Cassandra arches a brow at her. “Doesn’t make what I said any less true.”
Daphne laughs. “I’m good with celebrating all of you,” she says. “I’m barely juggling classes, let alone a whole ass fated-mate situation.”
We all laugh at that.
“You’re so full of it,” Annika chides her. “You’re crushing your classes.”
“It’s kind of hard not to when you have every advantage,” she says. “Tuition paid. Room and board paid.”
“Beautiful gowns sent to you every week,” Annika adds.
“Right.”
“Does that ever bother you?” I ask, genuinely curious.
“What?” Daphne asks, sliding her empty plate away from her. “The gifts from the demon?”
I nod.
“King,” Annika reminds her. “The demonking.”
A smile that looks like pure trouble stretches over Daphne’s lips before she tries to hide it. “No,” she answers. “It doesn’t. I’m used to it.”
“But you don’t have to be used to it,” I say, glancing at Annika and Cassandra to make sure I’m correct in saying so. They both nod. “Alek is a king too. He could stop Xavier if you wanted him to.”
Daphne’s eyes go wide, as if the mere suggestion Alek go toe-to-toe with the demon king is a ridiculous statement. It may be. I haven’t had much interaction with Xavier, but I’ve heard enough from Annika and Daphne.
“Alek has offered as much,” Daphne says. “Since I came here.” She shakes her head. “But I would never want that. There’s no need to cause a rift in the Conclave.” She grins softly. “I joke a lot, but it doesn’t bother me. Xavier—the demon king—has been… he’s been really nice.”
“I have no clue how those words just came out of your mouth,” Cassandra says, shaking her head. “But do go on.”
Daphne laughs. “I get it. He’s intimidating as hell and yeah, maybe he’s playing me for an absolute human fool, but he’s never made me feel uncomfortable. I know I’m young, especially since he’s like a billion years old. But he doesn’t feel predatory to me.” Something serious flashes over her features. “I lived with monsters my entire life.Humanmonsters who took advantage of me, sold me off at sixteen to the highest bidder. They did…unspeakable things to me while I was imprisoned.” She looks to Valor across the gardens. “If she hadn’t come for me. Hadn’t risked her life to save me from that horrific future, I don’t know where I’d be.” She goes distant for a moment, and we all remain silent. I completely understand the need to go inward when past traumas overtake the mind. “So,” she says a bit later. “No. It doesn’t bother me. The gifts. The check-ins. It feels genuine, as wild as that may sound.”
“Good,” I say. “That’s all that matters then.”
Annika and I share a look, one Cassandra mimics. Daphne is a full-grown adult woman who can make her own choicesabout how she feels about anyone, including the demon king. I just wanted to make sure she didn’t feel obligated since she’s a human living in a supernatural world. I’m happy to know she’s content here. That she’s a natural part of this new family of mine. Nights like this, free and fun, it’s easy to forget what’s waiting beyond the wards.
Threats that jeopardize having more nights like this. Something I want to help stop. And I know how.
I knowexactlywhat I need to do.
My eyes find Saint across the way. He’ll never let me go through with it.
“What the hell is that?” Daphne asks, drawing me to the present.
A black Lamborghini’s engine revs on the winding paved road just outside the gardens, and we all hurry to follow her as she stops at the road’s edge.
The car has a black bow on the hood, and after parking and killing the ignition, the driver gets out and holds a white envelope out to Daphne.
“How did you get beyond the gates?” Alek stops the driver before Daphne can take the card.
“The king?—”
“Xavier,” Daphne says his name on a chiding whisper.
Alek growls. “The demon king opened my wards for you?”
“I’m instructed to leave immediately upon handing the card to Miss Daphne.”
