A Kingdom of Stars and Shadows

CHAPTER6

Icouldn’t do this. About that one fact I was absolutely certain.

It was the only thing I could think of as I followed Evren back down the hallway and out into the gardens where I stood with him just last night.

Evren opened the door and then motioned for me to pass. I did so with my head held high and not a word muttered from my lips. I had no idea what his motives were, but Evren was far worse than I had initially thought.Gavril sat at a table set for two, and he was looking over some parchments that were spread in front of him.

“Adara,” Evren said my name so softly that I worried I imagined it, but I quickly looked back at him to be sure. There was something in his eyes, something he wasn’t telling me, but I knew better than to expect the truth out of him.

“You’re here.” Gavril stood from his chair, and a servant quickly moved behind him to pull it out of his way. “I was worried you had gotten lost in this maze of a castle.”

“No.” I smiled softly. “I just lost track of time exploring. My apologies.”

“No need to apologize.” Gavril reached out for me, and I allowed him to take my hand in his. “Thank you, brother.”

Evren was already walking back into the palace, his back turned to us, and he didn’t answer the crowned prince before disappearing out of sight.

Gavril pulled out my chair, and I took my seat before looking over the display in front of me. There was an array of food and wine covering every inch of the table that hadn’t been out here the night before, and I absently thought of all the people this amount of food could feed.

People were starving, and here we sat with more than enough food to waste.

“Are you hungry?” Gavril sat back down across from me, and his servant quickly jumped into action, pouring me a glass of wine.

“Yes. Thank you.” I reached out for a piece of crusty bread but simply held it in my hands as a million thoughts ran through my mind.

“Is everything okay?”

“What am I to become?” The question blurted out of me before I could stop myself.

“I’m sorry?” Gavril laughed softly, but I was serious.

“After I marry you, what am I to become?”

“Happy, I hope.” He reached for his own food before laying some out on his plate. “Isn’t that all anyone could hope for in a marriage?”

“A normal marriage, yes, but this isn’t normal. I was brought here to be a vessel that holds the blood you seek. Nothing more.”

Gavril’s hands steadied and the smile dropped from his face. “I do not need to marry you to take your blood, Starblessed. I simply need to take my dagger and make the smallest slice in your skin before I press my mouth upon it. Your blood will flow beautifully whether you are the future queen of Citlali or not.”

Fear, pure and unrelenting anger flowed through me. “Then why go through with this betrothal at all?”

“Because, Adara.” He lifted his knife, and I watched as he slowly buttered a piece of bread before drizzling it with honey. “No one else shall feed from what’s mine, and there are only two ways to assure that. I can either marry you and everyone will fear touching what’s mine, or I can lock you in the dungeon and visit you when I need to taste your power. Which would you prefer?”

He leaned back in his chair and stared at me as he lifted his bread and took a bite. He licked the sticky honey from his full lips without taking his eyes off me for a second, and I wanted to run.

Every part of me was screaming for me to get up from this table now and run. But he would catch me.

There was nowhere in his world or mine that I would be able to hide from them. Especially now that Gavril was looking at me in the same way their mother had only the night before.

“Obviously, I would prefer not to be locked in a dungeon.” My voice shook, and I hated it.

“That’s a smart choice.” He smiled before plucking a grape from a platter and pressing it into his mouth. “Our marriage will strengthen this kingdom along with its king. Together, we will be unstoppable.”

That thought almost scared me more than his threat of the dungeon.

“And the vampyres?”

“What of them?” He narrowed his eyes, and I knew I had to tread carefully.