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“Sargon must have turned her. She loved being a sorceress. This is awful. She doesn’t look the same, like some airbrushed version of herself.”
“She’s here. Be calm, please. Don’t give us away, Olivia.” Sebastian looked over my shoulder. “Ravena.”
“You must be Sebastian.” My mom’s voice carried between us.
I stood upright, and Sebastian held me still.
“Thank you for taking care of her, but I’ve got it from here.”
Sebastian glanced in Sargon’s direction, then smiled at Ravena, pretending to be introducing us. He gave my mom my hand and backed away. Another lady asked to dance with him, and he took her out onto the floor, never moving his eyes from me.
“What are you doing here?” My mom grabbed my hands, squeezing them tight. “I wish I could hug you, honey.”
The sentiment took me by surprise. I wasn’t sure what I had expected, but her being her normal self wasn’t it. “You’re a vampire.”
She walked me to the window, looking out. “Whisper,” she breathed. “Although it’s loud in here, use caution. The king is watching us.”
“You mean my dad,” I hushed.
The corner of her mouth twitched down. “You know.”
“That I’m a vampire princess, yes. Sebastian took me from the guild. They killed almost everyone else.”
Her face crumpled, but she quickly regained her composure. “Draven is here,” she whispered. “I have only been allowed out since yesterday but haven’t found a moment to speak to him.”
I swallowed thickly, placing my hand against my chest. “He’s alive.”
“We’ll get him out of this too. He’s enslaved.”
My stomach dipped, and I wrung my hands, trying not to let my tears fall. “I hoped he wouldn’t be. Do you have a plan?”
“I didn’t,” she admitted. “I was hoping my being here would be a distraction enough that Sargon wouldn’t look for you, but here you are.”
“He doesn’t know who I am,” I said and chewed on my nails.
“I guessed as much. Walk with me.” She snapped her fingers at her side and headed for the drinks table. “We have to part ways before he becomes suspicious. What room are you in?”
“The uh—” I searched my memory. “Red suite in the west wing.”
“I’ll find you. Do not come looking for me. Stay with your friend.”
I nodded, unable to contain my shaking as I watched her leave, returning to the king’s side. I hurried across the room, stumbling over a discarded necklace. I found Sebastian looking over and gestured for him to join me. I couldn’t help but glance back at her and pinched my eyes shut when I saw her.
Sebastian’s hand landed on my shoulder, and I leaned into him. “She’s going to come to our room, and Draven’s here, somewhere.”
Kalon returned at Sargon’s side, watching us, whispering something to the king. Sebastian cupped my cheek. “Keep it together, love.” He brought his lips close to mine. It would appear as if we were sharing an intimate moment to anyone else in the room. Whereas he was just trying to make sure I didn’t break down, but I was past that now. The thought of Draven being here, being alive, was enough to keep me standing.
“I’m okay,” I promised as his breath tingled against me.
“Good.” He ran a thumb over the side of my neck.
It may have all been for show, but I melted into his touch, enjoying the feeling, even though it was pretend, of being cared for by anyone right now. Then I left the room, leaving a longing look after my mom, wishing more than anything she could hold me and take me away from all of this. But when I watched her move with such grace and speed, I was reminded that she belonged here now, in Sanmorte, as one of them.
TWENTY-TWO
I’d collapsed from exhaustion before I could find Draven last night. Sebastian shuffled against the sheets when I moved, opening my eyes to the dimly lit room. Someone had repaired our window, so we didn’t have to move rooms, and the glass was all gone. Dappled light reached around the cracks in the long drapes, sending slithers of light up the carpet and over to the bed.
I felt differently this morning, perhaps because I’d finally found my mom and Draven after all my searching, but only one of them was unsavable.
