Blood Prince

She broke our kiss and whispered, “Trust me,” before striking out ahead. I matched her pace, and the soldiers hurried after us.

I wanted to ask questions, to find out what was going on, to learn what she’d discussed with the soldiers that morning, but couldn’t risk it this close to the wall. Desmerada’s spies were everywhere. Faren had spoken of how her soldiers perched along the wall at intervals, always watching the Darkwood for any sign of enemy forces.

We crept through the thinning trees until the wall became visible. It was at least forty stories high and smooth. Impenetrable. Threads of gold laced the stone, glinting in the sunlight. The whole side was a roving mural that must have continued along the length of the entire structure. Through the trees, I could make out the scene of a wolf gnashing its teeth at a vampire lord. I wasn’t familiar with the tale wrought upon the wall, but I was amazed at its sheer magnitude.

Elena couldn’t possibly think their band of vampire soldiers, even if they numbered in the thousands, stood a chance at breaching the expanse of stone and metal. Whatever she’d cooked up this morning would need to be adjusted, maybe even abandoned.

We continued on, the wall becoming more foreboding with each step. No way in. Up ahead the forest road was bathed in light. It was open, no more swirling mists and encroaching gloom. The road ended at the wall, cut off by the imposing gate of a sally port. We knelt in the high grass and watched the gate. Soldiers dressed in Desmerada’s signature crimson armor stalked from the opening and set off along a well-worn footpath around the base of the wall.

We were so close I could make out the detail of their helmets. It didn’t make sense for us to have come this near to a guard entrance. Reckless. What were we doing here?

I caught a flash from the corner of my eye as Elena sprinted across the distance to the gate. Gods, no!

I jumped from my hiding spot and took off after her. What was she doing? A party of vampires sprang from the woods across the road, just ahead of Elena.

She barreled ahead, slowing only to draw her sword and engage the vampires.

She swung her blade out in an arc, cutting only air. One of them pierced her shoulder with his sword. She cried out and fell to her knees as another slashed at her back, ripping through to her skin. It was a deep cut, and the scent of her blood permeated the air.

Rage obliterated any hint of thought. I had to get to her.

Why was she not using her magic? And why weren’t Faren and his soldiers coming to her aid?

I glanced behind me. Faren and his men were gone. The horrible truth struck me—they had led me to the enemy and fled. Traitors. I roared and flew at the attacking vampires, but they had retreated into the woods as quickly as they’d come. They’d been Faren’s men all along. Cowards.

Desmerada’s crimson soldiers poured through the gate, drawn to the sounds of battle. They advanced on Elena and me, their weapons drawn.

I reached down to pick her up and run, but Elena blasted me off my feet with a powerful hex. I flew back and crashed into the wall. The sharp crack of my skull breaking was the last thing I heard.

Chapter Eighteen

Paris

Two male voices faded in and out. One gruff, the other young. The pain in my head made them sound far away, though they were growing sharper by the moment.

“—explosion?”

“Some sort of magic bomb, they think.”

“Well, is it him?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never actually seen him.”

“Then how do we know it’s him?” The younger vampire’s voice rose in pitch.

“We don’t know.”

“We can’t take him to her until we know for sure. She’d gut us and leave us to rot outside the wall. With the spiders and such.”

“What about the other one?”

“She’s out. Karnax knocked her a good one with the hilt of his sword. I wouldn’t mind getting a taste of her while she’s out. The queen would never know.”

I heard the tinkle of a belt buckle coming undone.

They were talking about Elena. I wanted to rip their throats out. I opened my eyes just enough to see the speakers to my left. I lay on my side in a cage of silver. The skin on my arms burned where it touched the bars. I ignored the sizzling heat.

“Is that a good idea? What if she wakes up?”

“What if she does? She’s weak. Look at her. Practically bled out as we carried her up here. What a waste.”

I readied to jump at the younger one. Maybe I could reach him through the bars. Take the larger one’s sights off Elena.