Me, being best friends with Lilian, and Absinthe being closer to Baelor.
“We have, but we’re afraid if we remove him from the carnival, he’ll join The Legion and reveal some of our secrets. Ones that could get many of us killed. It’s not a risk we can afford at this time,” Draven says, his word final.
“What if he’s breaking a law?” I say as the thought enters my brain. “What if he hurts children or the elderly, or sexually assaults someone?”
“It felt like that’s what he would have done to me, if I hadn’t fought back,” Tempest confesses, and it’s like the gears in everyone’s heads started moving in tandem.
“That would definitely qualify.” Reina is one of the angriest people I know, but she’s also fiercely loyal. Lilian might be my best friend, but she’s a sister to Draven, Reina, Absinthe, and Taryn. They will do whatever they can to protect her—to protect me, too. I hope Tempest sees this and understands why we say we’re all a family. We might even be a better family than her so-called pack.
“I can follow him around, but I’ve gotta balance it with caring for Nico.” Gemma gives Tempest a small smile.
“With Baelor’s history toward you, I actually think I should do this,” Absinthe says, and we all take a collective breath. “I know Baelor and I sometimes hang out, but I am loyal to Lilian and the rest of you first. I want to see what he’s been doing with myown eyes.”
Draven nods. “I agree. This is the safest option. Absinthe, please focus your efforts on this. Gemma, continue your care for Nico. Yasmeena will be handling the felion and lupion, and Reina?—”
“I’ll do everything else,” Reina interrupts.
Draven was once a one-person show. He was The Spy and The Executioner, but now he’s just The Hand. His other roles were divided between us. It was rigid at first. All kills were completed by Reina and Absinthe, all intelligence work performed by Gemma and me, but now we work less as individuals, and more as a collective unit.
This isn’t about ego. It’s about who has the skills and the time to do it—it’s about who is most fit for the task. We’re able to push aside our differences, our grievances, and sometimes even our beliefs to accomplish things for Luc.
We are The Devil’s Masquerade, and nothing will stop us. Not even love.
Movement No. 20
Tempest
My head spins as I make my way out of the hall and back towards the river. Draven and the others seem to have thought of everything, but it still bothers me. Our conversation rolls through my brain like a tumbleweed.
If I kill him, you’ll kill me?
Unfortunately, yes.
So that’s my answer. It doesn’t matter how anyone feels about me. Whether they develop a connection to me or not, my fate here is sealed. I can never see any of these people again, or my life will be at risk. And the lives of my pack.
“Back so soon?” Taryn asks, waggling her eyebrows.
I sit on the edge of the riverbank, and the water comes up to my calves as I slowly kick my legs back and forth.
“Are you okay? I’m sorry again about what happened with Baelor. He’s not my favorite,” she says, and I nod.
“I’m okay. That’s not why I’m upset this time. Goddess, do I make all of these conversations about me?” I hope Taryn knows how much her friendship means to me. When I fuck it all up by killing Draven, ruining this is going to be one of my deepest regrets.
Before Taryn and Yasmeena, all I had were pack members. Iwas friends with other lupion, but I was forced to keep everyone at arms’ length. I love Zuri and Clio, but I never wanted to tell them my fears. I kept everything in, not wanting to frighten them. Maybe there’s something in the water, but I want to spill my guts here.
“I’m engaged to Yasmeena,” I say matter-of-factly.
“I know I live in the water, but I know that much,” Taryn says and I shake my head.
I sigh. “I don’t know how this became my life.”
“Why are you engaged?”
“Because I—” I can’t bring myself to tell another lie. “Because it made sense.”
Her tail of cerulean scales sways in the crystal clear water. “So this is an arranged marriage. Your father and someone else thought you two would be the perfect pair?”
“Yeah. My father and Luc. Or maybe it was Raph?—”
