Cave’s eyes bolt themselves to mine as he lowers to a knee. “I will protect the Night Kingdom with my life.”
I huff a small laugh, motioning for him to rise. “I know. You’ve always done whatever is required. Please choose the command you’d like to leave in charge at the estate and position yourself in Prosperity until our return.”
“It’s done,” Cave says as he rises.
“Good. Thank you.”
“And Veya?”
I look up into his hopeful eyes.
“Give those vein-drinkers hell, my queen.”
My fangs burst out of me, anticipation rooting, and a snarl rips through my throat. “IpromiseI will.”
Charlotte pokes her head into the room. “Second is back, and we’re ready when you are.”
“We’re done here,” I say, and Cave follows me out into the lounge.
“I’ll be at Prosperity before morning,” he assures me before returning to the nearest map table next to Second, who is busy outlining the position of the hundred warriors we’re sending.
“When do you think he’ll finally ask me out?” Charlotte muses, staring unabashedly at Cave.
“My money is on fifty years,” Emmanuel says from beside her, and she slaps his shoulder.
“He needs time,” I tell her, leaving it at that.
I speed through the estate toward our travel party, my people following, and scurry into the carriage with Second. We need to keep moving to Castle Death before sunrise, but I promised Em we would stop in Lilygate before we left. We all need one last visit there—one last reminder of the humans we’re fighting for.
After several miles, we clop into Lilygate. Celebration ensues around us on the last day of fall, before the nights get longer and snow covers the ground. Streets buzz with human teenagers and children running with their lanterns from porch to porch, collecting winter trinkets and homemade treats from doorsteps in their best dress.
“It’s always the best fucking feeling here,” Second says, his face glued to the festive view through the window.
We travel through the center of the human town, music floating out of taverns and lounges, conversation and laughter mixing into a charming blend that brings me so much joy.
“Yeah, it sure is,” I say, catching my gratitude in my throat before my voice quivers.
We’ve worked hard for nights like this, and the generation skipping up to porches is thefirstto experience life this way in the Night Kingdom. Lilygate is evidence of how life can be for humans in a vampire world. It’s our shining accomplishment and a special place. We knew if we ever saw this day, we had donesomethingright. It was the dream of this town over the last century that kept me going when I didn’t think I could anymore.
Before we’re even fully paused in front of the tavern, Emmanuel opens the carriage door, lips about to stretch right off his face. “Thanks for this stop,” he says to me and whisks himself through the creaking door of the bar. The cheers from within are deafening in response, even from outside.
“You’d think with all the money he wins off these people, they wouldn’t like him so much,” Second grumbles next to me. Second doesn’t frequent taverns, and the vampire chooses not to drink, instead demanding focus on his duty.
“You know he just donates it right back to their community,” I laugh.
“Yeah, well. Some of us have to buy love, I guess.”
I roll my eyes at the male and cross the threshold of the bar. The dimly lit space is crowded and warm, humans huddled around tables with cards and pints.
Conversations halt, music dies, glassware thuds, and the room stands as I enter.
I raise a hand. “No need for all that tonight, friends. Please just let us join in the fun for a bit.”
“My queen,” the bartender says, tipping his glass in my direction and slamming a shot into his mouth.
“Thank you, Ben,” I tell him with a laugh, and the tavern bursts back to life.
Ben’s young daughter skids into Em’s side, and he kneels down. “What are you doing up so late, Victoria?” he scolds with a smile.
