Page 17 of Glimmer and Burn (Unity #1)

“I think Graves is organizing the Night Fae against parliament. I’m not completely sure what his goals are, and this is more of a gut instinct than anything.

Officially, my hands are tied to the bureaucracy run by men who sympathize with Graves.

We only know what we’ve picked up from the few patrols we send through the Night Court.

Which, is getting increasingly difficult because there are no Night Fae in the Watchmen and no one else is queueing up to take that detail. ”

“We both know Graves is lower than the slime of the earth. What does this have to do with me? I don’t know anything.” Devin watched Gideon’s mouth close, a palpable hesitation, and Devin understood. “You think I have news because my mother was from the Night Court?”

“I was thinking of your club, actually. You’re perfectly positioned to gather intel from all manner of race. I’m grasping here, I know, but I also thought it would be an excuse to check in. Make sure you hadn’t drunk yourself to death yet.”

“I’ll keep an ear out for you, but that’s the best I can offer. I won’t disrupt business because you’ve elected to remain on the side of law and order when you could be helping me hunt the bastard down and end this by tomorrow.”

Gideon rubbed at his temple. “While tempting, that decision was based on more than just me. My sister doesn’t make the best choices, and since I promised to always be there for her, I can’t go landing myself in jail. Plus, Rachel would have followed me.” His eyes grew unfocused, distracted.

“Can’t have poor Rachel ending up in jail, can we?” Devin was prodding weakness, he knew it, but that didn’t stop him from voicing it. Gideon’s flinch wasn’t nearly as satisfying as Miranda’s glare.

“You’re an ass,” Gideon said, voice low. “She said not to expect much in coming here. Guess I should have listened. You’ve got your drinks to wallow in, smother all the bad feelings.”

“You should listen to Rachel.” Devin’s lip curled; his teeth bared. “She’s got way more sense than you.”

Gideon approached the desk and Devin wondered if he had pushed too far. He set his hands on the surface, glaring down from his higher vantage. “You’re not—wait.” His neck craned, eyes hardening as he snatched up the invitation Devin had stupidly left in plain sight. “What the fuck is this?”

Devin cursed under his breath then answered, “It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? This is an invitation to Cordelia Wilde’s engagement party. To Graves .” Gideon’s voice thundered. He was seething and Devin couldn’t blame him. He would be, too.

“When you’re in my position you get invites to things.” Devin shrugged as if the note were inconsequential. “It means nothing.”

Gideon narrowed his eyes. “You’re going?”

“I haven’t decided.”

“So, you’re thinking about going where this weasel will be, not just in attendance, but in his very home? Were you going to mention this when I asked you about Graves?” Gideon leaned over the desk, using his height to stare down at Devin. “What are you planning, Drake?”

“For the record, yes, the plan was for you to remain ignorant. As for the details, it’s best you didn’t know,” Devin replied, pointedly. He let the statement stand. Gideon continued to breathe through his nose, his posture stiff and his hands on the desk. He took the full meaning.

“If you do something stupid, I’ll have to arrest you,” he said quietly, meeting Devin’s eyes. He knew there was only one reason on earth that would prompt Devin to attend a party with Graves in attendance.

Devin smiled. “You’d need evidence and a case to arrest me, Blair. I plan on giving you neither.”

Devin was partially joking. He did not plan to murder Graves at the party. But he wanted to. He wasn’t entirely sure he could resist should he find himself faced with the man himself. For Miranda’s sake, and her sake only, he planned to allow the man to survive the night.

Gideon looked away. “You’re right. It’s best if I don’t know.” He stood up and straightened his uniform. He headed for the door. “Any information from the Night Court you can pass my way would be appreciated. And Drake?”

“Yes?”

“Get in a shot for me.” Gideon left without another word.

Devin knew that Gideon was serious about arresting him, but he also knew Gideon wouldn’t look too closely in any investigation involving Graves’s murder. And now it was decided. Devin had to go to the party and he had to refrain from killing Graves on sight. Not an easy task.

Miranda had been prodded and handled until she was perfectly styled for her sister’s special evening. She glided along the floor, the picture of society’s princess. Poised and elegant on the outside while she entertained murder in her heart.

She and her family boarded the carriages Graves had sent.

Only two women in full dress would fit in a carriage and normally each daughter went with a parent, but Miranda convinced her mother to let the girls ride together.

Cordelia shuffled into her seat, staring out the window like rain had ruined her plans.

Cordelia wore pale yellow, a color that captured the blonde strands peeking through her brown hair.

She was lovely, the picture of youthful beauty, but her face held a different story.

Why could her parents not see the pain in their daughter’s eyes?

This would all be so much simpler. Miranda wouldn’t need to be running around Unity at all hours with a dangerous rogue if her parents just disapproved of the match.

“Cheer up, Delia,” Miranda said. Cordelia didn’t move. “You know, I have a feeling that all will be right very soon.”

Cordelia turned, so slowly her neck might have creaked. “Yes, of course.”

Miranda bit her lip. She wanted to tell Cordelia her plans, to ease her sister’s misery. But she couldn’t. What if it went wrong? What if Cordelia wanted to help? She remained silent.

With nothing to say, Miranda looked at Unity passing by through the window.

Her parents would never see what Graves was capable of, he knew how to hide his nature from the right people.

Said the right words to assuage fear and doubt in his character.

Filled the right pockets and whispered into the right ears, so that no one would question him.

He projected a charismatic champion of unification.

This wedding would be the first mixed race union among the upper classes, which should have been a groundbreaking achievement.

The union of such prominent lineages was hoped to act as the catalyst for others to start venturing further from their comforts, to explore the new and embrace the changes in Unity that had started almost eighty years ago with the war.

Her stomach twisted, nearly upsetting her lunch.

She still hadn’t told a soul, but her sister was not Graves’s first choice.

It was nearly a year ago when he’d sought Miranda as his match.

Found her alone, as she was catching her breath from another overwhelming and stuffy ball she’d been honor bound to attend.

He had been charming, almost kind. Drifting ever closer to her as he made polite conversation, despite the impropriety of their situation.

They were alone in a dark area, without a chaperone in sight.

He’d made offers. Attempted to serenade her with promises of their unstoppable alliance.

With the entire Night Court at his back, he simply needed a lady from the right social circles to increase his favor.

Miranda was well on her way to being ‘shelved.’ One too many seasons with no trace of respectable suitors to show for it, certainly she would leap at the chance to have such an offer.

A guardian from an honorable family would make a sensible alliance.

She couldn’t say exactly when his charms had faded.

It was a gradual thing, the veneer falling with each polite refusal until polite wasn’t enough.

The tear of fabric still sent visceral shivers through her.

Miranda closed her eyes to the memories. Months of living in fear of retaliation, fearing what he would do to her for refusing his offers, for striking back. It was four months later that he announced his engagement to Cordelia.

To all the world, he seemed the besotted gentleman.

Enamored with Cordelia enough to make his suit fast and plain.

But there was a reason he’d done it publicly and announced his intentions to her parents, rather than ensnaring Cordelia in secret the way he had Miranda.

Now no one could protest. Now, his true nature and intentions for Cordelia could remain hidden. He took away the choice to refuse.

She was at his mercy.

And Miranda was vibrating with anger, her nails cutting into her palms. She felt powerless.

She had always been taught to attack a problem head on, to engage with her enemy directly, but this wasn’t a brawl.

And no matter how much she wanted to crush him in her hands, there was truly nothing she could do that was worth the consequences that would follow.

The sly smiles Graves sent her way at social gatherings. The way his eyes shifted to Miranda as he kissed Cordelia’s hand. It turned her stomach. And she could only imagine what awaited her sister once a union was secured and she was tethered to him for life.

If Miranda’s plans with Drake failed, she was ready to throw herself in the line of fire…

to offer her own hand in her sister’s place.

If that didn’t work, she would steal her sister away into the night and hide her where no one could hurt her.

Neither of those options were ideal, but the alternative was unbearable.

They neared the house and entered the line of carriages waiting to be announced. Her heart raced as they inched closer.