Page 33 of A House of Fangs & Deceit

“Seems like most of the attacks are in the Velesian realm, with some spilling over in ours.” I ran my fingers across the southwestern portion of the map. “Only one in Furie territory?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean much.” Alaric tapped a finger on the only outpost in Furie territory that had been crossed out. “Their outposts are almost all along the coastline. Nothing can survive in badlands, so they’ve never bothered to build any outposts there. Their outpost that was attacked was next to the Velesian border.”

It was debatable whether the Furies had the best or worst territory out of all of us. They suffered the least attacks from wraiths and the other monsters that made Lunaria their home because the badlands served as a buffer between them and the rest of Lunaria. The only way to reach where most of their population lived was to cross the badlands, which meant almost certain death, or go along the coastline, which was heavily guarded.

But they also had the least amount of livable territory, because even the Furies couldn’t survive in the badlands. The terrain was too arid to grow any crops, there was no food to hunt, and the harsh landscape made it impossible to establish reliable trade routes.

Sooner or later, they would have to expand into other territories.

That political nightmare would be something people like Alaric and Samara would have to deal with someday.

Not me, though. I excelled at finding secrets and playing host to visiting nobles and courtiers, but tedious negotiation was not in my skillset, and I had no interest in learning.

“Vail is coming,” Alaric said casually.

I whipped my head up from the map. “When?”

“Three days. He’s currently further north dealing with a pack of howlers. Carmilla wants to talk to him in person before he goes to visit the sites of the recent attacks.”

I grimaced. Vail Ferenc was the Marshal of House Harker, which meant he was in charge of all of our rangers.

Both of his parents had been rangers, and Vail had quickly risen through the ranks. No one, not even me, could deny that he was gifted. The man had survived multiple wraith ambushes that would have left anyone else in pieces, not to mention all the fights he’d survived against the other terrors that roamed these lands.

He was vicious with a short temper, which was why Carmilla rarely called him back to the House.

Vail was a monster, but he was our monster.

He also hated Samara with every drop of blood in his veins.

“Well, with any luck, he’ll provide his update and then be on his way back to the wilds where he fucking belongs.” I crossed my arms stiffly, trying to ignore the knot of tension that was starting to form in my chest.

Alaric gave me a pointed look. “Vail has never wavered in his support of House Harker. He deserves our thanks and respect.”

I rolled my eyes. “And he has it. Doesn’t mean I have to like the guy or want to be around him.”

Alaric shook his head and went back to staring at the map. If I left him to it, he’d stand like this all day.

“Come on.” I rolled up the map before he could stop me and held it out of his reach when he tried to snatch it back. “You need to give that crafty mind of yours a break.”

“I don’t have time—”

“Just a quick break, I promise.” I smirked at him and tossed the map onto the desk. “It won’t take me long to beat the shit out of you.”

His lips pursed together, suppressing a grin, and then he deactivated the silencing spell. “I have to let you win. Your fragile ego wouldn’t be able to handle constantly losing to me otherwise.”

I slapped him on the back as we sauntered towards the door. “Keep telling yourself that.”

Chapter Nine

Samara

I woke with a start,my sweat-drenched sheets sticking to my skin. Whatever I’d been dreaming slipped away, just like it had for the last two mornings.

Ever since I learned that Vail was coming here.

Alaric had been the one to tell me, no doubt enjoying seeing how much it rattled me. He was such an ass.

Trembles raced up and down my body as the aftereffects of the nightmare slowly faded. It had been years since I’d had one. They were a frequent visitor to my mind in the years after my parents had been attacked and killed in front of me, but I was nothing if not a pro at compartmentalizing.

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