Page 10 of The Broken Prince

“He’s removed General Macabre as the head of the army, but he won’t tell me why. He’s also threatened to behead him if he comes anywhere near the castle or the barracks. His weapons have been stripped, and so has his armor. If he’s betrayed HeartHolme, I imagine Ian would share that treason with me, but the fact that he’s kept it a secret tells me it’s a personal vendetta.”

“General Macabre has served HeartHolme well. Fought in the battle against Necrosis.”

“I know.”

“Humiliation is a poor way to repay his service.”

She nodded in agreement.

A moment later, Ian walked inside, dressed in his uniform and his armor. “How’s Harlow?” He moved up to me and gripped me with a bear hug.

I squeezed him and patted him on the back. “She’s okay. Not a scratch.”

“What happened? How did she return?”

“It’s a long story,” I said. “We have a lot to catch up on…”

* * *

“Do you believe him?” Ian asked.

A part of me loathed the fact that I’d left Harlow when that vampire lurked around, but my duty required me to be elsewhere. I also knew that my wife would handle things while I was away. “Yes.”

“It’s not a ploy?” Mother asked. “A way to earn your trust?”

“If that’s all he wanted, he could have gone about it in a better way.” The vampire destroyed my life and my sanity when he’d taken my daughter. I would never forgive him for that, for causing the greatest agony of my life, even if I did believe he’d returned her to protect her. “He and Harlow had an…intimate relationship, so I suspect he cares for her. She’s incredible, so it’s impossible not to care for her.”

Ian darted his gaze away, uncomfortable by the thought.

It made me even more uncomfortable.

“He’s written a letter requesting his kin to sail to our lands and fight in the war in exchange for his freedom. I suspect they’ll come. If what he says is true, he’s the Prince of the Originals, so he’s important.”

Ian turned back to me. “Are you sure you didn’t just invite a superior race to our lands so they can enslave us?”

“I haven’t sent the letter,” I said. “I need to see what we’re up against first.”

“That’s a good move,” Mother said. “Don’t invite them unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“If you have to, you’ll kill the vampire?” Ian asked.

I knew my emotion clouded my judgment when it came to my prisoner. He anticipated every move I made, so he could have easily sliced that dagger across my jugular when we were locked in that cell. He could have bitten my daughter. He could have handed her over to the Teeth without a second thought. I was unfairly prejudiced against him, but it was hard not to be. “No.”

“Then what will you do with him?” Mother asked.

“Tell him to fight for us for his freedom,” I said. “I have my men keeping eyes on him right now. Told him to stay away from my daughter or I’ll kill him. Hope he heeds that warning—because I meant it.”

Mother watched me for a while, pity in her eyes. “And what if Harlow doesn’t want to be separated?”

I wouldn’t look at her.

“Being mortal enemies wasn’t enough to keep you and Ivory apart.”

I wanted to shut down this conversation, wanted to lash out and silence her, but she was my mother, and once I’d become a parent, I respected her even more. “Harlow is too smart to settle for someone like that.”

“Like what?” Mother asked. “Superior in strength and agility?”

“He feeds off human blood. He’s a monster.”