Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
“Why are your eyes gold?” Thalia asked.
She’d finally made it to the library the next morning.
Camilla had stumbled upon her there a few hours later and made a comment about reading for the afternoon.
But Thalia had the sense Camilla was keeping an eye on her.
She couldn’t say why, but every so often she’d feel Camilla’s eyes on her shoulder blades as she searched the shelves for books on sickness.
“That’s a strange question,” Camilla said, marking the spot in her book with her finger.
Thalia shrugged. “We were talking about eye color last night—”
Cassius’s words from the night before rang unbidden in her ear. Because when we fuck, it’s because we both want it. And it certainly won’t be a secret.
She hadn’t spoken to him since he’d thoroughly shut down whatever was happening between them. And when she’d woken, he was already gone. White-hot anger pulsed in her stomach. She’d made a fool of herself, and her cheeks still burned with embarrassment every time she thought about it.
There would be no fucking anytime soon, that was for certain.
Camilla gave her an odd look, and Thalia cleared her throat. “Cassius explained what your eye colors mean. The whole pure-blood and half-blood thing. But you’re not a Vampyr, so why are your eyes gold?”
Camilla set her book aside. Thalia wasn’t sure what she was reading, but the title sounded like some sort of erotica. Thalia resisted the urge to snort.
“You know about the pockets of magic, yes?” Thalia nodded as Camilla went on. “We were formed from those pockets of magic but also of the earth. The gold represents the minerals in the earth’s crust.”
“Really?” Thalia breathed. Every time those pockets of magic were mentioned, her mind spun.
Camilla smirked, laughing slightly. “No, but you should see your face right now.”
Thalia scowled, shoving a book back on the shelf. “Ha-ha. Very funny. I was being serious.”
Camilla sobered. “The gold was a way to identify us as shifters. Just like you can identify a bird based on their feathers.”
“But the Vampyrs also have gold eyes.”
“Their gold isn’t as pure.”
“Is it because they’re half-bloods?”
Camilla nodded. “If you look at Keegan’s eyes, they aren’t as gold as they seem; they have almost a copper hue.”
Thalia stared at the shifter, and indeed, her irises were nearly yellow because of how bright the gold was.
Thalia chewed the inside of her cheek. “Can you also … smell?”
Camilla raised a well-groomed brow. “If you’re asking if I can scent things like a human, the answer is no. But I can smell and hear things you can’t, just like the Vampyrs can.”
“What can you smell exactly?”
Camilla tilted her head, her delicate nostrils flaring slightly. “You used a jasmine soap last night for your bath.” Thalia raised an approving brow. She couldn’t even smell the soap she’d used. “I can also smell Cassius on you.”
Thalia’s pulse jumped, but she forced herself to breathe to bring her heart rate back down. Yes, Camilla probably smelled the desperation Thalia had felt when she practically threw herself at him. “Can you smell emotions? Like fear and—” Arousal. Thalia pushed the thought aside.
But Camilla must have sensed where her mind was going, because she smirked. “Yes. Anything that heightens the emotions, both shifters and Vampyrs can smell.”
Great.
“Can you smell anger?”
Camilla tilted her head, making a face. “Sometimes. Anger is an emotion that, while powerful, doesn’t have as strong of a scent. Fear and arousal—those emotions cause your body to react physically, and it’s easier to pick up on that.”
Well, at least Thalia had that going for her. Although she would like Cassius to choke on her anger next time he saw her.
“Is House Gallinus really facing financial issues?” Thalia changed the subject. Maybe she needed to work on her subtlety. But at this point, subtlety wasn’t getting her anywhere.
Camilla sighed. “Yes and no. Their exports have slowed immensely within the last six months. But that isn’t making them destitute. They have other resources that could be set up to trade with other continents. Lord Adrian is just stubborn.”
“How are the other continents in dealing with Vampyrs?” Thalia pushed.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean …” Thalia paused, trying to word things carefully. “There are humans on other continents. Sula, for example, has no Vampyrs. They aren’t … worried about dealing with you all?”
Camilla’s eyes seemed to sharpen. “Only Agripa has ever had issues with Vampyrs.”
Thalia felt her rage spike. “With good reason.”
Camilla’s face softened ever so slightly. “I don’t agree with what happened between our two worlds. Believe it or not, other Houses don’t agree either. But things are different now. We have a chance to coexist once more, to set up trade between our realms and better the lives of both our peoples.”
Thalia swallowed.
Wasn’t that what she’d been trying to do too? Better the lives of the people of Agripa by killing the Vampyrs?
But being here … hearing the way Camilla talked, as though she wanted the same thing, to ensure that her people not only survived but thrived …
Thalia cleared her throat. “I’m surprised that Lord Calphis didn’t try and kill me.”
“Because you killed his son?”
Thalia’s stomach twisted, the image of a staked Vampyr flashing. “Yes.”
Camilla leaned back in her seat. “Lord Calphis and his family have always been loyal to House Lorenzia.”
So they’d be of no use to her.
“How is Lord Damien a lord? He’s not a ruler of any court.”
“That is the prince’s doing,” Camilla said. “Anyone who is on the prince’s council rises in rank.”
“So you’re a lady?”
Camilla nodded, gesturing to herself. “Can’t you tell?”
Thalia snorted. “Are there any other ladies of the Houses? Lord Damien mentioned that there have been some in the past …”
“Yes, a lady currently runs House Olvectus.”
Thalia was surprised by that, but also a bit impressed that the ruler of the House that included the shifters but also dealt with the ore was a woman. “Was she at the court introduction?”
Camilla shook her curly head. “No, she had to stay in Lorceium.”
“Why?”
Camilla’s long nails clicked on the arms of her chair. “Someone had to ensure that the ore was being sent to Agripa.”
Thalia chewed the inside of her cheek. She hadn’t even realized she’d gone back to searching the bookshelves when Camilla asked, “What are you looking for, anyway?”
Thalia’s pulse spiked, but she pushed it aside. “Nothing, really.”
Camilla’s eyes narrowed. “You’ve been in here for hours.”
Thalia sighed, staring at the shifter. She would probably smell it if Thalia lied, but also, Camilla had most likely heard about what had happened in Irenbis.
“Cassius said there was a sickness that affect Vampyrs. There isn’t a cure that they know of, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to look and try to help,” she said.
Camilla gave her a wary look. “I see.”
“I thought it would help to show the courts that I aim to do my job as princess,” Thalia got out.
Camilla stiffened. “You’re trying to earn their trust.”
Thalia nodded, although it hadn’t been a question. “It would be more helpful if they weren’t so afraid to voice what was going on in their Houses,” she muttered. She turned her back, continuing her search, although Camilla’s stare seared her shoulder blades.
“I sent your letter, by the way.”
Camilla’s words had Thalia’s head jerking up. “What?”
“Cassius was busy this morning, but I sent it. Just wanted to let you know.”
“Thank you.” The thought should have settled her. After all, she’d told her mother in not so many words that the courts weren’t as strong as they appeared, how the prince being away was causing strain. But she hadn’t mentioned the sickness, not yet. Not until she figured out how that all tied in.
But for some reason, it didn’t calm her nerves.
Camilla didn’t say anything more, and silence stretched as Thalia went deeper into the library.
When the door to the library creaked open, Thalia craned her neck around a bookshelf.
Keegan strode in, urgency lacing his footsteps. “The meeting has been moved up,” he said to Camilla, the shifter having gone back to reading.
Camilla set the book aside, rising. “To when?”
Keegan glanced behind him. “Right now.”
Camilla cursed, looking around until she spotted Thalia. “Are you wanting to join?”
Thalia’s fingers tightened on the book she held. “No.”
Both of Camilla’s brows rose, and even Keegan seemed surprised at her answer. “No? Weren’t you pushing to meet with all the Houses?”
Thalia forced herself to not react, to not allow her body to give away any scent that would indicate her lie. “I was … but is the prince here?”
Keegan shared a look with Camilla before shaking his head. “No, he’s still away.”
Thalia shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Then the meeting must not be too urgent if it was moved up and he’s still away. I’m sure you can fill me in on anything I miss, but I want to keep researching. I think I might have found something.”
The Vampyr and shifter shared another look.
“All right,” Camilla finally said, taking a step toward the door. “I’ll find you after, then.”
Thalia forced a smile, waving the book in her hand. “I’ll be here.”
The two left, closing the library door behind them. Thalia waited, counting in her head. When five minutes had passed, she tiptoed to the library door, pressing her ear against the wood, but she heard nothing on the other side.
Heart pounding in her throat, she pulled out the map of the castle from her dress pocket. She’d found it when visiting the library days ago, and now was the perfect opportunity to put it to use.
She stared at the drawing, then glanced around the library until her focus landed on the tapestry in the back with the different courts stitched on the surface.
Thalia hurried over to it, lifting up the tapestry to stare at the cold stone beneath it. She glanced down at the map, then back at the wall. There—a small emblem of a raven with three eyes appeared carved in the corner of one stone.
“There you are,” she whispered, pressing her hand against the stone.
The wall gave away with a groan and Thalia froze, glancing back to the door, but no one came to investigate.
Thalia counted to thirty in her head before glancing into the secret passageway. Cold, musty air floated to her.
Taking a deep breath, she steeled her spine.
Thalia didn’t look back as she stepped into the dark.