Page 18 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

There’s a dagger strapped to her waist, and it draws my eye. A female wearing a dagger at a ball is not a fashion statement—it means she doesn’t feel safe here.

I immediately regret not grabbing mine.

Glancing to her face, I can’t help but smile. Her brother grins, but Serafina glares, unhappy to be here.I can relate.

Reid brings up the rear, looking similar to the heir, but with dark brown locks and an easy grin. His outfit is tailored, but wrinkled, his top collar undone, with devil-may-care eyes. He looks completely at ease in this room, but there is a current among them.

All three are predators, let loose into the chicken coop, ready to devour us whole.

“The vampires,” a man hisses next to me, speaking to a shorter woman. Both wear blue—Humans, by the looks of it.

“Dark Fae,” she corrects him. “Vampires don’t exist.”

“All the same,” he mutters. “I hear they drink blood to stay alive. That their ruler is a wretched killer, who sits on his throne while his people starve. That his heir is abeast, rampaging the Human villages, that hisdaughteris an assassin. That hisyoungestisn’t even his! Why would Griffin bring themhere?”

“They’re powerful,” his companion remarks. “We’ve been fighting for decades. When Griffin sent out the call, it went out to everyone. That includes them.”

The three figures glidepast, standing at the far end of the room, away from the crowd gathered behind us. Tay’s eyes watch them move, hands fisting at his side but his face remains emotionless.

“We’d be better off to keep those half-breeds away from us and our king.” The man continues. The man only speaks when he thinks they can’t hear him.Coward.“Involving them can only spell trouble for us.”

As much as I don’t want to agree with the ignorant man, he has a point.

Involving Dark Fae brings nothing but trouble.

Chapter 7

Kaden

The ballroom builds with sweltering heat.

Skirts lift and flap, sharp plucks of harps and the simple beat of drums have the entire rooming spinning, couples dancing. There are laughs and shouts of joy. Wine is poured freely.

Compared to Fae balls, this is…tame.

But I see what this mockery of a ball truly is. It’s the calm before the storm, a way for Griffin to appear the savor as he displays his wealth and makes false promises to endear him to the masses.

Similar to what my father does.

It’s all such afuckingfarce.

And yet, I’m here, drinking his horrible wine, nodding to lords who would wish me harm. Ichoseto be here because as terrible as this situation is, I wasn’t lying to my father. This is the perfect excuse to figure Griffin out, find his weakness and attack.

Once entering these halls, my siblings and I have been to work. Fee hunted the corridors, mapping the layout, searching for escape routes. Reid searched for information or correspondences of what weapon Griffin held. As the only Human to be this powerful he must know something—havesomething that gives him this kind of power.

Because of my curse, my senses are better than my siblings andI’ve kept my ear open to the Humans, listening in on their gossip. Any little tidbit, or clue, I’ve heard, kept close, a trunk full of secrets to use at a later time. But nothing on Griffin.Yet.

Ironically, they have much to say on my kind since we arrived. Do they not realize that though they may see us as the monsters, who haunt these halls, their men are the despicable ones? They chain their women into servitude.

DarkFaedon’t hold the same prejudices against our females. Both serve together, both tend and cook. It’s rare for a DarkFaemale to strike a female.Nylxaabove would never allow their creations to be treated as such. Not as if anyone would know, no one trusts us to hear about our ways.

Dropping the empty chalice to the table, I gesture for another, eyes scanning the room once more. It’s habit, to always know who is in the room and find the threat before it finds me.

Across the way, I see the tall Blackwoods Witch, the only male present, get yanked on by twin blonde Human females. Dressed in glimmering blue, they look like glittering gems compared to his dark looks.

I don’t trust him. Taylay, being a Witch already bothers me, but he is from the Coven that has continuously refused trade with us. If not for the wards preventing our arrival, I would go in person to force the matter. It’s because of their standing that the other Covens do not trade with us—which means my people suffer.

If my prejudice is large, theirs is greater.