Scarlet's POV
The marble floor of my father's sunroom was cool beneath my feet, a stark contrast to the warmth of the servant's hands as they meticulously attended to my pedicure.
I watched their trembling fingers with detached amusement; such a simple, fragile creature. One wrong move and I'd have their position terminated. Permanently.
"This situation with the Serpent's Kiss," I began, my voice a smooth, calculated drawl as I looked at my father, Mr. Valois, who was sipping his brandy by the window. "Are we certain it will favor us? We both know the Shadow Cult doesn't work with anyone… unless they find them sufficiently useful."
My father's smile was a thin, predatory line. "It will be perfect, my dear. Now that the track is being officially used by our kind, it's only a matter of time before the vessel is found."
