Page 45 of Queen of the Crimson Throne (Queen of Blood and Stardust #2)

45

LENNOX

All creatures created after the original will die.

My head spun as I read the words over and over again, ensuring what I was reading was correct. Did this mean what I thought it meant?

I carefully folded the paper back to its original shape. If someone were to successfully undo this spell, all vampires would die? My heart ricocheted in my chest.

If that was true, why did Astria want this hidden? If someone was looking to cure vampirism, shouldn’t we use this information to stop them? Or did Astria want all vampires to die? Was she still holding a grudge against the family she cursed?

“I need to step outside for a moment,” I murmured. Air. I needed air.

I pulled my cloak tight around me, shoving my hands into the deep pockets as I embraced the sting of the cool air in my lungs.

Luka followed me out wordlessly. The minute we were outside I felt his magic surround me as he placed a silencing bubble around us.

“Did you interpret the message how I did?” I asked .

“That if someone cures vampirism all vampires die?” His tone lilted at the end of his word. “Yeah I got that.”

I twisted my loose hair in a coil at the back of my head before releasing it again. “None of this makes sense.”

“I know.” Luka kicked at the snow with the tip of his boot.

If someone cured vampirism, Luka died.

The thought clouded my mind.

If someone cured vampirism, Luka would no longer exist.

Things between Luka and I were complicated. But no matter what we were, I didn’t want him to die. If he died—I flashed back to the feelings I felt in the forest all those months ago—when we were simply friends. Barely friends. The panic that surged through me as I saw him slowly dying in front of me. That was then. My feelings for him were nowhere near as strong as they are now. The idea of losing Luka—I struggled for breath. My palms were sweaty despite the chill in the air.

Before I could register what was happening, Luka was wrapping his arms around me. He squeezed me tight as if he was trying to squeeze the fear out of me. I looped my arms around him in return.

“It’s okay. I’m here,” he murmured into my hair. “I’m here.”.

“You’re here,”

“I’m not going anywhere.” The pain in my chest lightened. “It will take a lot more than an ancient spell to take me from you,” he said into my hair.

I squeezed my arms tighter around him. “I can’t lose you. ”

“I know.”

I shuffled in Luka’s arm, causing him to release his hold slightly, but he still held me in his arms.

My chest still heaved—every breath moving against his chest as our gazes locked.

Goosebumps broke out over my body, not from the cold, but from the intensity of his gaze. I shivered, letting my gaze linger on his lips .

He leaned in closer—stopping until there was only an inch between our lips.

Our breath mingled in the space between us, creating puffs of smoke in the cold air.

I wanted so badly to close the gap between us.

“Why do you stop me every time we get closer to crossing that line?” The question had been plaguing my mind since the alcove, since the party at Caspian’s manor.

“I’m giving you time? Remember?”

Time, right. He had been so careful to give me time. He pushed me—but never too far when it came to us. If we were going to go down this path it would be because I initiated it. When he knew I was ready.

I leaned forward—a slight sigh escaping my lips as I brushed them against his.

“Oh, pardon me.” A cheery voice came from the trees behind us.

I closed my eyes as Luka leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine as he let out a sigh.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered before moving to face our visitor.

“I’m so sorry,” the female said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt you two love birds.” I opened my mouth to interject but stopped as Luka’s hand on my hip flexed.

“You must be Silas’ wife.” The female’s eyebrows rose at the mention of Silas. “We were inside talking with your husband and son,” Luka continued. “We needed a moment to ourselves. I’m Luka Rossi and this is Lennox Adair.” Shock colored the woman’s face.

“Goodness me. The High Queen and the Prince in my home. Oh, I do hope my husband has welcomed you properly.” She smoothed her hands over her skirt. “Are you leaving or may I ask you to stay for dinner?”

Luka and I shared a look. “What do you think, Sweetheart? Are you hungry? ”

“Starved,” I answered.

We let the Galtain family feed us until we were so full we couldn’t move anymore. We proceeded to remain in their company, moving to sit by the fire where we continued to talk and drink for what felt like hours. Silas and his wife, Malina, shared stories about their family and their ancestors—about what it was like when they first became vampires.

Luka placed a hand on my thigh. “We should get going before it gets too late.”

“You’re right.”

I stood, as did the Galtain family.

“Thank you for your hospitality, it was such a joy to meet you all.”

“And you too.” Silas pulled his wife in close to his side.

“What are you going to do about the journal?” Luka whispered into my ear.

The journal, right. I had forgotten about the journal. About the task Astria had given us.

“We were not honest in our intentions in seeking you out.” After their hospitality tonight I couldn’t lie to them. I refused to drag things out for longer than I needed to.

“What do you mean?” Malina questioned.

“We were told by Astria when we found the journal we either needed to take them for ourselves or destroy them,” I said before I could stop myself.

Sila’s eye darted to the journal where it rested on the table.

“I’m not going to destroy it,” I added.

His eyes shifted back to me, all the kindness leeching out .

“So you’re going to take it?” There was an edge to his voice now.

“No.” I kept my voice calm. I felt Luka’s gaze boring into the side of my head. “I’m leaving the journal with you.”

“Lennox, are you sure that’s smart?” Luka warned under his breath.

“No, but it’s the right thing to do.”

I moved towards the table, picking up the journal, and bringing it to Silas, taking his hands in mine as I placed the journal in his hands. “This journal belongs to your family. It deserves to stay with your family. No matter what Astria might say—the best way to keep these journals safe is to keep them with your family.”

“Thank you.” Silas’ eyes shown with sincerity.

I gave him a tight smile, forcing myself to turn toward the door before I could go back on my decision, not even checking to see if Luka followed behind me.

The warmth left my body with every step I took from the home.

“I can’t believe you let them keep the journals,” Luka called after me, his boots crunching on the snow.

“You let them keep them?” Luce’s voice rang out through the silent forest.

“You don’t understand.” I quickly filled Luce and Declan in on the events in the cottage.

“So what?” Luce pressed. “Just because they were a nice family doesn’t mean they should keep the journals—Astria said to destroy them, or did you forget that tiny detail?”

“I didn’t forget it,” I snapped. “Those journals were important to them—they will keep them safe.”

“You don’t know that,” Declan argued.

I glared at the two of them, the silence coming from Luka was getting louder and louder by the second.

“For once can you let me do the right thing—the decent thing?” My voice rose an octave. “Those journals mean so much to them—they deserved to keep them. They will keep them safe.” I refused to take that one thing from them. That journal had been the bane of my existence for months, but it was their beacon of hope. I wouldn’t take it from them for my own selfish gain or the selfish actions of Astria.

“Goddess above, you’re stubborn.” Luce crossed her arms over her chest.

“Lennox did the right thing.” Luka came to stand at my side. “There was no way we could have taken those journals from them.”

“It’s not like I don’t believe you.” Luce huffed. “But you’re bearing the wrath of the Goddess, not me.”

“The wrath of Astria is the last fucking thing I’m worried about.”

“You could have at least taken the paper with the notes about the spell and destroyed it,” Luce argued.

I felt around in my pocket, my hand closing around the folded up square of paper in my hand. I held the square between me and Luce. “For your information, I did take the important notes. If you’d stop arguing with me for a minute I could have told you that.”

Luka’s head whipped in my direction. “When did you take that?”

I shrugged. “I slipped it in my pocket when we left to go outside. There was no fucking way I was leaving that information in their hands.”

Declan pushed himself off the tree he had been leaning against. “You could have led with that.”