Chapter 2
TWO
The moment I step into the library, I feel a sense of peace that I don't get anywhere else in the castle.
Not even in my room with Pip. The only thing that would make this better was if my dog could come with me, but I'm still unclear on which part of the castle Pip is allowed in and which she isn't. There were dogs at the Golden Moon ball when I arrived, but I haven't seen very many around since.
I push that thought to the side and head up the stairs, taking each step as quickly as possible until I'm at the top. I pause for a moment to regain my breath.
"If you run any faster up the stairs, you'll make all the blood rush to your head," Linc says.
I spin around, and as he says, my head feels a little dizzy. I lift my hand to press it to my temple. "Then it's a good thing that I can just drink more of it."
He laughs. "I'm not sure that's how it works, but if you're thirsty, I can order you some blood."
"I'm not thirsty." I frown. "Is it even thirsty?"
He shrugs. "We drink blood, so I guess that would make it thirst. But it's not really a feeling that's like either thirst or hunger."
"Hmm, I see what you mean," I agree. "But I'm good with tea."
"Ah, you've gained a fondness for it."
"Maybe it's just the company I've been drinking tea with," I respond.
Linc leans forward. "That's almost flattery, Beatrice."
A small thrill goes through me at the sound of him saying my name. "Not almost," I counter. "It is flattery. Our meetings here are always the highlight of my day."
"If I were a cruel man, I would say something vague that implied I felt the same but didn't actually say as much."
"And considering you're not a cruel man?"
We're standing so close together that I can feel the heat radiating from his body and feel his breath against my skin. Or maybe I'm imagining it because I want to feel close to someone.
"I look forward to our meetings," he responds. "I've wanted someone to discuss history with since I arrived here."
"Oh." I look down, trying not to feel too disappointed that all he sees me as is someone to discuss his interests with. But there's really no reason for me to feel bad about that when I've barely known him for a couple of weeks and our friendship is merely a case of accidental proximity.
"I did make sure to get more of that cake you liked with the cherries," he says.
I look up and meet his gaze. "That's very sweet."
He flashes me a smile. "I thought it would help with the reading lessons."
"Am I that bad?"
He chuckles. "I promise you're not."
"Hmm."
"You're not," he assures me. "Another week and you might not need me at all."
I laugh sharply. "I very much doubt that. Even if I can read the information, I wouldn't know how to fill in any of the gaps. You're good at that."
His whole face lights up at the compliment. "Thank you. We should go and sit down before the tea is over-brewed."
I nod and let him lead me over to the table I've come to see as ours, even if it isn't. "You never told me what got you interested in history in the first place."
"I suppose it's mostly because I wanted to know where I came from. Isn't that what you're here for?" He pulls out the chair for me and waits for me to take my seat.
"I want to know how to survive at court," I respond. "Everyone keeps telling me that vampire politics is deadly, and that I'm likely to go through a husband every decade. I have no desire to be collateral damage in anyone else's game."
"An admirable choice."
"You disapprove?"
"No." He sits down and pours each of us some tea. "Or maybe in parts of it. I didn't realise you were resigned to your marriage."
I sigh. "What else am I supposed to do? My father is going to marry me off to whichever noble he believes is best whether I like it or not.
I can either accept what's going to happen and use the time to learn how to play the game so I'm not as powerless next time, or I can fight against it and die.
Is that not the same as what you're doing when you drink? "
Linc chuckles uncomfortably. "I'm mostly searching to forget when I drink."
"Does it work?"
"No." He picks up his teacup and takes a sip. "Certainly not as well as interesting conversation."
"I believe that's normally a good distraction," I respond. "But it seems to be in short supply."
"It has been better since the last Golden Moon." He meets my gaze and there's something in them that I can't quite fathom.
I look down at my tea, trying to collect my thoughts. I clear my throat. "I finished the book you gave me." I set it down on the table. "Thank you."
"Was it helpful?" he asks.
"I think so. But I'm still surprised that the whole book contained history of the castle but didn't include any mention of vampires at all." It took me a few attempts to read some of the passages, but I have a real sense of achievement in having finished it by myself.
"I suppose I never thought about it, I didn't know about the vampires when I first read it, so it never crossed my mind. And when I got here, I moved straight onto the library. I don't think I've ever re-read the book I gave you."
"Why did you keep it? If you haven't re-read it, I mean?"
He reaches out and touches the cover of the book. "I'm not sure. It reminds me of a simpler time, I suppose. Or maybe I just like to hold onto things others would have me be rid of."
"Like your humanity," I quip.
Linc snorts. "Precisely. It's very unfashionable at court to maintain such a sentimental thing. If you really want to play the game of politics, you'll need to learn how to pretend you've lost that."
I grimace. "Which is going to be a challenge when it comes to the Feasts," I murmur.
"That's where the wine comes in," Linc responds.
"Except that you do that and you still can't be in the room."
"I'll help you next time," he promises.
I look back up and meet his gaze. "You mean that, don't you?" I whisper.
He offers me a weak smile. "I'm not sure how much help I'll be, I've never managed to see an entire Feast start to finish. My father would rather differently, some people would tell him to disinherit me over it."
"If I'm to believe the rumours about my father, he would kill an heir for showing so much weakness."
"Well, luckily for me, I'm not the heir, or in possession of quite such a mercenary father."
"Wait, you're not the heir?" I ask, somewhat surprised until I recall him mentioning a brother a couple of times.
"I believe I'm what most people refer to as a spare. Which is probably how I've managed to be at court for five years and they're only just starting to talk about when I should get married."
"Ah, so I'm not the only one whose life is going to be dictated by the will of my elders."
"I think all newly turned dhampirs find themselves in that position." Lincoln picks up the plate of cake and places it between the two of us.
I take a sip of my tea. It's nothing like the dandelion tea I sometimes used to make when they were in bloom, and is one of the advantages to my new station in life.
I pick up a piece of the cake and take a bite, enjoying the dried cherries within it that are both tart and sweet at the same time. "This has definitely been my favourite cake so far," I say.
"Only so far?" The amusement comes through his voice.
"Well, it's only been a couple of weeks, I can't possibly have tried all of the cakes, can I?"
"I suppose not."
"Which is your favourite?" I ask.
"I've never given it much thought," he admits. "Though I suppose I do like the lemon cakes."
"We should have those tomorrow," I say without thinking. "Unless you'd rather have a day without a library visit."
"Tomorrow sounds good," he responds.
My heart skips a beat, glad that he's not eager to be rid of me already. "I do have etiquette lessons in the morning, though."
"I shall be here waiting for you when you're done," he promises.
I smile at him, suddenly aware that we haven't actually done any reading yet. But this seems to have become the norm. It isn't the information in the books that keeps me coming back to the library each day, even though that is useful.
It's more than that. It's the company of someone who doesn't seem to be as caught up in the vampire ways as much as everyone else. I just hope that I'm not misjudging him and that this isn't going to cause me pain down the road.