“Swords and words are very,verydifferent weapons, Char.”
She snorts, leaning her head against his shoulder. It’s such a rarity to see vampires touch—a single touch to the skin can trigger an eternal bond between us. But Charlotte and Emmanuel tested that boundary decades ago, fairly sure they wouldn’t bond.
And they didn’t.
Just like Second and I tested it a century ago. We didn’t need any surprises, and we prayed toeverygod that fate didn’t want us aligned in that way.
They listened. For once.
Second opens the tall double doors to an adjoining suite and then through to another.
“Veya is in the middle. We’ll take the rooms on either side,” he says, slinging my five-foot dressing chest toward my room like he’s carrying around a pillow.
“Come, my queen,” Charlotte coos, skirting past me. “Let’s get you dressed to dine with the King of Goreon.”
I’ll be lucky if I keep anything down in his presence, my desire to slice off his head included.
General Balor yanks the gilded throne doors apart, and my eyes catch on the ancient king draped over his seat in an obscene amount of furs and black velvet.
I want to rip his throat out.
But the love I have for the Night Kingdom and all of the souls within it, the duty I swore to uphold, keeps my instant rage in check. The moment needs to be right. Weneedto be strategic.
You don’t crush a millennium-long rule with rash action, and I cannot afford to fail, especially to emotional whims.Nerian’s faster than me, aged well beyond my years. It must be a team effort. So I’ll play along, show restraint, and we’ll take King Nerian once an opening presents itself and we understand just how disadvantaged we are against his ancient strength.
Second keeps pace with me down the long, decadent hall, with the king’s court loitering and staring with rapt attention. My gaze flits about the massive, high-ceilinged throne room, arches pulling my eyes to the chandeliers lining the length of the hall, their crystal filtered light in a dazzling display around us. None of it feels like it belongs together; the evil that is known to breed here and the stunning, vast castle shouldn’t be such intimate companions.
Chin held high, I let my top lip curl somewhere between a snarl and an alluring smile.
I met Nerian briefly, long ago. I doubt he even remembers.
The king doesn’t bother to sit upright, his slicked blond hair glowing in the candlelight. I’m sure many find him handsome, but all I see is death and corruption.
“Queen Veya, your reputation precedes you,” he says, petting the fur across his lap, staring at the ceiling.
How does he know anything about my reputation?
I hum at him as we come to a stop at the base of the dais. “I can say the same, King Nerian.”
He sits up finally, his hand littered with extravagant bejeweled rings, gripping the arm of his throne to pull himself upright, and then his arms spread wide in greeting. “Ah!Yes. I can’t wait to show you what I’ve accomplished as we join our kingdoms into one glorious rule.”
“That’s presumptuous of you,” I retort, offering a slight bow.
He returns it with a tilt of his pointed chin and a garish grin. “I enjoy a challenge. I’ll win you over in the end.”
I nod demurely through my disgust and hatred. “I’m honored by your upcoming efforts.”
The Goreon king jerks his head to the side. “This is my second, Deleos.”
My gaze flits to the most gods-blessed vampire I’ve ever laid eyes on as a male steps out of the shadows. Raven black hair, a jawline that could cut stone, muscles sculpted and stretching his fine suiting are captivating, but it’s his bright plum eyes that have me mesmerized.
And they’re lookingrightat me.
“It’s Del, actually,” he drawls, and his soothing voice reaches in and grabs my attention.
King Nerian glowers at his second, the corner of Del’s mouth pinching into an intoxicating smirk.
Nerian’s second pushing back at him makes me deliriously satisfied.
