Page 78 of A Throne of Blood & Vengeance

“You Moroi are such pussies,” a gravelly voice called out from behind the door. “Now let my friend through before she punches you both in the dick. It’s her favorite move.”

Both guards looked at me.

“She’s not wrong.” I shrugged.

To their credit, neither backed away, although they weren’t really blocking me anyway. More or less, they were crowding my space and forcing me to walk between them, which I did—before I tapped them both on the dick faster than they could block me.

Both flinched and cursed under their breath as I sauntered into the room where my lycanthrope bestie was confined.

“Well,” I drawled, “this is considerably better than where Carmilla had me locked up.” Half of the room was walled off with thick bars, but that portion had a rather soft-looking bed, a comfy chair, a bookcase, and I was guessing there was a small washroom behind the curtain.

I could smell Rynn’s blood, mostly old and dry, in the air. She must have been seriously wounded if she’d still been bleeding when she’d arrived here.

“About fucking time.” Rynn smoothly leapt to her feet from where she’d been lying on the bed. Her usually tanned skin was pale, and there were dark circles under her mismatched eyes, but otherwise, she appeared okay.

She strode out the cell door that Aniela had opened with a languid grace and stopped in front of me, hands braced on her hips. One eye was a bright golden brown and the other a deep vivid blue.

Earth and sky. That’s what they always reminded me of.

“You look like shit.” She arched a brow at me.

“Not all of us have been living that pampered life . . .” I remembered the nickname the Alpha Pack had given her that drove her insane. “Princess.”

Her nostrils flared. “Sure you want to play that game?” A sly grin spilt across her lips. “YourMajesty?”

Chapter Nineteen

Kieran

“Why don’tyou get freshened up while we wait for Samara to return?” I gestured towards the small washroom and gave Cali a bright, charming smile. It was the one I used when high-ranking Moroi started arguments during House events and I needed to de-escalate the situation. Not flirty exactly, but confident with just a hint of mischievousness.

I’d practiced the smile a lot, and it had never let me down. Samara, Alaric, and even Roth might be great at keeping track of facts and the specifics of a trade negotiation, but nobody was better at reading people and manipulating their emotions than I.

“I’m not some simpering fool courting House favor, Kieran,” Cali sneered. “So you can wipe that stupid smile off your ugly face.”

Apparently, Cali was immune to my charm.

“Rude.” I glared at her. “My face isstunning.”

“Yes, it is,” Draven agreed from where he was sprawled on the settee, watching me and Cali square off. Alaric and Roth were also still seated, and I got the impression that they wished they had wine to sip or food to munch on while they watched me try to handle Cali.

Meanwhile, Vail and the Salvatore Marshals were taking turns glaring at each other and watching Cali like she was a predator someone had thrown into the room and locked the door behind.

Which . . . was kind of accurate. Cali had stalked in with a pissed-off expression a few minutes ago, which had turned murderous when she hadn't seen Samara. A quick reassurance from me that Samara would be back soon and that she’d asked us all to wait for her was the only thing that kept the Furie from rampaging past Vail and Brennan, who had followed after her—hands on their weapons.

Cali had glanced around the room and relaxed slightly at seeing Alaric, Roth, and Draven all seated and looking unworried. She must have come to the conclusion that nothing was wrong—at least that nothing in the last forty minutes had gone wrong—and that Samara would be returning.

That didn’t mean she was happy about the situation though, and I was trying to make sure no blood was shed while Samara fetched Rynn—something that was growing more difficult by the minute.

“Whose face do you find prettier, Draven?” Cali’s head snapped towards the prince. “Kieran’s or Samara’s?”

Someone—I was pretty sure it was Roth—let out an exaggerated whistle. I was starting to suspect that they were every bit as much of a shit-stirrer as their older brothers and had just hidden it well all this time.

“That’s an impossible question, Furie,” Draven drawled. “How fortunate for me that I don’t have to choose. Instead, I get to enjoy both of their exquisite faces.”

“I’m so going to swallow you whole until I choke later.” I gave him a smoldering look and was rewarded by his eyes darkening before I returned my attention to Cali.

“What?” she snapped when I just stared at her and didn’t say anything. Given how tightly wound she was, I should probably continue trying to calm her, but technically, Samara had just ordered that I keep her distracted, so . . .

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