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He didn’t sense the stake until Emilia had already leapt up and planted it deep in his back. Momentarily, red eyes went wide, then fell flat, as the vampire collapsed.

I stared down at the human, head shaking. “How did you know we needed help?”

“Do you think I’d speak to you, tell you who you are, and then leave you alone?” Emilia gestured to the wall, where the hidden door was ajar. “I’ve been coming here each night, waiting. I was late tonight, but also, it seems, just in time.”

“T-thank you,” I breathed. “We have to help Vale.”

“You have to run,” Emilia retorted. “I heard the vampire. There are more.”

“Help me carry him. We’re taking him into the hidden palace.”

The human stared at me as if I’d grown a second head. “He’s an Aaberg.”

I stepped over the vampire and knelt by Vale. His eyes were closed, and blood seeped from his wound. The cut was the length of my forearm, but I took hope because it also appeared cleanly done. The vampire’s blade had gone straight across, and it did not seem too deep. “And Vale isn’t like the king or the heir. I will not leave him.”

I was certain of that, however, if I moved him, would I make the injury worse? As if sensing that I was there, Vale’s eyes fluttered open and locked on me.

“You didn’t run.” He grabbed at his head and blinked. “Why?”

“There are more coming.” I swallowed. “Vale, I’m going to ask you to stand. We’ll help you walk, but I don’t think I can lift you on my own.”

Strong I was, but Vale was ahugefaerie.

“I can move,” Vale grunted as he used his left arm to push up and wavered.

Barely.His muscles trembled and his breath caught. Those injuries might be nothing compared to what was happening in his head, but there was no time for negativity. We needed to run, get to Luccan Riis’s home, and, if possible, alert the palace guards that vampires had breached the building. The assassins might be here for me, but in no way did I think they would spare the throats of other fae. Our blood was too delicious for them to have much self-control.

“Emilia, come here,” I instructed.

Vale’s eyebrows pinched together. “Emilia?”

The human appeared at his side. “Prince Vale, nice to make your acquaintance.”

Any other day, the shock that rippled over the prince’s face would have made me laugh. I would bet that a human slave had never addressed him so informally, with no curtsy, no deference, but Emilia wasn’t your average human. She’d been keeping another prince alive for two decades, and she had no loyalty to the family she served.

“I’ll watch his right,” I said, knowing that Vale would need more support there, and I was stronger than the old woman.

As Vale fought to stand, Emilia and I positioned ourselves at his sides in case he needed assistance. In the end, he stood on his own and barely wobbled, which I took as a good sign.

“This isn’t the first time I’ve been sliced open,” Vale muttered when he saw me eyeing his wound. “Hurts every time.”

“You got hit in the head too,” I said. “But we’ll take care of that and find a way to close the sword wound,” I assured him as we walked to the door, still open, waiting for Emilia.

On the way, Vale paused overSkelda.

Not wanting him to bend over and topple, I scooped up the blade. “I’ll carry her for now. Worry about yourself.”

He frowned. “Give it to me if we see another assassin.”

Though I wanted to argue that his sword arm had to be compromised with such a large injury, I understood that, even injured and unsteady, he could wieldSkeldawith far greater skill than me.

“Fine.” I nodded, while already plotting ahead. If it came down to it, I’d pass Vale the sword. But I also wanted a weapon.

First, though, Vale to safety.

I paused, the first niggling doubt that the castle would accept him leaking in. What if Emilia and I went through and he was stuck here? More assassins might come at any moment, and once they saw their dead colleague, I doubted they’d spare Vale, even if he wasn’t their bounty.

Emilia shot me a dubious look as we stopped in front of the door in the wall, which hadn’t disappeared since Emilia sprinted through it to save me. I suspected she’d been thinking the same as me.