Page 34 of The Forsaken Vampire

I felt the wind whip through my hair and sting my eyes. It was a windy day, but it was no deterrent for Pyre. “Are you sure this is okay?”

“Yes.” He pivoted his body toward me, wearing the uniform that bore our family crest on the chest. He possessed features from both of our parents, was a perfect blend of the two. “Father and I both agreed that Delacroix needs your leadership and my sword. I’m more suited to serve, to fight for our people, and I would gladly serve you, Harlow.”

Somehow, my brother’s confidence meant more than my own father’s. “Really?”

He gave a slight nod. “Really.”

“I thought Father would select you, since the general of Delacroix is the more obvious choice.”

“I’m not the general yet. Father says it’s a title I still need to earn. And I can’t do both, Harlow. The Queen of Delacroix needs to rule over our people, and the general of Delacroix needs to rule over the army. They’re two different kingdoms in the same place.”

“You think I’d be a good queen?”

His eyes studied me as that smile slowly returned to his face. “Absolutely.”

“But you’re always saying how annoying I am—”

“You are annoying.”

“And that I’m stupid—”

“I didn’t say youarestupid. I said youactstupid.”

“And you think I would be a good queen?” I asked in disbelief.

“When you aren’t being stupid and annoying, yes, I think you’re pretty great. But I wouldn’t worry about it too much because Mother and Father will be around for a long time. Father is in better shape than I am, and he’s decades older. And Mother is as sharp as a tack. You don’t have to worry about this for a long time, Harlow.”

My heart tightened like a clenched fist, carrying the heavy burden of the truth. But I kept it to myself, held that secret in the pit of my stomach. My eyes moved back to the blue sky, no longer able to see the mighty dragon that carried my father upon his back. “Yeah…you’re right.”

* * *

“You seem down.” Brianna sat beside me at the bar, both of us with tankards of beer.

My eyes flicked back up to hers. “My father left this morning.” This wasn’t news that should be shared with the public, but I knew I could tell her.

“Doesn’t he visit HeartHolme often?”

“Yes, sometimes.”

“Then why are you worried?”

I shrugged. “You know me, I always worry.”

“Uh, no,” she said. “You never worry.”

I covered the tightness of my face by taking a drink. “So, what happened with Ethan?”

“What happened with Ethan?” she asked incredulously. “I want to hear about Hot Motherfucker. Now, that sounds like an erotic adventure.”

I gave a quiet chuckle. “You go first.”

“Well, you were right, Ethan is good in bed.”

“You’re welcome.” I clanked my glass against hers.

“But afterward, he was all weird.”

“Weird how?”