Page 108 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“Why do you hate me so much?” I don’t even know why I ask or why I care.

She blows out a breath as if talking to me is more irritating than Finn leaning on her.

“Other than the fact that you tried to murder the prince, oh, I don’t know.”

“I didn’t have a choice,” I snap.

“There’s always a choice, so don’t give me that crap. We choose exactly the kind of life we want, and we live it. Don’t make excuses just because someone doesn’t approve. Own it.”

Anger boils within me at her words.

“You have no idea what my life is like. You live inside the walls of a fancy palace, while we humans are nothing but slaves to your kind. We get ripped from our families before we even get the chance to know them, and then every step of our lives gets decided for us to please you and your kind.”

She studies me for a moment.

“You don’t know my life, and you don’t know what I’ve chosen.”

I think back to how she was when she was with her mother. The way her head was dipped, and she remained silent.

“You’re right. I don’t,” I say. “But right now, the only thing I want is to get my sister back, and that means for now, we are on the same side. So perhaps for a short while we can call a truce.”

She eyes me almost suspiciously as she takes my words in, and then she nods her head.

“I can do that.For now.”

“For now,”I repeat, and I’m not sure if I imagine the slight smile that appears on her face.

The journey stretches on in a sea of silence, and honestly, I welcome the quiet. My mind has been nothing but noise for the past few months. The only thing I want is to get Willow back, and if that means temporarily fostering peace with a few vampires to deal with a bigger enemy, then I can do that. When the palace comes into view, I’m desperately fighting sleep. I almost scream in relief when the carriage comes to a stop, and we step out. Ajax and Ivana are already there waiting for our arrival. Ajax gives me a little smile and squeezes my shoulder before he lifts Finn from the carriage and disappears inside with Ivana.

I make to move up the steps but pause when I notice that Kaia is still standing next to the carriage.

“Are you coming in?”

She shakes her head.

“I have something that I have to do first.”

It’s clear that she wants to be alone, so I simply nod and turn to leave. A guard waits for me at the entrance, and I realize that Karius is still going out of his way to protect me even though I can protect myself. I start to move in the direction of my room, longing to take a hot soak and go to bed.

“Erm…I’m afraid the room you were using is occupied.”

I turn to him in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

“The prince had your belongings moved to your new room. He asked me to escort you there on your arrival back at the palace.”

I’m far too tired to argue, so I just follow him down the corridor, paying little attention to where we’re going, only that I hope my new room has the same comforts as the one I’m leaving behind. I feel guilty for even having the thought since this place is nothing like what the purebloods back at the bloodhouse get to live like. What Willowisliving like.

Eventually, we make a stop outside of a familiar set of doors, and I turn to the guard in confusion.

“I do not wish to speak to the prince tonight; you can just show me to my new room.”

“You are mistaken. The prince has asked for all of your belongings to be relocated here. Thisisyour new room.”

“Excuse me?”

Just then, the doors to the bedroom open, and the prince stands at the threshold, his eyes scanning me as though he is going to find anything other than anger at this new revelation.