Page 29 of Treasured

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By the time a knock came on the door an hour later, we were both sated, having fed before reacquainting ourselves with each other’s bodies. It turned out the bed was much sturdier than it looked. Our clothes were piled on the floor, and I reached over, pulling the white robe back on as Sebastian drew the blanket over his lap, covering his nakedness.

Moving to the door, I opened it and smiled. “Good evening, Genevieve.”

“I brought a change of clothes for you both.” The priestess handed me a bundle of white fabric, glancing over my shoulder. Not that it was difficult since I was half a head shorter than her. “How is the patient feeling?”

“He feels fine,” was Sebastian’s reply from the bed.

My cheeks flushed, remembering just how fine he had been moments ago. “He’s much improved.”

“Good.” Genevieve met Sebastian’s gaze. “You’ll have to be careful, Prince Sebastian. It might not feel like it, but the summons-suppressing tonic will drain you. You will require much more blood than normal to sustain you. Additionally, you may find that you are… weaker than before.”

My brows knitted together, and I had some questions, but Sebastian nodded. “Alright, thank you.”

He rose from the bed, deftly wrapping the blanket around his middle in one swift movement before coming to stand behind me. “Genevieve, is it?”

The priestess nodded. “It is.”

Sebastian oozed princely charm. “We’d like to see my wife’s brother tonight if possible. She’s worried about him.”

That was a bit of an understatement. I hadn’t stopped worrying about Marius since I came to Eleyta. But I would concede that I was more worried than ever, considering my brother’s current state.

“Of course, Your Highnesses,” Genevieve said. “He’s in the hospital wing of Lightriver Abbey. I can take you to him as soon as you’re ready.”

I’d never heard better words in my entire life. Genevieve promised to wait nearby while we changed. The garments were soft and cloud-like, the long fabric pooling at my feet. I belted mine, sliding on socks and shoes while Sebastian dressed.

When we were done, I stole a kiss.

He raised a brow. “What was that for?”

I shrugged. “You just look good in white.”

Something about the billowing robe gave him a mysterious, rugged air. When he released his wings, the appendages slipping through the specially designed slits in the back, he looked downright statuesque. A piece of art brought to life.

And he was mine.

Before we left the room, I opened the wardrobe and checked on my plant. In a surprisingly fortuitous turn of events, it had survived the Fledgling attack and our journey to the abbey.

“How does it look?” Sebastian asked, peering over my shoulder.

I lifted a shoulder. “It’s growing.” It had added an inch and a half since our arrival. Even so, other than the signature leaves and berries, it looked like any other plant I’d ever seen.

I hadn’t told the priestesses about it, hence the peculiar hiding spot, but maybe after we saw Marius, that would change.

Standing, I laced my hand through Sebastian’s. “Let’s go.”

Genevieve’s eyes widened at the sight of Sebastian’s wings as we left the room, but she didn’t say anything. She knew who we were. They all did. Most vampires didn’t have both wings and shadows. Some had none, but others, like Sebastian and me—and the queen—had both. They were two signs of Isvana’s blessings. We wouldn’t have hidden our identity for long, and truth be told, we were trusting the Second Order an awful lot. I hoped it was the right thing to do.

“This way, please.” Genevieve turned, her robe trailing behind her as she led us through the abbey.

Sebastian held me close as we traveled through the abbey. We passed several other priests and priestesses, along with a few witches, who hurried by with a nod or a curious glance. As we walked, I couldn’t help but think about how different this place was from Castle Sanguis or even Shadowmere Abbey.

It was still cold, of course, but the slightest hint of salt in the air spoke to our proximity to the Indigo Ocean. The halls were dim, and the cloying scent of incense was unmistakable. It masked the aroma of illness—blood and other things—but it did nothing to hide the fact that many humans were here. Far more than any other place I’d been in Eleyta.

Though I felt more secure than ever in managing my vampiric urges, I reminded myself to breathe and focus on other things. I would have to be careful. The last thing we needed was for me to lose control in a place full of humans.

Murderer.

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