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Amalthea flashed me a victorious smile.

“Is it wise to needle him like that?” I asked, unable to help myself.

“Oh, Demos likes it. He has the rest of the castle too well-trained. A person can only take so much bowing and scraping before they want to fling themselves off a cliff. I keep him sane.”

I had the distinct impression Amalthea was doing her best to drive the guard insane. Still, I was glad to have a reprieve. Even if Raphael trusted him, it was impossible to relax around a vampire. An oracle was difficult enough.

“Where were we? Ah yes, how I came to be here. It was a combination of factors. My parents were voids, and my powers were late to manifest. By the time it became obvious I was an oracle, they couldn’t bear to see me killed. For a time, they tried to hide me from the village, but ayoung witch has to practice their powers. One little gaffe on my part and the village was demanding my head. They fled with me in the middle of the night, and after a time we made it here. Or nearly, I should say. My mother didn’t survive the journey, and my father died soon after.”

“A vampire killed him?” Sympathy twisted in my stomach.

She shook her head. “No. His heart simply stopped one day soon after we arrived. In any case, that’s my tale.”

“Are there many witches who come to the vampire lands?”

“Not many. More voids, looking to be turned.” At my horrified look, she grinned. “Immortality and supernatural strength are a seductive combination. Mortals serve in the kingdom, and if their service is exceptional, they can earn the king’s blessing to turn.”

I swallowed. “Is that why you serve Raphael? Because you want to be a vampire?”

“No. I’ve seen enough of my fate to not want more,” she said, a touch quiet. “I serve Raphael because he’s a decisive, fair king. Besides, it’s forbidden to turn a witch. Immortality, supernatural strength,andmagic? Even the gods would condemn that.”

I didn’t presume to know what the gods would and wouldn’t condemn, especially if Amalthea was implying vampires weren’t condemned by the gods.

Heresy.

“So you’re telling me humans just… come to live and work in the Vampire Kingdom?” My tone was heavy with skepticism. “The vampires just let them do their jobs instead of feeding off them? Next you’ll tell me you have orcs over for tea every week.”

“Only once a month,” Amalthea replied immediately.

I laughed before I could help myself.

“See? There you are. I knew there was a girl with a sense of humor under that skittish exterior.”

“Skittish?” I snorted. “What human wouldn’t be terrified when surrounded by vampires?”

Amalthea gestured at me, gossamer fabric flaring. “A humanunder the protection of their king.Vampires revere hierarchy, and King Raphael sits squarely at the top. You’re his. No one would dare try to steal from the king,” she explained. “Besides, the vampires don’t feed indiscriminately outside of designated times. You of all humans have nothing to worry about.”

Despite her assurances, I remembered the time a vampire had bitten me. The vampire king. The way I—no, my body—reacted.

“You expect me to believe they can control themselves? They’re little more than animals.” I forced contempt I didn’t feel into my words, chasing away the memories of the bite.

Amalthea frowned. “Is that really what you think?”

No. Not about Raphael. But I could still see it—the blood, the throat ripped open.Blood and bloodand—

Amalthea pressed my hands into hers. “Gracious, stop shaking. He’ll lambaste me for distressing you.”

I shook the memories off as well as her hands. “I’m not going to run off and tattle to Raphael.” The thought was preposterous.

Amalthea took a long drag of her tea, her smallest finger extended as she dipped the cup back. “It’ll hardly matter, dear. He’ll know. He drank your blood, after all.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I gaped at Amalthea.“What?”

“What have you done now, Thea?”

I flinched at the sudden sound of Iademos’s voice. He’d returned carrying a tray of tea and biscuits, and I hadn’t heard so much as the packed dirt crunch under his boots.