She’d come to her senses shortly after. Evidently, not soon enough if Dewdrop had caught wind of her plot.
Night’s unblinking stare didn’t move from Tate.Heh. I see you’ve been quite bored lately. Don’t worry, Tate. I’ll help you with that.
Tate’s stomach tightened. “That’s quite alright.”
I insist.
Tate shivered at the smile Night gave her. One full of fangs.
She glared at Dewdrop who pretended not to see.
“On second thought, Daisy, maybe having Roslyn with you as you explore would be a better decision,” Tate offered through gritted teeth. “Dewdrop has a habit of getting carried away and forgetting himself.”
Dewdrop’s temper flared. “That’s not true.”
“It sounds like you guys are having fun.”
The crowd parted to allow a tall, graceful woman to approach.
Amber eyes that marked her as Silva peered at Tate with amusement. Wavy hair that was a mixture of blond and brown flowed freely to the middle of her back in a style that wasn’t often seen in Aurelia, where women tended to pull their hair into braids or complicated hairdos.
Tate was one of the few who kept her hair short, preferring to let it do whatever it wanted rather than go through the trouble of trying to tame it.
The woman’s hair wasn’t the only thing that set her apart from the rest of the gathering. Her outfit was much more revealing than that of the humans present. The gauzy material of her dress gathered at each shoulder, the neckline plunging between her breasts. A thin chain belt wrapped around her waist. Her skirt fluttered as she moved.
Tala Fireday, former doyenne to her clan, now the newest to assume the mantle of Harridan, leader of the Silva.
Tate hadn’t been sure how Tala would feel about her now that the dust had settled, since Tate held some culpability for dethroning the last Harridan. In their society, it was common for an incumbent to challenge the current ruler. Only things hadn’t exactly worked like that.
The previous Harridan was well loved by her subjects. It made them reluctant to take such action. It was only when their enemies used the last Harridan’s madness against her that things changed. The Harridan died, but not before she redeemed herself with one final act of sacrifice.
“I see you won the challenges,” Tate said.
Even as the former Harridan’s successor, Tala’s assumption of power wasn’t easy. She’d had to endure numerous challenges over the last few months.
It was only recently that the challenge period ended.
Tala inclined her chin. There was a fierceness in her eyes now. A confidence that said she’d been blooded in battle.
Tate didn’t know how many she’d had to kill to keep her rank, but she could see the toll it had taken. Tala had always held an intangible authority that was hard to define but now it was more apparent. She gave off the same energy as the emperor. As if she was born to this position and no amount of struggle could drag her off her throne.
Tate’s attention moved to the two who had accompanied Tala.
Gabriella winked at her when she noticed her glance. Tall, with amber eyes and curls even more multicolored than Tala’s, Gabriella held a wild beauty that you didn’t often see. She had a feral, untamed look that said she’d happily rip your throat out before licking the blood off her hands.
Mia brought up the rear, her focus already on Night though he pretended not to see her. “Sir Night, it’s good to see you again.”
Tate and Dewdrop watched with rapt attention. As far as the two of them knew, this was the first meeting between the Veles since the testimony that had won them their sentient status.
Mia had returned to the Silva territory shortly after to help Tala assume power. She hadn’t been back since.
Whatever Tate and Dewdrop expected to see, they were disappointed.
After the greeting, the Veles fell silent. Dewdrop and Tate shared a crestfallen look, the meeting falling far short of their expectations.
There would be nothing to tease Night over later.
“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Tate said when the silence had stretched uncomfortably.
