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In the moment at the ball, it had been so easy to convince myself it wasn’t him. Just a brief moment with a common-looking man. His appearance was as I remembered, but his demeanor was entirely different.

Now, the aura around the spymaster was as I remembered, like oil seeped from the air he breathed, dark and destroying.

I stood immediately, my hand clumsily reaching for the bronze dagger in the sheath at my side.

The servant arched a brow. “Now, none of that. You’ll only hurt yourself, Samara. I simply came to say hello.”

“I don’t believe you.”

The servant spread his arms wide. “Now, Samara. I’m simply happy to see you doing well.”

I wished I was more confident in my training. Wished I was like Raphael who could kill without remorse. “Because trusting the king’s spymaster is in my best interest, Titus?”

“At least I haven’t abandoned my country,” Titus drawled.

“My country abandoned me first,” I hissed. My knuckles strained around my dagger. The exact opposite to the light, secure grip Demos had tried to train me on.

Titustsked. “Now, now. A little time in Greymere for a void is nothing. It’s not like you’re a witch.”

Greymere was hell. But there was no point in arguing the matter. He was simply goading me. “I just want a fresh start, Titus.”

“A fresh start. For you, of all people?” He took a step forward, but I had no room to go back. “I simply find it interesting that their demon king has taken an interest in you. I wonder if he’d be as charitable if he knew who you really were?”

My grip loosened, and he seized the opportunity to snatch my dagger. It fit easily in his hand, and he twirled his hand up to point the blade at me.

I swallowed, and satisfaction rolled over the spymaster’s lips at the sight.

“I’m not a threat to you,” I said softly.

“On that, I agree perfectly.” He was too close. His scent of bitter almonds made me breathe through my mouth. “You’re an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?” I bit my tongue on the echo.

His grin was serpentine. Patient, but all too satisfied he’d piqued my interest. “You’re the king’s Chosen, girl. You could do the Crown a great service in your role.”

I wanted to ask what he meant, but this time I kept silent. Titus sighed, as if annoyed I wasn’t playing the proper role in this conversation.

“You could help me deal a blow to their kingdom. One they wouldn’t recover from.”

Now I couldn’t hold back my cursed curiosity. “What do you intend?”

But as I’d known, spies delighted in withholding information, not sharing it. “Leave those details to me. But if you did agree, I could return you to the safety of the Witch Kingdom. Not your home, certainly, but I could put you in a village somewhere and ensure no one ever sought you there. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”

I could go back. No. I shook off the thought, not taking my eyes off Titus for a moment. I couldn’t betray Raphael.Yes, I believed the vampires were evil, but… maybe they weren’t as evil as I always thought. And I certainly didn’t trust Titus. “I just want to be left alone.”

“Left alone? Or left as the vampire king’s pet?” he asked snidely.

I glared but said nothing.

“What a spoiled pet, I suppose. The vampires are so nice to you. Not like the bad ones you knew before… I bet you’ve convinced yourself they’redifferent.”

His patronizing tone made the hair on my neck bristle.

“You should learn more about your new owners, Samara Koisemi. See more of the mountain. Learn what lies in the rot of their kingdom. And when you can no longer lie to yourself, and remember your true allegiances, I’ll be back.” He tossed the dagger at my feet. “I’m a wonderful ally, girl. But remember: The king’s shadowed hand is a terrible enemy to have. Something your mother should have known.”

Titus fingered a card at his side and disappeared. Music washed over me, making me acutely aware that it had been absent in the past minutes of our conversation. Had he slowed time, or simply put us in a bubble with some magic?

My mind was divided in two. One part wanted to puzzle through the logistics of what had just happened. How was he here? What was his endgame? Would he follow through on his threats? Should I be helping him?