Page 167 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

The answering laugh boils my blood, and with the absence of Athriel, I know for once that the rage is all my own. I sink my dagger into the monster’s chest, throwing it to the ground before leaping over it. I sprint down the hall, my calves screaming as if aflame. Impures come at me from all sides, but I cut them down effortlessly, every strike fueled by pure rage.

I race down several hallways and turn corner after corner, using my dagger to kill anything in my path until I finally reach him. As soon as he hears me approaching, he stops. He turns to face me as though my presence does not bother him at all. I storm over to him, slamming his back against the wall and pressing my blade against his throat.

“You tricked me,” I hiss. The hurt that creeps into my voice only heightens my rage.

He smiles. “I did not trick you. I knew not who I was, but my creations…my kin remembered, and they freed me from the walls of your mind. They led you to my salvation.”

“You’re a monster,” I hiss.

“Monsters are made, not born. I feel that you, too, will come to learn this very soon.”

I add pressure to the blade and growl in his face.

“Do not blame anyone for what you are.”

“No? Do you know how they did it? The gods createdher,you know, from their own raw magic. Your ancestor. The first of your kind. She was beautiful, just like you. I remember it all now. Shemademe love her. Begged me to fill her with my essence so that she could follow me to the ends of the world, just like my kin. I believed that she loved me. But she was a liar. A trickster,” he spits. “She stole my entire essence and trapped me. And every time another one of your bloodline was born, I was passed on like a disease. A prisoner. But you were different. You spoke to me, trusted me. Loved m—”

“I never loved you.”

“You did. And you will learn to again when I have returned to my true form.”

His words cause a panic to fill my chest.

“You’re not leaving here with him. You’re not taking him from me.”

“Oh, my dear child, you cannot stop me. To kill me, you must kill him, and we both know you will do no such thing. You may deny it, but I have been inside your head. It may sicken me, but I know how you feel about the prince, even if you still deny it.”

“You know nothing,” I say.

My hand shakes against its hold on the blade, and I hate how weak it makes me look.

“I will return for you. When I have shed this skin and found my own, you and I will become this world’s most powerful rulers.”

“I would sooner die than rule beside a monster like you.”

“You say that now because you do not know the full story, but one day, when I am wholly me, I will tell you everything, my love, and then we shall see what you decide.”

He pushes my blade from his neck, knowing I can do nothing to stop him. I cannot hurt him without hurting Karius, and he’s too powerful for me to bring down. I watch in horror as he walks away with my mate, and there’s nothing I can do.

Footsteps pound against the floor, and I remember that the vampires had to go the long way to avoid the blaring sun in the hall.

“Where is he?” Eamon asks. I shake my head.

“I couldn’t stop him without hurting Karius.” My words sound as defeated as I feel. “He’s takeneverything.”

I’m not sure who I say it to. I look up and find several pairs of eyes on me. I cannot look at Kaia without seeing Ajax’s face, so I look away.

More footsteps come from down the hallway, but I don’t recognize the nobles who join us.

“What the hell are you all doing? You’re the royal guard, for goodness’ sake. Go after him! Our very lives are in his hands!” A short, chubby male says.

“We can’t,” Eamon tells them. “He’s too powerful, and we cannot stop him without killing the prince, and that is not an option.”

“And what about her?” His finger jabs in my direction. “She brought this hell on us. We may not be able to kill her, but we need to lock her in the dungeons until we can find a way to break that cursed bond between them.”

“You will not lay a finger on her.” I’m surprised that the words come from Kaia. Ivana steps forward too, blocking them from me, and something squeezes inside my chest.

“You’ll have to go through me, too,” Eamon adds.

“And me.” Piper steps forward, and to my surprise, Iza joins them, her bravery warming my heart.

Even though we’re broken as a group, fractured in ways that I’m not sure we can repair, they still stand united for me. Tears burn my eyes, but I fight to hold them back.

“How dare you threaten me?” he spits. “I’m a member of this court, and I will be reporting this to the council, who, lest you have forgotten, are your acting crowns in the absence of the prince.”

Eamon steps forward, eyeing the man with venom that I would not want directed at me.

“Perhaps you are a fool or just plain ignorant, but no council member has authority over a crown’s mate, and lestyouforget, Adina holds that position. So, step the fuck back and bow to your crown.”