Page 57 of The Vampire Castle in the Sky

Slowly, he pulled himself straight, searching for my eyes. “I would never.”

“Do you want to?”

His tongue caught against his fangs as he exhaled, “Yes. But not for the reason you think.”

“You asked me earlier what I saw. I saw you bite me.”

A shadow of horror glazed over his face. He took a step away from me, steady and determined. “Then I will prove to you that destiny can be unwritten.”

“Hector—”

“No,” he snapped, his hand slashing the air. “For once, I will do the right thing. When dawn breaks, I’ll take you to the city.”

“Wouldyouleave me alone with a potential murderer?”

“It’s not the same.”

I shook my head furiously. “Trust me when I say that worse things are going to happen if I leave.”

The sternness of his brow turned inexorable. “What do you mean?”

“I know you think you’re above destiny. You’re a proud man. You don’t like the idea of something or someone pulling at your strings. But my very magicisdestiny. So many things could have gone wrong just on my way here, but it was as if I was guided by a divine hand. And I keep having this vision. At first, I thoughtit was a dream, but I’ve seen the objects twice already, and after tonight, I’m certain they’re pointing toward something or someone.”

“Objects?”

“A cravat. A silver vial. A hunter’s sword.”

“What kind of vial?”

“The kind that could contain poison.”

He looked at me, grim as death. “I gave the Ravenors until dusk to come forward.”

“And then?”

“Then I will kill whoever did this to you.”

I should not be so surprised. Still, my heart skipped like a stone on water. “I’m a human. This is a matter the king should settle. You will take them to the city so they can face trial.”

“They hurt you.”

“It was a drop of poison.”

“And it hurt you.”

I braved the small distance and pressed my hands against his stomach, my fingers curling into the fine silk of his vest. “Listen to me, Hector. Your devotion must lie with the society—”

“My devotion lies with my heart. I don’t know how else to be.”

“You will never forgive yourself if you do this,” I implored him, cupping the hard stone of his face. “You will never be able to wash the blood from your hands. It will follow you for the rest of your life. Do not risk your position over nothing. You can do so much good for vampirekind. Throwing away your mother’s legacy for revenge will not honor me. It will not bring you the freedom you think either. I know you’ve always wished to be rid of this responsibility, but believe me when I say that having a wish come true and being happy are two completely different things.”

He was silent for a moment, statue-still and expressionless.

When I tried to withdraw my hands, he slipped his own palms over them and held them in place. Turning his face, he touched his lips to the inside of my wrist for the second time since I came here.

“What was that for?” I whispered.

“For being my reason when I lose mine,” he said.

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