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An amused smirk curled his thin lips, and he ran his fingers through his blond, tousled hair. “Then don’t kill her.”
“It’s not that black and white.” I let out a tense breath, striding beside Adrian. A line of women in elegant dresses fell into a curtsey with each one that passed me, and I instinctively raised my chin higher. I forgot, for a moment, that despite all of this, I was technically still a prince. Even if the title was given to me so I could wed Penelope. “If I don’t kill Elizabeth, then Salenia will. She’s dangerous and it won’t stop there. You know she likes games. Especially ones involving murder.”
A muscle feathered in his jaw, his nose scrunching. “You know how I feel about her.”
“Yes.” I said nothing more until we reached the top of the staircase. “I need to show you something.” My wings extended, stretching out the tension in my back, and he chortled.
“Believe it or not, it’s not the first time I’ve seen your wings.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not that. At Azia’s cottage.”
“You know, if you do like the girl, it’s not the worst thing. I’m just saying, if I found one that I liked enough, I’d turn her and make her my own.”
“As if anyone would ever meet your standards,” I joked, but it was true. The only woman I’d ever seen come close to it was fifty years ago, a studious girl with a rebellious streak. But she was long dead.
“I’m happy with my arrangements.”
“So am I. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”
He shrugged. “Suit yourself.”
My leap off the staircase was a thrill. I dropped through the middle, speeding past the stairs and hallways, letting the air whip around me. Unlike most of my kind, I liked to take my time with my descent, not flapping my wings until I was close to the ground. On particularly daring days, I'd test myself and let gravity carry me all the way down, bracing for impact as bones splintered, allowing me to feel something—even if it was pain. Although, it had been several years since I'd done that.
The candles flickered around the foyer as it came into view. My wings beat against the air, sending a flurry of dust particles in my wake. When I finally settled onto the stone floor, I folded them behind me and allowed out a relieved breath. I remembered being initially terrified to discover that I could fly, but quickly understood that it was as natural as any other body function. All I had to do was focus my energy and trust my instincts.
Adrian gracefully descended; his large gray wings spread wide to slow his flight. His eyes, the same vibrant shade of gray as his wings, focused intently on the ground below. He glided with far more ease than I had ever managed.
We walked outside, the icy winds prevailing around us. The drawbridge was shut, blocking the view of the main road leading up to the castle. Aniccipere patrolled the grounds, dressed in guards' uniforms tailored for their towering heights as if they belonged here.
Adrian fidgeted with his rings, then he shoved his hands deep into his pockets. I noticed his fingers curling into fists before he did, as the beady eyes of unfamiliar creatures followed us as we sped down the path towards Azia's cottage. I could see the pond up ahead, the still waters reflecting the fading light of dusk. In the shadows of the dark forest ahead, gnarled branches hung low like contorted bones, while an occasional snake slithered around them.
The faded wooden door of the cottage remained closed; a thick layer of dust only disturbed by my last visit. The dark windows reflected my anxious expression. I reached into my pocket and gently tightened my grip around the jagged key I had swiped from Azia’s drawer before his abrupt departure—there was no way I was going to continue doing business with the sorcerer without access to his home, even if he didn’t know about it.
The satisfying click of the door unlocking sounded in my ears, and I pushed it open. I stepped inside first and flipped on the lights. A dusky sweet smell lingered in the air—a mix of jasmine and sage—remnants of burned candles by his desk, from before his hasty departure.
Adrian sat himself in the armchair, then looked around. “Why are we here?”
“Privacy.” I bent at the waist and cupped my hands to light the spell candle. The wax melted over the holder's ornate gold curves as it flickered. “This stops anyone from outside listening in.”
“How do you know?”
I shrugged. “He always lit it when we were discussing things. I assumed there was a reason and was proved right. I tried to eavesdrop twice on his and the princess’s sessions. I couldn’t hear a thing.”
“Speaking about that, what is it you were meeting with him about? I wasn’t going to make it my business, but I’m presuming you want my help in killing Salenia. I need to know what you do.”
“I’ll tell you everything I know.” I stepped into the kitchen, and an herbal aroma filled the air. The scent reminded me of the nettle tea that he always brewed when I visited. A hint of magic was in the wispy tendrils of steam, and I realized he must have been infusing a spell with the brew. I spotted the familiar herbs bundled by the teapot, and brought them to my nose, breathing in the rich scent when a memory I didn’t recognize flickered in my mind. It was the same thing that happened every time I drank it.
“I’m going to make a tea,” I said quickly, examining the strainer and herbs.
Adrian called back. “Since when did you drink tea?”
“Since now.” I furrowed my brow as I lifted the teapot from its hook and placed it carefully onto the stove.
The burner's familiar click ignited a flame beneath the pot, and a steady column of steam unfurled from the spout like a thin wisp of smoke. Droplets leaked around the bottom rim, my nose wrinkling at the sudden burst of heat. “There was a prophecy about Seraphina,” I explained as Adrian sped to the kitchen, then leaned in the doorway. “When she was a baby, Azia prophesied she would bring death to all vampires.”
His thin, light brows raised up his forehead, wrinkling his otherwise smooth complexion. “I can’t say I’m not happy that she’s dead then.”
I fiddled with the strainer but didn’t brew it as good as Azia would have. Still, it did the trick. “That was not all there was to it. Azia thought the prophecy could change, and it had something to do with Salenia. She killed the princess for a reason. You know Salenia, she doesn’t kill for no reason. Penelope was a power move, and a thinly veiled threat to me about Elizabeth. I knew she’d ask me to kill her, eventually.” I sipped the tea, the fresh, but strong taste of nettle coating my tongue. “There’s more to the story, I’m sure. Has anyone reported seeing Sebastian?”
