He was right. That night was supposed to be a celebration. However, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were all fooling ourselves. But I reminded myself that was just habit talking. I’d spent so long expecting nasty surprises that it was hard to break the habit. I forced myself to relax.
“Peace,” I said, testing the sound of it. The word felt foreign and sticky on my tongue.
We’d just made it inside the house when Rhea ran by. When she saw us, she skidded to a halt and doubled back. “Orpheus and Tanith are looking for you.”
I tensed. “Is everything okay?”
“I think so.” She nodded. “But they wanted to see you before the rites began.”
“Okay,” I said, relaxing. “How’s Maisie?”
“All good, as far as I can tell. She spent the last two days up in her studio painting, so…” She crossed her fingers. “But listen, I’ve got to go deal with a minor crisis with Queen Maeve.”
“What’s up with her?” I shot Rhea a sympathetic glance, but really, better her deal with the Queen than me.
Rhea waved a hand. “She probably just wants to be sure the pen she signs the treaty with is filled with the blood of a virgin unicorn.” She winked. “You know, standard stuff.”
I laughed as I watched her go. If Rhea of all people wasn’t worried about the night, then I felt I could relax, too. After all, like Giguhl said, it was a party.
I hefted the cat higher. “All right, let’s go see what Orpheus and the Ice Vamp want.”
We found them in Orpheus’s office on the second floor. The two leaders stood in front of the massive bay window behind his desk, looking out over the festival. Already, hundreds of dark-race beings wandered the grounds. Light from the huge bonfire and dozens of torches formed a golden dome over the revelers.
Orpheus looked every inch the distinguished leader of a magical race. He wore a white chiton, the ceremonial uniform of all members of the Hekate Council. The golden staff in his right hand identified him as the High Councilman.
Even Tanith had shed her matronly suit in favor of a more festive ensemble. She’d donned a black satin gown with a high-necked collar. Her frizzy, dark auburn hair had been tamed into soft curls around her face. She’d obviously invested in some image consulting since I’d last seen her because her expertly applied makeup toned down the harsh, mannish features until they looked—dare I say it?—handsome with soft feminine edges.
I cleared my throat to alert them of my presence. They both turned. Tanith snapped her fingers and another figure stepped out of the corner of the room. I went still. It had been almost half a year since I’d seen Persephone. Still a beauty, she wore a satin gown in dove gray. I couldn’t help but think the color choice symbolized her position as the Despina’s shadow. She had not been allowed to take part in the treaty negotiations and I assumed her presence at the signing was only a formality.
“Sabina,” she said, her voice quiet.
I dipped my head. I had to catch myself before I knelt before the two ancient vampires. I owed them no allegiance. Not anymore. “Persephone, you look well.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Technically, her features were as perfect as ever. But something about her submissive posture and the shadows behind her eyes dulled the shine of her beauty.
While I was surprised to see Persephone, Alexis’s presence wasn’t a shock. Instead of her normal leather-and-latex fashion disaster, she wore a simple black velvet gown. The choice was both tasteful and surprising. But if I had to guess, her thighs were so strapped with weaponry she’d practically clank when she walked. She met my eyes across the room and raised an eyebrow. I responded with a bitch-please expression I’d learned from Giguhl.
Orpheus stepped forward. “Sabina, thank you for seeing us. I know holding a business meeting right before a ritual is quite unconventional but we needed to finalize this one last detail before the signing could proceed.”
I frowned. “Okay,” I said slowly. Why the hell did they need me here for a business meeting?
The Despina took over then. “As you know, we have relieved Mr. Corbin of his duties as the leader of New York’s nonmage races. He will remain active in the Black Light District, but he will not have the authority to negotiate policy or mediate disputes. Orpheus will take a more active role in the werewolf and fae populations, but the vampires will fall directly under my leadership going forward.”
I nodded but said nothing. We’d been over this before. What I wanted to know was why they invited me here to watch them give Slade’s job to Alexis.
“I am restructuring my government so all the states will have a vampire governor. Because New York is a special case, given the dominance of mages in this region, my choice of governor here is especially important. The candidate needs to not only be familiar with vampire culture and political issues, but also be sympathetic to the needs and culture of the mages.”
“So where do I come in?” Gods help me, I knew. I knew what she was going to say before her mouth tilted up in a let’s-make-a-deal smile.
Orpheus smiled broadly and rushed to speak over the Despina. “We’d like you to become the governor of New York.”
I went totally still. So still that Giguhl shifted restlessly in worry. I released my hold so he could jump to the ground. Whether he wanted down because he wanted to get out of the way in case I went ballistic or because he wanted to watch the fireworks from a better vantage point, I didn’t know. Dumbfounded, I looked around the room, from Orpheus’s and Tanith’s self-satisfied smiles to Persephone’s pained grimace to… Alexis’s red-faced rage.
“Despina!” she said. “You promised that position to me!”
Tanith’s head whipped around so fast I was surprised it didn’t fly off her neck. “Silence!”
Alexis blanched. She shot me a look so full of venom the air shimmered green around her. But the Despina’s barked order made her back down like a good little soldier.
I couldn’t help it. The irony was too delicious. The first laugh escaped before I could stop it. And then I was doubled over with deep belly laughs.
“Sabina!” Orpheus scolded.
I held up a finger and tried to catch my breath. My stomach cramped and my jaw ached.
“I believe once you have a moment to think it over, you’ll recognize you’re the perfect candidate,” Tanith said in her all-business tone. “Your experience with both the Council and my own government gives you insight into the special situation that exists for New York’s vampires.”