bChapter /bb28 /b

ra

My maidens didn’t take long to appear once they learned of my arrival, eager to obtain any information I might want to give them. Instead, they found a version of me that was frightened and with trembling fingers.

I didn’t tell them anything substantial, and when they saw the wound on my wrist, they didn’t want to know anything either. They tended to me as best as they could, tucked me into bed, and left me to rest.

I’ve slept through the rest of the night and most of the day and only woke up because, just as thest ray of sunlight disappeared, a man with graying hair and angr features burst into my room. He is currently injecting something into my arm, I believe I heard him say it was a vitamin serum. Narkissa, whom I can’t bring myself to look in the face, is right bby /bto report it to Cassian, who, by the way, hasn’t even bothered to see how gesture on his part, but what did I expect? It’s clear he doesn’t feel even

his side, checking everything he does–probably s

I am. Since this is his fault, it would’ve been ia /iinic /ithe slightest bit responsible.

“I honestly don’t understand why our saliva isn’t working on her,” the doctor–ivampire/i, to no one’s surprisements. “Do you suffer from any blood–rted illness? Hemophilia, perhaps?”

I shake my head firmly.

“No, nothing like that.”

“There was no record of any disease in her Libris,” adds Narkissa with a harsh tone. “She should coagte just like a healthy human would. The problem is Cassian went overboard with the cut, thinking his saliva would heal her, and it didn’t.”

Yes, I’m very aware of that. Last night I lost a more than considerable amount of blood, and the doctor had to suture the wound. It’s very likely I’ll be left with a rather ugly scar.

“Tell your lord to refrain from doing things like this for the time being.” He closes his briefcase and stands up, smoothing thepels of his coat. “I’ll return in a few days when she’s better and will take a sample of her blood. The answer is undoubtedly there.”

“Perfect, doctor.”

Narkissa escorts him out of the room, and only a few minutester she reappears in my chambers with an unfriendly expression. The firece, for the first time since I arrived, is lit and warming the room. She kneels before it, her back to me, and a long time passes before she speaks.

“Because of you, the others now think Cassian is weakened, that his powers have diminished.”

I try to sit up in bed as best I can, since beingfortablyid down while usations are hurled at me doesn’t seem

ideal.

“Because of me?” I reply, confused. Maybe he should be less brutish. I told him not to do it, he didn’t listen, so now he bcan /bface the consequences of his actions. Besides, I think you’re all exaggerating a bit.”

“The healing ability of our saliva is the most basic of our traits; the fact that it’s failing is ridiculous.” She turnsb, /bbhalf /bher bface /b

bathed in firelight, the other in shadow. “And especially for someone like Cassian, his power is bso /bbgreat /bbit /bbsurpasses /ball of

bus/bb./bb” /b

“He killed that girl with a simple flick of his hand, isn’t that proof enough that his powers are intactb?/bb” /b

A low snort escapes her lips.

“Maybe, but maybe not.” She turnspletely and throws me a scornful, reproachful look. “Don’t shame my lord bagain/bb, /bor I’ll be the one to make you pay for it.”

My eyes widen in surprise, unable to believe what I’m hearing. In the end, the me always falls on the one bwith /bthe bleast /bpower. It seems very hard to ept that all this is simply a foolishness they’re blowing out of proportion, and bthat/b, if I may say so, could’ve been avoided if a certain person were less of an animal and more respectful. I study her face as I bstay /bsilent and see more than anger in her eyes—I see pain. Like pieces of a puzzle fitting together in my mind, everything bes clear.

“I see what this is all about,” I say quietly. “You’re in love with him.”

“Of course not!”

From here, I can see her fists clenched. Her jaw tightens as she grinds her teeth.

“Oh yes, you are.” For some reason, I find myself smiling with a hint ofpassion. “Look at how you react, of course you’re in love with him. You’re attacking me to avoid seeing what he’s done,” I proceed cautiously. “Narkissa, he doesn’t need you to defend him or threaten me. He’s more than capable on his own. What’s really happening is that you’re angry

with me for other reasons, and I assure you, you don’t have to be.”

“Don’t speak nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense. It’s the truth. And if I may say, I don’t think he deserves you. If he respected you, he wouldn’t have paraded you aroundst night as if you were just another in his string of conquests.”

“What do you know about us?” She ms her hand on the firece, and I think I see the stone crack. “Besides, a prude like you has no idea how sex works.”

“But I do know how respect works.”

Her face, of exquisite beauty, is grotesquely transformed by rage. I see in her the intent to lunge at me and hurt me; however, something seems to make her change her mind. She retracts her fangs, which had begun to show, and with a sharp turn, disappears from my room. I bring my hand to my chest and let out a deep sigh.

“Little beast, don’t meddle in my bedroom affairs, although I’m d to know a prude like you noticed my pe..ormancest night.”

I growl inside my head, hoping she hears that too. Sometimes I forget about the sharp hearing these creatures have. With them, there’s not much one would call privacy. I roll over on the plush mattress, rest my hands under my chin band /bbfocus /bon falling asleep again; that’s all I feel like doing. Any movement feels like climbing a steep mountain–it leaves bme /bexhausted and breathless.

I toss and turn on the mattress, unable to sleep. I try everything: counting sheep, squeezing bmy /bbeyes /bbshut/bb, /bbfocusing /bbon /bbmy /b

R

b23:28 /bbSat/b, 2 bAug /b

breathing until it calms. Anything to help me sleep. I end up letting out a furious growl when I see it’s a lost causeb. /bI sit up again on the bed and right in front of me stands a nearly naked woman, her breasts covered only by bthe /bblength /bof her bi s? The scream of surprise gets stuck in my throat.

For a moment, I think it’s Narkissa, but I quickly discard the thought. The shadows don’t let me see her face clearlyb. /bbThe /borange glow of the mes outlines her figure, and I could swear she’s watching me with the curious gaze of a bfeline/b, slightly tilting her head, examining, evaluating the helpless human in front of her, ready to torment me.

“Who are you?”

My questiones out in a squeaky tone. I try to cover myself as much as possible with the bed sheets. I don’t need bto /bbsee /bher clearly to know she’s not human—I can’t say exactly what she is, only that her presence chills me to the bone.

“Have you epted your fate yet, stupid girl?”

My fingers grip the sheets tightly when I recognize her voice. The same voice I heard at theke, the one that made me furious and fight for my life. The answer to her question, I suppose, is yes. I epted what life had always had in store bfor /bme, and here I am, in a castle, away from my family, being the sustenance of a centuries–old vampire who can barely stand me–and I can’t stand him either. Instead of saying that, I ask another question.

“Why did you save me?”

The crackling of the mes masks the annoying click of her tongue. She paces back and forth by the firece, showing no shame about her nudity or concern that someone might walk in and see her like that. When she lifts her gaze again, her eyes look like bottomless pits ready to suck out my soul.

“You are my gift.”

“Your gift? What does that mean?”

I push the sheets aside, more than willing to stand and walk toward her, in case seeing her face clearly might help me decipher her wordsi. /iBefore I can set one foot down, she stops me by raising her hand. She brings the other to her lips, then presses a finger to them, urging me to stay silent. I’m just about to snap back at her in fury when I wake up.

I look around, hearing my heartbeat thundering in my ears. My body is soaked in sweat, my nightgown clinging to my back and strands of sweaty hair at my temples.

“Easy, ra, I’m ihere/i.”