Blake and I sit in silence for a moment. I consider the conversation. I don’t hate the woman, but I didn’t like her either.
"What do you think?" I ask.
"I think Helena Evermoore is dangerous, calculating, and playing a game we can't see all the pieces of." He turns to face me. "I also think she's right. You need allies. The question is whether you trust her enough to accept her help."
"Do you?"
"I trust that her interests align with ours, at least for now. That's the best we're going to get in Wintervale, a few hours before you’re coming-out party.”
I imagine he's right. Perfect allies don't exist here, only temporary partnerships built on mutual benefit.
"Okay," I say. "Tonight at the gala, I'll give Helena my answer."
"Which will be?"
"I don't know yet." I stand, suddenly exhausted. "Blake, I need?—"
I don't finish the sentence because I don't need to. Suddenly, he's there, pulling me into his strong arms, holding me while I shake with adrenaline and fear.
“You’ve got this,” he says against my hair. “I’m here.”
“You promise?" Remembering how he emotionally locked me out the minute after he came inside me.
"Promise."
It's a lie. He can't promise me jack shit, but I let him anyway. Because sometimes lies are all the comfort one can get, even if it's temporary.
His phone buzzes. He checks it and curses.
"What now?”
“My cousin Nico. He's at Frost & Flame. Says he needs to talk. Says it's urgent. It’s probably about the family meeting.”
"It's a trap." I throw back the words he’d use with me.
“Yeah, but he's my cousin. If there's any chance he's trying to help me, I need to know.”
“Your family dynamic is giving me whiplash, but okay, we go,” I pull back. "But we go armed and ready to leave fast."
Blake smiles proudly. "You're learning, Pattawan.”
"I have a good teacher, Yoda,” I say, giggling because I totally get the Star Wars reference. My mom loved the franchise.
Let me find out that Blake is a science fiction nerd on top of the best lay I’ve ever had. That would make him almost the perfect man.
We leave The Sugarloft Inn and head back into the heart of Wintervale, where another Delano waits with information that will either save us or destroy us.
And the clock ticks down to tonight.
To the gala.
To the moment when I claim my inheritance or lose everything.
Because I'm done running.
Done hiding.
Done being the thing people take from.
