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Unable to stand his tenderness any longer, I pulled my hand free and inspected the coin. On one side, the coin was embossed with the sigil of House Allard: a moon, a blade, and a coiled serpent encircled by twelve stars—one for each of the twelve vampire princes who ruled over the Unified Territories. I spun the coin. On the other side was a water lily.

“Do not hesitate to use it,” he added.

The air went out of me in a rush. Why? Why was he saying these things? He didn’t even know my name, and yet here he was giving me this coin, this promise so freely.

“I cannot accept this,” I said, trying to hand it back to him.

The Duke crossed his arms and offered me his most charming smile. A hint of humor lit his eyes. “Well, I’m not taking it back.”

I let out a scoff. “What should I do with it?”

Leaning in ever so slightly, the Duke said, “I hope you’ll use it.”

His cool breath fanned across my face. His lips lifted in a grin that hinted at mischief. My traitorous brain raced through all the things I’d like to do with him. Or rather, would like him to do to me. My heart gave a painful lurch. Vampires either had mates or consorts, and I was neither to him.

Gathering my skirts, I offered him a quick curtsey. “I should be going.”

“Of course,” Yves said, clasping his hands behind his back and bowing. “Until we meet again. Au revoir.”

Chapter 7

Résolue

CORA

The Duke waved from atop his chestnut thoroughbred before turning in the direction of his château. As I watched him go, I made a promise to myself: that was the very last time I would see Yves Allard.

As soon as he was gone, Della dug her talons into my shoulder hard enough to puncture skin and launched herself into the air, landing atop the striped awning of a fishmonger across the street. The big raven was heavy enough to shake the frame, and caused the wind chime dangling from the corner to sound. I hurried after her, but the sound drew the attention of the old fish merchant.

He appeared at the doorway with a cleaver in his meaty hand, and pointed it at Della. “Oi! That bird better not be eyeing my oysters!”

“She’s not hungry,” I reassured him. “She’s just being difficult.”

He cast me a suspicious look, then went back to his fish. Once he was gone, I stomped my foot in a way that mimicked Adrien far too well. “Get down this instant!”

“A castle! A castle!” Della repeated.

“I know what I said, but we can not take that job,” I gritted out.

My familiar ruffled her feathers into a magnificent puff, then turned her back on me.

Out of all the stubborn things.

“Please come down, Della,” I said, trying to hide my impatience. “We have a busy day.”

Despite my plea, she took off into the sky, disappearing against the glare of the sun. I told myself she was looking for an oyster to pilfer, but I knew Della didn’t scavenge when she was angry. She did it when she was thinking. And I had a very bad feeling about what she was ruminating on.

I tucked myself underneath the fabric awning, between rows of fresh fish on melting ice, which provided a bit of shade, and stared at Yves’s coin.

“Curse that bird. And that man,” I grumbled.

My thoughts began to swirl, as they so often did. Mama’s ghost in the glass, Adrien’s appearance, the Duke and his offer, and now, Della’s hasty departure. The weight of them sat heavy on my chest. It was like everyone wanted something from me that I could no longer give. Pieces of my heart that had been burned alongside my mother and scattered to the wind.

One stall down, a butcher’s cleaver came down with a heavy thwack, severing the head of a lifeless goose. I jolted as he lifted it by its tail, and pink juice dripped from the wound.

All of a sudden, this city felt like it was trying to strangle whatever semblance of peace I was trying to find. In fact, the shells and the songs and the street vendors all felt suffocating. I had hoped to sell one of my relics and find some little cottage on the coast, but now I knew that was impossible. I couldn’t stay in this place. I needed to get as far away from here as I could.

Lifting the hem of my skirt, I raced through the crowded streets. As I ran, the glare of the sun turned to flames. The faces of passersby turned bloody. The paverstones to cold dirt.