Page 42 of Lord of Dance and Desire

“It's not a matter of power, but more a matter of rarity. There are few succubi left, and your kind of power is not that of brutal strength but of insidious influence.”

So few left that Lord Iliweh hadn't thought to shield Vargas from my particular kind of said influence.

“I understand,” I said. “I'll be careful.”

He caught my chin in his fingers. “You must be. If she orders your death, mine will follow. And probably at least half of my luudthen because they would fight for me.”

I stood frozen for a moment, then deliberately smiled, raising my voice back into a normal tone. “We're both being a little dramatic. Nothing will happen. I'll give the best performance of my life, and that's it. Your mother will love me. Pinky swear.”

He released my jaw, his hands sliding around the back of my neck as he pulled me closer, lowering his forehead to rest against mine. “I've always admired your focus. Even if it’s the focus of a madman.”

“Woman. Madwoman.”

“As the humans say, whatever.”

I walked down the hallway in a cloth of gold halter neck gown, smoothing my hands down my hips. It had taken me a couple tries to get into the dress, my fingers were trembling so hard, and longer to apply the first layer of cosmetics I'd convert to stage makeup when we arrived at the theater. When we arrived, I wouldn't be entering at the side entrance, but on the arm of the Heir of Casakraine, his Housesworn at our backs.

This was our first official public appearance as High Lord and consort.

Andrei turned to me when I entered the foyer. The gathered luudthen turned as well, and for once I didn't preen under the attention. For once I was just nervous. I pressed a hand against my stomach, glad I hadn't eaten anything, and the men hadn't bullied me into it. Again, for once.

“Lady Hasannah,” Andrei said softly, approaching.

He halted and bowed, then held out a hand I accepted, still shaking. He said nothing; he knew what I felt. Adrenaline, hunger, imposter syndrome. A vague desire to flee howling into the woods.

Xavi crossed my mind, and I banished the thought a moment later. I wouldn’t give that earthworm the pleasure. He’d been ousted from the competition, ostensibly for starting the fight in the cafe, but really because Mathen didn’t like him and tattled to Andrei, who’d reacted predictably—though he’d ignored my demands to know what happened to the dancer once I realized Xavi was gone.

The luudthen had avoided questions about Xavi too. They probably knew where the body was buried.

I. . .wished I felt worse about it than I did. It was as if living with them stoked the grimdark side of my personality I’d tried to keep buried over the years. But lamia were supposed to be Dark Fae, the semi-mythical boogeymen of the species, so maybe I couldn’t help it?

Constin approached, and bowed with a flourish. “You’re a jewel in the crown of House Casakraine’s rule.”

“You need some crackers to go with all that cheese, Con.”

He straightened and grinned. “Still can’t take a compliment, darling? The Courts will envy us our mortal, you know. Pretty is easy enough to come by, but it’s harder to find the right mix of talent and power to go with it. You’re ideally bred, if one absolutely must take a human consort.”

I made a face and decided to ignore the offhand, and likely unintended, condescension. On the other hand, he could be needling me on purpose. They really couldn't help themselves, ineither scenario, just like they couldn’t help but default to murder to solve a simple problem.

“I guess there's no fading into the background in this dress,” I said, fussing with the skirt.

“You were never,” Andrei said, “meant to fade into the background.”

Constin’s grin turned to a smirk. “You know once they all see you dance, they're going to assume Lord Issahelle arranged this, right?” He waved his hand between me and Andrei.

“You can't arrange a soulbond.” Even I knew that by now.

“They'll still think she somehow did. You’re a coup, Anah. A feather in her cap. Proof that she wasn’t mad all along when she envisioned the perfect outcome of bringing human dancers to the city.” He paused, looking thoughtful. “Though some might think she reallydidhave you bred for her son. The match is just too perfect.”

I rolled my eyes. I wouldn’t go that far. “So no pressure or anything. Do you all just sit around thinking about this all day? Do none of you have hobbies?”

“That. . .don’t involve bloodshed?”

“Why did I even ask.”

“My mother has Sahakian Arts, obviously,” Andrei pointed out.

I gave him a long look, thinking of Xavi. “You just made Constin’s point.”

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