Slowly, the revelers began to make their way out of the exits, their mood somber. A few cast glances back at the dead body on the floor, but none of them wore any mask of sympathy on their faces. They didn’t know Kalvin—didn’t know what he had given up, or why; they must have thought he was a miscreant who had wronged the queen.

As the crowd dispersed, leaving the crew of the Asterope in silent horror, one figure began to approach us. Jareth Idrax was making a beeline for Navan, who was rising to his feet, his eyes set on the crumpled figure of Kalvin.

“Navan?” Jareth said softly, resting his hand on his son’s shoulder.

Navan flinched, turning. “Father,” he returned flatly.

“I’m sorry for your loss. A terrible thing he did, but in days gone by, the queen would not have delivered such a harsh sentence,” Jareth said, his tone unexpectedly empathic. “I’m sorry you were put in this position, so close to being blamed for his actions. The queen is… unsettled, to say the least.”

My suspicions had been right. The queen was on edge, her mood and manner disturbed by word of rebels, and the threat to her throne. Even so, I was still reeling from what she had done. A long prison sentence might have been better, but then, I didn’t know the judicial system here. Did they even have prisons? By the sound of what Jareth was saying, they didn’t simply kill people on sight, without some sort of mercy. Vysanthe was full of surprises.

“She killed a man without trial, Father—I’d say she’s a little more than unsettled,” Navan shot back. “How can we trust a queen like her, if she can’t control her impulses?” he added, lowering his voice so only Jareth and I could hear his treasonous talk.

“I’ll forgive you for saying that, this once—you are evidently shaken, but you should not speak of her that way again,” Jareth reprimanded. “Hopefully, with you as her advisor, alongside me, we will be able to guide her toward a more peaceful way of being… In truth, I’ve never seen her this bad. Even after I started intercepting the letters from her sister, her mood has continued to darken. It will be up to us to see her through this bout of paranoia.”

For the first time, he looked at me. It was a real stare, instead of the cursory glance I’d been given before. Confusion furrowed Jareth’s forehead.

“I think, perhaps, you should rid yourself of this servant,” he remarked, waving a hand toward me. “The queen doesn’t like it—she doesn’t appreciate the presence of outsiders, given the current climate. It would be best for everyone if you took her back to where she came from, or simply dropped her somewhere nearby, so we can get on with things as a family,” he stated.

I could feel Navan’s hackles rise at the dismissal of me. But what could he do? He was on Vysanthean soil, and as long as he was here, his parents would continue to try to bend him to their will. I could see it on Jareth’s face, how he longed to have his son beside him, advising the queen—a true family business.

“She’s not going anywhere, Father,” Navan said. “She is my servant, and I’ve grown used to having her around. She’s useful.”

Before Jareth could respond, another figure approached. My eyes went wide at the sight of her. I had never seen a woman more beautiful. She was tall and slender, with raven-black hair that curled around her striking face in long, elegant tendrils. She had the same ashen gray skin as the other coldbloods, but it suited her far better than any female coldblood I had yet seen. Her eyes were the color of burnished copper, bordering on red, her black lashes full and fluttery. Bitten-red lips turned upward in a polite smile, lighting up her stunning face. I was speechless.

This was Seraphina. I was sure of it.

“Excellent timing, Seraphina!” Jareth remarked, confirming my thoughts. I had a feeling he’d planned the whole thing. “We were just about to discuss possible dates for your unity ceremony, now that we’ve coaxed him back into the fold.” He chuckled, putting an arm around Navan’s shoulder. Navan stiffened immediately.

“Lucky I arrived when I did, then,” Seraphina replied, her voice sweet and kind. Although she smiled at Jareth’s words, the good humor didn’t reach her unusual eyes. So, Navan was right—Seraphina wasn’t into this marriage, either. I could see it all over her face, and it brought me a much-needed dose of relief. “It’s wonderful to see you again, Navan. How were your travels?” she asked, directing her attention to Navan. It was a friendly, platonic exchange. She was keeping her distance.

“Interesting, but I’m back in one piece,” Navan replied.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” she said softly, looking toward the body on the floor, which had yet to be taken away.

Navan nodded. “Me too.”

“And who is this beautiful creature?” she asked, looking warmly at me.

A small smile crept onto Navan’s lips, but he quickly suppressed it. “This is Riley,” he said simply.

She flashed him a knowing glance, before moving to take my hands in hers. Clasping them tightly, she gave me a huge smile, her copper eyes gleaming in admiration. “You are the most exquisite thing in this room,” she gushed, “though don’t tell Queen Gianne I said so.”

“I won’t,” I murmured awkwardly, finding my tongue.

“That voice! What an exotic accent,” she marveled. None of her words felt insincere. Every single one sounded warm and genuine, and her hands squeezed mine in delight. “I hope you’ve been taking good care of her, Navan.”

He grimaced. “I’ve been trying.”

“Well, she looks to be in one magnificent piece.” Seraphina grinned, though her smile suddenly fell as her eyes came to rest on the side of my neck. “Except for these… How did you end up with these wounds?” she asked quietly, her tone so low that Jareth couldn’t overhear, and I realized with alarm that she had spotted the faint marks caused by the chip in my neck.

“An accident,” Navan interjected, before I could speak. “Nothing that won’t heal.”

Seraphina paused for a moment, continuing to eye them with a furrowed brow, but then she pulled away, resuming her straight posture. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Riley,” she said, the smile returning to her lips. “Perhaps we will see each other again. In the meantime, keep him out of trouble. He attracts it like nobody’s business.” She smirked, though I could see she was only half joking.

Despite my initial feelings about this woman, I was shocked to find that I actually liked her. There was a vibrant warmth to her that made it almost impossible to dislike her. Plus, she had treated me with grace and respect, which was more than could be said for the rest of the coldbloods I’d met. Jareth still wouldn’t look me in the eye, or even acknowledge me personally. I might as well have been an inanimate object to him.

“So, when shall we set the date?” Jareth chimed in, pressing the subject.

Seraphina turned, placing her hand on his arm. “There’s no rush. Navan has only just returned—how about we let him get his bearings again, before we discuss such heavy matters? I know I’m in no hurry. We can wait awhile, until everyone is feeling up to it,” she suggested, passing me a discreet glance of sympathy.

I raised my eyebrows. How did she know? Was it that obvious what Navan and I meant to each other, even when we were just standing together? I hoped not, or else we were in big trouble. On second thought, maybe it was only obvious to those who viewed me as an actual equal.

Whatever the case, from the detached way Seraphina was talking, I was thoroughly convinced that she didn’t have any romantic feelings for Navan whatsoever. Her approach made it feel like a business transaction—a necessary evil that they could keep putting off. There was reluctance in her voice, and I was more than glad to hear it.

“There’s no time like the present,” Jareth insisted.

Seraphina sighed. “I would love to stay and discuss it, I really would, but my parents will be waiting for me outside. My mother was quite troubled by the events of this evening, and I think she would prefer to have me close by. Another time, though. No doubt my father will be in touch with you shortly.” Her eyes flickered with faint sadness as she leaned over to air-kiss Jareth on both cheeks, then gave Navan’s arm a friendly pat.

“Soon,” Jareth repeated.

As she passed me, I noticed her glance briefly at my neck again, before smiling once more and heading off.

“I should probably get going too, Father,” Navan said. “There are many things I need to get in order.”

“Promise you’ll visit your mother,” Jareth replied. “She worries about you.”

“I’ll swing by the house as soon as I can,” he muttered. I wasn’t sure if he was lying.

With that, Navan turned on his heel and headed for the exit, with me following close behind. Outside, the sky had darkened, and a bitter wind whipped up around us as we made our way toward the spot where Navan had left the Snapper. With no coat to protect me from the icy blast, I began to shiver uncontrollably. A moment later, in the shadow of the vessel, Navan wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tight, before ushering me onto the ship. A stolen embrace.

As soon as we stepped into the Snapper, I knew something was wrong. It was a sensation I’d felt before, back on the ship we’d abandoned outside the rebel compound on Earth. An unsettled vibration hung in the air, as though someone was watching.

Something leapt from the wall of the ship. A split second later, I felt cold, fleshy hands on my neck. It was the shifters. Out of their coldblood guise, they were back to their original forms, and I felt my stomach turn at the sight of them. The female shifter had me by the throat, but the male shifter hadn’t dared lay his hands on Navan, who was eyeing the pair furiously.

“We’ve got a message for you,” the male shifter hissed.

“Oh?” Navan remarked sardonically, lunging for me. Instantly, the female shifter let me go, backing away toward the exit, allowing Navan to grab me and take me in his arms.

She nodded. “We’ve spoken with Orion,” she said coldly. “He says that if one more of his rebels dies because of you, then your lives will be forfeit.”

Navan and I exchanged a glance. In all the chaos, I’d practically forgotten to consider what the repercussions of Kalvin’s death would be in regard to Orion. A shiver ran down my spine as the shifters scurried out of the vessel, disappearing into the darkness.

“I suppose tonight could have been worse,” Navan said, tightening his hold on me. His eyes passed over the chip in my neck, and I nodded. Kalvin’s death was a tragic one, but at least there hadn’t been any further retribution for his loss. We’d already suffered enough for one night.

We just had to be more careful in the future.

I pressed a gentle kiss to Navan’s cheek. “You were right about Seraphina,” I said softly. “She really doesn’t seem into you.”

Navan smiled. “Told you so. Now, we just need to figure out a way to keep delaying the marriage until—”

I never got to hear what he was going to say, as a tap at the door of the Snapper diverted our attention.

The female shifter had reappeared in the low light of the entrance. “Oh, and one more thing,” she said, her tone unsettlingly sweet. “Orion sends his regards. This is for Kalvin.”

As the shifter darted away, pain hit me in a savage wave, agony rippling through every vein, exploding every cell in a bolt of white-hot torture. It centered in my left leg, the pain there growing so unbearable I thought I might be about to die. Instead, my knee buckled, bringing me down with a hard crash. I collapsed, crying out in agony, tears streaming from my eyes. Blinking furiously, I realized I couldn’t clear away the fog of the tears. I couldn’t see anything at all.

Every part of my body felt as though it belonged to someone else. Pain shot through each limb and muscle, causing spasms that reached down to the very bone. I had lost control of myself, and I couldn’t grasp that control back. My mind was hazy, my eyes were blind, and my body was not my own.

As I collapsed, I felt Navan’s strong arms around me. “Breathe, Riley, you have to breathe,” he whispered, his voice panicked as he bundled me against his chest. “You’re safe, you’re all right! I’m here. You have to breathe. Breathe for me, Riley. Please. You’re okay, I promise.”

With his arms to brace myself against, the trembling in my body ebbed. Navan’s body was stabilizing my own, preventing me from doing myself any real damage. With every whimper of pain, I felt his lips kiss my face, trying to bring me back from the edge of delirium. Slowly but surely, the pain and shivering began to die down. At last, they subsided completely, leaving me limp in Navan’s arms, and although I was the one trembling, from the look in Navan’s eyes we were both equally shaken.

He swallowed hard, and his voice was hoarse as he spoke the words we both knew to be true. “We can’t piss off Orion again.”