Page 114
“I know. I’m done confusing them.”
She studied my face long enough to make certain I meant it, kissed the corner of my mouth and stepped back. “Good. Drink from a bottle before your fangs distract me into a poor decision. Your confidence has recovered enough to cope.”
“Your decisions involving my fangs have been excellent, and my confidence was never injured.”
The old blood store opened when we entered the passage. I chose a sealed bottle and drank while Bryony examined the red restraints at my wrist.
The stored blood cooled the hunger. My body still wanted the living pulse beside me, but the need no longer strained my control.
Bryony tapped the glass. “Does that taste awful?”
“It tastes dead, but it keeps me fed without taking from someone who hasn’t offered.” I set the empty bottle on the shelf.
Her teasing faded. “And if someone does offer?”
“Feeding can hurt if a vampire rushes or takes too much. It can also feel good. The venom closes the bite and softens pain. It can’t create desire.”
“Can you lose control?”
“Any vampire can lose control. I know when to stop, and I won’t feed from you until we choose the moment with Adrian nowhere near us.”
She touched a closed bite on her throat. “You’re assuming I’ll offer.”
“I’m hoping.”
Her smile returned as she stepped closer. “That sounded almost modest.”
“The dead blood has weakened me.”
She took my hand. “Come on, weakened vampire. We need to see what Harrowmere is doing about the murderous bastard outside.”
The throne room doors opened when we approached. White light ran around the frame, stronger than it had been after the attack in the garden.
Bryony stopped at the edge of the dais. The Crown remained hidden, although a thin red glow marked the seat where its power waited.
I moved between her and the throne. “Stay off the raven seal.”
“I wasn’t planning to sit down.”
A hard strike shook the outer wall.
Dust fell from the stone above the sealed gate. Bryony reached for my hand as another impact travelled across the floor.
“Adrian?” she asked.
“He’s testing the barrier.”
The garden answered by driving black thorns across the gate. Harrowmere could reinforce the lower court while Bryony remained recognised, but the old wards were already damaged from Adrian’s earlier attack.
A sharp crack split the stone near the floor.
I pulled Bryony behind the throne as red light entered the narrow break. The line climbed, cutting past the carved raven and reaching the seal under the throne.
Harrowmere pushed back with a burst of white light. It struck the crack and slowed it, but the opening continued across the wall until a section of stone turned clear.
Adrian stood on the other side.
Guards filled the passage behind him. He rested one hand against the damaged barrier and held the heartblood dagger in the other.
