Today has been in the making from the moment I took over leadership of the bargainer demons, wresting it away from Caesarea once and for all. My aunt was content to drive us to ruin for the sake of her entertainment and bloodlust. Our realm is too damn small to be embroiled in a constant state of war. Whole populations have been decimated in service to her ambition. Whole generations—mine, notably—bear the scars that only war can bring.

I’ve vowed to go a different way. One where peace reigns. One where bargainers don’t have the market cornered on power. It’s been too many generations since humans and the people of this realm mingled freely. In a world where each territory takes its strength from the magic of its leader, everyone except us has been in a steady decline for far too long.

Just how Caesarea preferred it.

Today changes that, once and for all. I’ve worked exceedingly hard to create enough trust with the other territory leaders that they were willing to come here and accept my offer. And now it’s happening.

Having Eve on the stage was never part of the plan.

I don’t have a choice, though. Ramanu was right when they pointed out that any appearance of dishonesty will undermine the entire operation. Eve has to join the others, and I have to ensure no other leader chooses her. It’s a mess of my own making, but even with the way time moves differently between realms, there was no guarantee that leaving Eve alone for another day wouldn’t result in her death.

Brosh has spent a decade being a mere voice of discontent. I underestimated him, sure that he’d never escalate. To discover that not only had he found Eve, but he had plans to kill her? I shudder. I hadn’t stopped to think. I needed her safe, and now she is. No matter what the cost ends up being, it’s more than worth it as long as she remains among the living.

Still, there’s the event to deal with. I do my best to focus as I pull Rusalka—the succubi and incubi leader—aside the moment they arrive and explain what I need from them. I’m concerned about one of the humans in the group tonight, and while I think we have the most peace-minded leaders in the realm possible, I’m not willing to sacrifice the human women on the altar of peace. There’s a way forward for all of us; it just requires some careful maneuvering.

Once I have her agreement, it’s time for the others. Thane from the krakens’ territory. Bram from the gargoyles’. Sol, the dragon king. They’re all smart people. They understand what I’m offering them immediately, even if they don’t trust it entirely. That’s fine. Better to ensure they take the offered truce with care.

The human women stand on a short dais in the front of the room, each in a different color of dress, watching us with wide eyes. Belladonna, Briar, Catalina, Grace . . . and Eve. I watch Eve’s eyes go wider as she takes in Thane’s tentacles, Bram’s wings, Rusalka’s hooves, and . . . Well, Sol. When her gaze lands on me, it’s everything I can do to keep my expression composed as if I don’t know her. She’s never seen me in this form, and since she has plenty of cause to hate me currently, I thought it best to avoid a conversation until the rest of my business today is conducted.

I turn back to the leaders. “Let’s begin.”

Rusalka shifts forward, her eyes flaring crimson. “Red.” Belladonna, just as we agreed upon previously.

I turn my attention to the others, waiting with my heart in my throat.

Bram rumbles a little, his wings flaring, but he finally shrugs as if fighting me even this much is too great an effort. “They’re all the same to me. Purple.”

Thank the gods. That was easier than I expected. “Very well.” I force a sharp grin and turn to the two remaining leaders.

“Blue.” Thane moves in his pool, tentacles shifting over one another beneath the water. The ones on his head—where the humans have hair—are mostly behaving, though there’s a nod to his tension in the way they slither over his shoulders, moving in a wind that doesn’t exist.

Now, there’s only Sol remaining. The dragon considers me for a long moment, and I can practically see him weighing whether it’s worth challenging me over the fact that he truly has no choice. “White.” It’s a good pairing. Sol is honorable to a fault, and Briar’s soul is bruised from the abuse of her now-dead husband. He’ll take great care with her, which is all I can ask for.

“Perfect.” I clap my hands together, signaling for the light to go up. “Let’s get these contracts taken care of.”

It takes hours, despite everyone being eager to take their respective human and retreat to their territory. We have a good set of leaders in this generation. Even Thane and Bram, carrying so much loss that it threatens to crush them, are fair, if not kind. Sol is a teddy bear, as Ramanu is so fond of saying. Rusalka is a leader I respect deeply, and we already discussed my concerns over her human, Belladonna, not advocating for herself. There is no reason for the stress wrapping around my spine and threatening to crush me.

I am particular about who I offer contracts to. I have been even before becoming territory leader. Yes, a bargainer’s power grows with each bargain signed and sealed, but offering one means taking responsibility for another person’s well-being. Since becoming leader, I’ve only made one deal and it went badly. In the wake of that it was easier to make no deals at all. I had a whole territory to worry about, and adding more to my plate—even if resulted in more power—was too much to ask for.

Until now.

Creating five bargains and sending four of the humans involved off to live outside my domain and outside my control . . . I clench my fists. They’ll be fine. According to the contracts each of the leaders signed, they will default their territories to me if their human is harmed.

If I thought any of the other leaders would be careless with their prizes, I never would have made this offer. I can’t say they are all good matches, based on what I know of both the humans involved and the leaders, but hopefully things will fall out for the best.

As the last pair files out, heading for the portal that will transport them back to their home, I don’t have an excuse for avoiding Eve any longer.

I sigh and head for her room, where she was escorted back after the others were chosen. I trail my hand along the stone wall. “Keep an eye on her, please. She’s liable to get into trouble on her own.”

The castle isn’t technically sentient, but it’s close enough, so it’s a good idea to be polite and ask for what I want instead of demand it. Whichever leader in generations long past imbued the building with magic to shift and mold at will, I don’t think they intended the place to end up with a will of its own. But magic and time have a way of playing with even the clearest of intent.

Case in point, it should be a five-minute walk to reach Eve’s room. The castle must sense my reluctance, because it takes me fifteen to reach her door.

I pause. There’s no avoiding this forever, and the longer I put it off, the worse it will be. I lied to her. I tricked her. And now I’m going to reveal myself to be a monster to her human eyes. I have enough magic that I could draw my human glamor around me, but it’s difficult in this realm, and more importantly, it would only extend the lie.

I have her for a lifetime, and if she hates me for the entirety of it, at least she’ll be alive to hate.

With one last aborted sigh, I knock firmly on the door. It cracks open immediately, the castle allowing me entry before Eve has a chance to decide for herself. When I don’t immediately push the door open, it creaks wider on its own.

“Not helping,” I mutter.

And then she’s there, standing before me in her yellow dress, her dark eyes stony. “I’m overstimulated and not in the mood. Leave me alone.”