Page 53 of Blood and Thorns

Dread coils in my gut. The thought of wandering alone, with no allies, while half the world hunts me for my blood… “That’s no choice at all,” I whisper, voice choked.

“Exactly.” He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “So maybe you should talk to him. Yell if you must. Smash a vase. But figure out if there’s enough trust left to move forward.”

My throat constricts. “He’s busy controlling rumors, you said. Probably no time to talk to a worthless half-blood.”

Helrath grimaces. “He’s the Prince of House Draeven, but believe me, if you demanded an audience, he’d come. You have more sway than you realize.” He stands, letting out a rough sigh. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to think. I’d prefer not to see you throw your life away by fleeing. You’ve got potential—don’t let anger blind you.”

I want to retort, but my anger fizzles into weariness. Helrath dips his head in a half-salute and heads to the door. “Take care of yourself, Valeria. I’m around if you need a sparring partner or just someone to vent at.”

He exits quietly, leaving the room in near-darkness.

I stay there, perched on the bed’s edge, for what feels like hours. My mind spins through a dozen possibilities. I could slip out of House Draeven tonight, vanish into the wilds, try to start anew.But how long before the dark elves sniff me out?Or another Vrakken House deciding I’m a living commodity?

No. Running is a fool’s errand. Helrath is right. That means I’m stuck dealing with Vaelorian—prince, manipulator, the only one who saw what I could be. Memories of our night together flood back, the intimacy that felt so genuine at the time. Now, every moment is tainted by the knowledge that he might have been testing me, measuring my capacity for Vrakken strength.

A surge of rage stabs my chest.I can’t let him get off easy.My entire life has been shaped by manipulative people—dark elves, Vrakken, you name it. If he wants me to remain under his banner, we’re going to have a reckoning.

I stand, squaring my shoulders. Enough wallowing. If I’m half Vrakken, I won’t hide from confrontation. Marching to the door, I yank it open. A startled guard posted outside stiffens, but I ignore him, striding through the corridor with purposeful steps.

I find Vaelorian in his study—a place I’ve become all too familiar with. The heavy wooden door stands slightly ajar, golden lamplight spilling out. My heart bangs against my ribs, but I push inside without knocking.

He sits behind the desk, hair disheveled, tension etched into every line of his face. Scrolls and coded messages clutter the surface. He looks up sharply. Our eyes meet—my fury reflected in his swirl of regret.

“Valeria,” he breathes, half-rising. “I was going to come see you?—”

“Save it,” I snap, slamming the door behind me. My voice echoes in the hush. “We’re talking right now.”

He sets his quill down, leaning forward, wings shifting restlessly. “I’m listening.”

I pace toward the desk, hands fisted at my sides. “You… you let me believe I was just another operative. All the while, you suspected I was half Vrakken. You tested me—my illusions, my reflexes—like I was a lab experiment. Did you even care about me, or was that all part of your grand strategy?”

Pain flickers in his gaze. “I never intended to reduce you to a specimen. You were… are… important. I needed to protect you.”

“Protect me?” I scoff, voice shaking. “All I’ve seen is you pulling the puppet strings. If you truly cared, you’d have told me from the start what you suspected. Instead, you lied by omission, letting me walk blindly into that gathering tonight, where I nearly got bitten by a hungry noble. If I’d known, maybe I could have prepared. Maybe I wouldn’t have freaked out.”

He stands, circling around the desk. “That gathering was a risk for all of us, and I was there to intervene if things got out of hand.”

I bark a hollow laugh. “Great job intervening. You arrived after he’d already tried to feed on me. If I wasn’t half Vrakken, I might be dead.”

He flinches. “I’m sorry. I—” He drags a hand across his face. “Everything is spinning out of control. The dark elves are close to harnessing Vrakken essence, we have an ambush to plan, and my mother demands answers. I thought I could keep an eye on you, but Sareth moved faster than I expected.”

“Then maybe you should have told me so I could keep myself safe.” My voice drops, thick with betrayal. “You keep claiming to want me as an ally, but you treat me like a chess piece.”

His wings tense, half-furling in agitation. “I know it looks that way, but you must understand: knowledge is power in House Draeven. If I’d revealed your potential heritage prematurely, I risked others noticing. If the dark elves or rival Vrakken found out, you’d be a target. I wanted to confirm it first.”

“How noble,” I spit. “Confirm it. Was that night we spent together also part of your confirmation?”

He goes utterly still, guilt and anguish etched on his face. “No. That was different.” His voice drops to a near-whisper. “That night was real.Youwere real.”

I want to believe him, but rage coils in my chest. “Then why lie? Why let me think I was just a strong human? Instead, I’m half monster. My father—some unknown Vrakken. Gods, you can’t even tell me who he was.”

He exhales heavily. “I only found scraps of records, hints. It wasn’t enough to be certain. And I… I didn’t want to burden you with half-truths. When the time was right, I planned to tell you everything.”

I clamp my jaw, tears threatening again. “Well, the time wasn’t right, was it? Because we ended up with a public spectacle. Now everyone suspects me of being an abomination. People are going to talk, Vaelorian, and I’m the one who’ll suffer for it.”

He closes the distance between us. I retreat instinctively, but he stops, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. “Let me help you handle the fallout. My mother has enough sway to silence most rumors, and we can arrange for you to have official House Draeven protection. No one will lay a hand on you.”

“Is that supposed to comfort me?” My voice trembles. “Protection from a fortress that manipulates me? The only reason I’m still here is because leaving means I become prey for every dark elf, Vrakken, or orc who wants to harness my weird half-breed blood.”

---