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I spun to find His Holy Royalness behind me. “Flark.” I grasped my chest, cursing before I could stop myself.

Unaffected, King Idris passed my empty glass to the vampire, whose benign expression had turned to stone.

“Dance with me,” Idris commanded, the same as Custodis had earlier.

Revulsion slinked up my arm where the false king touched me. The sensation was like snakes slithered along my shoulder and down my torso, where they coiled in my stomach.

This man was everything I hated most in this world.

I glanced around the room, searching for an escape, noting the locks on the doors, the windows too high to reach, and the guards in my path.

“Don’t,” Idris ordered. “Tonight, you are more beautiful than a thousand night-blooming flowers. I’d hate to see one hair on your fair head defiled.”

I barked a laugh of hysteria at his silken words. Finally, I received the compliment I’d sought. It was a shame it was from a serpent, instead of my vampire lord.

Except, perhaps this was the break I’d been hoping for. Custodis wasn’t the only one capable of uncovering secrets.

I met the vampire’s steely gaze while speaking to the false king, saying with false cheer, “Why thank you, you your highness. I’d love to dance with you.”

Idris guided me through a waltz with the same finesse Victor had moments ago. The weight of a hundred eyes bore down on me.

“Tell me, King Idris, do you often dance with convicted criminals?”

“Only the most attractive ones.”

I summoned my most winsome smile, fluttering my lashes. “ I imagine you have something special planned for us tomorrow? You simply must tell me. I promise it will be our little secret.”

Idris snorted. “Is that the best you can do? I confess I expected a little more seduction on your part before you attempted to manipulate secrets out of me. Looked forward to it, in fact.”

I pursed my lips, huffing a disgruntled sigh. “Well, I do despise you. I suppose I’m just not as good at faking my attraction as my sister.”

The false king grinned, flashing a neat row of perfectly white teeth. “And now you seek to enrage me. You should know I find your lack of subtlety quite amusing. What’s next, begging and tears?”

Honestly, my plan was simply to keep him off balance and see what he revealed. Though I worried I didn’t have the patience to pull it off. Espionage was far easier when I could rip those secrets right out an unsuspecting mind.

“Hardly,” I pouted, rolling out my bottom lip. “Pain and torture were next on the agenda.”

His bark of laughter raked my eardrums. “Pity. I would have enjoyed seeing you on your knees.”

Now, it was my turn to miss a step. Disgusting bastard. In his dreams.

We glided past my sister, who stood among a group of fawning women, her angry glare shooting venom at me.

Idris followed the direction of my stare. “Your dear sister. She is unwell.”

My head swiveled, detached from my body. If I was capable of such a feat, I imagined it would spin around on my shoulders. “And whose fault is that?” I snapped, failing to contain my temper.

His grip on my waist tightened. “You know she came with me willingly. Sees me as her hero, in fact. As she should. After all, I saved her from a life of mediocrity.”

The desire to draw blood bloomed across my senses, and my teeth sliced into my tongue. And so, I managed to say nothing while screaming inside.

In my silence, Idris continued, “I also wanted to save you that night. Except your mother’s portal spirited you away from me.”

Spirited me? My mother sacrificed herself to save me. Raelynn too. Only to have that gift stomped into the mud.

Immune to my turmoil, Idris asked, “You share your sister’s ability to create portals, no?”

“I don’t know.” Though I suspected that I’d inherited the same ability from our mother.

In truth, I’d never tested the depths of my darkest magic since it required a blood offering.

It was a side of my gift I’d refused to experiment with, especially after losing my mother. Until Custodis offered me a deal.

Idris dipped his deceitful mouth to my ear, much as Victor had, only with a far different effect. “I could be your hero as well.”

Was Raelynn unwell to the point he sought a replacement for her? Perhaps I was better at gathering information without my gift than I realized.

Despite my rolling emotions, I managed to keep my tone even. “At what price? Would you free my brothers?”

Instead of answering, he scoffed, his hot breath dusting my shoulder. “I noticed you didn’t include the vampire in your concerns. Dare I pray there is hope for you and me?”

Before I could vomit on his overpriced shoes, the song ended. My sister’s snarling visage swam in my vision. Wonderful. He’d managed to bring us directly to her.

“Look at the two of you together,” Idris taunted. “Just like old times.”

“Yes, old times.” I didn’t bother to hide my scowl .

Raelynn glared back at me. “Congratulations on surviving the trials.”

An image flashed through my memory. One of blood gushing down Momma’s dress and the portal open before us. My sister’s refusal to escape with me. Her abandonment. My failure.

“To you, too,” I choked out.

She canted her head. “How so? I certainly wasn’t among the criminals cast into the pit.”

I flicked a pointed glare at her blackened hands, the darkness spreading from forearm to shoulder.

The price of her betrayal was displayed beneath her glittering ballgown.

Her damaged flesh was proof she abused her power, taking more than the realm could bear to give—than her body could handle.

Every time she aided Idris, she helped him to suck the life out of our world.

How long would it be until it consumed her in return?

“Can you honestly look me in the eyes and claim not to have stolen that which doesn’t belong to you?” I asked. “What would Momma say if she could see you now?”

Tension grew like eager weeds between us, unwelcome, binding, twisting—choking.

It was our mother who’d preached to us the importance of balance. Who taught us to regulate the ebb and flow of obsidian.

Raelynn’s hands curled into claws. Outrage darkened her expression, energy crackling.

I thrust out my chin, welcoming her challenge. When we were younger, she used to easily take me in a tussle. But that was before I’d come into my powers. Before I’d grown and started training, riding, and thieving to provide for our people. All while she sat on her royal ass, watching them starve.

“Runa.” Victor’s voice pulled me from the trance. “You looked thirsty.” He thrust another bubbling glass into my hand.

“Ah, the banished vampire leader, never far from our dear Runa’s side,” Idris finally spoke up as if his queen and I were not moments from throwing down. Then again, he’d probably enjoy such a spectacle.

Raelynn pursed her lips into a false impression of compassion. “Isn’t that cute? The leech waits on her. I believe he’s grown attached to the harlot. Who could blame him? After all, you saw the way she behaved in the tunnels.”

Fire heated my cheeks.

Idris flushed as well, his golden eyes gleaming with a disturbing light. He scanned my figure, muttering in a roughened tone, “It was a titillating display.”

“Disgusting, more like,” Raelynn snorted.

“At least I didn’t sell my soul for a crown.” Before I could sink my claws into my sister’s flesh, Victor pressed against my side. His firm grip circled my waist.

Raelynn puffed her chest. “Are you going to allow a common criminal to speak to me this way?”

Idris ignored her squawking, his focus remaining riveted on the vampire who’d tugged me slightly against him. Static sparked against my flesh where I leaned against Custodis, his palm hot against my stomach.

The king’s eyes narrowed as if he’d felt it, too. “There’s something different about you, vampire. Perhaps the challenges have done you good. Maybe you’re more like the criminals than you believe.”

“I suspect the air here agrees with me,” Custodis answered in a tight tone. “That and the rigorous exercise.”

Idris arched a dubious brow. “Your surname. Custodis. It doesn’t ring any bells. Who are your parents?”

Victor stiffened against me. “I only knew my mother.”

I studied the play between the two men, sirens ringing in my mind. Idris’s sudden interest in the vampire didn’t bode well for any of us.

“You’re a bastard, then.” Idris chuckled. “Oh, that’s rich. You know, vampires hold little power here. That’s why so many fled to the mortal realm like cockroaches running from the light.”

Victor’s rage was such that heat radiated from him, searing me through the thin material of my dress.

“Haven’t you heard?” Victor said with tightened lips. “It’s beings like cockroaches who thrive in the dark. It would be foolish to underestimate such a creature.”

“I must admit, I was surprised to see you perform so well in the trials. Even the spectators have taken a liking to you. You’ve become quite the crowd favorite. I can’t fathom why, given that you lack the gifts the others possess. And yet…there’s something about you.”

Idris leaned in, scrutinizing Victor with an unsettling intensity as if sheer focus could unravel his secrets. As if, by staring hard enough, he might glimpse the truth hidden beneath—the very truth we were desperate to conceal. Our plan to escape.

“It’s almost as if the gods are on your side. One might say you succeeded through divine intervention.”

What was Idris talking about? Did he think to accuse Victor of cheating?

“I assure you.” Victor snorted. “The gods are no friends of mine.”

“Where did you say you were from?”

Shouts rang out.

“Out of the way, you stupid bastard.”

“Who are you calling stupid, you sack of bula dung?”

Glass shattered.

I gasped, glancing toward the brawl. “Is that—”

“Drazen and Thorne.” Victor bowed to the king. “Please excuse us, your highness. There’s a matter that requires our attention.”

Guards rushed to protect the royal couple, preventing Idris from asking further questions.

Victor towed me along with him, leading me away from the king. Across the room, a soldier dragged Thorne to his feet. The mysterious shifter met my panicked stare with a flirtatious wink.

My alarm turned to admiration, a smile playing at my lips. It was his timely diversion that freed us from Idris’s crosshairs.

Well played.

Noting my appreciation, Victor snorted a disgruntled huff. “Anyone can pick a fight.”

“Yes, but there are few who do it with such style.” I raised my drink to the shifter. I prayed he’d show the same consideration while helping us to open that hidden door tomorrow.