His enemy wanted the same thing he did. So now he had to pretend hedidn’twant it. He had to be coy. Switch his seeming motivation to something else. So that his opponent had to give up groundfor things he was going to ask for anyway.
It was painfully clever. And Nadi hated him for it.
Moreover, she hated that it was her own people being played because of it. The world would be so much better if they could all have just sat down and agreed that they all wanted the Nostroms dead and the vampires overthrown, so why not all just play nice and work together…
But she didn’t trust Ebiti either.
Because the fae had no reason to trustthem.
“What do you want,vuampi?What are your goals? Do you want your siblings dead? Do you want to rule the metropolis?” Ebiti gestured a hand vaguely up at the surface.
“I do.” Raziel didn’t bother to lie at least.
“And what about you, little traitor? What do you want in all this?” Ebiti glared at her hard enough that Nadi had to fight to keep from taking a step back reflexively.
“I started off with the intent to kill the Nostroms.” She jerked her head toward Raziel. “That got complicated. I’ll settle for making sure the other two, and Lilivra, suffer. After that?” There wasn’t any point in denying her confusion over the situation either, she supposed. “I honestly have no clue anymore.”
Ebiti looked off, the disgust and hardness fading off her face, just slightly. Perhaps their honesty was enough. “We work together to end them. We will have guns on you at all times. You step out of line? You’re dead. You understand?”
“And what do we get out of this? What do we receive whenwesucceed?” Raziel kept his low opinion of the situation very clear. And exactly who he meant by “we.”And it didn’t include the fae that surrounded them.
Ebiti stared at them for a long moment of silence. “We work it out when the time comes.”
The meaning was clear.
They weren’t meant to survive.
Ebiti would see to it personally. Once Mael, Lana, and Lilivra were confirmed dead? The fae would turn on them instantly. They likely already had their orders.
Raziel grinned wide, flashing his dangerous fangs. “I agree. Why bother arguing about who will rule, when it is likely we will all fail and die horribly in the process? Nadi, you never told me your people were sowise.”
Nadi fought the urge to scream. Or to simply turn and leave the room. Or both.
If she had a gun, she’d probably shoot him. Or Ebiti. Or both.
If she had a knife, she’d probably stab him. Or herself. Or both.
She was very glad she wasn’t armed.
So she just stood there and shut her eyes and took a deep breath before letting it out slowly.
“Are we agreed?” It was clear Ebiti didn’t enjoy being openly mocked.
“What’s the play, then? It seems you have the desire toforma plan.” Raziel huffed a laugh. “I am not here to volunteer myself to stroll into the line of fire on your behalf.”
“But you came here for our help, didn’t you?” Ebiti smirked. “You need us, Serpent. Much more than we need you. You need manpower to overthrow your siblings. And we need your insight. So let us agree to work together, until the moment comes that it no longer benefits either of us.”
That was progress. Nadi wasn’t sure how she felt being left out of the conversation as much as she was, but there was little to be done about that. The issue with the Nostrom vampire standing in the room was far too large to ignore.
Raziel looked off thoughtfully. “What would you propose our first step would be?”
“And this is whysheis still alive.” Ebiti spat on the ground beside her again. “The traitor still has a way she can serve her people. The Iltani clan must join the fold.” She huffed a sardonic laugh. “What remains of it.”
Nadi winced. “I know they’re at the dockyards.” Kalo had said as much.
“And that is where you will go. With him.” Ebiti gestured at Raziel dismissively. “To get them in line. To get them to agree tostand with the rest of us when we move against thevuampi.You are the last fae of that clan.”
“That doesn’t mean they’ll listen to me.” Nadi smiled sadly. “I doubt our old laws mean much to them. And why would they?” She gestured aimlessly at the room around them. “We’ve all fallen a long way, it seems.”
