One hand wraps around his neck. I protract my claws and press them none too gently into his skin.
“Well done,” he growls, with a particular sneering inflection. “I never though you much of a warrior.”
“Then you’ve been blind,” I say. I let him go. He straightens and dusts himself off.
“I felt someone following me,” he explains. “I did not know it was you. I would never have attacked the Queen’s son.”
“Somehow, I find that hard to believe,” I say. I look around. It’s quiet out here compared to the raucous party inside. “Why did you leave the festivities? You looked so comfortable with Mother.”
“Is that what this is about? Your jealousy?” He stands taller. “Are you worried someone will take your place? You’re not threatened, are you?”
“I know my place, Smithson. I’m concerned about yours.”
“Morgan would have me believe otherwise.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Since when are you and she on first-name basis?”
“Come now. It’s just us men.” He smiles. “There’s no need for pretense. You came after me for a reason. Tell me what you want.”
“I want to know what your intentions are with the Queen.”
“Intentions? No, no.” He shakes his head, and I know the next words coming from his lips are falsehoods. “I have no intentions. I am her humble servant. I do everything as she commands.”
“Bull,” I accuse. “You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have some ulterior motive. What are you trying to gain, Smithson? Why did you come to The Haven in the first place?”
“Are you always so suspicious? That should be my role as Captain Commander of the guard. Perhaps we should trade positions.”
“Cut the crap.”
“Fine. Why did you follow me?”
“I had to speak to you in private.”
His eyes shine. “It wouldn’t happen to be about that… thing… you found in the woods earlier today, would it?”
My gut clenches in both anger and distaste. “That was a horrible thing you did. Patricia—”
“Is no longer a thorn in the Queen’s side. I think I’d have the Queen’s gratitude.”
“You know the laws against killing a vampire,” I hiss. An awful cognitive dissonance stirs up inside me.
I’ve killed four.
“But I did not kill her,” Smithson smiles. “The Narwhark did.”
“And you thought your pathetic silver net would capture it?” I snort a laugh. “The mechanism didn’t even go off.”
“No.” Smithson walks around me. I turn my head to follow his movement. “The net was for a vampire who might stray too close. I did not mean to capture the Narwhark. I simply wanted to see what it was capable of.”
“You put her there as bait.”
“Better her than one of us, hmm?” Smithson asks. “Better a nobody, a weakling vampire, than one of the vampire elite.”
My rage takes me. I cannot help it. I grab his shoulders and slam him into the wall. “She was my friend,” I hiss.
Smithson’s eyes are ablaze. “Do you know how many friends I’ve lost over the years? Do you know how many people I’ve had to watch perish, how many vampires I’d seen die on the Outside?” He shakes his head. “But of course you don’t. You’ve been protected here for centuries. You know nothing of the cruelties of the world. You’re soft and pompous. You—”
“I am not,” I growl, pressing him harder against the surface, “—soft.”
“And yet where is your beloved? Where is Eleira? Oh, that’s right. She’s left suffering in the silver cell because you’re too cowardly to do anything about it.”
More of my anger boils. “Don’t,” I warn him, “accuse me of cowardice.”
“What, then?” he asks. “You consider doing nothing a declamation of love? Please.” He looks down at my hands. “You might as well let me go, since we both know you’re not going to dare harm me tonight.”
With a grunt I shove off. How is it that I let this vampire get so deep under my skin?
“That’s better,” Smithson says. “As it so happens, you and I are not enemies. We both want the same thing.”
I eye him skeptically. “And that is?”
“Peace,” he tells me. “Your Mother fears a war, but she does not realize that her actions are inciting one. She opened The Haven up to all the covens of North America. Do you know why only the weakest came?”
“Enlighten me,” I grunt.