Page 49 of The Fated and the Damned
I couldn’t help but notice the barbed undertone, but I smiled sweetly, forcing back my snort. As if I could help who I was born to. “The honour is mine. Our covens have been parted for too long, it was time our sisters joined in celebration once again.”
“Celebration, yes,” Viktória replied, “but we both know this invitation brings blood and battle. You need us for your war.”
“Mywar?” I laughed perhaps a little unkindly, shaking my head. “Come with me, there’s something I want to show you.” I led her to the balcony overlooking the lavender fields and the Sötét Erdo beyond. “Corruption leaks from that forest like a festering wound left unchecked. Should Mistvellen fail, it will spread beyond our borders into Budapest, the entire Kingdom of Hungary, and then the world. Make no mistake, this is not my war. It is all of ours.”
“Oftentimes it is best to remove the limb than risk the spread,” Viktória replied quietly. “Sylvie was of your coven. Her quarrel lies with you and yours, not all witchkind. What makes you think she will come for the rest of us?”
I looked Viktória up and down. Was this woman serious? “You offer Sylvie morality where she has none. Our histories recall Sylvie being judged and burned withallHigh Witches present. She will not stop until we are all dead. With the cultists at her back, Sylvie plans to reshape the world and cleanse it of humanity and witchkind alike. There will be nothing left—no walls to hide behind. Budapest will fall, just like the rest of us.”
Viktória chuckled, turning to face me front on. “I’ve heard stories of your fire, blood witch. You make a compelling case, I’ll give you that, but as it stands, Mistvellen is the only city which really profits from an alliance.”
Inwardly, I seethed, wanting to shove her ‘profits’ right up her rigid ass. Instead, I smiled sweetly, nodding my head as if this was to be expected. Which, to be fair, it absolutely was. Dante, Farkas, and I had known we’d find some pushback from fellow covens and clans, and we’d planned for it.
“If profit is what you seek, then how about I sweeten the deal?”
Viktória’s eyes glimmered, her face sharpening as she cocked her head. “I’m listening.”
“Our Kingdom is mapped under the rule of a human king, but it serves witchkind and táltosok no purpose. Our territories are drawn from a human fist, but what if we remade them to suit our needs? Why not form our own states and sovereigns? Budapest would answer to no one, having its own rules and regulations. Its own queen or king. We could increase trade with other magical beings—build new shipping routes. Perhaps even talk of reducing merchant fees and offering a more … lucrative incentive to your people.”
She was eating this up, her eyes widening, the slightest smack of her lips the only thing stopping her from drooling over the riches she was no doubt imagining up. The cat was in the bag, surely.
To her credit, she merely shrugged, pretending to contemplate my offer. “I’ll tell you what, should Aliz agree to aid you, Budapest will answer the call.”
“Then you’d best start making arrangements,” a voice called from behind us. I turned, finding Aliz watching us from the doorway, her red skirts glimmering. I hadn’t even heard her approach. “Transylvania has always been an ally to the Green Coven. We will not abandon you now.”
I felt like wilting in relief, but I smiled warmly. “Mistvellen is in your debt. We will not forget this.”
“I should hope not. My witches are battle trained, but it’s been a long time since we’ve had cause to test our skills. The fire in our blood burns for a real fight.” She grinned, her brown eyes twinkling. “I’m rather curious to see if the táltosok can keep up.”
Oh, I liked this one. She was welcome any time. “Did you see them fight today, my lady? They are as impressive on the battlefield as they are off it.”
“Perhaps I will test that for myself,” she replied, eyeing the talent on display, her eyes dwelling on András.
Istenanya have mercy, she’d have her hands full with him. Though, as I watched him, I found he had eyes only for another táltos. One I recalled putting to bed alongside András when the two were too drunk to function. My gods, he wasn’t subtle about the eye-fucking either.
Aliz caught my small smile and raised a brow. “A friend of yours?”
I chuckled. “We’re very close. As stunning as you are tonight, I think you’ll find it hard to wrench his gaze from a certain other táltos.”
“Pity,” Aliz said, but she was smiling. “Although I do so love a hunt. You have my promise, Kitarni. The Red Coven is at your service.” She turned to Viktória. “What say you, blue sister? Will Budapest offer aid?”
Viktória’s gaze was flat and hard and a smirk crossed her lips that was so uncannily familiar it made me frown, my skin prickling. She didn’t see my discomfort, too busy enjoying my desperate attempt to gain allies. “My word is my honour. The blue witches will fight.”
I blew out a breath. It seemed almost too easy, even if it had taken a wedding and a trial of magic to get here. Kitarni Bárány they might have refused, but the lady of Mistvellen and High Witch of the Green Coven, they could not.
I held out my hand first to Viktória, then Aliz. The former took it reluctantly, but Aliz smiled, pulling me in for a hearty embrace. Laughter rumbled out of my chest. I could see a friendship on the cards there, one that undoubtedly spelled trouble. She was a formidable woman, and my bet was she would only be more spectacular on the battlefield.
This was really happening. The covens were united, the witches were in play, and now we just needed the clans to join our army. Dante was a hard man to refuse. I had every faith he’d win the clan chieftains over.
There was still hope.
“Lady Sándor,” Margit interrupted. “I need to speak with you. It’s rather urgent.”
I studied the excited sheen of her eyes—quite possibly a higher dose of bloodmorphia—but the anxious bobbing of her feet told me whatever it was couldn’t wait, tentative friendships or not. “Please excuse me,” I said to the High Witches, bowing respectively. “Enjoy the party.”
Margit could barely contain her excitement as she dragged me out of the hall. When we were out of hearing distance from the chamber, I pulled her to a stop. “I hope this is worth the interruption. If you’d arrived any sooner, I might have ruined our chances, but I did it, Margit. Both covens will fight. We have our witches!”
Her smile turned devilish. “They’d have been fools not to, but you’ve done well. And trust me, this is worth it Kitarni. You’ll be kissing my feet once I’ve shown you.”
