Page 66

I tailed Antones and Rirth to the courtyard of the manor, with my trio hovering like moths behind me.

When we reached the colonnades, I shouted, “Ant.”

He froze a few feet from his carriage, still clutching Rirth’s elbow as if the younger man might try to break free and fight the entire coven of vampires. Turning to face me, Antones lifted his brow. Rirth stayed with his back facing us.

“With Dimmon, Peltos, and the leadership of the Diplomats dead,” I said, making my voice strong and stern, “there will be a gang of feral, hungry younglings roaming the streets of Nuhav, getting into trouble, looking for guidance. I expect you to absorb the remaining Diplomats into the Grimsons order.”

Antones replaced his frown with a mock smile. He swept into a low bow, sarcastic with its flamboyance. “Your wish is mine to execute, mistress.”

I clenched my jaw. “I trust you to do the right thing, like you did at the auction house.”

He straightened, reaching for the carriage to make his escape with Rirth. “You don’t need to trust me to do anything, lass. I know rightness. Do you?”

Then they were gone, leaving me with those parting words of anger and hurt. They didn’t have a chance to recover Culiar’s body because it was currently being ripped to shreds and feasted upon by the noblebloods of Lord Ashfen’s court.

The four of us watched the carriage roll away into the bleak, empty night. The sounds of revelry continued to blast behind us, creating a contrast with the gentle, quiet rhythms of the squeaking wheels in front of us.

With the fighting and bloodletting complete, the night would delve into an orgiastic free-for-all. I couldn’t stomach being around for it.

“I had a speech prepared,” Skar said, “to introduce you to the throng, little temptress.” He smiled cruelly at me. “After your display, I don’t believe it is necessary.”

Vallan added, “No one can say you don’t know how to make an entrance, silverblood. This night may have been difficult for you, but it will prove beneficial.”

Their words of encouragement disgusted me. I have become them, these monsters. A villain in truth. And my former friends like Rirth will never forgive me.

Garroway looked up at the windows of the estate, eyes narrowing. “Still a less disastrous evening than the previous gala, with the assassination attempt and Mistress Mortis’ attack.”

I flared my nostrils at the grayskin, spinning around to enter the manor so I could retreat upstairs and lock myself away. “Less disastrous in whose eyes, Garro? Maybe we should ask Culiar.”

The following months were spent planning our raid on the Tanmount—the ten-story banking compound set in the center of the Commerce Ward, housing untold treasures.

The Relic was the only treasure we cared about.

After my botched “outing” into Olhavian society, I took days to recover.

The trio neglected to include me in the strategizing sessions until I recuperated from my stupor.

They offered me gentle guidance and more words of encouragement, until they realized their words fell on deaf ears and only made me angrier.

As it turned out, Skar was right: My diabolical foray at the shadowgala had a more profound effect on the rebellion than any speech he could have made.

“They fear you,” Skartovius told me one evening, as the malaise of that awful night was beginning to fade. “That’s exactly what you need with a group like this.”

Vallan, always quick to add a counterpoint, said, “Surely you did not expect to be loved and cherished by vampires, silverblood?”

“No, I did not. I simply wished Culiar had not died. Everything would have worked out fine had he lived.”

“Would it have?” Garro asked from a corner of my chambers. I was currently using the largest bedroom in the manor, on the second floor, for my languishing.

He explained, “If your friend had lived, you would’ve never had the impromptu decision to slay Dimmon and Peltos, which solidified your status.”

Vallan grunted with a nod. “It was meant to be.”

I shook my head, hand to my brow as I ran slow circles around my temples to ease a budding headache.

“As I said,” Skar continued, sweeping through the room to come stand before me at the ornate bed. “Fear is the greatest weapon to keep the commons in line. I should know—I’ve been wielding it for decades.”

“I don’t want to be like you. No offense.”

He chuckled. “You are more like me than you wish to admit.”

Vallan pushed off from the wall, headed for the door.

“In my missions around the city and the mines, I’ve seen the Hellwhore name stick for our little hellion.

At first I meant to strike it down and punish those who spoke it aloud.

I have since recognized its usefulness and have done no such thing. ”

Skar quipped, “Keep doing nothing. It will resonate among the populace.”

Garroway scoffed. “Aren’t you the one who said names and titles are how rebellions are discovered, Master? That they’re bad for business?”

Skartovius slid toward Garro and tipped his chin with his thumb, to stare down into his eyes.

“The time of hiding is over, cub. Mistress Mortis will not wait long to strike again, now Sephania is out in the open. We are at war. The quicker the rest of you realize that, the sooner we can act to accomplish our goals.”

From the edge of the bed, I glanced at my bickering mates, drawing their attention to me. “Hellwhore.” I snorted. “It’s not the most flattering title, I’ll admit. But I can’t deny its power.”

“Before long, no one else will be able to deny your power either, little temptress.”

That evening, the plans for our reckless Tanmount raid began.

“It’s a ten-story structure surrounded by bank buildings, notoriously under-guarded,” Vallan explained.

The axe-wielding behemoth was our tactician for this particular mission. He hovered over a map spread across a table—the floor plan of the Tanmount—jamming his finger down at various levels of the meticulously drawn design.

“You make it sound so easy, brother,” Skartovius pointed out. He stood near the back of the conference room, while Vall, Garro, and I inspected every inch of the layout, huddled over the design map.

It seemed, despite his leadership qualities, Skar was not as interested in the minutiae of strategizing this plan to recover the Relic.

Vallan said, “Getting inside will be simple. That’s my point. Finding the Relic before our heist is discovered and the Red Butcher’s garrison is called into action is another measure entirely.”

“How long do you think we have?” I asked.

“Who’s to say, silverblood? Ten minutes? An hour?”

“A handful of minutes to parse through ten levels is nigh impossible,” I replied with a heavy sigh. “An hour is a bit more promising.”

Skar laughed from behind us. “Are you forgetting about our greatest weapon, my dear family?”

I was surprised he seemed so lax and cheery about this mission. It was frustrating the spirits out the rest of us. “Me?” I asked blithely.

“No, not this time, little temptress.”

“Then what?”

“Not what . Who.”

“Zefyra,” Vallan said lowly.

I looked around in confusion. “The turned Chained Sister? How . . .” I trailed off as a memory seized me: my first instance of Vallan’s cruelty, killing the interfolk miner Ethera, making a statement, a promise to her, first.

“Her name is Zefyra. She works the Tanmount in Berrigen Square. Managed to get out from under silver two years ago.”

“Turning the girl has elevated her position within the Tanmount,” Vallan explained, stealing me from my thoughts.

The ploy appeared to spread through his mind as he quieted, elaborating on Skartovius’ words.

“As a human, she had been a slave on the lowest levels of the ladder, never given any responsibility within the building. Now, she can help us.”

“Quite good, isn’t it, love?” Skar asked me with a smug smirk, using one of his customary catchphrases.

I stared at the two vampires suspiciously. “Just how long have you two been planning this scheme?”

They shared a look but said nothing, which vexed me. Clearly, they were keeping things from me. I couldn’t blame them, I supposed, since I had proven myself impulsive, reckless, and dangerous.

“Zefyra can get us in,” Garroway said, “that’s grand. Can she help us pinpoint the Relic’s location? Does she even know what the damned thing looks like?”

His somber question brought the room back to reality. Vall and Skar gave the dhampir shrugs of doubt and scowls of anger at his forwardness to call them out.

“Can we trust her?” I asked, and eyes swiveled to me, questioning and amused. “You said it yourself, Skar: You don’t trust anyone. This seems like a lot of faith and confidence to be putting in someone only marginally connected to us.”

“She’s not wrong,” Garroway mumbled.

Skartovius squared his shoulders, looking like the handsome, charismatic, regal general he was meant to be.

“We have worked tirelessly over the past months to arm the resistance with silver weapons smithed by Vanison Shirin from Nuhav. The human gangs are ready for action at the drop of a copper coin, for distraction purposes. We have learned the entrances and exits of the Tanmount, gotten hold of a detailed floor plan, and meticulously noted every guard watch, shift change, and name of the people watching this silly construct. We cannot be more prepared.”

His monologue built my confidence and had me nodding along. Even Garroway lifted his head and smiled. “You’re right, Master. As always.”

“Besides,” Vallan said, eyeing me warily, “we have discussed whatever ailment curses my mind from drinking your Loreblood. My foresight, visions, whatever they are, will aid us more than anything else.”

I stood from the edge of the bed, folding my arms. “The discoveries of my blood have made you powerful tools. Garroway’s beast-scrying, Skar’s shadow manipulation, which seems to be growing by the night, and your divination, Vallan.

But we don’t understand them fully. We can’t rely on them completely. ”

“Which is why we need to obtain the Relic,” Skar pointed out. “If Iron Sister Keffa is to be believed, it is the key to the questions we face regarding the Loreblood in your veins, temptress.”

“Yes.” I nodded deeply, feeling three pairs of eyes bearing on my soul. It was clear I was meant to make this decision. They hadn’t even wanted me to attend the raid because it would be too dangerous. I laughed that suggestion off.

I had plans of my own. The letter from Antones still weighed heavily in my mind, and they all knew about it by now.

“The wheels are already in motion,” I said after letting out a deep breath.

“If this cause is to move forward, we can’t wilt now.

I understand that.” My eyes flicked up to Vallan’s sturdy face.

“Just know, Vall, your foresight is not a foregone conclusion. We can’t stop the danger from coming to our doorstep. ”

“Nay, girl, we can’t. Which is why we burst down their door first . ”