Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Thalia didn’t want to say goodbye.
Didn’t want to watch as Katrina silently cried. Didn’t want to look at Reina as she checked that her carriage was ready. She’d be taken by her soldiers to the border of the forest, and from there she’d enter into the Vampyr realm.
Vaccarium.
Thalia had never seen it but had heard the stories.
How the land was fertile, the waters clear, their shorelines picturesque thanks to the ore within their mountain.
Thalia assumed it was some sick joke from the gods that the creatures in the north got the better end of the stick while the humans below scraped by.
Then there was the forest itself, which had always been a barrier between their realms. Only the Vampyrs knew how to get through it.
And before her family was all but killed, the few Vampyrs who traded with humans would guide them to and from.
Back when commerce had flourished between their worlds, when the two species managed to coexist and could live side by side without fear of retaliation.
But that was before a Vampyr ripped out the throat of the king.
“Thank the gods I caught you before you left.”
Thalia turned, surprised to find Marcus before her. The head librarian panted, his brown skin flushed as though he’d run all the way from the library in the heart of the dying city. “You heard?”
Marcus nodded, his curls flying, trying to catch his breath. Gods, she hadn’t thought about leaving him behind, even though they’d been distant of late, both consumed by their own missions. “Everyone’s heard.”
Thalia swallowed, ignoring the fact that now, if she failed her mission, all of Agripa would realize she’d led to their downfall. “What’s this?” She nodded to the satchel in Marcus’s dark hand.
“Some books on the Vampyrs. It’s not a lot; I had to dig through the archives for them. But maybe it could help.” He handed her the bag. Thalia wondered if he knew or had guessed that she’d been given a new mission, one that would require far more knowledge than she’d been previously granted.
“Thank you,” Thalia got out.
Marcus nodded, his attention going over her shoulder. Thalia didn’t have to turn to see who drew his gaze.
Cassius was ensuring his own horse was ready, his fingers deft as they checked the buckles of its saddle.
Marcus made a face but didn’t comment. The three of them had been close before Cassius’s treachery. Before Cassius decided he wanted more. Before he betrayed his kingdom—betrayed them—to become a monster with power.
Marcus jerked his attention back and pulled Thalia into a tight embrace. “Don’t get eaten.”
She wanted to laugh, but it died in her throat.
Marcus released her just as Lord Damien stepped out from the shadows. “Princess, your new home awaits.”
Thalia slid her gaze to the Vampyr, ignoring the way he watched her. She looked to the palace, but her mother hadn’t appeared for her send-off. Only Kamith stood on the cracked steps, watching as the night deepened.
“It is a pity she wouldn’t see you off,” Lord Damien practically purred, following her gaze.
“She’s the queen; she has more important things to do.
” Bitterness coated Thalia’s words before she could stop herself.
She wasn’t sure why it bothered her so much.
She’d never cared in the past when she’d gone to ensure Agripa was still standing.
But perhaps it was this new set of circumstances placed before her Thalia wished the queen had at least acknowledged the shithole she was about to enter.
“Perhaps, but one should always say goodbye to family, especially those they may not see again.”
Thalia stiffened, eyes narrowing. “Is that a threat, Lord Damien?”
The Vampyr cocked his head. “Hardly. Merely speaking from experience.”
“Oh?”
Lord Damien forced another smile. “My brother left one day, and I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. Now I never will.”
“What happened to him?”
Lord Damien’s eyes seemed to glow. “You killed him.”
Thalia’s throat dried as he walked away, and it suddenly clicked. The Vampyr from Cardin. Reina had said he was from an important family—from one of the courts.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Are you ready?” Reina said, suddenly at her side.
“I killed his brother.” Thalia’s words were no more than a whisper.
It took only a moment before Reina cursed. “Keep your eyes open at all times; do not find yourself alone with him.”
Thalia shook her head. “Reina, I can’t—”
“You can. Because you’re stronger than anyone I know.
Remember what I taught you.” Reina scanned her face, then pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Remember your vow.” Thalia nodded, and the cold metal of a stake pressed into her palm.
Thalia pulled away and Reina opened the carriage door for her. “I’ll see you soon enough.”
Thalia nodded and took a last glimpse at the castle, but her mother still hadn’t appeared.
The carriage rumbled underneath her, and Thalia tried to distract herself. But with every turn of the wheel, her mind kept flashing back to Lord Damien, the fact that she’d shoved a stake straight through his brother’s skull and felt no remorse.
Gods, how many Vampyrs had she killed? How many of those creatures’ families would she face once she was in their world? They would be even more inclined to kill her now. Especially Lord Damien.
She sank against the cushions, craning her neck to peer out the window, but only a starless night greeted her back. They’d have to stop at some point once the sun rose. They were still days away from the forest.
Thalia hauled the satchel to her, pulling out the first book Marcus had packed. The bound leather was worn and cracked, its cover carved in swirling spires and thorns.
She opened the page and was immediately greeted by a drawing of a Vampyr.
Thalia glanced at the windows of the carriage, but they remained dark.
She flicked on a switch inside the carriage and a small light fluttered to life above her, one of the many examples of what the ore could do.
At least now Agripa had access to the ore once more.
Its strange power would rebless their land, making it fertile and lush.
Thalia pushed aside the thought as she studied the drawing, the fangs that were just sharp enough to draw blood. Their bites were worse than death, because if one was bitten and did not feed, one would simply decay from the inside out—flake away like paper.
The choice of either becoming a monster or being forced to die in such a gruesome way—it made sense why so many turned.
Except her.
No, she’d rather succumb to whatever dark fate awaited her than be turned into one of them.
Thalia scowled, turning the page, and a new drawing appeared. This one depicted an iron stake shoved straight through a Vampyr’s skull.
Thalia’s steel blade had done nothing to Cassius when he first turned. He’d bled out on her rug as she ran to find help. But when she returned, he was gone, nothing but a stain in his place.
The carriage rolled to a sudden stop, and Thalia jerked as the doors of her carriage were opened.
The golden-eyed Vampyr regarded her, eyes going straight to the book in her lap. She snapped it closed.
“I’m Keegan,” was all he said.
“I don’t care.”
Keegan raised a brow. “Well, do you care to rest?”
Thalia shoved the book into the satchel. “Where?”
Keegan’s lips twitched in amusement. “We have a camp. Unless you prefer the carriage, which will no doubt become an oven in the sun.” Thalia would have much preferred to remain in the safety of the carriage, but the Vampyr just inclined his head.
A head that was decidedly normal and not whatever grotesque trick of the light it’d been in the throne room. “Well?”
“Fine.”
Thalia stumbled out of the carriage, blinking against the hazy gray of dawn.
They’d stopped off the road, no towns or cities in sight.
In fact, they rested along a small, wooded area.
Thalia resisted the urge to shiver as she followed Keegan to their makeshift camp.
Tents had been set up with thick sides to block out the sun, which she thought must have some cooling mechanism to keep out the heat.
At least she didn’t have to worry about one of them killing her during the day. They’d burn to ash if they stepped foot in the light.
She followed Keegan to a tent set up away from the others.
“Here.” He lifted the flap, gesturing for her to enter.
Thalia didn’t want to consider how fast this had all been set up as she glanced at the two cots in the tent.
“Who is—”
Her words died as Keegan disappeared, leaving her alone.
Thalia swallowed, glancing at one of the cots. She didn’t want to admit that, after everything that’d happened in less than twenty-four hours, her body was drained.
She whirled as the tent flap opened and Cassius strode in, carrying a tray of food and a glass of water.
“What are you doing?” Thalia got out, hand going to her knife at her thigh—his knife. She hadn’t given it back, and she wasn’t inclined to either.
Cassius aimed for the empty cot and set the tray on the small stool between the beds. “Bringing you food.”
“Why are you in my tent?”
“It’s my tent too.”
Thalia barked out a laugh until Cassius turned to her, face hard. “You can’t be serious?”
“We are bound together, and as such, we are meant to go with each other everywhere until you’re delivered safely to the prince.”
“Get out,” Thalia hissed.
Cassius raised a brow, sinking onto his cot. He pulled off his boots, a too-human movement. “Trust me, this is not ideal for me either. But the prince would have my head if he knew I wasn’t following tradition.”
“You didn’t drink my blood; isn’t that tradition?”
Cassius froze, blue eyes flicking up. “That’s different.”
Thalia crossed her arms over her chest. The tent began to glow faintly, a sure sign that the sun was finally rising.
“You should eat before it gets cold.” He jerked his head to the tray of food, which was a simple beef stew and a hard roll. At least it wasn’t blood.
Thalia knew she should eat. Because if she didn’t have her strength, she stood no chance against him.
She took a sip of the soup. Cassius watched her intently as she drained the bowl, then ate the bread.
She took a long chug from the water glass—
She made a face, the liquid bitter on her tongue. Heat flooded Thalia’s senses, making her lightheaded.
Something wasn’t right.
Her eyes blurred, the walls of the tent shaking as the glass crashed to the ground.
“This was just to ensure you wouldn’t kill us in our sleep.” Cassius’s voice went in and out, and she almost thought he sounded sorry.
“You prick—” Thalia couldn’t finish her sentence as unconsciousness swept over her, blotting out the day.