“It’s a deer heart,” he replied without inflection.

“How very clever,” she purred. One of the royal guards winced at the sound. She raised an eyebrow at the guard still on one knee. “We’ve much to do apparently. The ball will go on as planned, and we’ll set the Drake girl up on the dais so that everyone can watch her die, along with any threat to our unity.”

“No.” Kieran leaped to his feet.

She smiled at him.

“And you’ll watch every moment of it, after which, I will pull your heart out of your puny rib cage and eat it. Seeing as I was denied my treat.”

“Solange doesn’t want your throne or Montmartre,” Kieran insisted, crouching to put his back to a tapestry of a maiden drinking from a white unicorn, when two guards began closing in on him. “She doesn’t want to be queen of the damn vampires.”

“Don’t be stupid.” Lady Natasha paused, turned to the doorway. She sighed. “Now what? I don’t recall inviting you.”

“There’s been a change of plans.” Hope marched into the room, two agents behind her. Her eyes narrowed. “Kieran. What the hell are you doing here?” Natasha lifted her chin.

“Kieran?” she repeated icily. “As in the son of Hart’s brother? When you killed him you said you had everything under control.”

Kieran froze. He looked as if he was going to choke on his fury.

“What?” He turned slowly toward Hope. “What did she just say?”

“Everything is under control, but I hardly expected you to invite a Helios agent into your court.”

“He brought me a heart.” Lady Natasha nodded toward me. I was still sprawled on the carpet. “Clearly not hers.”

“Well, the Drakes are on to me now,” Hope snapped.

“You,” Kieran bit out, fists clenching.

Hope didn’t look particularly concerned with the hatred pouring out of him.

“I’m doing what I have to for the Helios-Ra, and I guarantee it’s more than your father or uncle could ever have accomplished. Lady Natasha understands that. We look after our own.”

Kieran didn’t bother with more debate; he launched himself at her. He didn’t make it within two feet of her, of course, not with her men there and the Araksaka as well.

He didn’t have a chance. I doubt that mattered to him.

“Honestly, children these days.” Natasha waved her hand, looking bored. “Take them away.”

CHAPTER 25

Lucy

Monday morning

I must have dozed off , even though the thought of it seemed impossible. The sound of the iron lock opening woke me up. I was on my feet before my eyes were even fully open. It was the Conan extra who had led us into the hall yesterday. His muscles were even bigger close up, but he looked a little haggard. I had no idea how long I’d slept, but Nicholas was out cold in his cell, didn’t even stir at the sound of the iron gate swinging open on rusty hinges. I might have tried to dart around the guard but he was big enough to block the entire space and, anyway, where would I go? Up the stairs into the main hall?

He placed a jug of water on the floor. “You should clean up.” I frowned. “What? Why?” For some reason I thought his voice sounded familiar, but I was pretty sure I would have remembered him if I’d seen him before.

“It’s expected.”

“Well, you can take your—”

“Stay down,” he advised quietly. “And keep your mouth shut.” Was he actually trying to help me? The apple he tossed me nearly hit me in the face. I caught it mostly by reflex. Then I realized why I recognized his voice. He was the vampire who’d come to the window of the farm house and offered his allegiance.

He straightened at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. His expression went hard, blank. Two women came up behind him, not tattooed with the mark of Araksaka but not exactly friendly, either. They brought in a basket and a beautiful gown, all brocade and embroidered velvet with a square neckline and panniers and lace petticoats. It was burgundy with pale blue crystal beads and accents on the bodice and around the hem. The dress’s hanger was placed on a hook intended for iron chains and other methods of torture.

Now I was really confused.

That the basket was filled with a silver-backed hairbrush, a hand mirror, a square of lavender soap, and vials of perfume didn’t clear things up even a little.

“Um . . . what is all this stuff?”

The women eyed me critically.

“It should fit. The shoes look too small, you’ll have to go barefoot.”

“I’m supposed to wear that costume?” At any other time, I would have been thrilled to prance around in some old-fashioned gown dripping with ornamentation.

“You can’t very well attend a ball in those dirty things, can you?” She sneered at my pants. “It would be an insult to our queen.”

I felt staggered. I actually pressed a hand to my temple.

“Wait, it’s an actual ball? Waltzing and canapés and glass slippers?” My very first ball and it was in honor of a lunatic murderer and would likely end with a vampire killing me. And I had to dress up for the plea sure?

“Don’t get the dress dirty,” one of them said.

“Why not?”

“Lady Natasha would be . . . displeased.”

“This is totally surreal,” I muttered after they’d left me alone with my very own ball gown. There was a zipper up the side, so at least I wasn’t expected to contort myself around to do up my own laces. Hyacinth had always said the reason well-to-do ladies had maidservants was because none of the clothes were user- friendly. The gown was beautiful, embellished by hand, every minute detail perfectly done. And I didn’t want to wear it, not one bit. I edged back as if were dipped in poison.