Page 56 of The Vampire Court

“Be on your best behavior,” she says, and for a second, I think to be as terrible as I can. The woman takes my wrist and squeezes, her boney fingers digging in. “Don’t even think of causing a scene. If you are out of line, make no mistake, the queen will have your head.”

There is no exaggeration in her words.

“Now,” she continues. “When you enter, keep your head up, look straight ahead, and walk directly to the queen. Bow to her, but do not rise until she gives you permission, and above all, obey her as if she has compelled you.”

My skin goes ice cold. The look on the woman’s face says she knows her threat worked.

The doors to the throne room lie straight ahead on the right. It’s close, but the walk feels like it takes an eternity to reach them. She stops, giving me one last push.

Two guards pull open the doors. I stand frozen in place.

The queen sits on her throne, surrounded by hordes of vampires filling the room, standing to either side to create a straight path to her. Elizabeth stares me down, a smug look on her delicate features.

Somewhere in the distance, someone plays the violin. It’s all wrong. It doesn’t fit.

All eyes swivel to rest on me. I want to run, painful, agonizing death be damned.

“Get moving, girl,” the servant woman hisses.

Finally, I get my legs to obey and take a step forward. The music stops, and the only sound is my heels clicking against the polished marble floor with each step.

I keep my eyes locked on the queen, though I can’t help but notice the subtle shift in demeanor in the vampires I pass. Their chins lift, faces angling away. I want to walk faster and end this show as quickly as possible, but in truth, any faster and my shaky legs would give out.

When I finally reach the queen, I bow low.

“Your Majesty,” I say in a voice filled with as much saccharine as I can manage. There is no respect underneath the words, and I know she can sense it. She isn’t naive enough to think otherwise.

She says nothing for several heartbeats, and I wonder if she is testing me.

“Come and stand by my side. The suitors have waited long enough.” Elizabeth pats the arm of her throne.

Slowly, I straighten and do as she bids. The second I’ve taken my place, a vampire enters then another and another until there is a progression of four men and two women. My heart stops when I see the seventh vampire enter.

The room erupts into a din of murmurs.

I can’t breathe.

My heart resumes beating, though now the rhythm is erratic as it pounds mercilessly against my chest.

Alaric.

The queen shifts in her seat. I don’t care if she can hear how my pulse races with hope.

“We let him join in the fun, as a way to regain some of his dignity at failing something so simple,” she whispers under her breath so only I hear. “Don’t get your hopes up. He will try, but he will not win you back.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Clara

I can’t pullmy attention away from Alaric. Seeing his face only compounds how much I’ve missed him.

But the happiness I feel comes crashing down around me. His presence here is only to make this process hurt worse for both of us. Alaric has no chance. He will try and be made to fail before everyone. He will be publicly humiliated by having something taken away.

Like the vampires ahead of him, he keeps his chin high and gaze forward. The lines of his features are stony, not even holding a sliver of emotion.

There are seven vampires in all spread out into a long line before the dais. Silence descends upon the room.

Elizabeth lifts her arm, and the large demon bird glides through the air, seemingly to come from nowhere. They soar over the heads of the vampires on silent wings. The demon circles the room once then lands on the high back of her throne. With a flick of her wrist, one guard speeds from across the room to stand right before me, moving too fast for my eyes to track.