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“The seraphs weren’t my idea,” she replied. Then she reached up, pulling down the cloth that covered her face, and let out a shrill whistle. All the seraphs stopped, heads turning to her.

“Neat trick,” Eliza said, keeping her eyes trained on Death’s Shadow. She wore all black, as usual. She blended in with the shadows, her honey-colored eyes dancing with mania and violence.

Nuri shrugged. “They listen like the trained dogs they are.” Her gaze skipped over their company, a pointed grin curving on her lips when she said, “Pretty plant prince, good to see you again.”

“Insufferable Daughter of Night,” Azrael replied, a seraph still wrapped in vines before him. “I was hoping you were dead by now.”

Nuri’s grin turned into a pout. “Rude when I just stopped an attack on you and have information on your water friends.” Her eyes slid to his right, and the grin returned. “The wanna-be king.” She made a big show of appearing to search for someone else. “The Toreall Heir has not joined this escapade? Pity.”

“You spoke of Briar and Sawyer, but what of Drake and Tava?” Callan called out to her.

“This is why I assumed the final mortal king would be with you. You sent Drake back. Now Callan is here. The next obvious foolish move is to deliver the final mortal heir into their hands,” Nuri drawled. Her gaze moved over Rayner, pausing on the snake.

“We are not delivering Callan to anyone,” Eliza gritted out.

Nuri only hummed, still studying Tula. Eliza glanced quickly at Rayner, his eyes swirling violently. They didn’t need him expelling his magic unless absolutely necessary. It took him months to replenish it.

Eliza slid between Nuri and Rayner. “I would stop looking at him like that.”

“Alaric will be upset to learn he has lost a Power Shifter,” Nuri replied, apparently having overheard their conversations from the cover of the surrounding foliage.

“So don’t tell him.”

Nuri dragged her eyes to Eliza, looking at her as if she were indeed a moron. “I cannot keep something like this from him.” Her eyes flicked up, and a moment later, Eliza felt Razik land behind her. “I was wondering when you were going to stop fluttering around up there.”

Eliza choked on a laugh, glancing up at Razik, who was glaring at the Contessa, but Nuri was already focused back on Eliza. “Right then, I guess I deal with you. I always liked you. You are an actual challenge when we fight, almost as if you trained in the Black Syndicate.”

“Trained in the Black Syndicate?” Eliza scoffed. “I picked up Scarlett’s training where it had been left lacking. I am the one who trained her in the Fire Court.”

Nuri tipped her head back in a laugh. “Well met, General.”

“Can you explain to me why we are listening to you two chatter like females at high tea instead of killing the Fae and taking the mortal and Shifter to our prince?” one of the seraphs groused.

“I do not owe you any explanations,” Nuri replied without bothering to look at him.

“We do not, in fact, answer to you, you know,” he snarled.

Nuri went completely still, and Eliza found herself stepping back into Razik at the look that had come over the Night Child’s face. Nuri slowly turned her head to look at the seraph.

“Say that again,” she hissed.

The seraph turned, squaring off with her. “I said we do not answer to you,” he repeated with a sneer, his lip curling up. “It is only a courtesy to our Commander that we stopped at your—”

But he was cut off by the fangs that were in his throat. Nuri had moved so fast, Eliza hadn’t seen her go from one spot to the next. One moment she had been standing in front of her and Razik, the next blink she had been at the male’s throat. It had been quite some time since she’d seen the speed of the Night Children this close.

Nuri didn’t stop at just biting the male though. She ripped his entire throat out with her fangs, spitting it onto the ground. Blood was dripping down her chin when her manic eyes swiveled back to Eliza. “A little fire help here, General?”

Eliza didn’t have the words to say anything as she tossed flames atop the now still seraph. Razik’s wing was wrapped loosely around her, shielding her from Nuri.

“Anyone else want to question why you answer to me?” Nuri purred darkly to the other seraphs.

“Are we going to do anything about this?” Eliza muttered to Razik.

“Why would we?” he replied in a hushed tone. She looked up at him. “We want the seraphs dead. She’s doing the job for us,” he continued, his sapphire eyes fixed on Nuri.

He made a valid point.

“Sorry about that,” Nuri said, walking back to Eliza as she adjusted her gloves. Blood was smeared across her cheek where she’d wiped it off her chin. The remaining seraphs had taken to the sky, leaving them alone with Death’s Shadow. “Sometimes the dogs need to be reminded who’s in charge.”