“Good,” Vasile replies, which makes me start in surprise. His lips twitch. “If it were not, I would be more worried. You’re overwhelmed because you understand the enormity of this role. That’s a better start than I got off to.”
I snort, and Vasile smiles properly then, a smile that comes to him much more easily these days. He claps me on the arm, squeezing lightly. His time with the wolves is already changing him, but I suppose I can’t expect any less.
“Come along. Your guests will be arriving soon.”
Most of the vampires, in fact, have already arrived, but then since we are holding our little soiree at the clan house, that’s hardly a surprise. I greet everyone I can, but thankfully many of them are much more interested in speaking to Vasile, who seems to have become more approachable to even our youngest members over the course of the last few months.
Elle laughs faintly when I reach her, adjusting her jacket. Her green brocade suit somehow looks more comfortable than mine, and I fight against a scowl. Elle might be our newest chieftain and is by far the youngest, but she has taken to the job with a grace the rest of us never possessed. That being said, she spent much of the last few decades assisting Lucien, the chieftain whoran one of her districts, before she took over, and I suppose that helps.
“Looking forward to tonight?” she murmurs, and I shoot her a look that only makes her smile widen.
“Where is he?” I ask. If Vasile is here, Deacon cannot be far away.
“Skulking about outside. Heard Orion tell him that he has to wait a bit before he comes in.”
The waiting matters little to me. I’d rather they all pile in at once, say their hellos, then Deacon, Alwynn, and I could swear to uphold the treaty and everyone could go home.
“Cheer up, crai,” Afsaneh says in greeting. Another of my chieftains, she also has two districts to manage, and just the reminder of that threatens to give me a headache. She takes up position on my other side, her smile beatific as she looks across the growing crowd filling the ballroom. “It’s not all bad.”
Vampires mill about, the few donors who have decided to attend keeping to the edges of the room. “I’d rather get it over with.”
“It’s not your execution.”
On my other side, Elle snorts. “Sure about that?”
Afsaneh gives Elle an arch look, but her eyes glitter. Kayode and Briar, my other two chieftains, are somewhere here in this crowd, and I make a mental note to seek them out. We lost three chieftains last year—Lucien to his mate in a wolf pack, Savia to her resignation after the dust had settled, and Lazarus to Tamesis, though as he turned out to be a traitor, the thought of that does not sting. I’m supposed to look for another chieftain—perhaps two—and the desire to mention it to Afsaneh and begin discussing potential candidates is strong.
I force my mind away from that. From all of it. I need to be alert tonight.
“Naomi said that the hunters are on their way,” Afsaneh says. She takes a flute of champagne from one of the staff with a smile. “You can probably slip away after all the formalities are done with.”
“I think I’m supposed to stay all night.” Vasile has made his way through the crowd and is talking to Kayode now.
“Nah,” Elle says, dragging out the vowel. “That’s the fun bit of being in charge, isn’t it? You can leave when all the obligations are done with.”
“They’ll be watching me.”
“They expect it,” Afsaneh says, her voice more soothing. She shifts towards me, and her gold dress shimmers in the light. “Don’t worry so much, Njáll. You’re the right person for the job.”
I let out a heavy breath. “Sure you don’t want it?”
Afsaneh shakes her head and a laugh bubbles out of her, loud and honest. “Sorry, crai. You couldn’t pay me enough.”
I huff—that seems unlikely—but she only laughs again, shaking her head. My shoulders tighten the longer we stand here. It should not take this long for the hunters to arrive, and if Deacon is here, the rest of the wolves cannot be far behind.
Elle discreetly slips her phone out of her jacket pocket and glances at the screen. “The hunters have pulled up,” she says quietly.
Afsaneh catches Kayode’s attention, who finishes his conversation with Vasile and signals to Briar. “Are you ready, crai?”
“As I will ever be, I imagine,” I reply, just as quietly.
Kayode and Briar greet me as they approach, taking up their places beside Elle and Afsaneh, respectively. Vasile slips into the crowd as the vampires turn towards us in anticipation. Two wait near the doors, and when I nod, they pull them open.
Hunter Alwynn is the first through the doors. She is not a hunter I have had much contact with—not that I have had muchcontact with hunters over the years. Still, she has not been long on the Council itself, never mind its leader, but all the reports I have heard of her are positive, and I believe the no-nonsense attitude she has cultivated will serve her well.
She crosses the ballroom floor without a flicker of self-consciousness, the rest of the Council on her heels. When she reaches us, she smiles and holds out her hand in my direction.
“Crai Njáll. I hope we will see just as much of each other as is necessary.”
