Page 29 of A Throne of Blood & Vengeance

“You will not be the one to pay if you interfere,” Carmilla cut me off, her dark gaze flicking downward for a second before meeting my eyes again. Draven. She would punish my prince.

My nails shifted to claws that bit straight through the tablecloth and into the wood, but I kept my mouth shut. If I were a better person, I probably would have fought regardless—even knowing it wouldn’t matter. The only ally out of the dungeons I had was Vail, and he was questionable at best. Despite Draven’s confidence in him, I didn’t trust him not to betray me. Definitely not with Carmilla being here.

The last time Carmilla had ordered Vail to do something and I’d begged him not to, he’d sided with her. I had no doubt he would do so again.

Davon and Narcisa were watching Carmilla and me closely. Their expressions were polite with just a hint of curiosity. It was the mask Kieran wore when he was feeling uneasy about something.

“It seems you two have some things to discuss.” Narcisa dabbed her mouth with a cloth napkin before folding it neatly on the table. “We wouldn’t want to intrude on family affairs.”

“Perhaps we can rest in our room and then catch up later this afternoon?” Davon offered as he began to rise from the table, Narcisa doing the same.

“Sit and be quiet,” Carmilla ordered.

Both courtiers promptly dropped back to their chairs, and fear cracked through their calm facades as dread pooled in my gut.

“This isn’t necessary,” I tried again, hoping she wouldn’t punish Draven for me merely pleading my case. “You said you would only use the crown when you had no other choice.”

She gave me a placating smile. “My dear, you know how House Corvinus is. They are not to be trusted. Their loyalty is fleeting and always for sale. It’s not a matter of if they will betray us, but when.” Her gaze flicked to them. “Given the horrible ways they’ve treated Kieran over the years, I’m surprised you’re defending them.” Those green eyes met mine once more. “Or do you not love him the way you claim?”

“He wouldn’t want this.” I shook my head and glanced at Kieran’s parents. Narcisa’s full lips were flattened into a hard line, and her eyes were wide with terror. Davon was trying to keep his expression neutral, but sweat was beading at his forehead. “Imprison them if you must, but please don’t do this.”

Carmilla tilted her head as she pondered me. “I thought I raised you to be more ruthless than this. This is the perfect opening to have high-level spies in House Corvinus. I will not pass up this opportunity. Unless you want to find out just how much blood your disgraced lover can lose, I suggest you watch what you say next.”

A large hand fell on my shoulder. I didn’t have to look up to know it was Vail. Whether he was doing it to keep me from doing anything rash or as a show of support, I had no idea.

Please.This time, it was the crown I begged.You don’t have to do this.

This is why you cannot abandon me. I must obey the head I sit upon—even if I don’t want to. She tried to use me on children the other day. Fighting back against that cost me. I do not have the strength to disobey as I am right now.There was a hint of despair in its tone.I have broken so many.Do not let yourself be added to the list.

“Davon and Narcisa Blake,” Carmilla’s voice rang out, filling the room. “From this day forward, you serve me—and only me.”

The fear on Kieran’s parents’ faces was wiped away in an instant before relaxing into emotionless masks. They looked at Carmilla, their eyes hollow and blank. “Yes, my queen,” they intoned.

Chapter Eight

Samara

I awokewith a start and rubbed my eyes as I looked around. Carmilla had kept me at her side all day, Kieran’s parents trailing behind us like obedient pets as she’d checked in with the rangers and other staff of the household. Most had greeted her happily, while some had been a little more reserved but still polite. I’d tried to see if any of them were under the compulsion of the crown. There had been no obvious evidence, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t been more subtle about it than she had been with Davon and Narcisa.

Carmilla had ordered Vail away after breakfast, something he very much hadn’t been happy about, but he hadn’t disobeyed her. I’d been pissy about it at the time, even though I knew it wasn’t like he’d actually had a choice. And even if he’d chosen that moment to stand up to her, it likely would have ended with him thrown into the dungeon next to me, which wouldn’t have helped us in the long run.

Despite me logically knowing this, I’d still been fuming about it for an hour afterwards until the guard escorting me had been replaced by that prick Grigor. He kept finding reasons to touch me. Never in a super obvious way—even Carmilla wouldn’t have allowed that—but his hand would momentarily slip from mylower back to my ass when escorting me through a door. Then there’d been the way his knuckles had accidentally brushed across the side of my breast when he’d been reaching for a cloak off the wall.

He’d only stopped because I’d snapped two of his fingers when Carmilla hadn’t been looking, and he’d swallowed his scream of pain. Either because he hadn’t wanted to risk me telling my aunt what he’d been doing, or because he hadn’t wanted to admit that I’d gotten the better of him.

Asshole was lucky there hadn’t been any sharp objects in my reach; otherwise, he would have lost those fingers entirely.

The crown hadn’t spoken to me, even when I’d tried to coax it into talking. Occasionally, I’d swear I could feel it slipping into my mind. It didn’t feel nefarious, rather I got the feeling that it was just seeking refuge somewhere. It didn’t like the way it was being wielded. I couldn’t explain exactly how I knew that . . . only that I did. Exactly what type of connection did my family have to the crown?

Lucian had joined us for dinner, but thankfully Demetri was nowhere to be seen. I’d thought about asking where he’d been but I hadn’t wanted my aunt to construe that as interest in him. Even if she hadn’t taken it that way, it wasn’t like I trusted her to answer me honestly.

Lucian had been oddly friendly towards me. Apparently, Velika’s ex-consort had decided he liked me. Good for him, but it wouldn’t stop me from carving out his heart at the first opportunity. I hadn’t forgotten his torturing of Draven over the years or the way he had shoved a sword through my prince’s heart.

I had a list of people who needed to die—and Lucian was near the top of that list.

Fuck him and his charming smiles.

I looked around my cell. What had woken me up? Nothing looked out of place, and the Fae lanterns still flickered, casting the room in a warm glow. Vail wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Not entirely unusual. He came and went as he pleased. Lately, he’d been sleeping on the floor just outside my cell though.

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