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“She will know that surrendering the blood is required to secure her position. Filling her head with the physical details would only frighten her before she understands the need. Once the Crown is on her head, she will feel what Harrowmere expects and give the command.”
“That’s a polished way to avoid saying no.”
“Her understanding only needs to satisfy the Crown. It doesn’t need to satisfy you.”
Anger tightened my grip on the chain. The manacle bit deeper, and fresh blood ran over my palm. Adrian watched it with the interest of a man checking an investment.
The wards stirred again.
This time the pull carried more than warmth. Hunger sharpened, and desire followed it. Decades in chains hadn’t killed every appetite. I kept the reaction from my face.
Bryony was getting closer.
Adrian heard the links move. “She may be useful to you before the rite. Freely offered blood can loosen these chains. Edith made certain of that when she renewed the wards.”
The admission interested me more than he intended.
“You’ve spent years controlling every mouthful I receive, and now you plan to put a living source within reach. That sounds careless.”
“Bryony won’t offer you anything once she understands what you are.”
“You’ve already decided she’ll fear me. You’ve also decided she’ll trust you. One of those decisions may disappoint you.”
His expression cooled. “You will help me guide her to the Crown. If you refuse, you will remain exactly where you are while the court drains what strength you have left.”
“And if I cooperate, you’ll put a blade through my heart. I appreciate a bargain with two attractive choices.”
“You will survive if Bryony follows the rite correctly.”
He didn’t promise I’d survive what happened afterwards.
I leaned back against the wall. “Bring her below, then. I’d like to meet the woman you expect to control us both.”
Adrian studied me for several seconds. He knew I wanted access to Bryony. He also believed the chains, my hunger and her fear would keep that access harmless.
He was wrong about at least one of us.
“You will speak when I permit it,” he said. “You will answer the questions I choose, and you will keep your hands where she can see them.”
I raised my bound wrists. “They’ve been there for years.”
That ended the useful part of the visit.
Adrian turned towards the passage. The guards followed him, and the outer door shut behind them. Their footsteps faded until Harrowmere carried only the slow movement of water in its pipes and the new pressure in my chains.
I looked at the flask.
It remained several inches beyond my fingers. I shifted onto one hip and caught it with my bare foot. The ankle restraint tore at old skin before the metal rolled close enough to grab.
The blood inside was cold and stale. I drank anyway.
It quieted the worst of the pain without touching the deeper hunger Bryony’s arrival had stirred. I set the empty flask down and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
Freely offered blood could loosen the chains.
Adrian expected me to frighten Bryony towards the Crown. I needed her curious enough to come near me and angry enough to question the man holding the key to my cell. Trust would take longer than we had. Desire might not.
Using her had been Adrian’s idea first. That didn’t make mine cleaner.
