Page 16 of This Blood That Breaks Us

Happy wasn’t the right word, but I felt at peace with it. I turned to Will, and he nodded. It wasn’t freedom, but it was better than death. Two hundred years was a long time to figure out an escape plan.

“For now.”

Four

Zach

It had to be a joke. God, or whatever, had it out for me. Keeping Luke from being himself in all situations would be tough. With his constant need to be good, it made protectinghim way harder than it needed to be. I cared about Will and Thane, sure, but Luke always gave too much. It was a replay of Blackheart and every time he’d done it before that—too many to count. In his worst moments, he’d tell me he didn’t understand the person he was. He gave everyone so much there was nothing left for him. He felt like he had no personality. When the sun came up, he knew it was bullshit, but I hated how the topic kept surfacing. He kept saying it like he believed it.

I’d already forgiven him for his lack of care for himself by the time we reached the door to our room.

“This will be your room.”

After a series of arched entryways and long hallways with floral rugs, we arrived at yet another wooden door. It had cherubs and other decorative shit carved into it. I was more concerned with the vein about to pop out of Ezra’s head.

They cleansed Thane’s blood in the cathedral, then they brought him some blood bags. I guessed they had access to that sort of thing here. We were assured they wouldn’t be hurt while receiving their instruction for what was next. I considered it a win. Alive was better than dead.

“Your friends will join you shortly after they’re done getting cleaned up and fitted. I’d suggest you keep a close eye on them. No one here will be easy on them but you.”

“Thanks . . . ” Luke said as we stepped through the door and entered a dimly lit room.

A stained-glass window was set aglow by the fire. Underneath it sat a velvet bench with fringed pillows. On either side of the room were beds that looked way fancier than anything I’d ever slept on.

“You’re welcome to separate rooms if you’d like, but I know how you two are.”

“This is perfect,” Luke said.

I hid my relief. Locking myself in a room alone with my own thoughts could be very bad for me. Probably Luke too. I’d have to see about getting music in the room as soon as possible. One of my little lackeys was probably dying to fetch me something.

“No phones. At least for the first couple months. Same for going out. We’ll go out to town, and I’ll introduce you to everyone, but we do it together. For now.”

“Until you can trust us not to run away?” Luke said.

“You can’t run from your own fate. It will find you,” Ezra said.

We shared a glance. My brother and I were starting to believe it and were too tired to argue. I couldn’t even get tired, but I felt like I’d run a marathon.

Ezra motioned to a spiral staircase that led to a loft. Along the floral-papered walls were different paintings in various frames. Every color in the room was muted, except for the orange of the flickering fire. I welcomed the smell of burning wood.

“You have your own private bathroom up in the loft.”

Thank god.I was dying to get the stench of ash out of my hair.

“You two can get settled in till the morning. Explore the place. But don’t leave the castle.”

“Got it,” Luke said as he collapsed onto his bed, and I did the same in mine.

Cool sheets and the relief of not standing had me melting into a puddle. Ezra left us in silence.

I lay back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. It was vaulted up to a dome, and inside the dome, a skylight let the light from the moon in. Hundreds of stars painted the dark, and I let my shoulders relax. I wished for sleep, for a break from the torment of the day. I was tempted to think of my brothers. Had they made it to their destination? Luke never told me where it was. The less I knew, the better, and the less I thought of it, the better too. I rubbed the ache in my chest.

“Maybe this is what I was meant for.” Luke’s voice echoed from across the room.

“What?”

“They could be telling the truth. This is fate. I’m meant to be with Her.”

“Luke, don’t say that shit. I’m serious. I’m going to punch you if you say anything like that again.”