I was vaguely aware my breath was deepening and I was about to fall asleep, when Killian abruptly spoke.

“You’ll get your House back.”

I snorted awake. “Huh?”

“You’re the Adept of House Medeis, with or without the signet ring,” Killian said. “You’ll get it back.”

“Yeah,” I agreed as I shut my eyes. “I won’t give up until I have it back.”

I fell asleep under the night sky, leaning into Killian Drake.

A year ago, if someone had told me that would happen, I would have laughed until I puked. But having lived through everything I had…that time with Killian was one of the most peaceful moments I’d had all summer, and I was glad he chose to share it with me.

Chapter Twelve

Killian

Which one was Adept Fayette?

I’d only glanced at a picture of him on my phone before coming out here. I should have done more research, but since living with Hazel I’d forgotten how similar humans looked. I sighed in irritation and dug my phone out of my pocket, bringing up the image before peering down at the humans milling about on the main floor like a bunch of ants.

It was good luck that Fayette and a select group of wizard Houses were in attendance at this dinner reception held at an upper scale, Magiford hotel restaurant, Jolie Fleur, because I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of…talking to him in his own House.

I would have survived such an encounter and gotten my message across, but this took a lot less effort. Which was always an important measurement to take into account.

The stuffed laughter of the pompous wizards floated up to where I stood, leaning against a stairway banister. They clinked champagne glasses and congratulated themselves on successfully manipulating wizard politics for the first time in decades.

Idiots. They had no idea how little they mattered, and how easily things could change if any of the more apathetic or selfish wizard Houses woke up and realized what was going on. Or even if the Regional Committee of Magic got a hint. Elite Bellus was not among those in attendance, which meant thus far the group was still relatively small, but it was growing.

I’d received word that Mason was gathering allies. Obviously, becoming Adept had always been his goal, but it seemed since Hazel’s magic had fully unsealed and I’d made it fairly public that she was not to be trifled with, he’d changed tactics and decided that he could politically make his coup rather than attempting to kill her or manipulate her.

It was a tactic I might have admired—if it hadn’t involved Hazel and that wretched House she was forever fretting over.

I still didn’t understand what possessed her to throw away the House Medeis signet ring to save me. Though I’m intelligent enough to admit I was, perhaps…. upset with her for even doing that.

I didn’t care about the ring—or the blasted House.

But she did. And it greatly irritated me that she threw something away for me—particularly because I probably could have gotten out of the trap with some effort, but I was curious. I wanted to see what would happen if I didn’t try, and I wanted to get a proper measure of her runty cousin.

I was regretting that impulse—another thing that irritated me because I don’t like second-guessing myself.

I frowned as I watched Adept Fayette linger around the edge of the party and make his way through a door that opened up into a hallway.

“That one.” I pointed Fayette out to Rupert—my sole guard for this excursion.

Since my goal was information and intimidation, Fayette would be more frightened if I had other vampires with me, so I’d reluctantly chosen Rupert.

It was his chance to make up for his mistake in attacking Hazel, and he was already low enough in my esteem that he knew not to try to needle me as Celestina would, or list the many reasons this was a dangerous plan, like Josh would.

“I believe the restrooms are located down that hallway. He’s likely going there. We could nab him after he comes out,” Rupert suggested.

“Fair enough.”

Rupert ghosted behind me as we left the banister and moved through the second floor of the hotel, finding the correct hallway and a stairway that would let us intersect with Fayette.

I lingered in the shadows just outside the restrooms, while Rupert investigated the patio through an outside exit.

As expected, Adept Fayette—a short, thin man who vaguely reminded me of a worried spider—exited the restrooms, twitching his jacket into place.

“Adept Fayette.” I stepped out of the shadows and smiled. “We should talk.”

Fayette scowled at me and opened his mouth to speak, but froze when he got a good look. His skin turned an ashy pale white color, and he audibly gulped. “Y-y-your Eminence?” he said.

“Precisely.”

Rupert made his appearance. He rested a hand on Fayette’s shoulder and marched him through the glass door to the patio.

I rolled my neck as I strolled after them, more comfortable outside than I had been in a hotel restaurant full of wizards. It was an uncharacteristically cool night for August—though if Hazel were here she’d undoubtedly be grumbling about heat and sweat.

“W-what, what’s going on?” Adept Fayette asked in a shaking voice.

“I don’t know.” I strolled closer, tilting my head so I knew my dark eyes caught the moonlight and reflected more red than normal. “That’s why we’re here—so you can share with us.”

“I have nothing to do with vampires,” Adept Fayette blurted. “I don’t know any regional politics!”

“Now that is a lie.” I folded my hands behind me. “Rupert, why don’t you invite our guest to sit down? It seems this will take some discussion.”

Adept Fayette whimpered as Rupert marched him over to a plastic set of patio furniture and shoved him down in a seat.

“You see, Adept Fayette, you do have something to do with vampires. You were invited to this dinner tonight by Mason of House Medeis. Mason was very open in his invitation, describing the gathering as a group of individuals seeking to change the path of wizard politics, specifically in changing the House Medeis leadership. Do you deny this?”

Adept Fayette sank lower in his chair and pulled his hands to his chest in a worried and defensive gesture. “No.”

“Then surely you must know that the true Adept of House Medeis is Hazel Medeis, and she is currently living in Drake Hall under my protection, and the protection of the Drake Family. So.” I pulled a dagger from my left sleeve and stood close to Adept Fayette so my hand was just about level with his throat. “How is it, then, that you say you have nothing to do with vampires, when you are actively moving against a wizard under my protection?”

“I, I, I thought she was a mere blood donor!” Fayette squeaked. “House Tellier promised you weren’t interested in the girl. I assumed she was a staff member or someone unimportant.”

I frowned as I studied the small, sweating man—his heat only amplifying the dead fish smell of his blood.

For a very stupid moment of weakness, I wanted Hazel and her fresh smell and bright grin.

I pushed the thought away and focused on the main point. “You thought she was unimportant?”

Rupert stirred at the deep growl in my voice, and even I was a little surprised with myself.

“It was my mistake!” Fayette babbled, his mouth loosened by fear. “My mistake entirely! She’s obviously very strong, very charming, very important to you and your Family—perhaps even all wizards and all of mankind.”

He’d brought up an important point—though he didn’t know it. I thought I’d been fairly vocal with my support of Hazel. But were there still werewolf Packs, fae Courts, and particular wizard Houses that didn’t know?

How was that possible? Fayette claimed a House Tellier wizard had misled him, but I’d nearly killed a Tellier months ago for making a similar mistake.

Did House Tellier just not care if I killed a few of them, or was there something bigger than I thought at play?

But even if Tellier didn’t mind a few sacrifices, the other Houses would. It seemed I would have to go through greater efforts to prove Hazel’s and my…whatever. But what more could I do besides parade her around town and smile disgustingly out of character? Which would certainly worry everyone and make them take notice, but for different reasons.

I turned my back to Fayette, only half listening as he continued railing.

“I obviously won’t join Mason—it’s wrong of him to go against Adept Medeis! I hadn’t officially accepted his invite, yet, anyway! I’ll refuse to join him, and I won’t say a word to the other Houses he is recruiting.”

“Simply apologizing isn’t enough, Adept Fayette,” I said.

“It’s not?” the Adept weakly asked.

“No.” I crouched down next to the chair, fiddling with my dagger so it glinted—an unspoken promise. “I want you to give me the names of every House you know of that he’s tried recruiting. And when we’re finished with our conversation here you won’t tell anyone that we chatted. However, you will tell everyone that Hazel Medeis is backed by Killian Drake and the Drake Family—not as a blood donor or a servant, but as one of their own. Understood?”

Adept Fayette nodded violently. “Absolutely! I will tell everyone at the dinner before I leave!”

“Good. I’m glad you are so understanding,” I said. “Now, tell us everything.”

Adept Fayette gave us a list of names I only vaguely recognized. Rupert recorded it on his phone, and we sent the deeply terrified and thoroughly sweaty man on his way once it became clear he knew very little about Mason besides Mason’s goal and the dinner guests.

“Do you mean to take him out, Your Eminence?” Rupert asked once Fayette disappeared back inside and the patio door swung shut behind him.

I glanced at my underling. “Mason?”

“Yes.”

I stared into the sky as I considered the question. “No.”