Page 102 of Claimed By Fangs and Darkness

“That’s right, kitten,” Aster said. “Earle signed the treaty and allowed Rune to rule Aristelle because if he hadn’t, everylast mortal would’ve perished along with the born and turned. And if a war like that were to happen here in Ravenia?” Aster shook his head. “It would be a bloodbath. Futile for the turned, and downright devastating for the poor mortals caught in the middle. If you actually care about your fellow children of Selena and Helia, then you should know thatnothingwould be worse for them than war. Nothing at all.”

“So we’re just supposed to roll over and take it then?” I hissed. “The sacrifice of children, the murder, the rape?”

Conrad wrinkled his nose as if in distaste. “It would seem time with the thugs has ruined all semblance of your former manners, witch.”

My skin was hot, my mouth dry.

Juliette shook her head as if she were admonishing me.

They cared more about my tone of voice and respectful language than they ever would about mortal life.

“There are proper channels for meaningful change. Local governments, open dialogue between mortal representatives and their lords, and petitions to the king’s council,” Aster said gently. “Have your turned friends tried any of those?”

The condescension oozed from Aster’s every pore, and I couldn’t tell whether he believed his own bullshit anymore.

“Because if they continue down this path, they will be responsible for the deaths of thousands of mortals and the destruction of the world as we know it. The gods are already displeased. If the turned don’t stand down, Lillian will eat the whole world with her wrath.”

My eyes flitted to Juliette, who was now smiling smugly as she stretched and wrapped her arms around Aster. She snuggled closer to him, pretending she had nothing to do with the so-calledacts of Lillian.

“Enough politics,” Conrad said with a shooing motion. “Dinner is almost served, and I plan on enjoying myself.”

“Agreed,” Aster said, still focused on me instead of the girl in his arms. He flashed a confident grin. “I only want you to thrive, lovely Evie. There’s still hope for you. For your brother andgrandmother. For all your little friends in the city. All is not lost, not yet.”

It felt like I had both nothing and everything to say. I wanted to ask them why they’d been rounding up witches, kidnapping or murdering them, yet they weren’t bothering to harmme.A chaos witch who actually fit their description.

They didn’t see me as a legitimate threat. Not like they had Princeton.

After all that I’d escaped, the destructive powers I’d displayed, these born still viewed me as nothing more than lost property. I was another piece to add to Aster’s collection of traumatized girls.

Juliette grinned now, still watching me. I ignored her completely, which finally succeeded in making her frown in genuine displeasure.

Women and men in glittering, feathered outfits gracefully entered the space. Their attire left little to the imagination as they performed at the front of the room. A magickal device was set up by the windows to play recorded music. A male witch layered in all black switched out small orbs in the sound bowl as each recording ended.

I locked eyes with him, and a chill shot down my spine. My teeth ground together.

On either side of me was a lord. The room had all turned to watch the immersive dancing, the humans that delicately teased with feathery scarves and sensual movements. Born licked their lips.

The performers didn’t seem drugged or enslaved. It blew my mind that there were still mortals who willingly entertained the born, merely because they were paid handsomely for it. I’d heardthe born were lavish spenders, if you survived your time with them.

I didn’t want to judge anyone desperate for money, but surely there were safer alternatives.

Yet here they were, mortals wrapped in shimmering jewels, offering themselves up to the born with a smile.

So much of this world had never made sense to me. The way people behaved, their justifications, their cruelty. Kylo and the turned had helped me find meaning amid the orderless chaos.

Now Aster and Conrad’s arrogant rhetoric was bouncing off the walls of my mind, a loop of doom that repeated.

A hand slipped into mine, and the moment I tried to yank away, Juliette gripped me tighter.

I winced in pain, surprised by such a tiny person’s strength.

Aster and Conrad were distracted by dancers who’d immediately approached them for personalized attention.

Juliette leaned in close, her haunted gray eyes suddenly alert and focused.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell him about the man you love. The one with the black hair and dreamy blue eyes,” she whispered. “Idon’t get jealous, but Sir does. He getsveryjealous.”

I went still. Was she a mind-reader? A psychic of some sort? Had she been watching me?