Page 126 of A Throne of Blood & Vengeance

“I don’t trust you,” I said tightly. “I’m not some foolish young girl for you to manipulate. You’re still set on trying to make me your mate, but I will never do that.” My inflection wavered a bit towards the end, and I halted my words a little too harshly. I stood up a little straighter, as if I were encouraging myself, and stared straight into Erendriel’s ancient eyes. “Help me get back my birthright. As long as the crown sits on my head—as long as I possess it—I will not act against you and will assist you in searching these spaces.”

“I find this acceptable.”

My heart raced a little faster, and I let more uncertainty settle into my features. “I . . .” I trailed off and glanced behind me again. “I can go fetch something so we can hammer out the contra?—”

“No need,” Erendriel cut me off. “You are part Fae. Let us bargain like Fae.”

“How do we do that?” I shifted slightly on my feet before killing the movement.

Erendriel smiled wider. “Simply step across the boundary. Skin-to-skin contact is necessary.”

I swallowed.

“Come now, little queen,” Serril mocked. “Don’t lose that wonderful bravado now.”

I cut him a sharp glance before deliberately stepping forward—over the boundary. My heart was beating so hard for a second that I swore it was all I could hear. Draven had warned me that this was likely what Erendriel would ask for. None of us liked it, but we needed Erendriel’s help, and he clearly needed mine.

The risk wasn’t that he would kill me; it was that he’d simply take me and try to force me to obey him, but I’d thought about the story Draven had told me a night or two ago—about that test Erendriel had put his son through at the outpost. Erendriel would prefer me to ally with him willingly, even if I were doing so reluctantly, because it would make me easier to manipulate in his eyes.

If I ended up defying him like Draven, then he’d fall back on a different plan. He’d learn more about me in the meantime though, so he’d have plenty of weaknesses to exploit.

I closed the distance between me and Erendriel, who just continued to stare at me like a moon devil watching a rabbit hop closer. The hairs on the back of my neck rose as I sensed Serril move to stand at my back.

Erendriel was even taller than Vail, so I had to tilt my head back to look him in the eye, and I could have sworn I saw shadows swirling in his deep blue eyes for a moment.

He held out his hand. “Let’s make a bargain,ki`lfid min tros.” Little blood queen.

I slid my hand into his and squeezed.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Samara

Four days later,I was still feeling the rush of my encounter with the Seelie King. It wasn’t just that I had bargained with him—it was that I’d outsmarted him.

Or at least, I was fairly confident I had.

When I’d walked down the stairs after he’d left, I’d practically fallen into Draven’s arms as the adrenaline had worn off. My wicked prince had cooed praises at me for doing well while whispering promises of all the things he would do to me as soon as he had me alone.

Because in that moment, we had very much not been alone. Everyone had been hiding in the stairwell just out of Erendriel’s sight so they could listen in, and Rynn had taken notes.

We all agreed that the words spoken in the bargain would work with our plan. I’d been very careful to only refer to Talis as “the crown” in my wording. Erendriel had added stipulations so that it wasn’t simply the crown resting on my head but being in my possession—and that allowing my mates to hold on to it still counted as “in my possession,” as they were an extension of me in Fae eyes.

I’d conversed with Talis twice more since then—both times borrowing the body of the same serpent, who seemed to livein the vines growing up the Sovereign House. The viper was grumpy each time, but it was getting easier to control his body. I always thanked him, but I don’t think he cared. I’d have to make sure he had a nice supply of mice or something when I made it back to the Sovereign House in person.

Each time I’d woken up, there had been a snake in my lap. Rynn was not happy about that.

I was also beginning to notice that I could sense any snakes in the area. My Fae magic definitely seemed to be stirring more. And I was fairly certain I could summon the serpents to me if I wanted, like if I just tugged on that thread which connected me to them, they would answer.

In addition to my new scaly friends, I’d also been able to do small things like coax some flowers on a cactus into blooming and stifle my footsteps like Draven so I could move about silently.

It was something I’d been practicing by sneaking up on Rynn and scaring the shit out of her. I’d tried to do the same to Cali, but the bitch hadstabbedme. When I’d shrieked that it was just me, she’d snorted and said, “I know. Why do you think it’s just a flesh wound?” And then she’d pulled the dagger out from between my ribs.

In fairness, she had missed my vital organs and I’d healed within minutes. Still, a bit of an overreaction, in my opinion.

Two days ago, Ary and Aniela had shown up looking beat to shit. Apparently, all of the Moroi realm was crawling with rangers who reported only to Carmilla, and the Heirs hadn’t been sure if they’d make it to House Devereux, so they’d opted to come here instead. It was actually a boon for us because part of our plan required blood—a lot of blood.

Once we’d told them what we’d been plotting, the two of them had been more than willing to open up a vein and donate tothe cause. They’d given quite a bit and were currently passed out downstairs . . . in the same bed.

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