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I glanced back at the trees. They were there, hidden in the woods, ready to join us if we required. But I’d managed to convince Lainule that—with Myst currently out of the picture—we really didn’t need them. Especially since we were headed to the Emissary’s mansion. Myst couldn’t get through the vampires’ defenses—not when she was at the peak of her power, and not now.
“I think we’ll be fine. We’re just going to Regina’s…” I paused. “But soon enough, we won’t be able to travel alone. Although, Lainule does. So maybe…maybe…they won’t be on our tail every place we go.” The thought of being watched everywhere we went didn’t sit well with me.
As the dusk fell across the snowbound evening, Ulean whipped around me. She seemed agitated.
Trouble. There is trouble in the Veil House.
Fuck. Maybe we did need the guards. Shadow Hunters?
No, not Shadow Hunters. Vampires, and they have Luna with them. She’s afraid—I can feel her fear.
I turned to Rhiannon. “Luna’s in the house and Ulean says there are vampires in there with her.” I rushed forward, wondering if the guards would follow. I had no idea if they could see us from where they were in the forest.
Rhiannon plunged through the snow after me. “Damn it. Lannan promised allegiance—”
I raced through the snow, slipping on the icy crust a couple of times. “I don’t think it’s Lannan.”
A sense of dread seeped through me. We’d been cocky. We’d driven Myst back and, even though we knew she was regrouping, the town had felt safe enough to wander around. We’d grown careless the past couple of days. So, when Luna had gone to the market alone, assuring us she would be fine, we let her go. Apparently, she was wrong, and so were we.
The back porch of the Veil House had been fully repaired and I bounded up the steps, glancing over my shoulder. No sign of the guards.
Ulean, can you warn Lainule we might need help?
I will. Be cautious, Cicely. I do not know what’s going on in there. I cannot read the vampires’ energies.
With Rhiannon on my heels, I slammed through the door and into the kitchen, skidding to a halt in case they were there. Nothing but a silent room.
The kitchen had been entirely rebuilt. The new color was chiffon yellow, pale as the cool morning light in early spring, and it spread across the room, a gradient of apricot blushing toward the ceiling. The trim had been replaced, and all the cabinets and cupboards. The workmanship was meticulous.
I glanced around, trying to decide whether to go up the back staircase to the bedrooms or—
A noise from the living room caught my attention and I slowed, motioning for Rhiannon to stay behind me. I felt for the sheath hanging off my belt, gripping the hilt of my new dagger. Lainule herself had given it to me, and it was fit for a queen—wickedly sharp, a magical silver alloy, and deadly. Behind me, Rhiannon drew her matching gilt-edged one. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Rhia hadn’t been trained in use of a blade, and I didn’t want her stabbing me by accident. Or herself.
We peeked around the wall leading to the living room. Here, where the smoke had damaged furniture and wallpaper but not the actual structure, the walls had been stripped and now a pale green illuminated the room, and the antiques had been restored where they could be. New furniture replaced the pieces too broken to be fixed.
Standing in the middle of the room were two men—vampires by the looks of their eyes—wearing dark suits. Between them, they restrained Luna, each holding one of her arms. They were ignoring her as they talked in soft whispers over her head.
Luna was crying, softly, and I saw her shiver as one of the vamps reached down to tip her chin up so she was staring him in the face. He said something—I couldn’t hear what—and she let out a whimper, then pressed her lips together.
“So, what the fuck do you plan on doing with my friend?” I stepped out from around the wall. I wanted more backup, but we had to do something.
The vamps glanced over at me, and then one snorted.
“Took you long enough, witch. We’re here to deliver a message.” He let go of Luna and shoved her forward with so much force that she went sprawling at my feet.
She landed hard on the floor, and I quickly bent to help her up. Struggling, she looked up at me, dazed. Her eyes were wide, and two ragged punctures marred her neck, dried blood from them coating her skin. I knew exactly what that meant.
“Fucking perverts, you fed from her.” I whirled on them. “You’d better not be aligned with Lannan, or I swear, I’m—”
The first vamp sneered. “Shut up, cunt. Try being a little more respectful. You see, we don’t give a fuck about your powers or your lineage or the fact that your oh-so-fragile neck is going to hold up a pretty little diadem.”
“Quiet,” his partner said. He pointed to Luna. “The girl is your message.” They turned to leave, but he stopped and glanced back. “Next time we meet, the warning will be harsher. You might caution your friend about being so carefree. We could have broken her neck without blinking an eye and left her on the street. We could have turned her and taken her with us.”
“Who sent you? Who are you working for?”
He laughed. “You’ll find out soon enough. We’re just administering a gentle reminder that not all vampires in New Forest are as entranced with you as that sycophant Altos and his bitch whore sister.”
I drew back my dagger, knowing it was a foolish move. But I had to do something. I couldn’t take them down with it, but I could do my best to protect us—at least for a while. I moved in front of Luna.
