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“It’s getting hard to find new bedmates when it feels like you’re related to half the people here.” A blond-haired man with a charming grin and bright green eyes chuckled as he practically sauntered into the room.

“Zander, what have I told you about eavesdropping?” Thessalia scolded the Moroi, who appeared to be about my age, as he dropped into the remaining empty chair.

His eyes widened a little as he gave her an innocent smile. “To not be so obvious about it, but I would never deign to lie to you, my liege.”

She rubbed her forehead. “This pain in the ass is the son of my most trusted advisor.”

“Pleased to meet you.” I grinned at him. “Eavesdropping on a Devereux is a bold move.”

“To be fair, I only do it on Thessalia because she adores me.”

Roth’s aunt snorted again before dropping her hand to her lap. “And because the one time he tried it on Severen, he found himself tied up tighter than a hog over a spit and hanging from a tree.”

“Took me hours to cut myself free.” Zander laughed. “Had to dislocate my shoulder and everything.”

Alaric stared at him for a long moment before turning to me. “Clearly it’s not just the Devereux line that is insane—it’s everyone in this House.”

“I think you just need to spend a little more quality time with them.” I smiled sweetly, and Alaric narrowed his eyes. “How about the three of you discuss this a little further?”

“And where will you be while I’m talking to the heathens?”

“Why do we get the rude one?” Zander muttered. “That blond fella looked much more easygoing.”

I patted Alaric on the cheek. “You’ll be fine. Just flutter those pretty eyelashes at them and—owww!” I yanked my hand back and sucked on my bleeding finger.

Alaric licked the blood off his lips, turquoise flaring in his eyes . . . and staying. “Go do what you need to, but you’re going to get punished for that sass later.”

“Can’t wait.” I winked.

“I can’t believe this is what Astaroth is marrying into.” Zander stared at the two of us wide-eyed before gleefully smiling. “This wedding is going to be amazing.”

Fifteen minutes later, I found myself in a dungeon very similar to the one I’d been locked in beneath the Sovereign House.

Thessalia had summoned a guard to escort me, who was now waiting outside the door to give me the illusion of privacy.

He hadn’t spoken much on our walk here, but he’d borne a wary expression when we’d stopped on this level, which told me that Nyx hadn’t magically gotten better after the crown’s magic had changed.

It had been a small hope that was now extinguished.

“Is Carmilla dead?”

I looked at the woman in the cell on the right; she’d definitely seen better days. Normally, Tamsen’s hair was a shiny curtain of dark russet brown that hung to her waist. Now, it was a dull nest of tangles. Even from where I stood, I could smell the dry blood on her clothing.

“Yes,” I answered, continuing to study her profile. “Did they not offer you a chance to clean up?”

“House Devereux isn’t exactly known for their hospitality,” she said tonelessly.

“Frankly, I’m impressed they let me see to my needs twice a day instead of just giving me a bucket, and I’m even more surprised they didn’t just kill me.

” Finally, those sky-blue eyes that were the same as their sibling’s looked at me.

“I take it I have you to thank for that? Given it was your Marshal who saved me and brought me here?”

I walked a little closer to the cell and rested my hand on the bars. The iron bit at me, and I dropped my hand. “I happen to be marrying into the family, so to speak. It comes with perks.”

“So you killed your aunt and you’re marrying into the most formidable of the Houses from a fighting standpoint.” She looked away from me. “Should I also assume that you’re here to order my death, considering my House is far from trustworthy?”

I pondered her. Tamsen was . . . tricky. She was loyal to Nyx—of that I had no doubt—but House Corvinus was a problem.

“Why did you run? All this time, you’ve played the game with your asshole parents. Played the role of dutiful Heir.”

Tamsen let out a joyless laugh. “I stayed because I foolishly thought I could just wait it out. That when my parents died, I could fix things. That they could come home.” Her voice broke as she spoke.

For the first time since walking into the room, I allowed myself to look at the person huddled in the dark back corner of the cell next to Tamsen’s. Nyx was sitting with their knees bent, arms loosely resting on them, while black eyes threaded with blue stared at me.

They didn’t say a word.

“My parents quietly issued an order that if Nyx were spotted, they were to be brought back to House Corvinus by any means necessary.”

My gaze snapped back to Tamsen. “Why?”

She let out a chilling laugh. “To get to you. They know of your friendship with my younger sibling—and that Carmilla was looking for you. Nyx was the bait for the trap they planned to set.”

“So you ran to find Nyx.” It wasn’t a question.

Tamsen’s face twisted in rage and heartache. “You were supposed to keep them safe. I got them out of our wretched House to keep them safe.”

Guilt hit me. I didn’t think it would ever stop, but I also knew it wasn’t rational. While Tamsen had done everything she could have to keep Nyx safe, so had I. And so had Adrienne.

My throat tightened.

I was trying not to lock away my emotions the way I had when my parents had died, but that didn’t mean I could fall apart here. That wouldn’t help Nyx, and I needed Tamsen to get herself together.

“This is Lunaria. Safety is fleeting,” I said softly before unlocking her cell. “You’re now the Head of House Corvinus. It’s on you to make it so Nyx can come home someday. If that’s what they want.”

Tamsen blinked. “Just like that? What about my parents?”

“According to the reports Thessalia has received, they’re gone,” I growled. “So is Lucian.”

There were likely others we’d find missing as well. People who saw the way the wind was blowing and decided they didn’t want to stick around for it. We only had so many resources. Decisions would have to be made about who to hunt down and who to forget about.

I wouldn’t be forgetting about Lucian anytime soon though.

Outside came the sound of footsteps and then quiet murmurs before the guard who had escorted me walked in, carrying a familiar silver box.

Tamsen cautiously left her cell, as if she was still expecting a trap, and eyed the box as I took it from the guard, who left without another word. I turned towards Nyx’s cell and almost jumped. Tamsen swore harshly when she did the same.

Nyx now stood at the front, just behind the bars, a little more blue in their black eyes.

“I made it hurt,” I told them as I stepped closer. “Not enough, but she didn’t go quietly.”

“Is that a good idea?” Tamsen asked in a strained tone when I unlocked Nyx’s cell. “They’re not . . . Nyx isn’t themself.”

I stayed perfectly still as Nyx stepped forward until they stood directly in front of me. “Nyx is my friend, and I’m not going to give my friend a gift through the bars of a cell.”

Nyx watched as I opened the lid. I hadn’t realized it until later, but some type of preservation spell was laid into the silver. Carmilla’s heart rested within it, just as fresh as the day I’d torn it from her chest. The blue vanished from Nyx’s eyes until they were nothing but pools of darkness.

But they made no move to hurt me or their sister. Nyx stared at the heart for several seconds, and then, faster than I could track, they snatched it up and tore into it. My heart raced as they swallowed down the chunks while growling faintly.

Do not run , Talis warned. Their soul teeters on the edge of the abyss.

Soon, all traces of the heart were gone, and Nyx closed their eyes and tilted their head back, blood and gore smeared all over their face. I could hear Tamsen’s heart pounding as rapidly as my own, but like me, she stayed perfectly still. Waiting.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Nyx’s head dipped down, and they opened their eyes once more. Obsidian eyes with rivers of blue looked at me, and my friend gave me a bloody smile. “You always did bring me the best gifts.”