Chapter 42

Vespera’s face twisted as she watched Darius swirl the vial between his fingers, his expression unreadable. The entire room was still, waiting for him to pass judgment, but instead of giving her the reaction she wanted, he exhaled through his nose, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

“This,” he said, tilting the vial in the light, “is syrup. Honey syrup.”

The silence that followed was almost deafenin