Page 102 of To Vanquish Darkness

Florent took the dagger from her and slid the blade over his own palm, then held his hand over the cup. Their blood mixed together in the bowl, and the man in the cloak began chanting again.

“Is it done?” Rachel whispered.

“Nearly.” Florent didn’t look at her. He stared at the chalice, his blood dripping past his wrist and staining the cuff of his shirt.

He still gripped the dagger with his right hand, his knuckles white.

“Here.” Rachel reached out for the box, but Florent stopped her.

“Don’t move.”

“Florent—”

His eyes flicked to hers, and Rachel’s voice died on her tongue.

48

1836 COUNTRYSIDE BEYOND MORDELLES, FRANCE

Amalie stumbled back, clutching the dress and her satchel to her chest as his cool, sharp scent washed over her. "How did you find me?" She took short, purposeful breaths, fighting back the sudden urge to smile at him.

Marx dropped the fabric on her writing desk, keeping his other hand behind his back. "I told you, I'm not going to hurt you."

Amalie's heart jumped against her ribs. "And yet you're standing in my childhood bedroom refusing to show both of your hands." She wanted to scream, to call for Theo, but she knew how fast vampires could move when they wanted to. It was true that Marx hadn't hurt her, had barely touched her, during both of their encounters.

But perhaps he hadn't know what she was. Did he know now?

Marx pulled his hand from behind his back, and Amalie sucked in a breath.

"Where did you find that?" She stared at the blade in his hands. It was exactly as she remembered it. Its blade was long and narrow, shimmering with a silver hue even in the golden glow of the candlelight. The hilt was encrusted with black opalsand white diamonds, and the grip wrapped in faded leather. The sword’s crossguard curved upward like outstretched wings.

Marx lay the sword on the floor between them. "Consider this a gift."

"Where did you find it?" Amalie repeated, her hands beginning to shake. She'd seen it in her dream, she'd felt a pull to the south. How was it here, and how was Marx the one to bring it to her?

"I know someone who's quite interested to meet you." Marx's eyes flicked to her arm, and Amalie turned it toward her body, hiding her runes.

Amalie's throat worked. "It's her, isn't it? Helena. Have you worked for her all along?"

Marx raised an eyebrow. "Not going to pretend you're studying botany, then?" She paled, and Marx's lips pulled into a wide grin. "What have they told you? All terrible things, I'm sure." He sat, throwing his arm over the back of her chair.

"I don't want anything to do with her."

He chuckled. "First impressions can be misleading. You of all people should know that by now." He glanced lazily at the armoire, then back to the bed.

Amalie's cheeks flushed. "You don't get to talk about Theo."

"Ah, but he's the reason we're here, isn't he? Wasn't this what he was after?" Marx nodded to the sword on the ground. "So desperate to find it, he was willing to risk your life."

Risk her life? That was the last thing Theo had done. She wanted to tell Marx to take the sword and leave her room, but . . . he was right about one thing. Theo had been hunting for the sword. Her heart twinged in her chest.I want the relic for the same reason you do. You can vanquish me yourself. And then I don’t care what you do with it. Kill them all if you want.

"Ah, Amalie, you look so conflicted. Are you having second thoughts? This was what you wanted, was it not?" Marx droppedhis arm and leaned forward on the chair, resting his arms on his knees.

"Yes." Her tone was clipped.You can vanquish me yourself.Why had Theo said that? If he'd gone to all this trouble to find her, if he'd waited sixteen hundred years, why would he want a sword? Why would he want Amalie to take his life, to release him permanently from the world?

She glanced at the armoire, imagining his hands on her hips, his lips pressed against hers. Had he been lying about that? Had he only been trying to find common ground?

"Theo and I haven't known each other for long. But Helena . . . well, she's known him since he was bitten, and trust me. She knows him almost as well as he knows himself."

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