Page 63 of Besieger
Scarlett was unable to respond. Nhalme stood up slowly and crossed the space between himself and Silvio. When a Regent was appointed, Ingenuar liked to offer gifts: a drop of his blood and a symbolic trinket of some sort. Nhalme could offer no such gifts. Instead, he stopped in front of theMarquisand bent his knee, head bowed, eyes lowered.
Scarlett saw her brother’s lips quiver. He did not know how to address Silvio.How would they call him? What were they left with when the Father of all vampires was dead?
When no one else moved, the All Mother stood up and followed Nhalme’s example. All her life she had seen vampires move aside for her, bowing, curtseying. They would take her hand in greeting, lips brushing lightly against her knuckles.All Mother, they had whispered and adored her. Gathering her long black skirts, Scarlett knelt in front of Silvio, beside Nhalme.
Behind her, others were finally coming to do the same. Their last act as a Council, as Ingenuar’s direct descendants, was to be on their hands and knees.
“Pardon my delay, it appears some of my suits have been stolen.”
Emerick walked through the threshold with a spring in his step. He cast Silvio a toothy grin, which grew wider when he noticed who else was gathered in the library. Scarlett could not tell if he was joking or serious.What a silly thing to do—steal from a vampire’s room, and clothes at that.The thought strangely cheered her.Behind her Raffaelle made a sound, somewhere between coughing and snorting.
They left theMarquisand theComteto speak in private and moved their small party to a nearby drawing room. Servants were sent to summon the other vampires. Members of the French Coven had to be made aware; assistants waited to start sending messages. Casting a cold glance at their group, Betül left them to personally write a missive to her mistress, mistrustful of whatever words Nhalme or their new master might send. August pulled the di Flaviaries aside and relayed the news in a whisper. While Jean-Étienne stomped his foot and puffed, Dulior had grown quiet, her face motionless, eyes unblinking. Only her hand moved as it held on to her husband’s elbow, swayed by his frantic motions. Whatever Jean-Étienne was raving about, earned only August’s shrug and downcast smile.
“The Count thinks they are going to kill her,” Scarlett said aloud, startled by the horror of such a possibility.
There had never been a public execution in the Coven. Any vampire that Ingenuar deemed unworthy, or guilty of a crime so horrid, was dealt with in private. It was a father’s duty to discipline and dispose of his child, and Ingenuar did so within the mercy of hollow rooms and empty driveways.
“Should we now all strive to wait upon our Master’s pleasure?” Penelope appeared beside Scarlett, arching an eyebrow.
Scarlett thought about it for a moment.
“I do not think any of us can,” she said simply.
“Mother.”
A hand gently squeezed her wrist. Mihaela’s face was flushed from the cold, from wandering through the garden, trying to avoid the remains of the pyre. The fledgling was having trouble keeping still under the mansion’s roof. Her only companion on these morose walks was the demon who lingered over her shoulder, out of place in a room full of vampires.
Astra was a tall woman, fond of tight-fitting worn leather and heavy boots. Her raven hair was now plaited in a fishtail braid that fell down her back, and her yellow eyes studied and memorised every face in attendance. The demon’s eyes stopped at Raffaelle and she frowned, her dark brows came together in a scowl. Scarlett was not sure when exactly Astra had arrived, only that her timing coincided with Ingenuar’s death and that, more than anything, unnerved her. It reflected poorly on Mihaela in the eyes of the Coven. The thought made Scarlett oddly grateful for the upcoming distraction.All eyes will be on Silvio, and away from you, my daughter.
“Find me afterwards.” Scarlett took Mihaela’s hand and smiled.
The young woman nodded and retreated to the back of the room, followed by her hellish companion. Mihaela had been in the midst of preparations for her pending departure; her visit with theSultanaalready delayed by her father’s unforeseen passing. If Betül or her other crafty little spies failed to spread the word tonight, theSultanawas going to find out about the All Father’s demise soon enough, from the mouth of Ingenuar’s very fledgling.
The doors of the drawing room had been left open, to allow easy access of vampires and servants alike, so Silvio’s appearance was unannounced when he walked in. Scarlett saw a servant stumble in behind them, gasping for breath, as if the mortal had been running after the former Regent and his consort, desperate to outpace them to the room. A footman pulled his colleague aside, and together the two footmen closed the doors.
“My kin—” Nhalme raised his voice, stepping forward. “In the wake of our Maker, our Coven stands barren. The All Father did not appoint a successor, as many immortals are prone to do in their hubris. But as all fathers, he has children fit to inherit… to fill in the void. Among those children, these Regents, your elders have elected Silvio Bracci to ascend and become our new Coven Master.”
The vampires’ voices rose in a buzz, a cacophony of confusion and awe.
“Our new Master…” Nhalme went on, looking at Silvio for his permission to proceed. “Our new Master has appointed Lady Scarlett as his counsellor, and Emerick, the newMarquisof Béziers, as his consort. A triumvirate, perhaps?”
“No,” Silvio’s voice slashed through the air. “Not a triumvirate—a diarchy.”
He moved past Nhalme and stood at the centre of the room or at least whatever centr? the scattered chairs, tables, and chaises could offer. Some vampires were sitting down, reclined in their seats, watching him as though he were an actor on a stage, here to perform a private spectacle or recitation. Emerick followed a step behind him, but remained within the circle of his brethren.
Silvio lifted his hand slightly, palm turned upwards, and his eyes fell on Scarlett in silent invitation. They had not rehearsed this, but she had seen Ingenuar summon and anoint Regents before. She expected Silvio meant to do something similar. She gathered her skirts and went to him, making a gamble of accepting the offered hand. Her gloved hand fit neatly in his own, and he squeezed her fingers lightly; a smile adorning his young and beautiful face.
Kneel.
The command crashed into her and her knees buckled and folded beneath the tulle and velvet of her dress. Still holding his hand, Scarlett went low, tremor after tremor running down her body. The beating of her own heart sounded loud in her ears, as she dared to raise her head to the man before her. Silvio was notlooking at her. He was watching the damned bowing one after another, until the only ones standing upright were him and Emerick. The face of the man before her was that of a stranger.
Later, when Silvio had let her go and Scarlett had retreated to a safe distance, she found herself staring at her hand. He had not hurt her, but the encounter left her sickened. She tried to join in scattered conversations, but failed, her thoughts slipping away again and again. Before she knew it, Emerick had found his way to her. He saw her nervously wringing her hands, twisting and squeezing her fingers, crushing the silk of her gloves.
“You know everyone in court, don’t you?” He offered her a smile. “Who is that man next to Mihaela?”
He nodded towards Mihaela and Astra. Earlier Nhalme had gone to talk to the fledgling and had soon left the room entirely. Scarlett saw no one else there besides her daughter and the demon. Before tonight she had not thought to question if others might perceive Astra differently; she had never entertained the possibility that the figure accompanying Mihaela could alter its appearance. Scarlett had always seen her as a woman. Before she could answer, she saw Silvio head towards them. His hand slid around Emerick’s waist and pulled him close. His eyes trailed down his lover’s face and body, lingering.
“There he is, myMarquis. You promised me your company before you departed for France.”
