Page 62 of Summer's Seduction

My lips pressed thin. I had no desire to answer. Nothing about tonight had gone to plan. The key should have been safely draped around my neck by now, and Larkspur should be at my side enjoying the evening. This situation with Lucius was only possible because Egerius had been delaying things. But why?

“Ah, this should help,” Egerius said, clapping a hand on my shoulder as if he were a concerned father and I, nothing more than a toddler throwing a tantrum. “Even as a boy, you always felt much better after eating.”

The double doors to the ballroom were thrown open, the wood groaning as those nearest stepped back. Feeders in red cloaks stepped through, only this time, every one of them wore nothing beneath. Egerius had always preferred prominent drinking areas to be easily accessible, but this was taking it to an entirely new level—one which I knew was sure to make Artemis and the huntresses uncomfortable.

“You’ve outdone yourself, Egerius.” Forcing my wings to ease, I snapped them back in tight before continuing. “I hope it was not for my benefit, as I’ll only be drinking from one tonight.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Egerius blustered with a grin that didn’t meet his eyes.

I followed his gaze to where a pair of women were sauntering toward us—well, one of them did. The other was having trouble with even the smallest steps—Larisa. She was easy to recognize with her fair skin and red hair only a few shades lighter than the cloak. She’d been a favorite of mine months ago when I was last here, having joined the entourage of feeders only after losing the love of her life. I was one of the only people to realize this was her form of grieving, and though we shared some sweet moments, both of us knew it was nothing more than finding a temporary solace.

And yet, here she was. I could smell the body oil from here, sharp and overdone. Her red curls pinned back to reveal a long neck and protruding collar bones, among other things. Refusing to look lower, I focused only on her eyes as she neared, realizing how withdrawn she appeared. Larisa swayed and then stumbled, the foul scent on her breath drawing me up short as I made to catch her.

“Drink,’ Egerius said, lifting his head from the neck of the woman he was drinking from. She was grinding against him, her fingers gripping his black tunic to draw him back. Blood ran down her chest from the wounds, staining her blonde curls with the same hue dripping from Egerius’s mouth, which was now tilted into a frown.

“She can barely stand,” I growled. Lifting her in my arms, I set Larisa down on the green lounge, cinching the cloak around her to cover what I could.

“They had me drink so that you could drink…” A weak smile split her lips as her head lulled to the side. Her breathing was quick and far too shallow, and a sharp, fruity scent lingered.

“Drink what?” I asked, only for her eyes to close and her heartbeat to skip.

“You’re favorite wine, of course,” Egerius answered, pushing the now pouting woman aside as he peered over my shoulder at Larisa. “As a special welcome present for you.”

“She’s completely drunk,” I breathed, brows furrowing, but that wasn’t exactly right. It wasn’t the first time a feeder had consumed a particular drink or food to shift the taste of their blood, but the substance and quantity were agreed upon in advance to ensure it was safe for all parties involved. I’d seen Larisa drunk, having thrown a few glasses back myself with her, but she’d never been like this.

“Days,” she squeaked, rolling onto her side and gripping her stomach with her eyes still closed. “They’ve had me drinking some bitter, licorice stuff for days. I told them you preferred whiskey, but they insisted.”

Dread coiled in my stomach as my spine stiffened, my mind racing through possible toxins that could cause these symptoms. Larisa was a relatively new feeder who wouldn’t question what she drank or for how long.

I crouched lower, lifting her chin. “Larisa, can you open your mouth for me?”

Her eyes flickered open, fear piercing through the fog that was rapidly dragging her under. She did as I asked, revealing a reddened tongue and a sharp, acidic scent to her breath.

White snakeroot.

“He made me,” she whispered, her irregular heart beating frantically. She was already slipping away, her dilated pupils clouding over once more.

“Who?” I asked, already knowing the answer and refusing to believe it.

Her eyes glanced over my shoulder, fear momentarily spiking in the air around us before her eyes closed. I could still hear the faint flickers of her heart and couldn’t help but listen as the beating grew more drawn out and out of sync. There was no saving her, not when they’d already forced so much of the poison through her veins.

And then he’d had her sent to me.

“Silly girl,” Egerius laughed, but even he seemed to realize it sounded forced.

“Morpheus,” Larkspur called, her hurried footsteps halting a few feet away when I met her frantic gaze. Arete was close behind her, all but carrying a swaying Megara. A quick glance behind showed Artemis on her way with the others, furious and looking for a fight.

She was about to find one.

“How did you know I was coming?” I asked, leaving Larisa on her deathbed as I slowly stood and turned to face Egerius. “My visit wasn’t planned, and yet, she’d been consumingwinefor days?”

Egerius held my gaze, looking as if he might protest. His smile was tight, but it remained in place, as if there was a perfectly good explanation that would resolve everything.

I was desperate for an excuse even as I heard the clamor of Artemis and her huntresses joining Larkspur. So, I waited, wishing for a reason that could prevent this night from unraveling completely.

But Egerius only gave a sad, tired smile. “How did you find her?”

Unable to stop them, my wings snapped out as my body tensed. I didn’t want to believe that the visions were true, butevery fiber in my body already knew who he was talking about—and it wasn’t Larisa.

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