Chapter 6 #2
He grunted in acknowledgment, and we proceeded to the end of the long hallway where my room lay. After crossing the threshold and being placed on the end of my bed gingerly by him, I took a moment to enjoy the feeling of the soft down feather bed and pillows that engulfed me.
Tristan crossed the room to the side table, pouring me a cup of water and bringing it over to me before sitting in the chair next to my bed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his legs.
“Kyella, I’ve been wondering why you’re so important to the Emperor, but after observing the Lords that drank your blood tonight…
” he trailed off as I winced at the reminder that I had been fed upon by several vampyres.
So messed up. So damn violating.
Pushing on with the conversation, he resumed, “After they drank from you, I noticed a glow to their eyes—like your blood was physically affecting their energy.”
What?
“So you’re saying my blood gave some kind of boost?” I asked incredulously. Like an energy boost? A power boost? I knew blood obviously fed vampyres, but what did it mean that their eyes were glowing?
He ran a hand over his jaw in thought. “I don’t know what it was, to be honest. But I’ve never seen a vampyre react like that to drinking any human’s blood. Furthermore, I’ve noticed twice now that when the Emperor has given you his blood, you’ve had no reaction to it. It’s a bit peculiar.”
I was unsure of what he meant by that, so I asked for clarification. “What type of reaction am I supposed to have?”
“Well, the law says that Thralls are willing and loyal servants, but how much of that is their own doing versus the control the blood of their Lord has over them? It’s well known that when a human consumes even a drop of a vampyre’s blood, said vampyre is able to control their thoughts and actions, even if in a subtle way. ”
My eyes widened, feeling like I was so out of depth with my situation despite growing up in this empire. It would make sense, though, that the vampyres wanted to keep this information from humans considering applying for a Thrall position.
“So Malakai should’ve been able to bend me to his will? Is that what you’re telling me?”
I had never once felt even the slightest sway over my mind, emotions, or actions that were not my own.
And if Malakai had that power over me, I knew he would’ve used it.
Especially with how I had acted recently in my ‘rebellious’ streak—although I preferred to call it ‘my ongoing fight for the freedom that was ripped away from me by this narcissistic, egotistical asshole.’ No, he didn’t have control of my feelings or actions in the traditional Thrall sense, but he had controlled me by making me feel hopeless and violated.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, Kyella. There’s something special about your blood, and it makes sense now why he’s guarded you so closely.”
Between this information and his hope for the Lords to become allies, I was on information overload. So when he switched the conversation, I was initially thankful, until I realized where he was going with it.
“Kyella… I don’t know what to say to you except that I’m sorry you had to endure that.
No one should ever feel like their voice doesn’t matter, no matter their species or place in the hierarchy.
It is unacceptable what he has done to you and this empire, and I’ll do everything within my power to help you figure out a way to get out of here. To help you escape.”
I’d been trying to lock the memories of tonight away, but it seemed that Tristan wasn’t going to let it go that easily.
My voice quivered as I answered, “Please don’t apologize when you have nothing to do with it, and please don’t ever say you’re going to help me escape again.
” Because hope in that form was painful.
It was different when I was struggling on my own to do so, but the idea of failing in escape and having others suffer as well—or worse, being successful but leaving Tristan and his family to suffer a terrible fate—didn’t sit well with me.
As he opened his mouth to retort, I held a hand up to stop him, not done with my train of thought. “I cannot bear the weight of your family’s lives hanging over my head, even if I did manage to escape. I would never be able to live with myself if I was the reason for your deaths.”
Leaning back, he tapped his fingers against the arm of the chair in thought. “While I appreciate the sentiment, it isn’t your decision to make. And if I’m right about those Lords, I won’t be in this alone. We could have a true chance at pulling this off.”
He said it so lackadaisically, as if so much wasn’t on the line.
Every time the Lords were mentioned, though, my stomach fluttered with butterflies and my heart swelled with hope. Were they still here? Had they departed for home?
“What happened when I passed out?” I felt like that was the easiest way to ask.
“The Emperor apologized to the rest of the Lords waiting and told them that they would have an opportunity to drink from you at his next party. He brought out the castle’s public Thralls to appease them and invited all to drink and mix for longer.”
My stomach churned at the thought of vampyre fangs sinking into me again. More so at the idea of the three Lords drinking from any of the castle’s public Thralls, a mixture of jealousy and anger grabbing hold of me.
My displeasure at the thought must have been easy to see on my face, for Tristan reached out and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently as he swore, “That will not happen, Kyella. Hang in there for a little bit longer. I’m going to see if my observations of those three Lords were correct.”
“And what if they aren’t?” I asked, feeling a chill roll over my skin.
“Then we find another way out,” he said with a determination I wish I felt.