtos raises a single hand and with a flash of red eyes turning completely black, Kharne howls in pain and falls to his knees. The hand closes into a fist and Kharne is reduced to a ball on the floor.

Be still.

Ms Pink’s words ring in my head and my body unconsciously obeys even though I want to run to Kharne and help him. Even though I want to yell out in frustration at everything that is going wrong around me. Instead, I clench my fists and teeth and every other part of my body clenchable.

A thunderous growl explodes from Kharne and I watch as he tries to fight back the invisible torture Ttrowtos is unleashing on him. He makes it to his knees and launches himself at the pale, exposed neck of Ttrowtos. But his attempt is easily deflected by a swipe and the chamber gasps at the sight of Ttrowtos’s hand wrapped around Kharne’s neck, holding him up in the air. Then, with a sick, crow-like shriek, Ttrowtos slams Kharne against the wall and pins him there by his neck.

A flashback of Ms Pink holding Yuri against the wall plays in my mind in that instant. What was that?

“To the dungeon!” Ttrowtos orders, bringing my thoughts back to Demortams and the horrific drama rolling out around me. Mangy creatures of four legs and a mean snarl enter the chamber from the same doorway and circle us. Their eyes are all black and soulless. They prowl like hungry scavengers rounding up their food then lift up on their two hind legs and morph into equally mangy, shaggy caveman-like men.

They remind me of patagons in their foxy, hyena-like creature form and of yenews in their unkempt human form. But they appear to be even more ferocious than patagons and yenews combined, sweeping in and grabbing Kharne by his head and limbs. The ancient supernatural being struggles hard against the capture but the men slap chains on him and drag him out of the chamber.

A moment later, Qas Sogok moves to the middle of the chamber. “Are there any further objections to Ttrowtos’s legitimacy as our leader?”

The air in the chamber is as cold as winter and spells silence. Utter silence.

“Since there are no objections, I hereby declare Ttrowtos the newly elected leader of the Federation, Sovereign and Parliament.” He then raises his arms to the mute audience. “Bow to your leader.”

One by one, members of the Federation, Sovereign and Parliament begin to bow. The audience of supers and humans behind them bow too, until Ttrowtos tells them to rise. And so it ends. Ttrowtos is the new leader, supreme and untouchable.

X

Careful not to spill any beans, I follow Ms Pink back to her castle after the dramatic session at Demortams. I am itching to ask Ms Pink about everything but I settle for holding her hand as the car hurtles towards her castle.

Once inside, Ms Pink sits on the lounge and pulls me down with her. We lie on our sides together, face-to-face. Her eyes search my face and her fingers trace strange symbols on my forehead and cheeks. Her eyes are flickering again and I really want to know if she’s hurt.

“Are you okay?” I ask, breaking the silence between us at last. In a deliberate move, I trace the curve her of eyes and look straight into her flickering bulbs of pink. I think she gets my hint because she closes her eyes and pulls me closer.

“Come nearer,” she whispers.

I press my body up against Ms Pink and put my arms around