She nods, shutting the door after Izabel.
This is a little awkward.
Izabel and I are closer friends, in part because we’re in the same pack. Venna’s always spent time with us Strategos, but she has her Kryptos packmates. Her own friends and mentors—not to mention lovers. I know she gained quite the reputation there during the Trials. It’s possible she’s attached to someone, someone heading to the front.
Venna and Izabel get lumped together so often by virtue of being twins, and that’s not fair to either of them.
Izabel is an open book, but Venna’s not. She’s never been.
And the truth is, I don’t know whatshewants.
Taking a deep breath, I say, “Venna, if you want to go with everyone else to the front, I’ll understand. I’m aware that it’s kind of hard to say no to me now. So are you sure you want to stay?”
Venna fiddles with the hem of her shirt, not looking me in the eye. “I do. Honestly, the idea of being away from Izabel is awful, even though I’m sure it’s inevitable. But the four of you are all in Strategos, all natural leaders. Am I actually going to be helpful for you as a Kryptos, or are you just keeping me back because I’m Izabel’s twin?”
Relief courses through my body. “I asked you to stay because I wantyou. Of course you’ll be helpful. You’re the cleverest of all of us, by far. I’ll make sure you have things to do that are not just event planning.”
She laughs. “Thank you. Staring down a battalion of Siphons sounds preferable to being dragged along by Izabel as she figures out seating arrangements or whatever.”
“Actually,” I say, thinking out loud, “you can help me right away.” I hold up my wrist and the deadly bracelet glinting on it. “I need to figure out how to get this off. There’s some sort of magic to it, and I can’t remove it.”
Venna nods. “I’m on it. Also… I’m happy to spend some time with Saela once she’s better. Can I help you keep her busy? Maybe, I don’t know, teach her sign language or something?”
My throat tightens. I don’t know how soon I can take her up on that offer. “That sounds nice. I’ll—I’ll let you know when she’s ready.”
We hug and say good night, and I vow to use this extra time with my friends to get to know them better, now that we’re not all facing near certain death daily as we were in the Trials.
Left with my own thoughts, it’s impossible to avoid the heavy weight of grief that crowds back in. My chambers are thick with it, as if I’m breathing it in like air.
My mind is with Saela all the way until I’m climbing into bed and beginning to submit to the heavy drag of sleep.
The moment I close my eyes, unconsciousness takes me like a rolling blackout. It isn’t natural. Ice streaks over my brain.
I open my eyes, panic skittering through me.
My breath catches as I realize I’m not in the Sovereign Alpha’s rooms anymore. I’m in the same shadowy dreamscape that keeps taking me. The world is indistinct butimmediate, indefinable but pressing in on me with a grip I recognize.
I look around, wary. Any moment, the deep, disembodied voice I’ve heard before will say something. I’ll hear his terrifying voice echo through the dark.
But another voice comes in its stead, one all too familiar.
“Hello, kitten.”
My blood goes cold. Nausea slinks up my throat.
Killian emerges from the shadows, his face as coldly beautiful as ever.
His golden hair is pushed back from his face, showing off his high cheekbones and his now unnaturally bright blue eyes—a color they took on when his ancestor, Alistair Brightbane, passed into Killian’s body through some Siphon body-transference magic.
His full lips tilt up into a loving smile, revealing the tips of his new fangs. He spreads his arms for an embrace.
Once, I’d have gone to him, fallen into his arms, begged him to hold me.
I’ve finally learned my fucking lesson.
“I’ve missed you,” he purrs.
6
