Page 172 of Blood Day

Not here.

He could have called Adrienne to make the arrangements. But he chose to call me in a show of power meant to put me in my place.

“I’ll see that everything is ready for your arrival,” I informed him, doing my best not to react to the belittling request or the very clear intention of him reneging on our deal for my temporary freedom.

It was almost as though Silvano wanted me to walk into Khalid’s open arms.

Or perhaps that was the point of all this—some sort of fucked-up loyalty test.

Was Khalid feeding information to Silvano about me and Lily?

Was that how Khalid knew about my visits to Clemente Clan? Had Silvano told him?

I’d assumed Khalid was following me or using his spies to gather intel. I hadn’t really considered that he could be playing a game at Silvano’s request.

“Good. See you soon,” Silvano said, a note of warning in his tone as he ended the call.

I clenched my jaw.What game are we really playing here?

Whose side is Khalid on?

Are his offers genuine? Or a trap?

I ran a hand down my face, my mind running a mile a minute as I tried to sort through this maze of politics and truths and lies.

Only one thing was clear to me—Lily needed to return to the dorms.Tonight. Because regardless of Silvano’s and Khalid’s true intentions, Silvano would kill her on sight.

At least she would be somewhat protected at the university.

Even if temporarily.

“Cedric,” she whispered.

“It’s the only choice,” I told her. “On the off chance that Khalid’s proposal is real, then I need to keep you a secret from Silvano. And I can’t do that with you here. He’ll smell our connection the moment he arrives.”

“Won’t he sense it regardless?”

“He might pick up on a new fragrance within me, but he won’t know what it is until he sees you,” I told her. “Erositasare rare, and he’s never tolerated suchconnections in his court. So he wouldn’t readily recognize it. But the moment he meets you, he’ll know immediately. Because you smell like me. And he made me.”

She crawled out from beneath the blankets. “What if he goes to the university?”

“He won’t. He’d consider that too far beneath him. And the royals never bother with prospects. They won’t even get close to you on Blood Day unless you’re chosen for the harem camp or the Immortal Cup.”

She frowned. “Didn’t Khalid say he wants me in his harem?”

“He’s implied it,” I said, recalling our dinner from two weeks ago when he’d mentioned that as a potential way to ensure Lily and Emine both ended up in his territory. “But I’ll need to speak with him more about it.”

“Because Silvano may recognize our bond if I’m sent to the harem camp,” she replied.

I frowned. “Maybe.”Fuck. “Regardless, I need to get you back to the dorm. Right fucking now.” It would take hours to try to remove her scent from my rooms. From this palace. Fromme.

Silvano would still pick up on traces of her sweetness, but I would play it off as a recent meal. He didn’t have a heart. He wouldn’t even consider the possibility of Lily’s existence.

Unless Khalid’s been talking to him, I thought again.

Even then, having Lily out of his reach would ensure her some safety.

Temporarily.