“We’ve all seen how obsessed she’s become with the Silverblood,” Vallan grunts in agreement. “Her work should not be for naught.”
“And her workworked.” Awe tinges my voice. “That fucker Aramastun is losing his hold over his own army. Vampires are losing their thralls all across Olhav, and we’ve just destroyed the Faith Ward’s abduction scheme and exposed the Truehearts as frauds! This is the perfect time to strike, Skar, and you know it. When they’re weakest and we have momentum on our side.”
“I hate how well I taught you to reason,” he seethes.
Lukain says, “I fought against you at Sutlis Spire the first time. This time, I’ll gladly fight with you.” He gives something like a salute, and I want to kiss him for it.
Skartovius is outvoted two-to-one. Garroway isn’t currently here to back him up, either. He’s out in the countryside running down a weasel. Plus, let’s be honest: Garro would always stick by me. He would agree with me even if he doesn’t agree with me, on principle alone.
The nobleblood lets out a heavy sigh, resigned to his fate. He brushes his long mane back across his scalp. “Can we have one evening?Onefucking evening before we go barreling into the demon’s lair again?”
My eyes narrow suspiciously. “If this is your way to get me into bed . . . at a time like this . . .”
“I’ve shadowwalked across Olhav and back no less than five fucking times this evening, Sephania. I can hardlywalk.”
“Oh.” My face heats with embarrassment.
“Oh.” The voice sounds like an echo, coming from down the hall, and then it’s repeated again, louder this time. “Oh! Uh. Shit. Intruder!”
My face sinks and we pull our weapons out of their scabbards one more time, darting from the room. It takes us no time at all to get to the eating room, where Tecca is running from the ladderroom. She points emphatically down the hall, jumping on the tips of her toes. “Intruder! Intruder, Lady Lock!”
“Heard you, Tec!” I shout, dashing down the hall—
Raising my swords at the figure I see in the circular room. Sunlight from the opening above creates a cylinder of brilliant yellow rays and dust motes, keeping the figure off to the side in the shadows.
The person is small in stature, wearing a completely preposterous golden robe with a hood. The hood flies back as I raise my swords—
Revealing a quaint, pretty face with tawny gold hair.
“Palacia,” I gasp.
“Liolen Sesk is dead,” she replies, her face as placid and emotionless as ever.
I let out a relieved breath, and my blades hiss into their sheaths.
Behind me, Skartovius growls, “Finallysome good fucking news!”
Chapter 54
Sephania
Even though I’m ecstatic to see Palacia safe and healthy, freed from the clutches of the indomitable pervert Liolen Sesk—for whom she seemed uniquely fit as his equal in that regard—there’s another truth that quickly sinks my shoulders and mars my features.
Palacia notices immediately, because she knows me so well and is at leastpartiallytethered to me via my blood. “What’s wrong with your face?” She slightly narrows her eyes.
“Palacia . . .” I swallow a thick lump that lodges in my throat. “. . . it’s Rirth.”
Her narrowed eyes slowly grow wider, understanding, showing more emotion in that simple act than I’ve seen from the interfolk since she’s turned. I see the wheels turning in her mind, behind those ocean-red eyes. “My king . . .” she murmurs under her breath, loud enough for only me to hear.
She doesn’t move. No one does.
Then something grabs hold of me—an irritating nagging at the back of my head—and I know she’s about to do something foolish and reckless. I know it because she has the same deep-thinking, depressed look on her face I always get beforeIdo something reckless.
I try to head it off at the pass, so to speak, but the damned girl is too small and sprightly. Doesn’t help she’s a vampire, either.
She reaches for the ladder, leaping onto the first rungs.
“Pala, no!” I scream, grabbing at her on instinct.