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“The real question is, what will we do next week?” Kieran moved until he was lying down and tugged Samara to lie beside him. Draven followed suit, settling in next to Kieran and wrapping his body around him, one hand resting on Samara’s collarbone.

“Fix the broken alliances between the Houses and somehow make nice with the Velesians.” Alaric rolled his eyes and then moved to Samara’s other side.

“That sounds less fun.” Kieran pouted.

Samara looked at me, clearly wondering what I was going to do. Oh fuck it. I crawled forward and shoved Alaric over. He rolled his eyes but let me settle between him and Samara as I rested my head on her chest and listened to her heartbeat.

“If any of you ever mention to my brothers that I willingly cuddled, I will skin you alive.”

“Awww,” Kieran cooed. “We love you too, Roth.”

I grumbled more threats even as I tucked my face into Samara’s body so none of them could see my smile.

“Where are you going?” I asked quietly as I propped myself up a little, being careful not to disturb Samara, who was still sleeping next to me.

Kieran paused halfway through getting up, his hand in Draven’s, who was already standing next to the bed in a damp pair of pants and nothing else.

We’d all done our best to rinse our clothes off earlier, but for all the niceties the Fae had given this place, it was still a damp, underground cave system. Our clothes would take forever to dry.

“We’re going to search this place and see if we can find some clean clothes and maybe some weapons,” Kieran whispered before standing.

“Good idea,” I replied quietly. “We should be ready to go when my family gets back.”

The two of them nodded and left. It was then I realized Alaric was already gone. Likely scouring the rooms for any information left behind by the Fae.

Usually, I would be all over the potential of finding new Fae books or scrolls.

Surprisingly . . . I didn’t have any inclination to join him.

I looked at Samara’s dark hair fanned around the bed and the warmth of her hand on my hip.

There was nowhere else I wanted to be right now.

Samara’s brows furrowed slightly before smoothing out, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

“How long have you been awake?”

“Since Alaric elbowed me in the back when he got up.” Dark eyelashes fluttered before dark purple eyes gazed at me full of humor. “The ass was just bitter about being on the outside of the bed. He should have been thankful I didn’t shove him off it.”

“We’re going to have to get a bigger bed wherever we end up.” I sighed. I’d have to get used to cuddling too.

It hadn’t actually been that bad. It had been kind of nice to be cocooned in warmth.

“Yeah,” she replied softly. That crease formed between her brows again and stayed there.

“What are you thinking about in that magnificent mind of yours?” I laid my head back down on the pillow so that our faces were only inches apart.

“Assuming we defeat Carmilla and find some way to do all the other things on our list . . . then what?” There was none of that brash bravado in her expression now.

“House Laurent is a problem, obviously. Demetri’s a piece of shit, and his mother would love nothing more than to see the demise of all Velesians.

Corvinus has never been trustworthy. Your family’s House is amazing, but they don’t exactly play nicely with others.

And while we’re generally on good terms with House Tepes and Salvatore, I have no idea how they’re going to react to all this.

And then there is the Sovereign House . . .”

“What about it?” I frown. “You’ll take it over. My House will back it up, and it’s likely Tepes will too. The others will fall in line.”

“I never planned on being queen, Roth,” Samara argued. “My plan was to be Heir for at least another few decades until Carmilla stepped down and I rose—as the Head of House Harker, not the bloody queen of the Moroi!”

“You have to admit that The Blood Queen does have a nice ring to it though,” I mused.

“Not. Helping.” Samara huffed and rolled over until she stared up at the ceiling.

I pushed myself up so I was leaning on my arm and looking down at her. “Are you worried about this because you don’t want to be queen . . . or because you do and you’re concerned that you’ll become as corrupt as the previous two?”

Her eyes darted to mine, and I knew I’d guessed right. I’d never be as astute as Kieran at reading people, but I did know how Samara’s mind worked. She held herself to an almost impossible standard and was her own worst critic in many ways.

“First, I don’t think for a second that you becoming an evil queen is even a possibility.”

“You literally called me The Blood Queen a moment ago! That doesn’t sound like a nice title, Roth!”

I snorted. “We’re Moroi. There’s nothing nice about us, and blood is intrinsic to who we are.”

She pursed her lips, and I resisted the urge to lean down and kiss her because I didn’t want to get distracted—and I absolutely would if my lips touched any part of her.

“But if you need further assurances,” I told her softly, “you have us. Do you think Kieran would ever let you strip away the free will of others after growing up in that horribly manipulative House?”

She didn’t even hesitate. “Of course not.”

“Do you think Draven would let you lock up crying children in a dungeon after he holds himself responsible for the deaths of so many in the outposts?”

“None of that is his fault!” she snarled, her eyes flashing black. “That was fucking Erendriel’s doing.”

“It was,” I agreed. “But there’s the truth—and then there is the guilt he carries. He would never sit by while you harmed innocents.”

“I know,” she said softly.

“And Alaric cares deeply for the outposts because that is where his family is from,” I reminded her, even though I knew I didn’t have to.

“His parents are at an outpost now.” She bunched her brows together again. “We should warn them in case Carmilla?—”

“Already done.” I reached up and brushed my thumb across her brow, smoothing out the wrinkles. “Alaric sent them a message before we left House Harker. He kept things vague, but they headed to one of the more remote outposts. They’re as safe as they can be.”

“Oh.” She exhaled and closed her eyes as my thumb traced a path across her brow and then down her jawline. “And what about you?”

“What about me?” I tucked some of her dark locks behind her ear.

Those stunning eyes of hers slowly opened. “Will you keep me from becoming a tyrant?”

“Babe, I don’t even let you be a tyrant in the bedroom. What makes you think I’ll let you be one on the throne?”

A husky laugh tumbled from her lips, and I smiled. I loved hearing her laugh—especially when I was the one who caused it.

I didn’t mention Vail, and neither did she. That just seemed like a way to derail this conversation. Besides, Draven seemed to have some vested interest in helping Vail succeed. I had no idea why, but I was more than willing to let him take the lead on that.

“The crown wants me to claim it,” Samara said after her laughter died off.

“Do you want to?” I asked curiously. A sentient Fae artifact definitely fascinated me from an academic standpoint, even if the magic it was capable of horrified me.

She thought about it for a long moment, and I didn’t push her, just continued playing with strands of her hair. It was so silky. I didn’t think I’d ever grow tired of touching it.

“I do want to,” she finally answered. “But not for its power—that, I find abhorrent. It’s because I feel in my soul”—she placed a hand on her chest—“that it does belong with me. And it’s so lonely.”

It was my turn to laugh. “Of course you’d befriend an inanimate object.”

“Honestly, it has a good sense of humor.” She frowned. “We should come up with a name for it. Feels strange just referring to it as an ‘it,’ but I don’t think it has any concept of gender. Maybe I’ll just go with they for now and ask the crown if they have a preference . . .”

“We’ll figure out something with the crown,” I assured her. “Maybe there’s a way to change its magic. Or we could just keep it—them—somewhere safe where you could regularly visit them.”

She sighed and stared back up at the ceiling. “Another thing to add to the list.”

“Hey.” I tilted her face towards me, and those concerned eyes met mine. “I swear to you that I will help you figure this out. You are not alone in this.” I swallowed. “I love you, Samara Harker.”

Her eyes got a little misty. “I love you too, Astaroth Devereux.”

I smiled at hearing my full name on her lips—the one I’d been running away from my whole life. I’d been running from the mantle of being part of the Devereux line but never really fitting in anywhere.

I was the lost scholar who’d finally found a home in her.

Samara scooted closer, laying her head on my shoulder and her hand over my heart, where heat suddenly flared—and a bond thrummed to life.

“You’re mine, Roth,” Samara breathed. “Always and forever.”

“And you’re mine too, my Blood Queen. Always and forever.”