Page 140 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

You underestimate yourself,Athriel says.

No, I’m just not a fool.

“Please go back inside and pretend you didn’t see us, and just know that we are doing what needs to be done,” he tells her.

Kaia’s eyes narrow into slits. “What needs to be done? And you think sneaking her out of the palace, knowing her connection to the prince, is what needs to be done? Damn, Ajax, I knew you were stupid, but I didn’t think you had a death wish.”

My eyes meet Piper’s, and she must see my surprise at her being here. Her eyes soften in an apology that tells me that there is more to her being here than I know. I want to be angry with her for trying to stop me, but she never acts without reason — and that only makes it harder. If I must fight my way out of the palace, I will. Even if it means taking her down. We need thatfinal ingredient to cure Willow, and I will stop at nothing to get it.

“Finn knows how to make a cure,” I interject, and all eyes fall on me. Kaia’s intense stare pierces through me as though she is searching for a lie. “To get it, we need to leave now.”

“And go where exactly?”

I consider lying, but it’s only going to make her challenge us more.

“It’s called the shadow market. What he needs isn’t exactly legal.”

She laughs. Actually laughs.

“Have you been there before? Do you know what that place is like?”

I shrug.

“I don’t care. I’m getting that ingredient.”

Anger flashes in her eyes as she steps toward me, but I straighten my back. We may have been training together and even shared a few civil conversations, but I know there is still a part of her that doesn’t trust me.

“You’ve spent the last year murdering vampires and ripping out their fucking fangs like trophies, and now you want to help us find a cure for impures and prevent a war that could kill us all?” She shakes her head. “And don’t tell me that it has anything to do with your bond because, believe me, if anyone will survive another war, it’ll be Karius.”

“Her sister is becoming one of them.”

I snap my head in Ajax’s direction, the anger of his betrayal clear on my face. His eyes soften as he looks at me.

“She isn’t going to let us go any other way,” he tells me. He turns his attention back to his sister. “She doesn’t want to see her sister become one of those things, and I’m going to help her make sure that it doesn’t happen. So, if you plan to stop her, then you’ll have to fight me too.”

They stand in a silent stare-off as the tension lingers in the air, and we wait. After what feels like an eternity, Kaia turns her attention to Finn.

“You’re sure that what you need is there?”

He only nods. She sucks in a breath, and then her eyes meet mine.

“You better hope he’s right.”

“This isn’t going to work,” Kaia moans as she looks down at herself. I have to bite my lip to stop laughing.

After she and Piper agreed to join us, Finn broke the news: the shadow market is an illegal human-run venture, and if the humans catch wind of vampires there, they’ll flee — and we won’t get what we need. That’s when he pulled out his special concoction. Aglamor, he called it. A piece of magic that makes things look like something they’re not. The exact one Amabel takes, he told me. The problem is that it also dampens their powers, which Kaia was definitely not happy about.

“These people are the ones that sell magic on a daily basis, so if anyone is going to know that you are not who you say you are, it’s them,” Finn tells them. “You need to get this right.”

“And what the hell is right?” she sneers.

“You all walk like…vampires,” he tells her, and this time I can’t hold my laughter in.

“What does that even mean?” Ajax asks.

“You just have this air of…arrogance and power.” Kaia charges toward him, and he holds up his hands. “I didn’t say that it was a bad thing, it’s just not ahumanthing.”

“So, you’re telling me that you create all this stuff from our venom?” Ajax’s eyes widen in horror.