Page 54 of Blood Ties

BRYONY

Adrian had come to speak to me. He could do it from the other side of the gate.

Stellan’s arm stayed around my waist. The chain behind him stretched across the garden, tight enough to leave no doubt about how quickly Harrowmere could pull him away.

Adrian looked at his hand on me. Black light moved between Adrian’s fingers and faded against the silver ward.

“Bryony, you’ve been trapped under this house for hours with a vampire who needs your blood to escape. Step closer so we can speak without him influencing the conversation.”

“You can hear me perfectly well from there.”

“I can. I’m concerned about what he can make you feel while you answer.”

Stellan’s body went still against mine. He didn’t speak for me or pull me away. The choice to remain beside him stayed mine.

“He’s already explained what he can and can’t do,” I said. “You grabbed my injured hand and forced it against the throne. Your concern has poor timing.”

Adrian’s expression barely changed. “I was trying to stop the court sealing you inside. The Claiming began because Stellan opened a royal passage and drew you deeper into Harrowmere. I acted too late, and I regret frightening you.”

It was a polished answer. He made violence sound like an unfortunate problem with his timing.

“You said you came to speak. Speak.”

His gaze settled on me. “Take the Crown, and Harrowmere will obey you. You can open the upper doors, end the Claiming and walk out tonight. I’ll give you the exact command. You can return to Leeds, settle Edith’s estate and decide what happens to this place from somewhere safe.”

The offer pressed against everything I wanted. I wanted my own bed and a working phone. Even the compliance files waiting on my laptop sounded normal enough to ache for. I wanted space to grieve without a hungry court watching it.

Stellan’s arm remained loose around me. He wanted me away from Adrian. He also wanted me free. Both feelings reached me, and neither forced my answer.

“What happens to Stellan?” I asked.

Adrian glanced at him. “The Crown will restore the chains until you decide how to deal with him. He survived them for more than a century. He’ll remain contained and unable to follow you.”

“You left out the command for his heartblood.”

Silence settled beyond the gate.

I continued before Adrian could shape another reasonable lie. “You need me wearing the Crown because Harrowmere won’t accept you otherwise. Then you need me to order Stellan to surrender enough blood for you to replace him. He dies. You become Blood King. Which part opens my front door?”

“He’s given you the ugliest version of a necessary transfer.” Adrian placed both hands behind his back. The black light disappeared. “Stellan killed the last woman who wore that Crown. He’ll kill you when the chains fail. His hunger has already persuaded you to feed him once, and every willing drop gives him more freedom.”

“You know I fed him?”

“I felt the chain break.”

Stellan’s hand tightened once at my waist. “He feels what the court loses. He doesn’t feel what happened between us.”

Adrian’s mouth flattened. He’d wanted me to believe otherwise.

I looked down at the silver line sealing the gate. “Can you open Harrowmere without me wearing the Crown?”

“No.”

“Then you haven’t brought me an exit. You’ve brought me the same fucking trap with nicer wording.”

The roses nearest Adrian opened. Their thorns turned towards him.

His calm expression hardened. “Edith died to keep you ignorant. Stellan will use that ignorance until every chain is open. When you understand what he did to Cecily, remember that I gave you a way out.”