I smiled widely. “I don’t have to be. The House can take care of it.”

At that moment the Beacon shot off a crackling starburst of light—a warning shot that passed high over the houses and buildings surrounding us.

“The Drake Family made their choice very clear to me,” I said once the light had faded. “I have no desire to see any of you again. Stay away.”

I rotated my wrist, twirling my sword—which almost sounded like a lightsaber with its crackling lightning—then turned around.

“Did you ever stop to ask yourself how the Paragon knew what was going down here, or why he decided to come?” Rupert’s voice was as irritating as a fly in my face.

“What?”

“The Paragon happened to show up just as you approached the House, did he not?” Rupert asked. “And you knew Mason was gathering allies. And yet only two Houses were around when you made your attack.”

I scowled. “What’s your point?”

“That you’re blind.”

“Excuse me?”

“Particularly because you haven’t even asked the most important question of all.” Rupert tilted his head back, looking imperiously down at me. “Where was the Night Court—Mason’s newly minted allies—when you were confronting him?”

I slowly turned so I wasn’t frowning at him over my shoulder, but instead facing him head on. “I dropped in out of the blue. I don’t expect the Night Court would have anticipated that.”

“And you don’t think Mason called them the moment he realized you were here?” Rupert tucked his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

I was silent for a moment as I turned the matter over in my mind. “A huge motorcade left when Killian kicked me out.”

“Yes,” Rupert nodded. “That was the attack party. His Eminence had us launch an ambush attack on the Night Court that afternoon. They didn’t come because they were busy, fighting us.”

“If you’re implying he did that for me, you’re an idiot.”

“Why? He didn’t chase you out because he tired of you. He was trying to spur you into fighting Mason.”

“That’s not a whole truth,” I said. “Or he would have just told me to make my move against Mason.”

“You’re right,” Rupert scoffed. “But you’re forgetting about the attack.”

I blinked rapidly. “Attack?”

“At the mall? Where you were almost hit with a paint ball?”

“Oh. That. Yeah, talk about deadly.”

“It was the Night Court.”

“I do recall that detail, yes.”

“You don’t get it—they did it as a warning. They were sending a message—they could have just as easily shot you with a bullet as a paint ball, and you didn’t pick up on them because they didn’t use magic. Celestina and Josh would have reacted in time, but you wouldn’t have. There’s a war brewing between the Drake Family and the Night Court, and Queen Nyte as good as told His Eminence she’d go for you first.”

I figured there was at least a somewhat understandable reason behind Killian’s behavior. I hadn’t really expected it to center around me, but it didn’t change anything. Killian could have told me all of this, but he didn’t trust me, and chose not to.

And I wasn’t going to waste my time hanging out with someone who didn’t trust me, and friends who would drop me with a word from their boss.

I flicked my katana, ridding it of electricity, then slid it into its scabbard. “Why are you even telling me all of this?” I asked. “You hate me!”

“Because my loyalty is to His Eminence.” Rupert narrowed his eyes at me. “And as distasteful and irritating as I find you, His Eminence holds you in some kind of regard—enough to make him act outside of his usual actions.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You think I’ll just go waltzing back to him if I know that?”

“Isn’t that generally how females act?”

I can’t kill him. It would be so, so, so annoying to deal with. I. Cannot. Hurt. Him.

I forced a pleasant smile to my lips, but I was irritated enough I think it came off more as demented. “I’d already figured out Killian had a reason for his actions, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t like dealing with crap. And trying to manipulate without telling me anything is exactly that, crap. Tell Killian whatever you want. But unless he apologizes personally, I don’t want anything to do with any of you.”

Rupert sputtered. “His Eminence apologize? To you? You must be out of your mind!”

“I probably am. Now, go on—bye, bye.”

Rupert shook his head. “I don’t know what he sees in you that is even remotely redeemable.”

I snorted. “That’s pretty rich coming from a vampire.”

Rupert shook his head and skulked off, probably in search of his hidden, Drake issue black car.

“Hey, Rupert.”

The vampire scowled back at me. “What, Rat-blood?”

“Thank you for telling me.”

Rupert struggled for a moment, seemingly trying to decide if his facial expression should settle on disgust or indifference. He nodded, and the line of his shoulders was a little more relaxed as he strode off.

I meant what I had said.

Even if the Drake vampires were convinced Killian liked me, I didn’t care. I required a fully functioning relationship with my friends and comrades.

I didn’t expect him to spill his darkest secrets or anything, but mutual trust and respect would have had him telling me these things instead of trying to manipulate and then sending his minions to do his dirty work.

I knew it was a good boundary to have, and I knew I’d be happier in the long run for it. Even so, there was a small part of my heart that still ached.

If only…

I forcibly turned to face House Medeis, my soul a little soothed by its transformed appearance.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m back home with my family, and we’re about to make some major changes. Everything is going to be okay.”

I crossed the street, and if the skip in my step was forced, that was okay.

All of us had gone through a rough few months. It would take time to heal. It would take time for me to stop waking up in the middle of the night, thinking I was late for a training session.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Killian

“She’s continued getting her people up for early morning practice,” Julianne reported. “And I’ve tracked a rumor that she has hired a werewolf as a mixed martial arts teacher, and a vampire slayer for weapons training, but based on outdoor demonstrations she seems to be the one drilling her people in magic.”

I tapped the clean surface of my desk and tossed a used blood pouch in the trash.

I was almost certain the Paragon had given her the magic book. Celestina reported that it had gone missing from her room two days after Hazel’s Ascension ceremony. If she studied the book closely enough, it was possibly the best teacher her House could have, given that it was from the Paragon’s private collection.

“Any sign of trouble from the other Houses?” I asked.

Julianne shook her head. “It seems they are intimidated by the big changes in House Medeis. It is now the second biggest in the city and has made the rank and reputation of House Medeis rapidly climb.”

I leaned back in my chair. “Well done. Continue with the observation.”

Julianne bowed. “Yes, Your Eminence.” She backed out of my office and closed the door behind her.

I scooped up the fresh blood pouch she’d brought. I poked the straw in and stood with a groan, turning to look out the windows.

As much as I regretted it, chasing Hazel out of Drake Hall had been necessary.

After the mall attack, Queen Nyte had sent a letter confirming that the paint ball had been her doing, and she didn’t fail to underline how easy it would have been to swap the colorful ammunition for bullets.

In a war with the Night Court, Hazel would be the first target.

I knew Hazel would refuse to be safely hidden away in Drake Hall, but the mall had proved that perhaps I wouldn’t be able to keep her safe.

Hazel wasn’t a vampire. She likely wouldn’t survive a bullet wound. She couldn’t be involved in the war—somehow she had become too precious to risk in a war.

The night of the Summer’s End Ball…I didn’t know when I last laughed like that. Kissing her had been the natural thing to do. It was like finding a piece of me that had been missing for centuries that I had forgotten about—although, no, she was not the one. I wasn’t stupid enough to believe I’d ever have that. But she was important to me.

And that was why I had to drive her out.

I had to make Queen Nyte think I had lost all interest in her. The easiest way to accomplish this was to make Hazel think I’d lost all interest in her.

It had been difficult, and holding back the Night Court so she could take back House Medeis without their interference and while still making that idiot fae queen believe I didn’t care for Hazel had taken more plotting than I had used in politics since snagging the position of Eminence.

But I had accomplished it.

Hazel was now safe at her House—which, if my underlings’ reports were to be trusted, had basically become a bastille with the personality of a starved shark—and Queen Nyte appeared to have lost interest in her.

I had achieved my plans.

And if I missed the rich, warm scent that was Hazel and sometimes found myself drifting in the direction of the training hall at the hours she used to train, that was an acceptable price.

I still wasn’t sure I liked how important she had become. She was a potential weakness—something I didn’t like.

Once the war with the Night Court is over, I can seek her out again. Until then, this will be good for me.

Everything is temporary, and with all of my years I’ve learned everything—and everyone—can be lived without.