“Mother sent me here to learn the way of the land, to grow accustomed to life here, so that when Sweyn was born I could help to control her. I did do that, but I did so in the shelter of the angels. They took me in. They trusted me, befriended me, and . . . well, they were my co-conspirators. That was the start of my long running friendship and alliance with Heaven. Once Sweyn was born, in 999, I kept close watch from a distance, yet never face-to-face. She was raised by the Nephilim who later betrayed the world. Twenty years after the turn of the millennia, I went to Sweyn, pretending to be an eighteen-year-old half-breed like herself that was alone in the world in need of shelter.”

“So Sweyn thinks she’s older than you and that she took you in.” I spun my crystal ring around my finger nervously. “When really you have been playing her from the start.”

He nodded. “Two centuries later the war started.”

“Which war was that again?” Thiago scowled and scratched his head. “I’ve lost track of the years and such. Was that the One Hundred Years’—-”

“No. The One Hundred Years’ War started a century later. First we had the war of Heaven against the Nephilim, vampires, and Unseelie.” Everest’s eyes darkened. “We lost a lot in that war.”

Saber squeezed his shoulder tight enough for her knuckles to turn white.

My chest tightened. There was history between them. I just needed to know the details. Ignorance was not bliss if I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Braison strolled back in to sit on the floor by Willow so Albert could crawl into his lap. “Now that we’re free . . . How long have you been on his crew, Saber?”

“Forever,” she said softly without looking at anyone or taking her hand off my soulmate’s shoulder. Her mouth quirked like she was trying to fight a smile. “I was a wee little tickling when Everest found me. I’ve been by his side since.”

Braison nodded. “And how long is that now?”

“Saber has been with me for a few decades, though her residency at Avolire is a little more than a single decade.” Everest smiled up at her. “And now look at us.”

“I know!” She giggled. “We have the first witch-turned-vampire⁠—-”

“Wait, I’m the first?”

“Yes, Braison, you are.” Everest nodded. “Sweyn never dared to attempt such a thing before. She is smart enough to know how to stay under The Coven’s radar.”

Tenn narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “So why did she turn Braison now? We weren’t even looking at her. I mean, yeah, we knew she attacked us in October, but that was not a problem on our immediate agenda⁠—-”