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When it was done, the flames on his sword flickered and died.
“Are you hurt?” Klaus asked.
Araki shook his head. “You?”
“No, “Klaus glanced at me.
“I wasn’t injured,” I muttered. I staggered to my weakened feet, heart palpitating, hands cold. My body trembled as I stared at the bits of ash clinging to my clothing. The one that had been from the strigoi that had nearly ripped my throat out.
“This isn’t possible,” I mumbled, confused. “What happened here? What happened to… them?” The heap of ash at my feet. What happened to him?
“Are you hurt?” Klaus repeated.
I tore my eyes from the ash to stare at him. His expression was just as grim as it had been before. Was he really asking me?Concerned about me? I doubted. Concerned that any injury I had would put Araki at risk? Certainly.
“No,” I snapped. He was only asking about physical hurts. My heart, on the other hand, was hurt and confused.
“Let’s go check that room,” Klaus pointed his sword toward the doorway.
“I don’t want to,” I protested. Unable to bear what more I’d discover.
“Reilyn, “Araki held his hand to me. His voice was surprisingly soft.
I stared at his hand. Wanting the comfort of his warmth. I felt so cold. But I couldn’t let myself feel that. I was a trained assassin.To the glory of Nightshade.It was my motto. I was taught better than this. Better than falling apart. No matter what I faced. I swallowed and headed for the room. This time, they flanked me rather than Klaus, and I flanked Araki. It felt odd that they were protecting me rather than marching me as a prisoner. As we carried the torches to the room, fear continued to swell inside me.
Klaus stepped in after Araki, and I followed. We searched the room, but there was no sign of any other doors or tunnels. No sign of food or drink. Only thick layers of ash on the floor. The space was small, a raised alter at the far end.
“There’s nothing here,” Araki said finally. “Let’s go.”
I was more than happy to agree. I wanted out of here. I wished I had never brought Araki and Klaus to this place. I wished I’d killed Araki the night of the ball. I wished—
“Reilyn.” Araki caught my elbow.
I hadn’t even realized I had stumbled until he steadied me. I looked at him, his face blurred by tears that filled my eyes. I knew he could see them. He could feel the emotions through the union spell. I didn’t have to speak.
“Reilyn,” he repeated. “What’s going on?”
“I knew him. The first one. He was… I knew him,” I stammered, my voice choking. Master Briggs. The last I’d seen him, he had barely said anything to me, not even a goodbye.
“I knew him,” I repeated. My heart felt like it was bleeding. The pain I hadn’t felt since my parents… “I knew them all.”
The Funeral
Araki
“I knew them all.”
It had been fourteen days since the horrible, ritualistic killing of Duchess Katherina. Three days since Klaus, Reilyn and I found the underground warehouse and were attacked by the strigoi that had once been people… people Reilyn knew. I still felt her grief buried in my chest. She fought it, and I was blocking it, yet it was still there. Up until now, the Nightshade had been faceless. But I knew it wasn’t an organization made of incorporeal clouds of evil. No, real people worked in the Nightshade. Who believed in their works, had friends, loved, yelled, and cried. How many lives had the Nightshade destroyed? And the people who’d been turned into vampires… had they been volunteers? Or was there something even worse happening in my kingdom?
Klaus cleared his throat beside me, dragging me out of my thoughts. I lifted my head to find Duke Randell standing at the head of her grave, his shoulders bowing inward. He looked like he was about to topple over. Quickly, I stepped up to him. I caught him before he fell and turned to the gathered family. The state funeral had already been held. Interring the Duchess and sending her soul to the After was an intimate affair for only family members. If not for the magnitude of her death, even I would not be permitted to be here.
“I can’t begin to imagine your grief at this time,” I said, addressing all of them as though my words were for Randell. “Forgive me if I overstep, but may I be permitted to lead the prayers?”
It was Randell’s right to do so, but the man was weeping so much I couldn’t imagine him being able to speak. He nodded, sagging against me. The intimacy of being a pillar of strength to anyone else left me uneasy, still, I stood tall and lead the prayer. Once we were done, Katherina’s family came forward to collect Randell. I was more than happy to transfer him to his mother-in-law. He howled in grief as the family surrounded him, supporting each other as they headed to their guest rooms in the palace. Servants waited for them at the steps, to ensure all their needs were met.
Klaus stepped to my side. “Are you alright?”
I turned to him, grateful for his presence. “Yes. Are you?”
