Letting the spies go was real. Punishing the Blood Slave was not.
The terrifying Scarlet Bloodfire was only Tina's illusion. The Blood Slave's charred appearance was just a black shell formed around its body... Not a single Vampire was harmed in the performance.
Except the undercover agents, who had been scared witless. A closer look would have shown that they weren't just keeping their heads down. They were trembling.
The Scarlet Queen still had her power... and her temper hadn't changed one bit!
Annan released the Scarlet Queen and let Lucy support her, while Dracula carried off the Blood Slave playing dead.
The performance was a complete success. Within days, the Theater stopped being targeted, and things quieted down outside. But it wouldn't last long... Vampires were evil and suspicious by nature. Unless they saw it with their own eyes, those powerful figures would never stand by and let the Scarlet Queen rise again.
The Scarlet Queen handed authority to Annan—no one had more ideas than he did.
And it was true. Even with most of his energy devoted to filming, Annan's little ideas still kept sending their enemies down the wrong path.
For his "Make the Stuart Family Great Again" plan, Annan first had Bards train a group of servants to tell stories of the Scarlet Queen's former rule over the Blood Council, then sent them to spread the word throughout thirteen cities.
Next, he sent invitations to Vampires who had once been allies or vassals, and who had helped the Stuart Family in its hour of need instead of kicking it while it was down.
Also invited were the Skeleton King, who had remained in the Basement all this time, and Williams, Clan Chief of the Morel Family.
"I know there have been many rumors circulating outside..."
The