Page 76 of Blood Curse

The corridor lamps had dimmed for dawn. Two of the newly arrived vampires stood near the back stairs, speaking quietly. They turned when I passed.

“Your Majesty?” one asked.

I kept walking.

“Is something wrong?”

“Stay here.”

The words were mine, but the Crown allowed them because they kept the men out of my path. Both stopped.

The ease of it sickened me.

I took the stairs down. I tried to grip the rail and hold myself in place. My fingers slid along the wood without closing.

The command didn’t rush. It didn’t need to. It owned every step.

I heard Lenora in the old armoury before I reached it. Metal touched metal, followed by the scrape of a drawer. She was securing the dagger half Elias had carried from the spring.

One more lock.

One more delay.

I reached the armoury door as she opened it.

Lenora took in my face and stepped into the doorway. “Where’s Bryony?”

“Asleep.”

Her hand went to the pocket of her dress. “What did she say?”

“Bring her the dagger.”

“Was she awake?”

“No.”

Lenora shut the door behind her. The mechanical lock clicked.

“Then you aren’t getting it.”

“Don’t give me the key.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“Can you sit down?”

“No.”

“Can you wait here?”

“No.”

“Can you choose a longer route back?”

“My body will take the shortest one.”

“What happens if the key doesn’t work?”