Gypsy Truths (All The Pretty Monsters #6)- Kristy Cunning Page 0,104

If she thinks you’re unaware—”

“She’ll cat-and-mouse it until it’s not fun anymore. Got it. She’s simply waiting on someone to confront her and ask where he is.”

I nod again, my hands not steadying.

I see them, but it’s almost a blur. Everything is a blur.

It feels as though I’ve been yanked back to stare on at the scene. From sublimely happy to anticipating devastation in less than a few short seconds.

“This is war, Violet. Now it begins. It’s one big game to her, and she spares very little mercy. It’s been more severe than you’ve been able to understand, and it’s too late to turn back now, sweet monster. You’re going to need to get much tougher for a little while, and for that, I apologize in advance,” Emit says, cupping my cheeks with both his hands and forcing me to look at him. “Please don’t let her crush you with the very first blow.”

I expected claws and bite.

I expected head games and verbal sniping.

I expected her to be more vicious toward me.

I don’t know what I expected. It’s like stumbling onto a battlefield for the first time and not realizing someone’s already pulled the trigger while you’ve been waiting for the first shot.

It’s exactly how they likely felt after standing around watching Idun TV.

“Everyone knew losing Arion would be the hardest for her, even though she treated him the worst,” I mutter to myself. “And Vance still went to meet with Pandora—today of all days.”

“Now that he’s been captured, it’s easy to look back and see it as a trap,” Damien says, exhaling harshly. “It was a risk that had to be taken. I’ll be back. I need to find Zuela.”

As soon as Damien exits, a sob tries to escape me. I manage to muffle it against my sleeve, feeling the tickle of fur against my lips.

Emit drags me to him, his arms curling around me, surrounding me as he holds me just as tight as I need him to. My cheek presses to his chest, and I inhale his woodsy scent. It actually is mildly calming, so I do it again.

And again.

And again.

I’m not sure how long we stand that way, but I don’t allow myself too long to be weak.

“The games are over now, aren’t they?” I ask. “Now she’ll drop the mask and the façade. She’ll reveal her true self.”

“It depends,” he answers before pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

“On what?”

“On whether we find Vance and he lives. Or if Arion goes through with making you his bride.”

My brow furrows and I lift my head. “What?”

“She’s not posturing. She’s sending a message without saying a single word. She’ll kill Vance, and start breaking you in today if he takes you as his bride. Or she’ll let you live on in relative peace, by her standards, and play nicely for a while longer if he concedes. This is her limit, Violet. Arion is hers. He’s simply on loan to you as a reward for all his ungratified loyalty she knows she abused.”

“At least she’s not unreasonable,” I grind out, the words dripping in sarcasm.

“She’s at the top of the food chain. I wish it was different, Violet, but if defeating her were easy, we’d have done it long before now,” he assures me. “Our plan is to slowly dilute her infamy with strategic maneuvers over a series of decades that could span up to three or four centuries. At best it’ll be two. It’s that complicated.”

Swallowing thickly, I let it all sink in.

She’s not some playground bully. She’s not some co-worker bitch.

She’s essentially a queen with a lot of power. More importantly, she’s a very influential figure in the monster world.

“How bad does Arion want me to be his bride?” I ask quietly.

“Bad enough to not give two shits if Vance dies. I’m sure he’d sacrifice most anything. You’ve allowed him to freely touch you any way he wanted to in front of anyone and everyone. By now he’s convinced it’s just within his grasp, and he won’t dare allow her to take it from him.”

My jaw trembles, and I once again swallow around the painfully tight lump in my throat.

“I was going to tell him yes when he asked, while wearing the ring Vance gave me, so that I could answer them both at the same time. I didn’t want there to be a last place,” I say on a rasp whisper. “Suddenly, a life is on the line, and my vampire boyfriend is