Page 26 of The Witch in the Dead of Night

“I am,” I paused. “Well apart from—”

She followed my gaze across the room to where the prince spun around a new partner, a buxom, golden-haired vampire whose exposed skin was adorned in a medley of multicolored jewels as if she were a work of art. I eyed him suspiciously over the rim of my glass. Vesper grinned, revealing a diamond that was embedded in her right fang. “Ah yes, I caught a glimpse of your dance earlier. You did well, though. He may be handsome, but the viper’s bite is lethal.”

“The viper?”

Her eyes twinkled. “Prince Enhart.”

I leaned against the wall, cradling my drink in my hand.

“Why do they call him that?” I asked, trying to hide my curiosity.

“I’m not sure, exactly, although I have overheard some of the courtiers say it is because he has a forked tongue.” She winked in response to my blank stare. I turned back to the dancers. A forked tongue. That would certainly explain why all the noblewomen were fawning over him. Some of the men, too, come to think of it.

“He’s supposedly one of the best lovers in Valen’s history,” she continued. “Even I’ve been tempted from time to time, and I haven’t lain with a man for the better part of a century.”

I glanced at her sideways, wondering if brutal honesty was a trait shared among all vampires or just the nobles. “How …” I faltered, searching for the right words. “How fascinating.”

She chuckled, her laugh like the chiming of bells. “You’re the King’s new adviser, no?” she asked, her eyes twinkling. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Not in musical form, I hope?” I asked.

She raised her eyebrows. “I’m afraid not. Nevertheless, word travels fast around here.”

“It does?”

“Allow me to explain. When you first arrived, you conversed with the delightful Duchess of Altwater, correct?” She waggled her long fingers at the duchess, who stood across the room surrounded by a clutch of drunken companions.

“She has just about the largest mouth in all of Valen,” she explained. “She was quite scandalized by your sudden appearance on the King’s arm, and hurriedly passed the news of your arrival on to her on-again-off-again lover, Lord Blackbane, claiming that you must be the bastard child of some foreign dignitary for Mordric to appoint you to his council like that. Lord Blackbane, in turn, exchanged that salacious bit of gossip with Lady Kerr. I’m sure you’ve heard of her. After all, she has quite a taste for your kind.”

She gestured to a dark-haired vampiress and her human companion. My eyes widened with recognition. I’d cleaned their rooms on the day of the attack. The lady’s gown was practically transparent, with thousands of tiny diamonds woven into the thin fabric. They glittered like flecks of ice in the snow. Her companion hadn’t bothered to conceal the fang marks that mottled the skin above his collar, wearing them instead like a badge of honor.

“Anyway, Lord Blackbane only did this to curry her favor, of course, as she owns the largest fleet of merchant ships in Valnar and he is most eager to get a slice of that business. His father recently died and left all his money to his infant half-brother, if you can believe it. No one expected it, of course—vampires have a hard enough time conceiving as it is—so the young thing’s arrival was quite an unpleasant surprise for his lordship. At least he was allowed to retain his title.

“In any case, Lady Kerr passed along the information to one of Martin’s apprentices on the condition that he alert her the moment old Ansell Volorthen turns to dust, as her husband, Dorian, is just ravenous for a position on the council. Not to mention Ansell looks like he’s about to croak any minute now. Dear Dorian hasn’t stopped trying to bed me for the last three decades, despite the fact that nearly everyone at court is aware that my interest lies with Viscountess Georgia Harring. Well, everyone apart from her bumbling baboon of a husband.” Her silver eyes slid to a breathtaking raven-haired vampiress with dewy copper skin. The viscountess slipped a spoonful of caviar between her lips, looking decidedly bored beside a lanky vampire lord with dark, slicked-back hair. Her husband, I presumed.

“Anyway, it was through the apprentice that I learned that you, my dear, are a courtesan from Salsworth come to Valnar to swindle the King out of his rule and fortune.” She smiled triumphantly as my jaw dropped.

“I am not a courtesan,” I protested. “I’m not even from Salsworth!” I lowered my voice as I became painfully aware of the furtive glances that were being cast in our direction.

She giggled, taking a swig from her crystal goblet. “Obviously. However, true or not, gossip is currency at court and you, my dear, simply by arriving on the King’s arm tonight, just became enemies with nearly every man, woman, and vampire in this room.”

I gripped my glass tighter as my palms grew clammy. Perhaps I hadn’t imagined the stares I had earned from the court as I entered the ballroom with Mordric earlier this evening. I eyed Vesper warily. “I suppose there’s a price you’ll demand from me for sharing this information?”

She grinned widely. “Not at all. Unlike the rest of these shrews, I have no desire for a higher station or larger fortune, so gossip is essentially worthless to me. It’s still good fun, mind you. No, I’m just happy to have a new, most interesting friend. It doesn’t hurt that everyone already hates you since they tend to hate me, too.”

I supposed I wasn’t exactly in the position to refuse friends right now. “I’ll drink to that,” I conceded, smiling as we clinked glasses. The sparkling wine in her goblet fizzed wildly.

“Happy to hear it,” she said. “So, tell me. What is your opinion of the King so far?”

I cast her an alarmed glance, mulling over everything she’d just told me. If gossip was currency, then I wondered what my opinion of Mordric was worth. “His Majesty has been very kind to me, for which I am grateful,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “What is yours?”

She flashed a tight-lipped smile, eyeing Mordric across the room where several courtiers were practically hanging from his arm. “The King is adored by all his subjects, he’s a brilliant politician, and he seems quite taken with you.”

Mordric grinned at me then, raising his glass. I returned his smile, although I found Vesper’s response to be rather cryptic. He detached himself from his admirers and approached us, a warm expression on his face. “Vesper,” he said, bowing to the silver-haired vampiress. “You look lovely as ever.”

“As do you, Your Majesty,” she replied, ducking into a curtsy. “I must congratulate you on your new adviser. She’s certainly brought some excitement to court. You must let me steal her away from you for tea some evening soon.”

“If she wishes it, then it will be done,” he said. “Finn, you’ve managed to attract a fierce ally in Vesper. I couldn’t have chosen better myself.”