Page 156 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“Where did she take her?” I grit out, but he ignores me.

I storm toward him, anger heating my veins like fire.

“Answer me, you bastard!” I scream before slamming my fists against his back. He’s wholly unaffected by my attack, and it only stands to piss me off more. The guard trailing us lunges into my path, grabbing my wrists and shoving me back. Before I can react, Karius’s hand clamps around his throat, lifting him into the air, his feet dangling high above the ground.

The vampire’s eyes widen in horror as he tries desperately to peel away his grip, but Karius’s pupils are a dark storm as he shoots daggers at the guard.

“You ever lay so much as a finger on her again, and I will kill you,” Karius says, his tone threatening.

The guard gasps for air. “But…she tried…to…attack…you…”

“I don’t care if you have to stand by and watch as she plunges a dagger through my still-beating heart, don’t fucking touch her. She’smine,”he growls.

Confusion twists the guard’s features, but he nods in understanding. A moment of silence passes between them before Karius drops him to the ground, leaving him gasping for air. He continues in the direction of the palace, and I remain hot on his trail.

“Where did she take her?” I spit. When he doesn’t answer, I use the vampire speed coursing through me until I’m standing right in front of him, blocking his path.

His eyes pin me with a warning glare. If he thinks that’s going to deter me, then he doesn’t know me at all.

“I sai—”

“Not here,” he says sternly. He’s speaking to me like I’m one of his guards, and I almost lose it until I hear the irritating drawl of Celeste’s voice from behind me.

“You’re back,” she says, stating the fucking obvious. “The others are wondering when the meeting will commence?”

My back stiffens at the casual way she addresses him. I haven’t seen her since the night she announced their betrothal, and just the sound of her voice makes me want to rip her heart out.Gods, why does she make me so mad?I turn slowly to face her, and I don’t miss the way her eyes narrow when she takes me in.The feeling’s mutual.

“Tell them I’ll be down in an hour,” he tells her before he walks past both of us without saying another word. I follow behind, but I shoot her a look that reminds her what I’m capable of. Angry as she is, there’s a hesitation to her that was not there before our incident in Karius’s room.

I want to scream at him as we move through the silent hallways, but he’s right; having a conversation about what just happened openly in a castle full of vampires would be foolish. So, I wait until we are finally inside his study.

“Where’s Willow?” I demand, as soon as the door closes. He ambles across the room to a tray holding a set of crystal glasses. He pours himself a drink and lifts it to his lips before sinking into the large leather chair behind his desk. He leans back, his eyes firmly on me as he finally answers my question.

“She’s safe. She’s in one of the cells in the dungeon.”

My chest tightens at his words.Safe?I want to kill him. I want to plunge my dagger right through his heart, just as he suggested moments ago.

“You locked my sister up in a fucking cell?” I hiss.

“I did.”

I laugh incredulously. “Is that all you have to say?”

He lifts his eyes to meet mine, his stare suddenly cold.

“Were you expecting something else?”

I grit my teeth. “Give your guards the order to release her.”

“No.”

He rests the glass on the desk between us, his expression unreadable. I storm across the room, stopping just in front of him.

“What do you want from me? An apology for sneaking out of the palace? Fine.I’m sorry.Sorry for leaving without telling you. Sorry for putting your friends' lives at risk. I’m fucking sorry, but I don’t regret it. We saved Willow. I got her back, and I will not apologize for that, but you’re not going to punish her for my mistakes.”

His expression turns stony. “You truly think so little of me that you believe I would do all this just to punish you?”

“Yes!”