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He tapped his finger against his chin, looking up in thought, slowly sitting on a bench pushed against a wall. “We can’t know for sure.”
My breath hitched as I closed the distance between us. He had to understand how much danger we were in. “I do. Trust me, he knows who I am. If the name and what I am didn’t give me away, then my emotions did. I even look a bit like Sargon.” My words stumbled over each other as I struggled to get them out fast enough.
He loosed a heavy sigh. “Then we’re out of time. We need to act now.”
“And what? Kill him?” Goose bumps spread over my arms, raising the hairs and pricking cold on my skin. I recalled the feeling of Kalon blocking my gift, seeing the knowing in his eyes as I tried to touch his emotions, and shuddered. “He’s too powerful.”
“We don’t have another choice.”
I pressed my fingers against my temples, shaking my head slowly. “Yes, we do. We can find my mom and get out of here tonight.”
His lips formed into a hard line. “Erianna and Zach will be arriving tonight or by the morning. We can’t leave them here.”
I pointed a finger at his chest, tears welling in my eyes. “You promised to protect me.”
“I am, but we have a deal too.”
My heart raced, raising the hairs on the back of my neck. “I don’t want to die here,” I admitted, my chest tightening from the idea of being buried here, this castle being the last place I saw before I left this world. Shaking my hands at my side, I paced in a circle.
“I will not let that happen. You will become queen.”
“Fuck you and becoming queen.” I balled my fists, halting my pacing to glare at him. “I will not let myself get killed for your mortality.”
“It goes beyond that now.”
I held my breath, storming over to the window. “What do we do then?”
He stood. “We go downstairs, we dance, and we get close to Kalon, watch his every movement. So now we know he’s a threat. We can monitor him.”
“He probably has eyes on us.” I stared, my chin trembling.
“Then we need to give him one hell of a show.” He strode to my side, cupping my shoulder. “I’m not going to let him kill you. I promise.”
“No.” I wiped my nose on the back of my sleeve. “Gods forbid someone murders your tool to get your mortality back.” Bitterness threaded my tone. “Take me down there, then.”
“As soon as Erianna and Zach arrive, we’ll be better off. They can help.”
I thought about Erianna and the blade I’d left in my room. After tonight, I wouldn’t let it out of my sight. Not with Kalon waiting in the shadows.
We reached the banquet room. Sargon waved us over, and Sebastian smiled as if he didn’t have a care in the world. I did my best to emulate that. In the shadowy corner of the room, tents were erected, with doors made from a thin net allowing visibility inside, enough to see the erotic writhing of bodies together inside.
Beyond them, mortal women danced, dressed in fabrics that barely covered their breasts and stomachs. Their jewelry looked more expensive than anything I could ever afford. They were treated well, it seemed, as they moved to the beat of the string quartet playing.
Sangaree devoured their victims at the back of the room, laying mortals down on the long, wooden tables and benches, sinking their fangs into their necks. A man and woman couple swapped their victims after they’d taken a drink, holding them up with ease while laughing about something seemingly unrelated. The mortals looked drugged, just like those in the blood den, but they were dressed in fine outfits. They even decorated their food. I pulled Sebastian’s sleeve when Sargon pulled my attention to him.
“Young lady.” He kissed my hand.
I curtseyed despite my disgust at the room. “Your Majesty.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. May I?” He took my arm without waiting for an answer. “May I have this next dance?”
Sebastian gave me a sharp nod. But, of course, I would not turn down the king. I searched the room for Kalon, but he’d disappeared. Sebastian was looking around too and walked off to the back windows. I gazed at the stained-glass artwork depicting Sargon’s coronation, which was probably centuries before I was thought of.
“You’re distracted,” he said firmly and took my hand in his. Sangaree spread around us, giving us the space to move freely, whereas they all moved close to each other.
“Sorry,” I whispered, letting him guide me into a waltz. “I was feeling a little dizzy earlier.”
“How are you finding the castle?”
