Page 113 of Blood Curse

“Go to bed,” Elias said.

Mara smiled. “Not a fucking chance.”

He sighed. “They were easier when the court was empty.”

“There were fewer opinions,” I said.

“Stellan supplied enough for sixty people.”

The dark-haired vampire took the other side of the arch. “I’ll share the watch. If Mara allows it.”

“I allow nothing,” she said. “You can stand where you like.”

“Here, then. By choice.”

The two of them settled at the open gate.

Stellan put a hand at my back and guided me away from the others. The touch was warm and careful. He waited until we had crossed half the lower court to speak.

“How much did that cost you?”

“Less than revoking four commands.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

I faced him. “The Crown wanted me to close the gates. It wanted an oath from everyone who stayed. I didn’t give it either.”

“And the pain?”

“Manageable.”

“Bryony.”

“Sharp. Constant. Still manageable.”

His jaw tightened. “Elias should examine you.”

“He will. After Mara.”

“Mara is standing guard to annoy him.”

“It’s helping.”

We reached the covered passage. The open gate was still visible behind us, a dark shape cut into the wall. Nobody had rushed to close it.

“Seven left,” Stellan said.

“They had the right to.”

“I know.”

“You sound as if you’re trying to decide whether we failed them.”

“I’m deciding whether I did. They answered a summons from a court I couldn’t protect. Within hours, they were used as weapons against each other.”

“You opened the gate. You didn’t ask them to forgive you or prove themselves first.”

“It was the least I could do.”