Felicity’s expression shifted, growing more serious as she cast a glance around us. “There’s no need for us to fight yet,” she said in an undertone. “Do you think these older vampiresses will rip each others’ throats out at the opening bell? No. They will go for ours first. They see us as young and untested.”
“Categorically true,” Emmeline remarked.
“I already have one ally, and you two should join us,” Felicity continued. “When we reach the final trial, I want one of us four to ascend the throne.”
My gaze narrowed and flicked to Emmeline. The truth-seeking vampiress was nodding slowly.
This was simply too good to be true. “You want the Devotion-less candidate for your little group?” I murmured.
“No time like the present to recruit. Look at you. You’re beautiful.” Felicity smiled my way. “It’s not difficultto bed a man, if you’re worried about?—”
“No,” I blurted, to the immediate burning in my cheeks. “I amnotworried about that.”
“Who is your other ally?” Emmeline asked.
Felicity waved over one of the latecomers, and my palms dampened when I saw who it was. “Ladies, meet Razira.”
The white-haired vampiress had her locks up in an effortless chignon, leaving the pale curves of her neck bare. Her red eyes were the only spots of color on her, with her evening dress shaded in layered skirts of white and gray. The embroidery was silver. Still a dove in gray, though I couldn’t describe her attire as plain and forgetful.
I hid the tremble in my voice as we made introductions. I held my hands together tightly, lest the shaking in them betray me instead. It washer. The only vampiress in this whole competition I would hesitate to kill.
Wehadto make this alliance work so I wouldn’t have to kill the woman who’d once meant so much to me. Not yet.
“I’m surprised the Flask of Dominion considered you a Sanguine vampire,” Emmeline remarked.
“My dear, I’ve been part of the House of the Sanguine since before you were born. I’ve chosen it as my coven, and that’s the truth it sensed when I put on that necklace. I am the one destined to elevate us to new heights.” Razira had a silken voice, all of the roughened edges of humanity sanded away. She glanced at me, her icy pink lips dragging into a frown. “I may not have the name of a great house, but I have a dedicated Devotion and a plan to reform this sorry House.”
She must’ve seen at least a hint of pity I’d failed to hide.No matter what, she was a monster like all the rest of the bloodsuckers around us. I was face-to-face with the proof. This alliance was only a stay of execution, a cause that fed the whimpering, cowardly hope in my chest that perhaps the trials ahead would be her end instead.
I schooled my expression. “I’d be happy to hear of your plan,” I said, more earnest about the offer than about anything else I’d said since arriving here. I could pretend, at least for a little while, that the trials ahead could end with some civility. “I’d be a fool to say no to your offer, Felicity.”
“Truth,” Emmeline remarked.
Felicity nodded decisively, then clapped her hands. “Oh, marvelous! Now it’s official.”
The sound of an orchestra tuning up filled the air with the screech of string instruments turning into a harmony of muffled notes. The melody was louder for a few moments as Mathias stepped into the hall with us from the double doorway leading into the ballroom.
He strode to the middle of the hall, where we could all see him. His dark coat reminded me of military attire—gold thread at the shoulders and seams and gilded buttons down his strong chest.
“Good evening, candidates.” He cut through the hum of conversation around us.
I shifted in my heels, trying to ignore the way my skin tingled in awareness from the authority in his voice. I’d never had such a reaction to a bloodsucker before.
When I glanced up at him, it was to find his maroon gaze on me. Again. It seemed the regent was talented at picking me out of any crowd.
“Tonight is a celebration of your candidacy and the beginning of the first trial tomorrow at moonrise. Before you can enjoy the festivities, first, we will make your formalintroductions to the court as its next potential queen. Hundreds of your people are waiting in the room beyond, hungry for a glimpse at the next vampiress who will shape Sanguine’s future.”
Hungry to bet more of their stockpiles on the victor, he means.
Mathias took a few questions, though I wasn’t paying much attention. All I gleaned from his responses was that this wasn’t our chance to show off with magic or grand proclamations.
“Can you imagine how dull it’d be if they all stood up there giving speeches?” Felicity said, pitching her voice to stay with me and our two allies. “WhenI’mqueen…”
“Free blood for all. Freshly sourced,” Emmeline said without missing a beat. The casual way she mentioned human lives as commodities reminded me exactly what I was dealing with—monsters who'd forgotten they were ever anything else.
“Oh, absolutely,” Felicity agreed, clapping her hands softly as if she’d just suggested a new flavor of cake. “Everyone is so much more agreeable when they’re well-fed. Happy vampires make for such lovely company, don't you think?”
Razira tilted her face away from them, lips flattening in disapproval. I observed for now, sure to analyze this moment in private. I’d weigh the odds of how long our alliance would last when its foundation had just developed a fault line straight through its middle.
