Page 62 of The Serpent's Bride
Raziel looked down. Sure enough, the backs of his hands were spotless. Letting out a thoughtful hum, he let her smearthe cork soot onto his knuckles, fingernails, and up his forearms before she did the same to herself.
She handed his lighter back to him and tucked the cork back into his pocket. “See? I’m notjusta tempting piece of ass.”
He put the truck into gear. They drove for several minutes through the city in silence. “There’s a knife and a pistol in the glove compartment for you.”
Opening the metal hatch, she tucked both into her belt. The knife she figured she’d end up using more than the pistol. “Do we have a plan?”
“Luciento is at the caves overseeing an exchange of goods coming in from the Wild for trade. The guns we have in the back are a regular shipment—we’re simply taking the place of Deniel’s usual goons making their typical run, plus double for a peace offering.” Raziel turned down a side street, taking a ramp down to a lower level of the metropolis.
The buildings got dingier and blacker with smog and dirt the lower they went. And the more tightly packed the buildings became, the windows into the abodes shrank in turn. It made the contrast with where they had just been all the more apparent.
“Wait. Deniel deals with the Iltanis?” She turned to look at Raziel. “He deals with thefae gang?” She knew this. But Monica wouldn’t.
“Herein lies the story of how you and I arrived at this moment.” Raziel sneered, disgust clear on his sharp features. “We have spent generations ensuring that Luciento was the only remaining fae in that clan of feral humans to make them as toothless as possible. But rabid dogs are still rabid and Mael mistook their complacency for loyalty. The Iltanis got greedy and decided to broker deals they had no right to, so we responded by murdering their partner to ensure they learned their lesson. In turn, they bit the hand that fed them for the last time.”
Luciento was the only fae left in the Iltani clan. Nadi had suspected that, but the knowledge of it hurt. “So…we’re showing up with crates…because?”
“Because my cousin Deniel thinks we don’t know what he’s up to. That we don’t know all his little side deals with Luciento.” Raziel scoffed. “We’ve let it continue because it’s useful for us to have an extra few sets of eyes and ears with the aspiring beast-fuckers. And in the past Deniel has always made a peace offering to Luciento after there have been spats between our families—his way of sayingIt’s not me, it’s them.So, a few extra crates of guns will get us past the idiots at the door. Then, it will be too late for them.” He shook his head. “To attack me at my wedding…”
“Ourwedding.” She shot him a look.
“They weren’t targeting you for your sake,” he argued back. “They were trying to murdermyfamily atmywedding.”
“Whatever.” Rolling her eyes, Nadi went back to watching the city go by. She was familiar with this part of town—more than his area, to be fair. She only ever went to the expensive part of the metropolis to kill. This was where she lived. But not where she belonged. Where she belonged was down below, in the Wild.
Where Luciento was from.
With the rest of the fae.
She shut her eyes. “Why’d youactuallyagree to bring me?”
“You were right. I need a reason for Luciento to not shoot me on sight. I need long enough to speak.” Raziel paused. “And someone I can trust to act intelligently.”
That was interesting. She watched him for a moment. Not someone he trusted per se—but someone he trusted to actintelligently.“Thanks?”
“You’re welcome.” He smirked. “Besides. You were right on another point. If you die, it does save me a boat ride. Youshould know that my mother has insisted that you die during the honeymoon. You are not to be turned.”
Shit. Well, that wasn’t entirely unexpected. Volencia hated her, and the feeling was mutual. “And it’sherdecision to make,notyours?” She grunted. “Because she’s the matriarch.”
“Precisely.”
“Huh. So I really shouldn’t have told her off earlier?”
“It wouldn’t have mattered. Your death is meant to send a message to your father and the humans he has working for him in the outer posts. My mother also said she doesn’t need me…distracted.” Raziel sneered.
Distracted. She watched Raziel for a moment before going out on a limb. “I think what she meant to say was that you’re easier to control when you’re alone.”
He didn’t respond. And his expression didn’t change. He just stared out the windshield of the truck as though she hadn’t spoken at all. Well, she’d tried.
“Either way, I’m glad you listened to reason and brought me along tonight. I’d rather die being useful than as a part of some…twisted blood sacrifice in a few days.” Nadi turned her attention back to the street. They were getting closer to Luciento’s base of operations. “They might be confused as to why you brought a woman along. And they might recognize me.” She pulled the cap she wore farther down over her face.
“Eh. I’ll simply say that you’re part of the peace offering in case the guns aren’t good enough. You can handle that.”
She slapped him on the arm before she realized what she was doing. But it earned her a laugh from him that was genuine, and a smile to match it. Shaking her head, she glared out the window. Mostly to hide her own half-smile. “I’m not sleeping with any of the Iltanis.”
“No, but it would get you alone with one of them long enough for you to stab them.”
She hated it when he made sense. “You’re assuming they’re going to take turns.”
