Page 90 of A Court of Bones & Sorrow

“Oh fuck,” I swore before shaking my head. “But they found the bodies!”

Draven looked away. “They found the bodies of her mother and sister . . . and part of her father’s leg. Everyone assumed he’d been torn apart trying to keep his wife and daughter alive.”

I rubbed my face. How was I going to tell Dominique that while she’d been grieving the loss of most of her family, her father had still been alive? Aniela had been close to him as well. Her own parents had died at a young age, and Dominique’s had raised her after that. If they’d known he’d been alive, those two would have done anything to save him.

But they hadn’t. So he’d died alone.

“What didyour motherdo to him?” Vail asked.

The muscles along Draven’s jawline tensed at the reminder that the monster who was responsible for the death and torture of our own people was his own damn mother. I shot Vail a lookthat said to tone it down. It wasn’t like Draven had a choice in who his parents were.

Vail’s grey eyes darted to mine, and a crease formed between them before his lips flattened into a hard line and he returned his attention to the prince.

“She would spend hours working on him every day. Trying to bend his will to her own. Sometimes, she would force me to stand there and watch . . . Other times, she would order me to inflict physical pain on him to see if that would weaken his mind enough for her to seize control.” Draven held Vail’s heavy stare even as a hollowness entered his eyes. “He fought it with everything he had. Until his mind shattered and all that remained was bloodlust.”

“You mean . . .” I stared at Draven in shock. The House bloodlinesdid notbecome Strigoi.

Draven gave me a pitying look.

“Fuck,” I muttered “She can turn us Strigoi.”

“What happened after he became Strigoi?” Vail pushed. I glanced back and forth between them, not understanding why Vail was being so hostile about this.

The prince raised his chin, defiance in his gaze as he focused on Vail. “I did what I hope anyone would do for me if I became a mindless killing machine under the complete control of Velika.”

“You killed him.”

“I saved him,” Draven countered.

“Death isn’t saving someone.” Vail’s eyes flashed silver.

Red bled into Draven’s eyes, and for a moment, I thought he was going to go for Vail. I eased forward, ready to get between them, when the red vanished and Draven’s charming prince mask fell back into place.

“You’re right,” he drawled. “I should have let Dominique see her father one last time. I’m sure she would have appreciated it right before he tore out her throat.”

“Enough,” I snapped. Both men looked away from each other. Something was bothering Vail, even more so than usual, but I didn’t understand what. Everything that had happened to the former head of House Salvatore was fucked up, but it hadn’t been Draven’s fault. And Draven was right, killing him had been a mercy.

None of us would want to live on as Strigoi, especially ones that could be used as weapons against our families.

A thought occurred to me. The wraiths might have been behind the attack, but someone would have had to take Dominique’s father back to the Sovereign House and help keep him under control.

“Are all the rangers who serve the Sovereign House blood-bound to Velika? Or are they aware of what she’s doing and serve her anyway?” I rasped.

Each House had their own rangers whose fealty they claimed. But there was also a loyalty that all rangers had for each other because they spent so much time in the wilds, more so than most Moroi. It was common for units from different Houses to team up together for missions.

It wasn’t just Dominique’s family that had been killed in that attack. All the rangers traveling with them had perished as well. For the Sovereign rangers to see that carnage and continue to serve Velika . . .

“The Sovereign Marshal and most of the high-ranking rangers know what Velika is up to and support her. I’m sure they’re blood-bound to her as well because my mother is not a trusting person. Not after—” Draven winced as his words were cut off. “The crown cannot compel loyalty or emotion. Its effects are temporary although I think how long it lasts varies per person based on how strong-willed they are or how much magic runs through their veins. I suspect that will change if she gets her hands on the other half of the crown.”

“So you are not under her control right now?” I asked.

“No.” Frustration flared in his eyes. “Hercontrol of me is tenuous and really only works if she’s physically near.”

“Then why haven’t you run?” I half shouted. “Just don’t go back! We can find the other half of the crown before she does and keep it out of her reach, then we’ll figure out a way to take her down. You can be free of her once and for all.” Draven remained silent during my outburst, which only increased my anger. “What else, Draven? What else are you hiding?”

He flinched. My beautiful and wicked princeflinched.

“You think I haven’t run away before? The wraiths can always find me and drag me back, and then I’m punished for my insolence,” he said with a grim acceptance that made me want to shake him. “My usefulness is running out. I thought maybe . . .” He looked away from me again and out the window. “She knows you were investigating the wraith outposts and wants you under her control. Since you’re a Harker, she won’t be able to use the crown on you. I thought that if you agreed to marry me, it would appease her, and between the two of us, we could protect Kieran. It would have bought us a little more time.”

---