Chapter 10 Chapter 9
The man Thalia called Corvus looked at me the way a butcher might examine a cut of meat.
"So this is the Shadow Witch," he said, his voice like gravel wrapped in velvet. "I expected something more impressive. She looks like a frightened child."
"She is a frightened child," Thalia said, amusement coloring her tone. "But one with considerable power. Power that needs proper motivation to be directed toward our goals."
I glanced at Kael, who stood rigid beside the door, his expression carved from stone. Whatever was happening here, he'd known about it. That's why he'd told me to agree to whatever Thalia wanted. He'd been trying to prepare me.
"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Direct. I appreciate that." Thalia rose from her throne with fluid grace, descending the steps toward me. "I want you to participate in a demonstration. Tomorrow night, the Crimson Court is sending envoys to negotiate access to you. They believe they have as much right to the Shadow Witch as we do. I intend to show them why they're wrong."
"A demonstration," I repeated. "Of what?"
"Your power, of course." She circled me slowly, and I forced myself not to turn and track her movement. Predators liked it when prey showed fear. "You're going to show them exactly what a Shadow Witch can do. Controlled, directed, devastating. You're going to make them understand that you belong to the Nightfall Court, and any attempt to take you will end very badly for them."
"You want me to threaten another vampire Court," I said flatly.
"I want you to demonstrate capability," Thalia corrected. "There's a difference. Unless you'd prefer I simply hand you over to them? The Crimson Court is known for their creativity when it comes to extracting cooperation. They make our methods look positively gentle."
"Your Majesty," Kael spoke for the first time, his voice tight. "She's not ready for this. She's only been training for a week."
"Then you'd better make sure she's ready by tomorrow night," Thalia said, not even looking at him. "Unless you're admitting you're not capable of training her properly?"
Kael's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. I realized this was a test for both of us. Thalia wanted to see if I could perform under pressure, and she wanted to see if Kael could mold me into the weapon she needed.
"What if I refuse?" I asked.
Corvus laughed, the sound sharp and mocking. "Then your little human friend pays the price. We've been very accommodating, letting her live comfortably. But accommodations can change. Quickly."
Ice flooded my veins. "You wouldn't."
"Try me." Thalia's smile was all teeth. "You seem to be operating under the impression that you have choices here, Seraphine. Let me clarify. You don't. You're a resource. A valuable one, certainly, but still just a resource. And resources that don't cooperate tend to be disposed of once they've outlived their usefulness."
"Your Majesty." Kael's voice was carefully controlled, but I could hear the edge underneath. "The girl needs incentive, not threats. Let me handle this."
"You've had a week to handle it," Thalia said. "And she's still asking questions instead of obeying orders. Perhaps your approach is too soft, Kael. Perhaps Corvus should take over her training."
"No." The word burst out of me before I could stop it. Something about Corvus made my skin crawl in a way even Thalia didn't. The ancient vampire looked at me with those ice-chip eyes, and I saw nothing remotely human in them. At least Thalia had personality, had emotions even if they were mostly cruelty and ambition. Corvus looked empty. Dead inside in a way that transcended his physical undead state.
"No?" Thalia raised an eyebrow. "That almost sounded like defiance."
"I'll do it," I said quickly. "The demonstration tomorrow. I'll do whatever you want. Just keep Corvus away from me."
"Interesting." Corvus studied me with renewed interest. "She fears me more than you, my Queen. I'm flattered."
"Don't be," Thalia said dryly. "She should fear us both." She turned back to me, her expression sharpening. "You'll demonstrate your power tomorrow night. Controlled. Impressive. Terrifying enough to make the Crimson Court reconsider their position. If you succeed, your human friend continues to live comfortably. If you fail, or if you try anything clever, Corvus will take over your training and Luna will learn exactly how creative our methods can be. Do we understand each other?"
"Perfectly," I said through gritted teeth.
"Excellent." Thalia smiled like she'd just won something. "Kael, take her back to her room. And do make sure she's ready tomorrow. I'd hate for you to be held responsible if she disappoints me."
The threat hung in the air as Kael moved to my side. His hand closed around my elbow, not quite gentle but not rough either, and he steered me toward the doors. I didn't resist. Couldn't, really, with my heart hammering and my thoughts spiraling.
We walked in silence through the corridors until we were far enough away that I was sure no one could overhear. Then I yanked my arm free.
"You knew," I said, my voice shaking with anger. "You knew she was going to do this."
"I suspected," Kael admitted. "The Crimson Court's envoys have been requesting an audience for days. It was only a matter of time before Thalia decided to use you as a display of power."
"And you didn't warn me?"
"I told you to agree to whatever she asked." His expression was tight. "That was the warning. If I'd told you more, you might have reacted differently. Might have shown fear or hesitation in front of her. That would have been worse."
"Worse than being used as a performing monkey?" I laughed bitterly. "Worse than having Luna threatened again?"
"Yes." He grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. "Seraphine, listen to me. Thalia is dangerous, but she's predictable. She wants you as a weapon. That means she needs you functional. Corvus is different. He's old, older than the Court itself, and he sees people as things. Objects to be broken and remade. If he takes over your training, you won't survive it. Not as yourself. So yes, I let Thalia spring this on you because I needed your reaction to be genuine. I needed her to believe you're frightened enough to cooperate."
"I am frightened," I said. "I'm terrified."
"Good." His hands gentled on my shoulders. "Use that fear. Tomorrow, when you demonstrate your power, remember what's at stake. Luna. Your freedom. Your life. Channel all of that into your magic and show them exactly what a Shadow Witch can do."
"What if I can't?" The question came out small, vulnerable. "What if I lose control again? What if I hurt someone I don't mean to hurt?"
"You won't." He said it with such certainty that I almost believed him. "Because I'm going to spend all of tomorrow making sure you can do this in your sleep. We're going to train until your power is as natural as breathing. And tomorrow night, you're going to be magnificent and terrifying, and the Crimson Court is going to leave here convinced that trying to take you would be suicide."
"And if they're not convinced?"
"Then we'll have bigger problems than Thalia's mood." He released me, stepping back. "Get some sleep. We start at dawn, and it's going to be the longest day of your life."
He left me at my door, and I slipped inside feeling more exhausted than any physical training had made me. I sank onto my bed, my mind churning with everything that had just happened.
A whisper of movement in the shadows made me look up. Azrael was there, stepping out of the darkness with fury written all over his beautiful face.
"I heard," he said without preamble. "The whole conversation. Thalia's planning to parade you like a prize tomorrow."
"You were listening?" I should have been angry, but mostly I was just tired.
"I'm always listening when you're in danger." He crossed to me, kneeling so we were at eye level. "Don't do this, Seraphine. Don't let them turn you into their weapon."
"I don't have a choice," I said. "If I don't cooperate, they'll hurt Luna. Or worse."
"Then let me get you both out." His hands found mine, warm and solid. "Tonight. Right now. I can open a rift, take you somewhere they'll never find you. Teach you everything you need to know to survive without them."
"And Luna?"
"I'll get her too. I promise."
For a moment, I was so tempted. The thought of escaping this place, these people who saw me as nothing but a tool, was almost overwhelming. But then I thought about what Kael had said. About Malakai hunting me. About having no protection, no training, no support beyond whatever Azrael could provide.
"I can't," I said finally. "Not yet. I'm not ready."
"You'll never be ready if you wait for their permission." Azrael's grip tightened. "Please, Seraphine. Trust me."
"I do trust you," I said. "But I trust myself more. And right now, my instincts are telling me that running would be a mistake. So I'm going to do this demonstration. I'm going to show them what I can do. And then, when I'm stronger, when I have more control, we'll revisit the escape plan."
He looked like he wanted to argue, but finally nodded. "All right. But I'm staying close tomorrow. If anything goes wrong, if they try to hurt you, I'm getting you out of there whether you agree or not."
"Deal," I said.
He kissed my forehead and melted back into the shadows, leaving me alone with my fear and my determination and the certain knowledge that tomorrow night would change everything.
One way or another.