Page 113 of A Hunt Bound in Blood

I didn’t bother to sit, and Segrew didn’t bother to invite me, both of us ready for this to be a quick visit.

Without any preamble, he picked up a leather folder thick with paper and bound in twine. “Everything you need is in here.” He curled his lip. “When His Majesty presented me with this task, I’d hoped for more of a challenge. Your siblings are very bad at what they’re trying to do. I suspect it’s only because of your lack of resources in Karhasan that you weren’t able to gather this information yourself.”

I cocked my head and searched him for any sign that he looked down on me for making him do my work for me, but by the way his disgusted glance remained fixed on the folder, I guessed most of his disdain was directed at my siblings.

More than ready to have my curiosity sated, I flipped open the folder and skimmed through the tightly scrawled handwriting on the first page. The details about the original coup were minimal, with just enough proof that Father might believe me, but my brothers and sister had been lax in covering up their dealings with other revolutionary groups and with the mutts. It was all there on the page, how they’d crossed the border illegally, used their demonic influence to round up the creatures and set them after me, and put Golthwaine’s residents in jeopardy. Evaniel was ready to declare their hostility an act of war if my father didn’t deal with my siblings himself and send back confirmation that it had been attended to.

The full report had been written up and signed by both Segrew and Evaniel.

Here it was in my hands, everything I’d wanted for ten years. I could get on a ship this afternoon and sail close enough to Karhasan that my wings could carry me the rest of the way. I could be there within four days of fast travel, and if I wrote to the king in advance, I could arrive with an audience scheduled the moment I touched ground. By the end of the week, my crown could be returned to me, and I could resume my responsibilities as the heir of the Karhasian throne.

My heart pounded against my ribs, my breaths grew shallow, and the words in front of me blurred.

“If that’s everything…” Segrew’s voice reached me as though from underwater, sounding bored but not wanting to outright dismiss a demon who stood to become royalty.

My head was slow to catch up to his words, and the edges of my vision were dark when I raised my gaze to meet his. “It is.”

I left without a farewell, striding back the way I’d come and out into the courtyard. I needed air. I needed space to consider the strange emotional attack that had nearly knocked me senseless in Segrew’s office.

As soon as the cool breeze hit my face and my thoughts had a chance to settle, I recognized it for what it was.

Panic.

Panic at the idea of returning to Karhasan and leaving the life I’d built—leaving Glory and Sy and Mrs. Taylor—behind. I had no doubt that if I stepped foot on demonic soil, my father would insist that I stay. He would press upon me the importance of resuming my place. Especially after I carried out my duty of crushing Leto and Sabina beneath my foot. As was right and proper.

He would give me no room to manoeuvre or negotiate, and while I’d been drawn to the idea of introducing Glory to the courtly life of my homeland, I had to face the reality that Father would never accept such an arrangement. I would be required to marry the daughter of a prominent house to improve trade or settle some feud or lend an advantage in some political power struggle.

It was everything I’d known was coming and hadn’t cared about when I was younger. Why would I have when I’d never experienced anything as internally scrambling as what I felt towards Glory?

My father would laugh. He would wrinkle his nose and scorn me for entertaining such an idea. But he didn’t know her. He couldn’t understand or appreciate the complicated mess that was my vampire mage—a woman who had not only finally accepted parts of herself she’d hidden for twenty-five years but who had found the courage to tap into the power that had been hers from the day she was born. She was formidable—limitless—and what I wanted more than any crown was to watch her discover more of her relentless strength.

I stared at the folder in my hands and accepted that I had no use for it. Oh, I would send the package to the king and clear my name, enjoy the satisfaction of knowing Donal was dead and the others would soon suffer for their treachery, but I would add an addendum to my evidence relinquishing my claim to the throne in favour of Kassandra, my younger sister who I’d always intended to name my second.

Karhasan was behind me. Golthwaine, and whatever lay beyond it, was my future.

Even if right now, I wasn’t entirely sure what that future might look like.

I paced the courtyard countless times in the hope that Glory would emerge so we could talk, but once the sun began to set, I gave up. While I’d paced, I’d noticed emotions flowing through the bond, a way of experiencing them I’d never had before, and I focused all my attention on them to gauge how she was doing. There had been occasional surges of discomfort, excitement, a sudden thrill that I assumed was her confirming her new position, but no sign of her. We’d made no arrangements to meet after we’d finished our respective meetings, and I needed to get home to make my arrangements for these papers. Regardless of anything to do with Glory, my permanent residency in Golthwaine meant my life was about to take a swift turn.

With a last glance at the west wing door, I pulled off my shirt and shifted my wings. The gasp of someone nearby told me I had witnesses, but I didn’t care. The time for secrets was over. If this was to be my home, my fellow citizens could take me or leave me as I was.

I launched into the air, keeping a solid hold on my evidence as I cut over the city’s skyline. Emotions floated up to me from the buildings below—the lavish estates, the smaller apartments—and I barely noticed them. They were the same as they’d always been, but pallid compared to Glory’s unique bouquet.

I searched the bond again but found no change. If she was disappointed not to find me, there was no indication of it. Perhaps she hadn’t left the palace yet. Perhaps Evaniel had shown her to her new library office and that’s where she would stay for the rest of the night. If that were the case, I wished her the best. She’d more than earned it.

My estate came into view, and I drew in my wings before I touched down on the crushed stone that led to the main doors of the house. I skirted them and entered through the less ornate door on the side. It led to the back staircase, and I took the steps two at a time to get to my office.

Mrs. Taylor was there to greet me when I entered, as efficient and prepared as ever.

“Good to have you home, Master Cammon,” she said. “Your mail is in your tray, but Master Syrus asked me to personally ensure you received this one when you returned.”

I didn’t bother asking how the dragon shifter had known when I’d be coming back. He couldn’t have, which meant whatever was in the letter wasn’t time sensitive. Curious, I took the letter but held off on opening it. First, I set my hand on the folder. “I’ll have a package going out within the hour for Karhasan. I’ll need the proper forms filled out for delivery, if you wouldn’t mind seeing to that.”

She nodded and left me to work, asking no questions about whether I’d been successful in my mission or what my intentions were now that I was home. Ever the embodiment of professionalism. I was torn on how I felt about it. Somewhat relieved that I didn’t have the excuse to vent to the poor, unsuspecting woman, but somewhat disappointed not to have an ear to share it with.

It was fully my intention to dump it all on Sy when he arrived, but after I read through his letter, those plans were dashed as well.

Cam,