Page 5 of Dancing with Daggers

They had spent the past year waiting for Corven to make a decision, and they played his games and endured his random tests, all to prove which one would come out on top. A test... Was Zia even a proper candidate? Or was this another mind game Corven was playing with them?

That had to be it because there was no way he would be stupid enough to put an untried girl at the head of the family and give her his place on the council of Blood Lords. Ares’s anger seeped out of him, and he ran his hands through his hair to neat it. No. Corven wouldn't be that stupid.

If Zia was a test, then he would do his best to beat his ridiculous siblings at it. He would have to make sure the others behaved. Zia wasn't a genuine threat to any of them.

Feeling better, Ares drained his drink and washed the glass. He straightened his cuff links and tie, feeling calmer than he had since Zia had stumbled into him earlier. He was in control again, and that was what mattered.

When Ares lost his control, he usually came back to himself surrounded by bodies. He couldn't risk his chance of becoming the family head. It was the only thing he’d ever wanted, and no girl was going to stop him from getting it. He would figure out what Corven's game was, and then Zia and her silly ponytail would go back to where she came from.

4

The following day Zia was trying not to die of boredom. She would never get used to the bullshit that rich people did for entertainment. She was in a beautiful building in downtown Inferno that was used for functions ranging from operas to birthday parties. It was all gold glint, red velvet, painted ceilings, and crystal chandeliers. The silent auction and luncheon were to raise money for the poor unfortunate children of Inferno. As someone who had once been one of those children, Zia wondered where the fuck the money from this charity ever went.

"This is Zia, a cousin from Crete. She's new in Inferno!" Camille said to a stately dame that was dripping in diamonds.

Zia smiled politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she told the woman. She was human-ish. It wasn't uncommon for humans to breed with the supernatural. Zia herself was a result of such a union. The woman had something in her, a wisp of magic that tickled Zia's skin.

"It's so nice of you to look after the less fortunate members of the family, Cami. You are in excellent hands, my girl," the dame said with a smile that showed teeth that were a little too pointed.

Hmm, fae mix, Zia noted.

"Zia is utterly delightful, and I'm so glad she's come for a visit," Camille said.

Lie, Zia's truth magic pinged in warning.

"I'm sure that you are going to have a fabulous time," the dame added. Lie.

Zia's face hurt from smiling flakily for the past hour. "I'm going to go and look at the paintings before they all get sold," she said and unhooked Camille's grip on her. She had only gone a few steps through the crowd when she was bailed up by Erik.

"Here you go, darling. You looked like you could need another drink," he said, passing her a bright orange cocktail with a coil of lemon rind in it.

"Thanks," she replied with a relieved smile. "Camille has introduced me to so many people I feel dizzy."

"The trick is not to remember any of their names. I doubt you will need to know them anyway," he replied and looked her over.

She was in dark slacks and a pretty satin top that Camille had sent for her to wear that morning. Thankfully, they weren't white, but a dark indigo and black that complimented her coloring.

"I have to admit, money looks good on you, cousin."

Truth. Zia smiled and tried not to think about kicking him in the balls. "Thanks. I know I'm not what any of you expected, but I'm going to try my best to fit into the family and not embarrass anyone."

Erik laughed softly. "Aren't you just sweet as sugar? Trust me, you don't want to fit in with any of this crowd. None of them can be trusted. You can only trust us."

Lie. Zia smirked and looked into her drink. At the bottom of the glass, disguised by the curl of lemon, was a dissolving white tablet. Sloppy, cousin. Very sloppy.

"I do trust you all. I'm going to look at the paintings."

"Have fun, pet. Oh, and Zia? I'm having a party tonight. I've talked to Emilia, and she's going to outfit you and bring you along."

"I love parties! Thanks, Erik," she said with her brightest smile.

He only laughed, as if she didn't know it was at her and not with her.

Zia slipped through the crowd and subtly tipped her drink out into a large potted fern before leaving the empty glass on a side table. She walked up a curving set of velvet covered stairs to a mezzanine that displayed the items available in the silent auction.

A fae woman was leaning heavily on an older man's arm and cooing over a statue of Venus carved from ivory. The man was all smiles as he entered a bid in an app on his phone. It was a beautiful piece, and it made Zia itch with annoyance that it was going to be lost in some private collection, and not put on display where everyone could enjoy it.

A figure moved in a shadowy alcove, and she spotted Ares watching her with his dark green eyes. She pretended she hadn't seen him as her heart gave a strange skip. He was gorgeous in another all-black suit. Really, it was criminally unfair that he was so damn pretty.