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“He said he can sustain off animal blood,” my father said. “So that’s what I offered for the duration of his stay. Without knowing the identity of our enemies, I can’t afford to turn away allies. If vampires are anything like the Teeth, they’re powerful. And in my interaction with him, he had the kind of speed and agility I’ve never seen before. He seemed to predict my moves before I even made them.”
“Then is inviting them to our lands a good idea?” Mother asked. “An invitation to a superior race may not be the best idea. If they’re that fast and powerful, they could simply dominate our people and take the throne.”
My father always thought of everything before anyone else did. “He may be more powerful than most men, but he’s not more powerful than a dragon.”
Mother stared at him, her eyes full of unspoken words. “Perhaps we should have this conversation in private, Huntley.”
He held her gaze, a mountain at the head of the table, his stare fierce. “Harlow will succeed you as queen someday. She’s an adult now, and we’re on the brink of war—and I think it’s vital she learns from this experience.” He exercised restraint as he spoke, like he dreaded every word that came out of his mouth. The conclusion of his words was accompanied by a sigh—a painful one. He turned to look at me, his eyes guarded and agonized. “I’m proud of you for the way you handled our prisoner. You could have felt indebted to him for rescuing you, but you were smart enough to understand he was your enemy the moment he took you. If that monster were free, he would be killing other innocent people, just like the man he killed when he occupied his home.”
I swallowed, realizing that the home he’d pretended was his had belonged to someone else, a citizen of Delacroix.
“You have a good head on your shoulders, Harlow.”
I didn’t tell him the truth, that I’d thrown Aurelias in the dungeon out of pettiness, that I was hurt by the way he’d fooled me, dangled a piece of candy in front of me that I could never have. It wasn’t strategic whatsoever, but like the coward I was, I said nothing.
My father continued. “Aurelias will write the letter. I’ll send a letter to Ian to inform him of current events. We should send scouts next, to learn whatever we possibly can about our neighbors to the east.”
“Will you return to HeartHolme?” Mother asked.
“Not right now.” He turned to meet her look. “I’m not prepared to leave my family again so soon.”
* * *
I made my way to the dungeon beneath the castle, passing the guard at the entryway and entering the prison with no windows. The chandelier and sconces provided low light, the kind of light that made you sleepy all the time. In the summertime, it was nice and cold, but in the winter, it could be chilly and intolerable.
Aurelias sat on the floor and leaned against the wall, his ankles crossed with his arms folded in front of his body. He looked a lot better compared to the last time I saw him, so he must have fed on the animal blood the guards provided. He sat, eyes hostile and accusatory.
“You’re mad at me?” I asked incredulously. “You’re alive, aren’t you?”
“I may as well be dead.” He looked away, staring at a different section of the cell like I wasn’t standing at the bars.
“You’re being dramatic.”
His head snapped back to me. “Your father sentenced me to remain imprisoned until the war is over. That could take months—assuming you even win.”
“I think most people would be relieved they’re spared from battle.”
“I belong on the battlefield, not trapped beneath ground like a criminal.”
“Youarea criminal—”
“I told you my tale, and I did exactly what anyone else would have done in my situation. Harlow, you’re too damn smart to be this petty.”
“You killed an innocent man and invaded his home. That’s murder.”
He rolled his eyes. “Look—”
“Asshole.”
“I offered him money to leave, but he refused. He didn’t leave me a choice.”
“Not killing someone is always a choice.”
He got to his feet and approached the bars. “Princess, you’ve never had to survive on your own, so don’t stand there and judge me for actions you would take yourself. And if you deny it, then that just means you lack the experience to know what the real world is like. We both know you didn’t lock me up down here because I killed some guy nobody even noticed was gone—”
“You’re a dick.”
His arms slid through the bars. “You locked me up down here because I embarrassed you.”
