My face flushed with embarrassment. We hadn’t exactly discussed labels, and hearing it put so bluntly made the complicated tangle of my feelings for these men impossible to ignore.
Ignoring Raphael’s remark, Nico looked at me with a worried expression. “You went to Earth? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, Nico.” I put my hand on his cheek even though it was stained with blood, needing physical connection. “We should leave before more guards come.”
Amari looked around at the carnage. “There are no more… unless the council sends them. Val killed his father, and we took out the rest of his guards.” He looked over to the fountain where Val was now sitting with his head in his hands.
“He should be on the ground with the guards.” Nico turned and started walking toward Val, but Kage appeared, stepping between them.
“S-s-stop.” He held up his hand as if he were about to hold Nico back but dropped it without making contact. He took a deep breath. “He didn’t know what his f-father had planned. At least n-not all of it.”
“You’re defending the bloodsucker now? I thought you were supposed to be on my team?” Nico crossed his arms, and Kage visibly tensed. I knew from the tone of Nico’s voice that he was being sarcastic, but Kage clearly didn’t.
My heart ached for the house mage. As if hearing mythoughts, his eyes met mine, holding them for a few breaths before looking down again.
“You did well, Kage. Thank you for saving us. I know that must have been hard for you.” Nico had uncrossed his arms and was speaking in a calmer voice.
“I will go talk to the bloodsucker.” I spoke loud enough for Val to hear me, and he tensed at my words.
“Is that safe?” Raphael’s hand tightened on his sword.
I pinned him with a glare and then walked to the fountain, stepping over bodies as I went. When had I become so desensitized to the fact that dozens of dead lay before me?
I stood in front of Val and looked down at him with my hand on the hilt of my sword. I wasn’t planning on stabbing him, but if I needed to, I would.
“Val.”
He sighed and looked up, his eyes dark and his face drawn in a deep frown. He looked like shit and nothing like the confident vampire I knew.
“I’m sorry,” he choked out. His eyes went to the hand on my sword. “I didn’t know you were alive. My father sent me in his place because I thought he wanted to give me more responsibility. He wanted me out of the way so he could build an army without my knowledge.”
I gulped down the lump that had formed in my throat. “Did you know the council members were going to arrest me and probably have me executed?”
His eyes widened. “I didn’t. Samara, you know that I’d never let them hurt you.” He stood and tried to take my hands, but I backed up a step. He hung his head. “What can I do to regain your trust?”
I wanted to believe him. But trust was a fragile thing, especially in Inferna, and especially with royal blood.
“I can’t trust you. Not right now.” I cleared my throat. “Weshould get somewhere safe. There’s too much blood here, and we’re all exposed.”
What I didn’t add was that my own heart felt as exposed as ever.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
SAMARA
No one sat down when we got to Val’s estate.
I wasn’t sure if that was a collective decision or if we were all just too exhausted to bend in the middle, but we stood in his sitting room like we were expecting someone to throw a punch. Our weapons were still in hand, and everyone was filthy.
Raphael had followed us, and no one stopped him. He stood by the doorway with his arms crossed, and he had the look of a man who’d made a decision and was waiting for an appropriate moment to announce it.
We looked at each other, and something passed between us that wasn’t quite a conversation but was close enough. He was staying. At least for now.
“We need to send for Tony and Miles.” Val was the first to speak. He’d cleaned most of his face but missed a smear along his jaw, and his eyes were still too dark. “The vacants are the immediate problem. The council can wait.”
“Agreed.” Winston leaned against a wall, looking as if his legs were about to fail him.
Val looked at one of his guards who’d followed us in fromthe gate and said something low. The guard left, and I assumed that meant it would be handled.
