“Why don’t you and Simon take a seat, Jaunty. We can talk about the situation calmly,” Byron suggested.

Jaunty took a reluctant Simon’s hand and guided him over to the couches. Everyone else took a seat, leaving Byron and Amelia standing by the fireplace.

Byron cleared her throat, and put an arm around Amelia’s waist. “Thank you for coming, everyone. I asked you here to tell you that Amelia has now accepted her role as Principessa of the Debrek clan.”

Most of the faces smiled at that statement, apart from Wilder, Simon, and Alexis. Amelia knew it would take time for Uncle Simon to come around, and maybe longer for Wilder. Alexis on the other hand never seemed to smile, so she didn’t take it personally.

Byron continued, “As we make this transition in our clan, we face a threat from the Dreds. Amelia is in danger because she can be used to gain our secret, and to that end I ask you, Daisy, if you would keep the knowledge of our world to yourself, not for my sake but for Amelia’s. The chaos of outing our world would make protecting ourselves so much harder.”

Both Amelia and Byron looked hopefully to Daisy. She looked like she was thinking hard, and Amelia was quite sure she wouldn’t stop her investigations, but was certain she would never expose them.

“Daisy?” Amelia said.

Daisy sighed. “Of course I won’t. I would never put you in danger. Typical, I’ve been searching for this world all my life. Now I’m in it, and I can’t tell anyone.”

“Thank you,” Byron said. “And Jaunty and Simon? Can I rely on you to keep this quiet?”

“You and Amelia can always rely on us,” Jaunty answered for them both. “Just make sure you put Amelia first, Byron.”

Byron put her hand on her heart and said, “You have my word of honour, sir.”

Amelia felt totally loved and adored, something she’d looked for her whole life. Byron had proved her nobility, and she knew Byron would keep the declaration she had just made till her dying day, if a vampire could have a dying day.

Byron took a few steps forward. “This will be a difficult and dangerous time. Amelia will be returning to work, at her request. Wilder will be her personal guard, and I have complete confidence that she will keep the Principessa safe, but the rest of you, keep alert, and remember we’re not just fighting for us, we’re fighting for the human world’s safety.”

Amelia imagined a world with many born vampires sired by Victorija, and it just didn’t bear thinking about. They could not afford to lose this war.

Chapter Twenty-two