“Good.” I sigh. “First things first: What are we doing with these women?” I ask, hoping I get the answer I want.
Del doesn’t pause before responding. “We get them out. If they want to turn, we’ll give it to them. But otherwise, we’re getting them back to their families.”
I offer him an approving nod. “We are in agreement.”
He steps away from the door, closing a few feet of our distance. “Good.”
Time to be bold.
“How do you stand by with all of that horrorunder your fucking feet, Del?”
I watch his throat track down a swallow, his gaze piercing. “I’ve been waiting for my chance. But I can’t influence Nerian or the entire court alone,” Del says calmly and takes another step toward me. “I’ve tried to find a way. I swear it. But vampire nobles love the way things are. How easy it is to maintain the control they’ve bred and orchestrated over the centuries. I amoneman.”
He rakes back the hair from his eyes and scrubs at his face, exhaustion radiating.
“I understand that challenge,” I offer. “You’re kind, Del. And nothing like the vampires here. Why are you second in Goreon?Howare you second? Nerian dislikes you.”
Del snorts. “I won the position.”
Oh, this is going to be good.
“Please explain,” I laugh, sagging under the weight of my snow-soaked gown and collapsing onto the edge of the bed.
“Nerian killed his last second. I don’t know why. And then he hosted a series of trials for the replacement. Any nobleman could participate.”
So he is a nobleman.
I loosen the laces of the corset that has me stuck upright and uncomfortable. “What were the trials?”
Del’s gaze flicks to my bodice, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Nothing complicated. Just a fight to the death.”
My lips part.
“I killed seven noblemen for my position as second.”
Impressive.
“What is your goal? Tell me what youwant,” I demand, my eyes pinned to his.
He doesn’t hesitate. “To kill Nerian and end the injustices in Goreon. With your help, of course.”
I try not to let my eyebrows hit the ceiling as the treasonous words of the Goreon king’s second whip through the room.
And my silence perches us on a knife’s edge.
“You can trust me,” he says, and I search his face for any hint of deception.
There is none. But it’s never wise to trust a Goreon vampire.
I sigh. “We all know trust is earned. And even then, there’s still a chance you’re just playing the long game,” I say, trying to think through this revelation and what to do about it. I tear at the bodice of my freezing dress I can’t stand to be under anymore. “Entrapment isn’t something I’m interested in, Del.”
His eyes track my efforts, my undergarments peeking through the fabric, and I twirl a finger at him.
Del turns around so I can shed the heavy, suffocating,commanding-coloredgown.
I struggle with the back button loops.
“Do you need help?” Del offers, and I canhearhis smirk.
