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The chess game he was playing continued for what felt like hours. We moved across the room, mingling and chatting, until the center of the room cleared for the dancing.

It wasn’t until then that I finally got a glimpse of how fucked his plan truly was and how bad it was for me.

“You’re not the only one who’s had trouble with them lately,” Icas said as we were all pushed to the sides of the room so couples could dance. The sound of the live band filtered out the conversation from prying ears. But not mine.

“All I wanted was a little taste, really,” the woman pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. “How was I supposed to know he was high-ranking in the coven? And it’s not like I would have killed him if they didn’t show up.”

I grimaced at her words.Disgusting.How she even cornered a witch was a miracle, but actually killing one and escaping before the rest of their coven got involved?

Something else was going on here.

“We’ll take care of it,” Icas told her as he held me closer, his grip bruising my shoulder. “Consider it a wedding gift.To the family.”

Family. My family.I recognized the woman. I had seen her around the table at my father’s gatherings previously.

Her bloodred lips twisted into a sinister smirk.

“Keep treating me this well, and I’ll have no choice but to stick around longer.”

Icas let out a laugh that chilled me to my bones. “Well, you’re not the only one. Many people have already pledged their loyaltyto Aurelia here. Where she goes, so do they. You’ll be in good company.”

Blood rushed to my ears, drowning out the music and voices around me. My feet became unsteady. And quicker than ever, the fire that was burning at my insides became an inferno.

My family. My mother’s.

Were they really going to follow me?They couldn’t.This wasn’t in the plan. Father made it very clear that there would be no transfer of people.

He was stealing them. Getting on their good side with false promises and using my name for it.

Not even my name—my mother’s.That’s why they stuck around. Many of them making it clear even at our engagement announcement.

My mother’s black-veined face hit me like a ton of bricks, reminding me just how much she gave up for them. For me.

Can I truly let them go like this? Knowing what he will do to them? Knowing they will turn into nothing but his slaves? Knowing that when Father finds out, there will be an all-out war between the families?

He wouldn’t take this lightly.

Henry, the man with a weak knee who gave me a chance to end it all, would never make it. The vampires who had nothing to their name, being taxed into poverty, could offer nothing to him…What would he even do with them besides making them work off their “debts” to his family?

No.

I pushed him away. He had the audacity to look shocked.

“Aurelia—”

“He’ll kill you,” I warned. “You think just because you’ve concocted some batshit crazy plan, he won’t see you are stealing our people?”

He placed his hands on his hips, puffed his chest, and gave me a sinister grin.

“They’re coming for you, princess,” he cooed. “You’re the one who’s stealing your own people. And right under daddy’s nose.”

“I never?—”

“You didn’t have to. Not when we have the next best thing,” he said. He turned his head to the side just as a person strolled up to him.Melia. She stood by his side and bowed her head to him. “I think the princess is tired, don’t you? Take her to her room.”

She merely nodded and lifted her gaze to meet mine. The shock of it was like a slap in the face.Since when did she ever listen to him?

My eyes darted to my stepmother, who was still by Father’s side at the head of the room. This time, it was her who looked at us. Her smile chilled me to my core.