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His tan was all but gone. He usually spent his days training in the outside areas of the guild, where the sun beat down in Ismore. Now he was in some gothic-horror castle trapped in the ancient ages, being fed on for fun. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
“I hate that you’re here,” he countered, his brown eyes narrowing. “How did you end up with that vampire?”
“He saved me right after you were taken.” The memory of watching Draven being flown away in the arms of a vampire intruded into my thoughts. “Took me to the City of Nightmares, which is a delightful place,” I joked. Luckily, he’d always preferred dark humor. “So I found out why the sangaree attacked us. They were after my mom and me.”
He leaned forward, chewing on the last cookie from the packet. “Yes.”
“Well, you know why. Apparently, everyone did except for me,” I berated but softened my tone when I saw how beaten and broken he was. “Astor gave us up.”
He clenched his jaw. “I had my suspicions, but I hoped I was wrong. The way he died; it was far too clean.”
“I’ve seen him,” I admitted. “He’s a part of the order, Nightshade, which came after us.”
His fists clenched, and I was surprised to see he had any strength left. “I already told him off.”
“That’s far nicer than what I have planned for him.”
I touched his fist. “Draven, we have far bigger fish to fry. I want to get you out of here, but Kalon, he’s after me.”
“I know all about the king’s brother.” His mouth twisted in disgust. “Why is he after you?”
“He knows who I am. He’s an empath too, although a bad one. I don’t think he can manipulate people’s energies like me, but he can certainly feel them. He blocked me from feeling his emotions.”
“Interesting. Perhaps it’s hereditary.”
I hadn’t thought of that. Slowly, I tapped a finger against my chin. “Then that only doubly proves to him who I am. As you can see, I dyed my hair, but it wasn’t enough. He knows my name is Olivia, and I’m a sorceress.”
“He would have known that when coming after you and your mom in Baldoria.”
“Exactly.” I blew out a tense breath. “I made a deal with Sebastian that I would dethrone my father and become queen.”
Draven leaned back, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead. “I hope that’s some fucking joke.”
“I didn’t plan on keeping to that deal. At the time, I’d only wanted to find a way into the castle, but now my mom’s a vampire and… Well, look outside. How will we escape? Even if we do, with Kalon knowing who I am, he will never stop hunting me.”
“Then we kill him first.”
I gave him a look. “How much luck have you had killing anyone since you’ve been enslaved here?”
He winced on the word. “Your friend can help.”
“He won’t because he knows I’m leaning toward escaping, which ruins his life and Erianna’s and Zach’s.”
He arched an eyebrow.
“His friends,” I explained. “If my mom helps us, she’ll be hurt because she can’t come with us. You know she’ll never be welcome amongst mortals.”
He tapped a finger against his knee. “I assume your plan to become queen”—he rolled his eyes up—“means you’ll be losing your mortality too.”
“I’d have no other choice.”
His expression hardened. “Absolutely not.”
“I have little choice. If we try to escape, I will lose my mom, we’ll probably die, let's face it, and I will hurt my friends.” I blinked twice, realizing I’d included Sebastian and Zach in that word, and almost laughed at myself. Zach was far from being my friend, and Sebastian, well, he was only using me to get what he wanted. Even if I wanted to believe differently.
Draven stood, his posture poised to fight. “I won’t let that become your fate.”
“I will not have my mom, nor Erianna and especially you, get hurt because I was selfish. If I run and try to save myself, then I’m no better than Astor.” The words stilled me, mostly because I hadn’t let myself think about them before now.
