Page 70 of Siege of Blood and Betrayal

Huntley chuckles as he rounds the end of the empty table and puts his back against the wall. I follow him and do the same thing, sitting beside him so I can keep the room in view.

“You’ve heard of the Oracles of Toronto, haven’t you?”

“Of course. Your point?”

“Well, you just met Clare Voyant, one of the three sisters who watch over the downtrodden. They run this soup kitchen and have for decades. They also have connections with all the major players of all the races and factions that live in our streets. Be nice to them and they’ll be nice to us.”

I blink and stare at him. “Who are you?”

He rolls his eyes. “My training with Bran goes deeper than strategic thinking and military defense. That man knew everyone in this city and knew how to nurture those relationships for the good of your family empire.”

I never knew, but it doesn’t surprise me.

“She’s coming, so act cool.”

I meet his gaze. “Iamyour king now, you know?”

“My statement stands. Be cool.”

There’s no time to argue or to remind him of his place. Clare Voyant is, indeed, coming our way. I take in the exaggerated swagger of her steps, the four-inch heels on her thigh-high boots, and I do my best to not let the dazzle of her uniqueness affect my expression.

When she arrives at our table, she sits on the bench opposite us and frowns. “You haven’t touched your dinner.”

Huntley drops his head and dives in.

I dip my chin. “Thank you for this. It was very kind.”

She sends a pointed gaze to my bowl and then raises her gaze to meet mine. “You should eat, sire. When war is brewing, you need to fuel the machine when you can.”

I straighten. “You know about what’s been happening?”

She taps her long, zebra-patterned nails on the tray and points to my spoon. “I know a lot of things. Some I’ve heard from the whispers of the streets. Some I’ve seen unfolding. And some have yet to be revealed.”

I pick up the spoon and try the soup. It has a dark, beefy broth and is delicious. “Do you have answers for us?”

“That depends on your questions, baby.”

I tear off a piece of bread and dip it into the beef soup. “My father was assassinated last night, and his Sacred Squire died with him. The woman who led the attack was a turned vampire. We’ve uncovered a great deal of funding working to destabilize our seethe. My question is whether you know who is behind it.”

Clare sighs. “Sadly, no. I don’t have that answer for you, majesty.”

The way she says that makes me think she has other answers, but only if I ask the right question. I take another run at it, coming at the problem from another angle.

“The woman who led the attack, Daeva, brought a force of turned vampires into my family compound. She and her men were turned by a true-blood. If they are serving their maker, he or she could very well be in the area. Do you know how we could find them?”

“I’d say that’s a matter of biology, baby. Your biology, to be exact.”

I set my spoon down. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, are your people known for churning out armies in short order?”

I shake my head. “No. It’s a process that takes a lot out of a sire—makes them weak and depletes their health.”

“So, if there are suddenly a bunch of baby vamps running around bound to the same sire, what does that mean?”

I don’t know. “I don’t understand how it’s even possible. A vampire could have many children, but they wouldn’t all be fledglings, like the ones who invaded my compound.”

“Forget how it’s possible and consider what the sudden presence of an army of baby vamps would mean. What impact would they have on our city?”

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