Page 75 of The Nightbound Soldier

“It’s good to see you all awake before twilight,” Leroy says.

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you ready for your undead life?”

“Yes, sir.”

Wind brushes past me, and Nottuza appears in the center of the group. Magic pulses off the walls and congests the atmosphere. It’s such powerful magic that I can see it forming red clouds in the air.

Nottuza cuts his palm, and the magical clouds burst like balloons, dispersing blood to the vampires, whose heads snap up, mouths opening to receive the drops. The newly made vampires swallow loudly.

“Congratulations.” Nottuza’s voice, raspy and deep, stokes my desires still. I want to leave, but I can’t. I must stay and spy on their intent. This event is… I don’t know what this event means. I don’t know what he’s planning. I can only hope it’s not another coup against Aamako, because Nottuza won’t survive it. Aamako will kill him and destroy everyone in this room.

Maybe even me if he thinks I’m involved.

But Augusta sent me to this court. Why would she if she knew I would get hurt? Because she’s looking after her Unseelie court ruled by her Unseelie husband and the baby she has on the way. Maybe I’m a pawn.

Or maybe I’m only a pawn to Nottuza. Augusta, while seeing all that’ll come to pass, is not the all-seeing.

The traitors wouldn’t have arrived in the court if I hadn’t invited them. Nottuza used me to draw these people here and then turn them into vampires, most certainly against the rules of the houses and even our fae laws on how notturnos are made. He’s broken every law in the lands. If I report this to my brother, Et’enne’ll kill him.

If I report this to the Unseelie king, Aamako will have to kill him. Oh! I bet Aamako stayed away from the court, knowing Nottuza follows his ancient principles that dictate the ways he exercises his power, which he intends to impose whether we like it or not.

But he’s risking his life!

I yank off his jacket and throw it on the floor, then stomp out of the horrifying room with the dreadful magic wielded by a vampire who could’ve consulted with me. If he’d consulted me, I could’ve found another way, one that would minimize the risk to his person.

When I step into the shadows, they wrap around me like a familiar lover.

Nottuza must be controlling this portal in the same way he controlled every one of those vampires inside the room. The vampires can wipe minds and manipulate each other, but not on this scale.

I think Nottuza wields magic. I don’t believe his magic left him when he was made. I think he’s as powerful as any king. The difference between him and the fae kings is that the fae can’t sense his magical power, so they have no clue what they’re dealing with.

The shadows gently deposit me on my floor, and I wait for them to retreat before deciding what do to.

32

FLEUR

Istorm into Evie’s room and jump onto her bed, shaking her. “Evie, wake up.”

She doesn’t move.

I flip her onto her back. “Evie!” I shout. “Wake up!”

I press my ear to her chest. Her heart beats steady and strong, and she’s making subtle noises that sound suspiciously like snoring.

“Evie?” I sit up on her bed and take a good look at her. She’s in her pajamas and her face is serene, as if she’s dreaming pleasantly. I look around her room, and my gaze lands on a pale green tea.

I walk to the reading nook by the window and sniff the tea, but can’t detect any signs of tranquilizer herbs. I know most of them by scent, if not by scent, by taste, so I dip a finger in the tea, then flick the liquid with the tip of my tongue. I rub it against the roof of my mouth.

The tea tastes fine.

I leave her room and check other rooms, where I find the fairies who settled in the tower sleeping as well. Oh no, and my staff!

I rush down a few more steps and find the staff in their quarters, all sleeping. Unlike the highborns, they’re not in their beds, but rather sleeping at their stations. In the kitchen on the tables, the stools leaning against the walls, hats over their faces as they snore loudly. In the corner by the kitchen, a mama hunting dog is curled up with three puppies. All sleeping.

I check the puppies and make sure they’re alive. They are.

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