Page 8 of A Vow of Shadow and Blood

“But it is a choice. It doesn’t matter if they dress us in the most expensive dresses, give us fancy rooms, and the best food; we’re still slaves. We barely get a chance to enjoy anything in this life, and the little time we do get, you spend it trying to keep me alive.” She shoots to her feet as if the bed beneath her just caught fire. “You keep risking your life to save me, and I can’t bear the thought of something happening to you.”

Her eyes gloss over, and my anger dissipates. Neither of us knew our parents—that’s the price of being a pureblood. We were bred to serve, and the only thing we’ve ever truly had is each other. Cora is the one who told us about the venom. She and my mother were best friends until the day our birth took her life. Cora has always looked after us, somehow keeping us together even when we should have been separated like every other pureblood family members. Up until a year ago, she was the one who sourced the venom that kept Willow alive. When she no longer could, that responsibility fell to me.

“I’m fine. You know what I can do.”

She shakes her head. “And if the vampires find out, you’ll be dead.”

“I’m careful,” I remind her.

She closes her eyes for a second before meeting my gaze, the features on her light brown face softening. To look at her, you wouldn't think a damn thing was wrong. She’s wearing baggy gray pants and a white shirt. She seems happy.Alive.She doesn’t look like she’s dying. And when the venom is working, the veinsjust disappear. Those are the moments when I let myself pretend that she’s ok.

“Everyone is careful until they’re not. I just want you to live, that’s all, enjoy the little bit of life you do have.”

“I have no interest in enjoying a life you aren’t a part of,” I tell her.

“You’re so annoying,” she says, but a grin curves the corners of her lips upwards, and relief fills me. I can’t bear it when she speaks of dying—but her jokes, those I can handle.

“It’s my job to be, as your older sister.” I flick the tip of her nose, and she swats my hand away unsuccessfully, but a smile still creeps onto her face. Maybe if she’d spent more time training with me instead of burying her nose in a book, she wouldn’t miss so easily.

“Threeminutes older.”

I shrug.

“Semantics.”

We both laugh.

“It’s my fault, girls.” Cora’s voice causes both of us to turn toward her. She carries a sadness that causes her shoulders to sag and the space beneath her eyes to darken. It’s a good job she’s no longer of feeding age since she wouldn’t last a night in her condition. I hate that I’m mad at her since she has done nothing but look after me and my sister our entire lives. She hid my secret when anyone else would have run straight to Amabel, but not Cora. She’s brave and fierce. “Four vampires were found dead yesterday.”

Her words make my entire stomach hollow out.

“The Crown Prince has increased the guards on the streets. They are actively searching for the person responsible.” Her brown eyes fall on me. It takes a moment before I realize what she’s insinuating. I turn to find Willow looking at me as well.

“You two think I killed them?” I nearly laugh. Not even I'm stupid enough to kill four in one night.

Cora leans in, her voice barely a breath. “Iknowhow you get that venom,” she says through gritted teeth.

“Yes, but I didn’t kill four vampires to get it. I thought Willow was ok for at least another month. Why would I risk killing them?”

“Maybe you’re getting a taste for it. The thrill of overpowering them. Taking revenge, like—”

She stops herself, but what rattles me more is that she thinks I’d be reckless enough to try.

“You think I’d risk Willow for athrill?”

She watches me for a beat.

“She didn’t do it,” Willow says, studying my face. I look between them incredulously.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then if not you, who?” Cora seems to be thinking out loud more than really asking us.

“This is why you didn’t want me to know Willow was ill?”

She nods, and I almost feel guilty for being so mad at her.

“I thought she could at least last until these patrols died down, but the marks on her stomach...” She looks as though she is seeing them again for the first time.