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“So,” he said conversationally “At what point did you plan on tellingmy baby? Oh, wait”

His knife-edged disrespect, laced with anger, secretly amused me, but I leveled on him a stern look “The queen controls all such matters”

“I’h his hand, where it held mine He twirled me in ti?”

I’d spoil him with such behavior, but I answered anyway, in an undertone, “Not yet It would be unwise to bring our heir into such an unstable situation I itant”

“I can’t even follow your train of thought anymore,” he admitted, his voice low

That didn’t trouble me My chosen male didn’t need to be brilliant, or even capable He only needed to be virile and loyal By coly adroit in every respect He would sire a fine daughter to rule in my stead someday; and perhaps his divine blood would compensate for my human deficiencies

“Those who have the ainst a firm succession,” I whispered

That was all I needed to say He understood my plan and approved it with a quick nod But he still looked shaken Iour reproductive schedule when the time came It surprised me that I didn’t entirely mind If I’d had such a powerful bond with ht have denied it I ht have resisted temptation If I hadn’t assented in my own destruction and accepted the pull, none of this would have come to pass

That was my deepest shame I had abandoned my people for a seductive su power And it cost

This time it would be different

The band played on Drink followed and laughter outpaced the whispers They had forgotten the glamour of a queen’s court I’d spent an hour in here before the ball, leaving little traces offrolic and recreation

Shannon waved towith Greydusk, surprisingly enough At least she had the sense to keep away from the Luren One of them would have her naked in an antecha She looked lovely in a black goith blue accents I lifted a hand from Chance’s shoulder as he spun ht

“Thirsty?” Chance asked eventually

“A bit”

Waiters circulated with trays of shiolden wine, but I led him over to the crystalline bowl filled with an effervescent red liquid

He eyed it with skepticism “What is that?”

With a half smile, I indicated the roos and horns, odd-colored skin; others looked more or less human, apart from extra bits like tails or claws And others were more beautiful than any human could hope to be Such a diabolical asseed to me, one and all

“Devil’s punch, what else?”

Chance laughed quietly “What’s in it?”

“Best not to ask” I recited what had beco joke with Greydusk

Before I took a sip, a capering Noit tested it for me As queen, I had a taster, and this little idiot had volunteered I watched for a few moments, but it showed no ill effects, apart fro “More!”

“The rest is ue

After I drained the glass and Chance sa, ainst the encroachers who inched closer while we stood idle I found his protective nature…delightful Other consorts had proven less than concerned about my welfare

I did not dance with anyone else that night And so I was in Chance’s arms when the hammer fell The ballroo lurked cold shadows hunting er at their hearts They hated the living and they drank our energy like a fine wine

I kneho had sent theotten past my wards

Traitor The hispered in uests screamed and fled A panicked Noit tripped a Luren feraceful feet She fell to her knees and a shade consumed her Her ivory flesh went blue and then crackled with ice Soon, it shriveled and went dry like a husk, and when the shade drifted on, it had gained forht, sailing above the croard the doors A shade rose and sed the de, and then silence, which orse

Quickly I cast to counter the freezing fog,bodies to drain Even demons lived; these creatures did not They came from someplace darker and colder than Sheol, and that sent a chill straight through my body The shades were new monsters, ones hich my pitiful human half had more experience than I The Saremon had sent them; of that I had no doubt

War the shades Darkness swirled aht one another to reach the exits, ick made unreliable by too much liquor Across the roo toward the doors His body rippled, and then shifted; the Sraith took his place, and he threshed the girl clear My last sight of theed back and led her away

“I’ you out of here,” Chance said

I was torn It would send a stronger ht, but I already had several caste knights, including Heartsblood and Zet, andhed the factors, he took the decision from me He swept me into his ar and cleared a path with their ot in the way of their swings, and at the moment neither did I

Someone had betrayed me There was no other explanation

I couldn’t count this, definitively, as an assassination attempt Instead, it acted to shake overn, since I couldn’t even keep my own periuerilla caainst me I admired the executor, even as I considered the best way to eliminate him I had to find Oz And kill him

Kiss Me Like You Mean It

In my chamber, I activated the preventive wards on the doors They’d fry anyone who atteh without my perold energy and then yapped at me as if in question

To my surprise, I answered “It’s a mess downstairs, but we’re safe in here”