Page 120 of Claimed By Fangs and Darkness

It was the power that strengthened me every time her blood slid down my throat.

I hated how much I loved her fire, her violence. When it was also what ripped my fearful heart to shreds.

“The window for gathering information and exercising potential psychological warfare from within isbeforeyou assassinate Juliette, of course,” Blade continued.

Evie seemed troubled by this, even as she nodded. “That has to be the finale.”

“Right. Once you break character in Aster’s manipulative narrative, all bets will be off. They will seek to capture or kill you by any means necessary,” Blade said.

I couldn’t even look at Evie. I glowered at the table instead.

“It’s a tricky game,” Harmony sighed. “Like Evie said, the born appeared surprised by her acceptance of Aster’s invitation. It’s as dangerous as it is advantageous to send the backbone of the clan into a den of enemies. It makes it easier to underestimate her and also introduces doubt about Evie’s loyalties or role here. Still, we must assume that anything they tell Evie, the born maywantto get back to us. They could see Evie as their own avenue to mental warfare.”

“The born know virtually nothing about us,” I said, breaking my silence. The words felt raw and scratchy as they left my throat. “We don’t know whattheyknow, and they don’t know our true capacities, intelligence, and connections across the realm. Maybe it’s a bluff that they hold zero concern for our magnitude, maybe it’s not. Theydounderestimate us. They have no idea about the underground, and they think we are posturing, angsty adolescents. We’ve been concealing our true nature for eighty years. They’re even hungrier for information than we are.”

Phineas’s eyes opened. They locked on Evie. “Are you psychologically fit to be a double agent?”

Evie bristled. Her eyes widened before becoming bold and narrow.

He only continued. “Can you control your emotions? Can you lie with ease? Can you withstand potential traumatic experiences and still complete your mission? Do you understand that they will be monitoring your every word and facial expression for intel, and anytruthyou uncover from them may have been slipped on purpose?”

The love of my life didn’t back down. Even as my gaze caught on the bandage around her hand, the admission that she’dlost control of her emotionsonce already.

I wanted to tell the room Evie was unfit. That she struggled to lie, that she wasn’t healed enough, that she was too empathetic and prone to manipulation.

But I didn’t. Because when Evie was backed into a corner, she was able to do the unthinkable. She was able to let go of all of her limitations if it meant protecting herself and her family.

I felt that poisoned needle in my gut as if she’d done it all over again.

“I will let nothing get in the way of avenging Princeton and the clan.”

A current of anger and grief bound the room together before it was swiftly alchemized into hunger. For vengeance, retribution, and a righting of justice’s scales.

“I know it isn’t fair for me to take this kill, when you all knew Princeton for far longer. But if this is how I can be of service, let me,” she said. She looked around the room, and her humility and genuine spirit melted my comrades.

Lachlan nodded. “Shall we begin?”

He said it to the table, but he was really asking me. As soon as I nodded, my dearest friends peppered Evie with their generosity. They gave wisdom, helped outline potentialobstacles and solutions, and they answered her questions about born customs and political intricacies.

And I started advising too, because I had no other choice. My love needed to outweigh my fear.

For her, always for her.

A date had been setfor my soulmate to see the man who called her his bride. Again.

“We’ll meet you there,” I said to Blade and Harmony. They were going to accompany us to meet Idris for lunch.

“He’s good, you know,” Blade said, stopping just before the door. He smiled at Evie. “Idris. He’s been downplaying his skills to you, I think. He was at the top of his class in all his fighting courses at Etherdale. For a newborn, he’s killing it.”

Evie released a relieved breath. “I had no idea—about being top of his classes. But of course, I didn’t. He knew how much I hated that he was in them to begin with. Thank you, Blade. I’m glad he’s doing well.”

“Evie, he is thriving,” Harmony said. “The bloodlust is painful, but it’s temporary. What happened wasn’t ideal, but Idris was always going to choose this path.”

Some buried guilt lessened, I could see it in the sudden drop of Evie’s shoulders, the surprise in her eyes.

After they both slipped through the door, I let go of my own buried emotions.

Alone with Evie, my shadows bled. I stepped closer and stared down at her as she assessed me with those big, gray eyes.