Page 112 of The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King

“That,” he said, “isn’t an option.”

And thank the fucking Mother for it. I’d sooner kill myself than put myself at the center of that kind of spectacle.

Anyway, everyone at the table knew that that would be a terrible idea. I was no great political mind, but even I knew that presenting my marriage to Raihn as anything other than straightforward and settled would be a mistake. The fact that I was still breathing already cast doubt upon Raihn’s ability to rule.

And besides, I was supposed to be something closer to a slave than a wife. Not a prize to be celebrated, but an enemy to be humiliated.

Even Vale knew this. He winced a little, as if mentally bracing for the response.

“And you know exactly why.” Raihn’s voice was harsh, leaving no room for argument. “This isn’t a debate. You are doing this.”

Vale’s self-control briefly warred across his face, but his temper won out. “You know what they’re like. I refuse to put Lilith at their feet.”

Raihn let out a bark of a laugh, such a cruel and vicious sound I felt it up my spine. “They?” he spat. Suddenly he was on his feet, palms planted on the table, eyes brighter than flames. “You are one ofthem, Vale. I saw you be one ofthemfor the better part of a fucking century. And you had no problem with their behavior then. But now you have a Turned wife, so everything has changed? Now it affects yours, so you can be moved to care? Don’t feed me that bullshit.”

No performances here. That was all real. More real, I suspected, than Raihn wanted it to be.

Vale’s body was rigid. Tension drew tight in the air, all of us balancing on its edge. I was half certain that Vale was about to lunge across the table at Raihn. My hands drifted to my blades on instinct—ridiculous, because what was I going to do, leap to Raihn’s defense?

But then Lilith jumped to her feet, shattering the breathless suspension.

“Stop,” she said. “This is a stupid fight.”

I wasn’t expecting it. My brows lurched without my permission. Mische let out a laugh that seemed mostly unintentional.

Lilith looked around the table before her gaze settled on Raihn.

“The House of Night needs this?”

The anger drained from Raihn’s expression when he looked at Lilith.

“Yes,” he said, voice immediately softer. “I wouldn’t be doing it otherwise. I promise you that.”

No more performances here, either. The truth. It should have been surprising, for a vampire king to speak to a former human foreigner with more respect than his high-ranking noble general. And yet it didn’t surprise me at all.

Lilith considered this, nodding slowly.

“I am not afraid,” she said.

Vale grabbed her hand, as if trying to drag her back to her seat.

“Lilith—” he grumbled.

But despite her fractured Obitraen, Lilith’s tone was final, her stare not breaking from Raihn’s. “If it is what the House of Night needs,” she said, “then we will do it. That is it.”

31

RAIHN

Iliked Lilith. At least she had balls. It took them, to stand up and yell at a bunch of vampires speaking a language you barely even knew.

After dinner, everyone filed out to their rooms. Vale remained glued to Lilith’s side, his hand around hers. For a moment, I watched the two of them.

I’d had my assumptions, when Cairis had told me that Vale was coming back from Dhera with a brand-new Turned bride. I’d seen that story before. No, most vampires didn’t decide to marry their wards, but that didn’t change too much in my mind. Give someone endless life, and then take whatever you want from them afterwards. An eternity of servitude, sex, devotion.

I knew that story very, very well. Especially when written by people like Vale.

Even if maybe—maybe—he seemed like he actually loved her. Admittedly, I hadn’t been expecting that.

---