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He gave me a look that told me to get going. I bit my tongue and bowed to him, forcing my feet to move me across the space as they all stared.

“Oh yes,” the stain on our family said just as I walked past her. “Prince Icas shared something interesting with me. Be sure to find me tomorrow so we can…talkabout it.”

Krae. Was this how he was going to play this?Complaining to Father was bad enough, but toher? He must have been annoyed with how long it had taken for Father to get around to calling me into his office for punishment.

My gaze cut to his, only to catch a disgusting fucking smirk playing at his lips.

Bastard.

I pushed out of the room only to come face-to-face with the handmaiden I thought I had gotten rid of. I clicked my tongue and turned down the hall.

Her footsteps followed me.

“If you need some blood, princess?—”

I turned on my heels to confront her, closing the space between us and grabbing her face.

“For the last time, leave,” I hissed. She tried to avert her gaze, but I forced her to look at me. “I know that bitch sent you. I want nothing to do with you, and I don’t give a shit about what she will do to you. If I find you near me one more time, I will officially make you vacate your post. However I can. Do I make myself clear?”

She nodded shakily, her eyes filling with tears.

I let out a noise of disgust and pushed her away from me.

I couldn’t trust anyone in the fucking palace. The little mouse had gotten far too close and almost killed me. I couldn’t take the risk of having a known spy by my side.

Against my better judgement, I found myself wishing the little mouse was on my side.

Vesper

Then you haven’t been paying much attention.

I had been. I had seen it all.

I had seen the way her father made her stand by him, as if she didn’t deserve to have a throne for herself. Always standing in his shadows. Growing up to be a miniature cruel version of him. It was all part of his control tactics.

Because if he didn’t put her in her place or constantly beat into her how much he was to thank for her current existence and life, she might just fully forget about her mother’s blood roaring through her veins.

As if the queen wasn’t the one everyone wanted.

That’s what the little princess didn’t get. I didn’t want her father. No one wanted her father. He was just some vampire who had gotten lucky. Married the right girl. Started a vampire family. And somehow managed to make it into something that caused other vampires to foam at the mouth with envy.

He was rumored to be cruel. Violent. But he wasn’t the truly dangerous one. He was just a vampire who liked to wear a mask of importance and walk around like he was the shit. The only person who thought he was dangerous was himself.

What was dangerous was her mother’s blood.

The one who caused hundreds of vampires to join the ranks of her father’s kingdom just so they would have a chance to protect their newfound queen. She toppled clans. Families. Vampires left in droves to join her when they heard about her marriage to him. She was the single force that pulled the vampires together.And controlled them.

And the princess didn’t even realize the power she held.

It was my family’s job to make sure that type of power and control would be gone for good. It started with a long line of us, all hand-chosen for the secret organization that sent us across the country to kill vampires and witches alike.

The families it employed never questioned why. They only knew whatever prophecy had been handed to them by the powers that be. It didn’t matter how many generations had gone by or how many hundreds had joined since the conception of the organization, they would follow it until it was their time to die in battle.

I thought I had been paying attention.But maybe she is right.Especially ifthatwas what I had been missing this entire time. And just because it was my job to learn everything about the princess andstillkill her didn’t mean that I had to like what I saw.

The slap of her stepmother’s hand coming into contact with her cheek reverberated throughout the room. Her little mini-me of a daughter was right by her side, not even attempting to hide her smile behind her hand.

I hadn’t had much time to prepare for this meeting or to decipher what it meant when the princess called for me bright and early in the morning to accompany her on some “errands.” Obviously, when she pulled me to the opposite wing of the palace and straight into her stepmother’s sitting room, it was a hint the day wouldn’t be filled with trying on dresses and gossiping with fellow royals.