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“Why not?”
“Because he thinks you’re a siren.”
“A what?” I raise my voice, then self-correct in a measured tone, “How utterly absurd.” I point at my boots. “I have legs.”
“Yes, but have you always had them?”
I march to the male. Looking up, I force his gaze to lock with mine. When it does, he grits his teeth as he feels the pull of my magic. “Sirens feed on fear and torture. The only thing I have in common with the sirens is that I like the company of fun lycans better than the foul company of vampires who have a habit of disappearing on me. Tell your general I said that.”
“If you try anything, I will avenge him.”
I giggle. “If I were a siren, I wouldn’t even have to try to seduce him. I’d already have snagged him, and so you see, I’m not a siren. Just a fairy female who has honed the art of seduction. Or at least I thought I had, until I met your general. He’s proven me wrong.” I tilt my head as a thought occurs to me. “He thinks I’m a siren because he’s been seduced?”
Ledger swallows. “No.”
“You’re lying.”
“Fuck.”
Giddy with excitement, I poke the vampire on the chest. “Tell your general he’s going down.”
19
NOTTUZA
Ledger is pacing my war room which the modern language calls an office. Leroy is sitting on the table in the center of the room, chewing on a piece of evergreen, releasing scent from the tiny branch into the room.
The smell gives me nostalgia.
Vampires can’t remember their fae lives, but the smells, sounds, and sometimes faces seem familiar. Over our long lives, we learn that familiarity comes from the places and people we used to know.
I spent some of the best parts of my childhood in what is now called the Winter Court moving from village to village and settling not too far from here. I know this because my little brother told me our history. The pain of my memories stuck with me for many turns, prompting me to set up a rule for all the other vampires who wished to create notturnos out of the dead fae. The mind wipe and a clean slate is one rule I put in place that still stands.
My people have either disregarded or bent other rules, which in turn has placed them at the disadvantage at which they find themselves now. What makes matters worse, the ruling fae, meaning the Summerlings, have convinced my people that dividing themselves into different vampire houses, as well as walking in the sun is to their advantage.
It isn’t.
But the fae have manipulated my people for so many centuries, they can’t even see how the fae suppressed them.
I intend to make them see.
“Leroy.” I point at the border village on the map of the fae courts in front of him. “It’s not a foreign language. There’s no reason to study the location this intensely.”
“The map doesn’t match what I’ve seen while scouting.” He pulls out a crumpled piece of paper and starts unfolding it.
After scouting, Leroy draws his own map. At this stage of reconnaissance, the map is made of doodled papers bunched up in his pockets. We’ve used Leroy’s doodle maps during some of the most difficult land conquests, and I have no doubt he knows what he’s talking about.
“According to the map Aamako gave us, the borders haven’t changed since their wars ended. They’ve settled with whatever land they agreed upon after the peace proclamation. But when I scouted, I could see that the lines between the Winter and Fallen Courts have blurred, with the Winter Court crossing the border into the other court.”
“Makes sense since Aamako rules both.”
“He doesn’t rule either.” Ledger continues to pace the room, now circling the round table.
I dislike being circled about, so I move toward the exit and lean my shoulder against the doorframe, crossing one ankle over the other. I tuck a hand into my pocket and grab the toy soldier, swiping my thumb back and forth over its head. “Aamako is like most other predatory beasts. Best left alone and admired from afar. He knows it, and we know it. Those who didn’t aren’t walking among us anymore. He rules by proxy.” As my little brother ruled through me.
Ledger continues circling, sometimes scratching the back of his neck. A nervous gesture.
“They’ve built settlements inside the other court,” Leroy says.
