Page 37 of The Broken Prince

“My life would have been taken as well.” The memory seemed to return to her, the way the monster had gripped her by the throat and burned through her flesh and straight to the bone. “I regret the way your father treated him. You’re fortunate that Aurelias’s love for you is stronger than his resentment toward your father.”

“It wasn’t love.” I said it immediately, knowing there was an invisible boundary Aurelias had placed between us. I couldn’t see it, but I could always feel it, always sense his distance, no matter how close we were.

Her eyes locked on mine. “There are only two reasons a man risks his life—for duty or for love. And we know he has no duty to protect a kingdom he doesn’t call home. He showed you his cards, Harlow. He’s lost the match.”

My eyes shifted away.

“I hope he survived the battle.”

“He did. His brothers came searching for him, and they helped in the battle as well.”

“More vampires are in Delacroix?”

“Yes. But if they’re loyal to Aurelias, I don’t fear them.” Aurelias would never allow them to be a threat after he’d risked his life for our kingdom. “Are you able to move? I’m sure you’ll be more comfortable at home.”

“It hurts to move, but I want to be there when your father gets home.”

I nodded.

“Without my healing abilities, I would have suffocated to death.” She supported her body with her arms and shifted herself upright, her back against the headboard. She closed her eyes briefly, wincing at the pain, but then she took a breath. “Pyre must be so worried about me… I’ve been asleep this whole time.”

“Let me help you get out of bed.” I took her arms and supported her as she got her feet on the floor. “You think you can ride Pyre home?”

“I know he’ll get me there safely.”

ELEVEN

HUNTLEY

We discussed venturing deeper into unknown territory to investigate further but decided it wasn’t worth the risk, not when we were still undetected. The slave may rat us out in the morning. Ian bribed him with all the food in his pack, but he might turn on us the second we were gone.

We returned to the dragons hidden far into the distance, and we finally took our first true breath now that we were away from the enemy.

Ian helped himself to the saddle and pulled out the food he had stowed inside since his supply was depleted. He took a few bites, his eyes on the mountains as they reflected the dying light. “What are they mining for?”

“Crystals and gems for jewelry. Without the costs of labor, easy money.”

“But do you think demons care about jewelry?”

I stared at him, a prickle in my heart.

“What if it’s for something else?”

“Such as?”

“I don’t know…”

Now the discomfort in my heart intensified.

“Made of fire…what the fuck?”

I stared at my brother, knowing he was just as scared as I was.

“The ring of fire…is that where they come from?”

“It would be unwise to check.”

“If we could find the survivors of Palladium, they could probably tell us everything.”