Page 44 of A Dream Shrouded in Fury
And then maybe he’d retract his grandfather’s ban on vampires, and we could all live happily in the city as one united country.
A lovely idea based on the wisps of my youthful dreams.Back when I’d hoped Thorn had been wrong about my parents’ deaths and that they’d appear one day under the mountain ready to scoop me into their arms.It had been a long time since I’d indulged in those kinds of fantasies.
Really, it had been a long time since I’d considered the idea of love at all.I loved Cliff.I loved Thorn.I loved Ria and Birch and the other members of my community.They were family.But it wasn’t passion.It wasn’t tilt-my-world-upside-down ardour.
I hated that Jael’s face came to mind when I followed that line of thought.How was I supposed to go back to my cage like a good little vampire now that I’d tasted my dream of having something I didn’t share with anyone else?Guilt snaked through me that my loyalties should be in question, and under Cliff’s brief, pointed stare, my cheeks flushed.One way or another, I needed to make it work.
“Cliff’s right,” I heard myself say.Ria turned to me in surprise, no doubt having believed I’d back her up.I didn’t let her know how deep my desire ran to do exactly that.If I dropped the smallest hint, she would pounce on it and drag my admission out of me, and that was a humiliation I wasn’t ready to suffer.“They’ve been vocal about their intentions with this princess.Trying to talk them out of it would have been a waste of breath.”I looked through the branches to the sky, checking the position of the moon as an excuse to avert my face so the others couldn’t see the expression that undoubtedly belied my tone.“We should pick up our pace.I’d like to get at least halfway home before sunrise.”
It had nothing to do with the fact that I wanted to be as far from this fight as possible before it began.I didn’t want to have to hear it.
Didn’t want to imagine Jael’s blood being spilled across the ground with no one to mourn him.
Jael
XXIX
Hethyr crouched beside me on one side of the trail.Shadows wrapped around us, and she pulled her light magic in to shroud us further.My own magic tickled the back of my neck, begging to be used, but when I reached for it, it faded.For six years, I’d believed it had died for good.Because of Kalla, I now knew it had been there the entire time, cramped and neglected.It would take work to refamiliarize myself with it, and I might never have the chance.I wouldn’t have thought such a thing could pain me, but grief squeezed my lungs with the loss of yet another beautiful part of my life.
Shrugging off the unexpected heaviness, I refocused on the trail ahead.The princess and her entourage were within view.During the time I’d watched, I’d counted four soldiers guarding her.The same number that had survived the initial ambush despite the second wave.Had they sent all their fresh soldiers after us in the woods?The explanation didn’t make sense, but neither did any of the others I came up with.
Although there were fewer guards than I’d expected, I knew we were at a severe disadvantage.With the vampires with us, the conflict would have been nothing, but only Corban and I were solid in a fight, and I was still exhausted from our last encounter.
They’d set up camp beside the trail, using the carriage as an extension of the large tent they’d erected for Her Highness.Right now, she sat outside it, perched on a delicate stool and clutching a mug of something between her hands while the royal guards packed up to leave.
I tightened my grip on my dagger and glared at her profile.
No one could deny she was enchanting.In the flickering light of their campfire, her glossy blond hair fell in thick waves over her shoulders, framing the gentle points of her ears.Her features were defined, not quite harsh enough to be sharp but by no means soft.
Her slim figure was draped in pale silver-blue gossamer and silk.
She was a joke.A walking stereotype of everything humans believed fae to be.A pawn of her father’s, but no kind creature herself.As cold as glass, though she hid it well behind her bright smiles and gentle words.
Whatever reason King Leonine had for sending his daughter to Golthwaine, it wasn’t in the spirit of kinship.I’d be doing Golthwaine and my people a favour by getting rid of her.
So why couldn’t I draw my blade?
Why hadn’t I taken a single step from this spot?With every beat of my heart, I felt morning creeping closer.My time with the vampires had made me attuned to the change.Right now, everything in the woods was asleep, but as soon as the guards packed everything up, we would lose our opportunity.
So why couldn’t I move?
Do you have any idea how lucky you are?Kalla’s given up so much of her life to save you.She risked the rest of it to sneak you out.
My renegade memories veered to the way Cliff had attacked me with justified accusation.Depending on how Golthwaine and Soldara chose to respond to this attack, my decisions today could change the course of Kalla’s life.By allowing her to help us escape, they already had.
But they could also change the course of my country’s fate.Yes, I was here for my own satisfaction, but the Coynfare existed for a reason.Leonine couldn’t be left to rule.
I gritted my teeth and shifted my weight, daring myself to charge the camp.All I needed to do was take the guards by surprise, drive my knife into Brynna’s chest, and this would be over.
It didn’t even have to be me.Let Corban do the honours if he felt so strongly about it.At least we’d get it done.
“Do you really believe this will change anything?”
Hethyr’s voice was so quiet I thought I’d misheard her.Or maybe she hadn’t spoken and the voices in my head had grown louder.
When I looked at her, she stared at me with steeled confidence, but I didn’t miss how she twisted her fingers into the hem of her tunic, a nervous habit.
“Excuse me?”I asked.
