Page 51 of Blood and Thorns

I flinch. “Valeria, I had no easy answers. Telling you sooner might have panicked you, put you at risk. The dark elves hunt half-bloods—once they discover your nature, they’ll do worse than feed off you. They’d lock you in a lab to tear you apart. I was… trying to protect you.”

She stares, tears tracking down her cheeks. “Well, you failed. Because I’m blindsided now, in front of a room full of Vrakken who suspect something’s off. That idiot from House Sharath almost outed me to everyone. And I had no idea what was happening or why.”

I rub a hand on my face, wing membranes tensing. “I messed up. I see that. But we can salvage this. My mother shut down the incident. Most of them will dismiss Sareth’s claims as him tasting something unusual. If we act quickly, we can quell rumors.”

She laughs bitterly. “So that’s your solution: bury the truth again? Keep me in the dark while you decide how to use me?”

Her accusation stings. “No. I—” I struggle for words. “I never wanted to hurt you. I truly believe we can navigate this together. You’re not alone, no matter how it seems.”

Her face crumples. She trembles, hugging herself. “You don’t understand. This changes everything. My entire identity. I’ve always hated the dark elves for treating me like prey, believed the Vrakken were my best chance at freedom. But now I learn I’m part of the same species that enslaved me?” She lifts agonized eyes to mine. “I don’t know who or what I am.”

An ache lances my chest. I step forward, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. When she doesn’t shrug me off, I lean closer. “Valeria, we’re not the same as dark elves. We’re not tyrants. I know we can be cruel, but the scale is different. Still… I understand how you feel, that you might not belong anywhere. I’m sorry.”

She exhales a shuddering breath, tears still glistening. Silence stretches between us, thick with heartbreak and betrayal. Finally, she sets her jaw, meeting my gaze. “I can’t keep working for you under false pretenses. If we’re partners in this fight, I want the truth. All of it.”

I swallow. “Agreed. I’ll tell you everything I suspect about half-blood physiology, your father’s rumored lineage, the potential threat if the dark elves discover you. No more secrets.”

She nods, though her eyes flash with residual anger. “And if I want to walk away from House Draeven?”

My heart stutters. The idea of losing her—our best operative, but also the woman I…Damn.“I won’t force you to stay,” I say, my voice raw. “But Xathien’s watchers or the dark elves themselves might hunt you if they catch any hint. You’re safer with us, at least until we neutralize their plans.”

“So… I’m free to go, but I’d be a sitting target out there alone.” A wry, bitter laugh escapes her. “You and your mother, lording over this fortress. You hold all the cards, don’t you?”

“That’s not my intention,” I protest. “But it is the reality. The world is dangerous for half-bloods. Trust me when I say I’d rather have you with me than risk losing you to them.”

She searches my face, seeming torn. Then she scoffs. “You’re unbelievably frustrating, Vaelorian.” Yet her voice carries a tremulous softness. “I… I need time to process.”

My hand remains on her shoulder. “I know. I’ll give you space. For now, let’s return to the gathering, show a united front if needed. Then we’ll talk more—privately.”

She inhales, shoulders shaking. “Fine. But I’m not letting you off easily.”

I dip my head, relief mingling with sorrow. “Understood.”

We exit the antechamber to find the corridor quieter; the event continues in the main hall, though I suspect rumors about Valeria’s incident are already circulating. We walk side by side, a tense hush between us. She keeps her distance, but I sense the storm of emotion swirling within her.She’s no longer just a pawn.The thought resonates.She’s the key to a side of our heritage that could reshape everything—or destroy us if the dark elves catch on.

In that moment, I realize how drastically things have shifted. She’s half Vrakken, a living testament that the lineage we assumed extinct might still burn in hidden veins. I might have manipulated her to discover the truth, but now that it’s out, I feel protective in a way I never anticipated.And terrified.Because half-bloods are legendary for drawing the worst kinds of attention from both dark elves and rival Vrakken Houses.

As we near the main hall, she pauses, eyes flicking to me. “How do we handle the stares?”

I glance at the swirl of silhouettes beyond the archway. “You hold your head high. You’re a recognized retainer of House Draeven, under my personal protection. If anyone challenges you, I’ll handle it.”

She nods, though the hint of tears still lingers in her expression.I did this to her.Guilt thrums in my chest. But I can’t change the past. All I can do is ensure she remains safe—and find a way to harness the revelation of her blood for our mutual survival.

Taking a steadying breath, I lead her back into the gathering, ignoring the hush that falls in our wake. We’re met with curious glances and half-veiled stares. I stand tall, wings slightly unfurled in a subtle display of dominance, silently daring any Vrakken to challenge me about her. No one does openly, though I see speculation flicker in their eyes.

So be it.Let them whisper that the human operative burned a fool’s fangs. Let them guess about her true nature. So long as they remain too uncertain to act.

Valeria stands beside me, shoulders tense yet resolute. Our partnership has changed irreversibly. She is no mere thrall or spy—I can almost feel the power in her blood now that I’ve seen it revealed. And with that power comes danger.She’s half Vrakken, more than I bargained for, but precisely what might tip the scales against Xathien—if I can keep her from hating me for my deception.

I catch her gaze. She stares back, eyes shimmering with unresolved hurt, but also a fierce determination.We’ll sort this out later.Right now, we have an entire hall of Vrakken to convince that House Draeven remains unshakable. And Xathien still lurks beyond these walls, plotting to rip the planet from under us.

Steeling myself, I gently rest a hand on her arm—an unspoken promise that, for better or worse, we face this storm together. Then, side by side, we move into the crowd, illusions swirling overhead, the hush turning back into forced merriment. Yet beneath every refined gesture or polite smile, I sense the shift: Valeria has become something far bigger than a pawn. Thetruth about her blood changes my entire game plan—and quite possibly the destiny of House Draeven.

11

VALERIA

Istand in my suite, cold moonlight slicing through the window and painting the stone floor in jagged shards of silver. My breathing is unsteady, matching the chaos spinning inside my head. My entire body trembles, as if the ground beneath me were shifting—and maybe it is, because everything I once believed about myself has shattered.

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