Heat flushed over my skin at the dizzying awareness that every eye in the chamber was still on us.
Mathias’s gaze burned on me as he drew the attention of the crowd by concluding the ceremony. He gave formal acknowledgments, and then we were dismissed.
The remaining blood-red hound reacted first. Its head lifted, ears pricking toward the great oak doors. It surged into motion, liquid body slipping across the marble as it vanished through the exit. Only when the last echo of its claws faded did the spectators resume their chatter. The remaining candidates made for the exit, our Devotions closing around us.
“Lady Ilyana.” Emmeline appeared at my side, her gaze sliding from the manacles on Noir’s wrists to Zane’s steadying hand on my arm. “Such a shame about Genevieve.”
The faint pressure of truth-seeking magic brushed my brow like a cold fingertip. I inclined my head, acknowledging my name and nothing more.
Emmeline leaned in, the scent of lilies and iron curling around her. “And they still haven’t caught the killer. Or killers. Doesn’t that worry you?”
“I trust the guards to protect the residents.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You acted surprised when her death was announced, but I saw you smile. You knew she was dead before the Regent spoke the words, didn’t you?”
I sharpened my tone with indignation, part performance, part truth. “She is one less competitor between me and the crown. I bet you smiled too.”
“I see.” A faint smirk touched her mouth. “I’m sure you heard about Lady Lorelei's death.”
“Mathias didn’t mention?—”
Something knowing flickered across her expression. “Interesting.”
Ice slid through my veins. “Excuse me?”
“When my father spoke to you”—She stepped closer, her truth-seeking magic pressing into my skull like a vise.—“you claimed you’d spent the entire night bonding with your devotees. Yet servants reported seeing figures matching your description leaving the mansion grounds on foot.”
My heart stumbled. “Servants can be mistaken.”Was she certain, or was she still fishing for a reaction?
Does she have my stake?
Emmeline leaned closer, her tone deceptively gentle. “You’re composed. Suspiciously so.”
“Are you accusing me to clear your path? Eliminate the competition before the final trial?”
A flicker of frustration—or calculation—crossed her features. “I’m simply wondering what else you’re hiding.” She drifted away. “Be careful. You never know who’s watching.”
Chapter 33
Sidney
The heavy oak door to my new quarters clicked shut, but the silence inside was far from peaceful. The length of the room became a track beneath my restless feet. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the Flask drinking vampires down to husks or felt the phantom weight of my missing stake. Finn had taken Noir to his room and secured him. The rats still hadn’t returned with a name, leaving the thief faceless in the dark.
Zane caught my shoulders, pulling me into a kiss that stole the breath and the frantic spiral of thoughts right out of me. “How can I help?”
I couldn’t answer. There was no lever he could pull to fix this, no words that could bridge the gap. Even as he held me steady, my mind was already stripping away comfort to reveal the cold reality beneath. My gaze cut to the adjoining room where Noir sat, leaning back in his chair and humming something off-key. The manacles glinted on his wrists.
“I’m taking his cuffs off.”
Finn returned just as Zane asked, “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“No.” I folded my arms across my chest. “But if we’re selling the lie that he’s my third devotee, we can’t keep him in magical restraints. It undermines the entire story.”
Finn’s gaze flicked between us, catching the tension before he signed,What if he attacks us?
“I don’t think he will.” The memory of his mouth on mine surfaced, uninvited and impossible to ignore.
“You don’t think?” Zane’s eyebrow rose. “That’s reassuring.”
