She pauses, beautiful as a rose in her red gown.
‘Will you tell Father?’
‘Yes. He and I have no secrets. But he’ll keep it to himself.’
A few minutes later we’re back in the ballroom. Michael is dancing with the ambassador from Ravenko, a tall woman with icy blue eyes and a long sleek ponytail. Blood dancers work the crowd, flecks of glitter floating in the perfumed air, golden light from candle lamps catching silver and gold, jewels and satin. It’s like a violet-scented dream.
‘I’ll go and find your father and Joaquin.’ My mother presses my hand, then leaves the ballroom in a whisper of red silk. I head for the drinks table, wanting to ease the ache in my throat. I wish I knew how to choose. Wish it didn’t hurt so much to do so.
Then commotion ripples through the crowd. I tense, remembering the aftermath of a bomb blast, my gravely injured father shielded from the light by a group of blood dancers. I spot Varin in the crowd and head towards him, but a guard steps into my path.
‘My lady, forgive me.’ He bows, deeply, his brow furrowed. ‘It is just that Scorpion have arrived.’
Oh God. I know I can do this myself, but this is one moment where I would love my mother’s support. Still, it’s literally just welcoming someone to my home. The fact they haven’t set foot in Raven territory since her coronation shouldn’t be a problem. I turn, smiling.
Holy shit. Only the long years of practice holding in my emotions, keeps the smile on my face.
Because it seems to be a problem, after all.
ChapterThirty-Seven
AN UNWANTED GIFT
Avampire enters the ballroom. She’s beautiful, her pale skin so perfect it seems like some other material, flawless alabaster or marble. She’s also armoured, overlapping scales of polished steel and gold covering her slender body, the sleeves anchored by metal loops over delicate fingers ending in spiked nails. She has a dagger at her hip and holds a length of chain in her hand. Which is attached to a collar around the neck of a human male.
He’s wearing only loose dark trousers, his bare feet black with dirt. His dark eyes widen as he follows her into the room. I say follow, but he’s more dragged in, the vampire yanking his chain so he stumbles.
Varin, his face like thunder, stands nearby. Close enough that I know he’s there, but not so close it seems like I need protection from my guest. For that’s what this woman is, and I need to remember my manners. Despite the fact she seems to have forgotten hers.
‘Greetings,’ I say, glad my voice doesn’t shake. ‘Welcome to Raven. I am Emelia Raven. You must be Jang-mi.’ Jang-mi is the ruler of Scorpion. Otherwise, whoever this is should have bowed to me, as a matter of respect.
The woman laughs, revealing teeth like pearl, her fangs dropped. ‘The human heir. We’d heard tell but weren’t sure whether or not people were making it up.’
The room stills; even the musicians stop playing. My cheeks heat up, but I hold my ground. ‘I am the heir, yes.’
‘And I am Nari. General and lieutenant to the most glorious Jang-mi, who sends you this gift.’ She yanks on the chain and the young man staggers forward, dropping to his knees. Oh God.
‘A gift?’ I try to keep my voice calm, think of ice-cream and snow and hail, of merciless night and icy stars. But this is an insult. The royal houses were all invited. The heir to Jaguar is here. Lion, in the form of Anbesa and Tau, is here. Scorpion sending a general instead of someone from their family line is … an interesting choice.
‘For your birthday, little Raven.’ Nari runs one spiked fingernail around the ear of the young man at my feet. ‘Although I suppose a dirt-eater like you will have no use for him.’
A hiss ripples around the room. It strengthens me. I bend slightly, placing my hand under the young man’s chin, lifting his face. ‘Please, stand,’ I say. ‘What’s your name?’
Nari laughs, a tinkling peal of bells. ‘Oh, don’t bother talking to him. I had his tongue removed, sick of him trying to ask me for things.’
I swallow. Oh darkness. ‘He shall be treated with kindness here, as is his right.’
‘Oh, yes. We heard about that, too. All yourplans,to help humans.’ She laughs again, then her smile slides away so that she is pure predator, savagery peering out from her beautiful face. ‘Here’s another gift, from me. Raven lands border our own. If you must free your humans, a spectacularly stupid idea, if I may say so, then don’t do it anywhere near to where our stock might get ideas. Because that could become … dangerous.’
Absolute fucking bitch. I wish I was vampire, so I could challenge her to a swordfight, then Morningstar her out of existence.
‘What I choose to do in Raven lands is up to me, and me alone,’ I reply. ‘Right up to our borders.’ I smile, not showing my teeth. ‘However, surely you’ve not come all this way to try and tell me how to rule.’
‘It seems someone needs to.’ She bares her fangs at me.
I raise one eyebrow, hoping she can’t tell how much my legs are shaking under my gown. Varin comes closer, the movement subtle.
‘Humans deserve to live their lives, just as vampires do.’
