I know exactly what I need to do. I lift the blade. The magic’s screaming at me to do it. End it. Set it free. Lucius isn’t looking at the sword at all. He’s looking at me like I’m a daughter who disappointed him.

I hesitate. My troupe’s supposed to be backup, but they’re in a boat out on the water. How are they going to reach us to help? I swing anyway.

He grins. His arm darts forward, and he grabs my hands, clasping the hilt, stopping my swing. His other hand closes around my throat, squeezing so tightly I can’t even feel the magic in me anymore. Only pain. My fingers loosen, and Lucius rips the hilt from my grip. My vision blackens, and I start to look for Roman, but he’s already there, behind Lucius’s shoulder, ripping into Lucius’s neck with his fangs. Blood sprays me in the face. Lucius’s fingers lose their grip on my neck, and I stumble back.

Gasps and yells sound from the boats. Lucius had tried to keep help from reaching me, but it stopped his allies too—at least for a moment.

For a second, all I can do is stand there, watching a vampire kill him the same way he arranged for one to kill my mom. It’s poetic in a way that makes me want to vomit.

But it won’t be that easy. Lucius reaches behind him and grabs Roman, flipping him over his shoulder so he lands sprawled at our feet. He places a boot on Roman’s neck, and I know he’s powerful enough to crush his throat in an instant.

I crash into Lucius, and it’s just enough to make him stumble.

Roman darts to his feet, and we both face him.

“Well,” Lucius drawls as he turns to Roman. “I knew there was a reason I didn’t like you. It seems you’ve been waiting for this.”

Roman gives him a slow nod, and then his knives are flying. I don’t even see them, but I recognize the flick of his wrists.

Metal clanks against metal, and Lucius stands, sword in front of him, Roman’s knives at his feet. Except one. One is buried in his stomach. Blood blooms on his white vest like an unfolding rose petal.

It’s a beautiful sight.

He glances from the knife to Roman, confusion on his face, like Roman should never have been able to land that shot, and maybe he wouldn’t have without my blood and what he just drank from Lucius.