the last two days.”
While relieved he hadn’t managed to break through, I was just glad he was okay. That was the main thing.
I slowly sat up. “I need to see the Indebted downstairs.”
“Not happening.”
My eyes narrowed to slits. “Happening. With or without you.”
Light danced in her blue eyes. “You realise you have no way to back that up?”
“You realise I killed one of your kind two days ago.”
Her eyes took on a strange quality. She studied me. “Yes. You did.”
“So can you bring Laurel up, please?”
Francesca laughed. “These are Kyros’s private rooms. They can’t come up here. We hardly come up here.”
Blowing out a breath, I resisted the urge to attack his youngest sister. “Then I’ll go to them,” I said between gritted teeth.
“Don’t worry,” Deidre said, shooting a look at Francesca. “She pisses all of us off. She’s going through her thirties. It’s a trying time.”
“Stop saying that!” the youngest sister shrieked.
I pushed the covers back, setting my feet on the floor. Butt-naked, of course. I was losing count of my naked displays by now.
Too tired to care.
Standing, I waited a full minute for my wooziness to clear and traipsed to the drawers. Kyros’s T-shirt drawer was empty, so I nicked some sweatpants, rolling them at the waist a few times. I’d spied a wardrobe around the jutting wall. Hobbling stiffly around the wall, I pulled out a white shirt and shrugged it on, rolling the sleeves to the elbow and fastening most of the buttons.
It’d have to do.
I returned to find the four sisters contemplating me in varying levels of consternation. Francesca with open hostility.
They didn’t like me in their brother’s space. Whatever.
“Lalitta,” I said. “Could you help me with the stairs, please?”
She beamed and blurred to grip my elbow.
Kindness. I needed it in droves right now.
She picked me up halfway down when dizziness assaulted me and kicked open the door, setting me upright at the base of the stairs.
I scanned the gathered Indebted. The sisters weren’t wrong about the cramming part.
Laurel squeezed between two of her comrades and I stumbled in her direction, falling into her arms.
“Laurel.” My voice was muffled by her shoulder.
Her back was ramrod straight, but she returned my embrace. “Miss Tetley. I’m very happy to see you upright.”
The lump in my throat choked my voice beyond recognition. “You were worried about me? What about you guys? I’m so sorry you were dragged into that. Going out to Black was foolish. Five people lost their lives. I’m just so, so sorry.”
My eyes misted, and I paused to steady my shallow breaths until the urge to cry passed.
The Indebted woman squeezed my shoulder. “That’s not how we view what happened.”
How could they not?
Hiccupping, I surveyed the other women in the office. Five of their friends were dead. A sadness hung over them like a blanket, yet I couldn’t detect any anger on their faces. Not toward me at least.
“You should have been safe in our hands, and for that, we sincerely apologise,” Laurel said quietly, bowing her head.
Their fault?
I blinked. “That’s not what I think at all. I’m just grateful you were there.”
Really grateful.
“Will there be a funeral?” I asked quietly.
Laurel’s eyes shot to Kyros’s sister over my shoulder. “There will.”
I took her hand. “If it’s appropriate for me to attend, please let me know the details when you have them.”
“I’ll be certain to, Miss Tetley.”
“Excuse me,” Lalitta piped up. “Do you mind if I come too? I would like to pay my respects.”
The ranks of Indebted shuffled and fidgeted.
I glanced back, watching as the princess’s cheeks stained pink.
Laurel fixed the vampires crammed into the room with a blank look that stilled them before smoothing her features. She bowed in Lalitta’s direction. “Of course, Princess Lalitta. I’ll pass the details on as soon as I have them.”
It didn’t take a genius to sense they didn’t want the royal there. Personally, I thought Kyros’s sister was the only sane one of her siblings.
I jerked as shouts erupted from outside the office.
“Formation,” Laurel called, arching a brow my way.
“Looks like my brother felt you move,” Lalitta said, clearing her throat.
I gasped as he roared, the door between us barely muffling the sound.
“Let’s get you back upstairs,” Lalitta said kindly, her eyes shifting to the door. “Quickly.”
At least there was only one day left.
Laurel squeezed my shoulder again. “For what it’s worth, Miss Tetley, we really are happy you’re okay.”
“Thank you.” I tried to smile, but my lips barely twitched. “Thank you all for saving my life. I