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Winter glanced at the man as they walked away with calm steps despite her itch to run for cover. The man watched them the whole time, then disappeared in the shadows. They were left alone until they returned to familiar hallways, but she didn’t stop moving until they were in the kitchen, safe and sound—or as safe as any place could get in a castle teeming with predators. Body slack and knees shaking, she slumped against a steel counter.
“So, if we didn’t belong to House Hendricks….”
“There’s one rule you have to understand here,” Hilda intoned quietly. “The bigger houses devour the smaller houses, while the smaller houses fight their way to become part of the bigger houses. Above it all lies the royal house, which is feared by them all; a human such as yourself would never be able to stand against.”
“And your master? Is he above it all, too?”
“You have seen what the crown prince does and what the second son is absent from. You have delivered trays to him nightly. I’m tired of telling you what he does or does not do. That’s for you to decide. You are in Ostrov Krov, their lair. There’s a life to carve here if you are lucky enough to be part of the better houses.”
But was that all the life left for them?
“You don’t know what’s going on around here,” Hilda warned when Winter didn’t speak. “The wheels are turning.”
“What wheels?”
“Go to sleep. Keep your head down. Get some rest because when the master needs you, you won’t have much time for rest anymore.”
Sensing the argument rearing its ugly head from Hilda’s defiant form, Winter walked away, muttering along the way.
“Fine. Call me when there’s an emergency catering—or when there’s a life we can save.”
Maddox didn’t say a word as he lurked by the kitchen door, then tailed her on her way to her room. In her room, Winter tried to sleep off the frustration, but she tossed and turned in bed, then slept with dreams of blood, screams, and a face with no eyes. The foul mood intensified when she woke up, determined to confront Nate…except he confronted her first with a folded note just under her door.
Party next week. Be prepared.
Minutes later, Hilda burst into the room carrying a large box and a calmer expression than last night as the woman briskly got down to business.
“I need your measurements. We need a lot of dresses for you before your first party if you are to be Master Nathaniel’s plus one. We also need an attitude adjustment.”
Chapter 4
Nate couldn't figure out how his kind flourished in parties like this, but attending one was a different matter, considering how he was once again the only representative of House Hendricks who could make it—not that that was his excuse for attending. He made his rounds, as usual, caught up with some politics here and there, but generally kept himself removed from pledging to whatever cause was being thrown his way. He greeted closer houses with cheer but spoke of nothing personal as for the first time in a long time, impatience rang in his bones.
“I heard you have a plus one. You never bring a plus one to our seasonal parties. Is it one of the house daughters? Is it someone new? I can’t imagine you bringing anyone when you have been flying solo for so long.” A gasp came from the man who spoke, his silk shirt covered with the most ridiculous purple flowers. But then again, everyone was dressed extravagantly. “Don’t tell me it’s a human creature.”
“I won’t tell you, then,” Nate answered promptly, not ready to play this game yet. But he humored Hughes Silva, whose family was among the leading traders in Ostrov Krov. “What is your concept tonight, Hughes?”
The man lit up and puffed out his chest, displaying the flowers more prominently. “Weaved flowers from Centro. They are made of the dried leaves from an exquisite tree that only grows in the fall season, so they harvest them quickly before winter comes to their place.”
“They?”
“Shifters, I presume. They are the only ones who trade something as whimsical as clothes with us, since the Fae wouldn’t dare.” There was no judgment to the man’s tone, as was expected from most of the vampire traders. “But back to you. If not a human, is it a daughter?”
“Now, now, Hughes, you know I can’t bring a house daughter to an event like this. It wouldn’t be fair to the other daughters. Or mothers,” he said, aware that was what the man wanted to hear. On cue, Hughes threw his head back in laughter, an appreciative gleam in his features as he patted Nate’s back.
“Oh, yes, we wouldn’t want that. All those mothers vying for the attention of the two princes.”
“Just the one prince,” Nate countered lightly. “I’m hardly an option.”
“Trust me, you are one of the top options. Why, if only I had a daughter….”
Because Hughes had none, the conversation was easygoing, if not also a bit preening. Nate went with it until the older man bid him goodbye, gliding to talk to a fellow trader and compare notes. Nate backed away from the crowd until he was in a corner once more, watching the entrance for any sign of her. Had she read the note? Did she change her mind? Perhaps she had only said yes to get out of death but had been plotting how to wriggle her way out of the promise since then. Glittery floral dresses filled the doorway as guests stepped in to showcase their spring attires. One wore something sheer, enveloping her body like water with only the lightest-colored flowers covering the essentials…
With a start, the realization sank in that he was looking at Winter. So, he kept looking, watching as she continued walking in with her head held high. The flowers extended to her hair, the wildness tamed into a bun with only a few wisps framing her face. Sparkles dotted here and there, one at the corner of her mouth which drew his attention to the plumpness of her lower lip. On cue, she bit it and chewed it, her blue eyes flicking around, then looking down every few seconds.
Nerves,his mind connected, even while the concept fascinated him. He had never been one for nerves, but he supposed it was common for humans. Winter was doing a good job of keeping it at bay, but a blur stopped in front of her, holding out a hand and closing in on her.
Oh, no, you don’t.
