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Her expression blanked. “Time to eat.” And she turned on her heel and went out the door.
27
RIDLEY
Zaq and I crouched on a roof across from the Hotel Garnet staring down at the courtyard.
It was Tuesday night. A few hours earlier, Zaq had received word from Spider that Karoly Kral and Victorine Tremblay were meeting here at midnight. Supposedly Rafael and Princess Zoe would be present, too.
Zaq shifted on his haunches. I glanced at him, glad to see him looking better. He’d scared the crap out of me the other night. I’d woken up to find him incoherent and shivering with silver poisoning. I hadn’t even hesitated to let him drink my blood. I’d have done pretty much anything to make him better.
I swallowed over something large and prickly in my throat. I’d become too invested in him; I knew that.
I returned my gaze to the empty courtyard. To Zaq’s dismay, we hadn’t been able to conceal ourselves inside the restaurant. Karoly had locked the entire hotel down as of Tuesday morning.
Suddenly the scene exploded into action. Expensive cars zoomed up to the hotel—sleek, supercharged cars that looked more like rockets than street vehicles. Within seconds, the courtyard swarmed with black-suited vampires and uniformed soldiers from the Kral Syndicate.
Two enforcers appeared from inside the hotel to update the newcomers. “Mraz staked the Tremblay prima,” said one.
“Victorine?” asked a vampire who’d just arrived.
The enforcers exchanged grim looks. “Yeah.”
What the hell? I strained to hear the details.
But I’d heard correctly. Karoly’s lieutenant had staked Prima Tremblay, and in retaliation, Karoly had sent Mraz to his final grave.
I glanced at Zaq. He stared down at the courtyard, a muscle in his jaw working. He palmed a dagger that he’d scared up from somewhere to go with the switchblade he’d taken from me.
So Karoly Kral had staked his own lieutenant. Crow’s intel had been correct. The primus was indeed purging his top people.
Karoly himself emerged from the restaurant and strode into the courtyard, rapping out orders at his people.
Zaq inhaled sharply and leaned forward.
Where was Rafe?
My stomach soured. If Rafe died, Zaq would never forgive me. It wouldn’t matter that I hadn’t staked Rafe myself. I was a part of this, and we both knew it.
He’d been cool with me all day. Withdrawn and polite in a nerve-grating way. I was pretty sure it wouldn’t take much for him to hate me.
I sipped a breath through my teeth. I didn’t want Zaq to hate me.
I don’t want to lose him. That was Starry-eyed Ridley talking.
Practical Ridley snorted. You never had him.
That’s not true. He likes me. He can’t get enough of me.
Liking isn’t love. Lust isn’t love, either.
I stifled a growl at my own confused heart and nudged Zaq. “Now d’you believe me?” I asked in an undertone.
He took an audible breath.
“Zaq?”
He shook his head and didn’t answer.
