Chapter One

I drew in a deep breath and the frigid night air flooded my lungs. By this point, I could barely feel my fingers. I tried to ignore the icy numbness of my hands as I hurried through the dense thicket of trees.

The wind bit savagely at my face. I didn't even have the moonlight to guide me as I blindly tiptoed with bare feet around the towering trunks. Fortunately, I didn't need my eyes to know the path I had to take. As long as I didn't wander too deep into the forest or too close to the edge of the trees, I would be fine. At least that was what I told myself.

Even if I returned empty-handed, I knew that Cameren would understand. Cameren always understood. Chloe-Jane would understand too. In fact, she would just be happy to see that I had returned unharmed. Clarity would be a different story, though. If I returned empty-handed, my older sister would convince Mother that she would be a better fit for the task of retrieving the medicine from the next village over. And as her sister, I couldn't let her be exposed to any more risks.

I needed to move fast, but not too fast. If I sprinted, I would attract far too much attention and most likely get an arrow in my back-probably multiple arrows. Or I'd be chased until I finally collapsed from sheer exhaustion. But if I was chased, I'd be able to hold my own for a short time. I was a good runner. When I die, I want to be the one to decide where and how.

If the overseers did notice and pursue me, they would only follow me so far into the trees. They weren't stupid-I had to give them that much-they knew about the bloodthirsty creatures that lurked in the dark. If I had to choose between the overseers and the monsters of the dark, I would gladly put my fate in the hands of the monsters without a second thought. Monster . . . is that really the right term? The title of monster is a much better fit for the overseers than the creatures of the forest.

No one really knew how many creatures hid in the shadows of the trees, but then again, no one had ever crossed the forest and returned to tell the tale. They either disappeared forever or became the dinner of a fanged fiend.

Occasionally the bodies of overseers and slaves alike would be found lying at the edge of the forest. Sometimes they were in pieces, other times they were whole. Sometimes their faces were frozen in expressions of horror, other times they looked like they had just gone to sleep after a long day. Or so the rumors claimed. While I had never seen any of these bodies myself, Chloe-Jane had been unfortunate enough to discover the corpse of an overseer once on her way to the field. She wasn't able to sleep for days after that.

With my breath puffing out in the frigid air in front of me, I continued swiftly on my way. Tipping my head back, I searched the hidden sky, but all I could see was darkness. There wasn't even a sliver of moon tonight, which was perhaps a good thing; the darker it was, the easier it would be for me to go unseen.

Just as I was about to take another step forward, I suddenly froze at the sound of a twig snapping in the distance. My breath caught in my throat, and I strained my eyes as I squinted through the darkness. A torch flared to life in the distance and the trees glowed with the flickering light of a flame.

Had the overseers found me?

I was rooted to the spot as I held my breath. No. They had found someone else.

I forced myself to move. I put one shaky foot in front of the other as I crept closer, and my heart rate increased with each cautious step. If I was careful, I could make my way past the overseers without being noticed. They were distracted after all. But then what kind of person would that make me?

As I crept closer, I caught the sound of two gruff male voices.

"Pretty girl, beautiful girl," a voice crooned, "what are you doing out in the forest by yourself?"

"Who do you belong to, girl?" the other male voice demanded impatiently.

"Aw, look at that," the first voice spoke again, cooing in a way that made my skin crawl. "She's too scared to speak. Look, look! She's trembling."

"If she's the servant of some noble," the second voice said flatly, "we'll be in some serious trouble if we kill her."

"Are you kidding me? She's obviously trying to run away! What else would she be doing in the forest?"

"Her clothes look decent enough for working under a minor lord or duke. Say, if we do return her to whoever she ran away from, I bet you we'll be rewarded handsomely."

"Alright, alright," the first voice said. "But we're not in a rush now, are we?"

At this point, I was practically standing right behind the overseers. In the fiery light of their torches, I could see the silhouette of a woman outlined against the dark. Her face was hidden by the shadow of her long cloak and her delicate hands hung limply at her sides. The woman couldn't have been a slave like me; her skin was porcelain, almost paler than the moon itself. But her dirt-caked feet were bare just like mine.

I made my decision in a split second. "Run!" I shouted as I shoved past the shocked overseers. "We need to run!" I seized one of the woman's hands and pulled her along with me.

"What are you doing?" the woman asked in shock as we sprinted into the trees.

"I'm saving you, of course. Hurry!"

I felt the woman's slender hand close around mine as she nodded.

"Get back here!" one of the overseers yelled angrily. "Stop running!"

"Both of you are dead now!" the other roared at our backs.

My heart thundered in my chest as I crashed through the trees. Branches tore at my face and arms as I barreled past with the cloaked woman close at my heels. There was no use trying to keep quiet now. The woman was keeping up with me for now, but how much longer could we run? We might be able to lose the overseers in the trees, but we certainly wouldn't be able to outrun any of the monsters crouching in the dark.

Suddenly, my tattered skirts snagged on a low-hanging branch and I toppled sideways into a clump of bushes. I bit back my cry as my ankle twisted painfully beneath me. My panic was beginning to take hold of me as I tried and failed to rise to my feet. I struggled against my fear, but I was fighting a losing battle.

The woman tugged at my hand in an attempt to get me to rise to my feet, but my throbbing ankle refused to support my weight. I can't, I mouthed. I was trying my best to remain calm despite my rapidly spiking heart rate. "Run now while you still can!"

Suddenly, the glow of torches spilled through the forest, and the woman quickly pushed me behind the clump of shrubbery. After crouching down, she put a finger to her lips in a gesture of silence. The rest of her face was still hidden in the shadows of her hood.

The voice of the first overseer floated over to us. "I heard something coming from over there."

"Let's just leave them," the second voice said nervously. "We've gone too deep into the forest. And for all we know, those girls might have already been taken by some monster."

"Nonsense," the first voice scoffed. "I'm telling you-I'm finding those silly girls. What are you? Afraid?"

"There!" the second voice said excitedly. Torchlight flooded my vision as the overseer pointed the flame at our hiding place. I made to jump to my feet, but the woman put a light hand on my shoulder, silently instructing me to remain where I was.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Instead I just watched in a mixture of confusion and horror as the woman rose to face the overseers.

"Hasn't anyone told you?" The woman's calm voice cut through the silence. "Sometimes being afraid of the dark is a good thing. Sometimes fearing the night can keep you alive."

"How dare you speak to us that way!" the first overseer roared as his face contorted in rage.

The second overseer held his torch higher and the woman's pale skin glowed with a fiery sheen in the light. "Know your place, girl. Who do you think you are?"

"Who do I think I am?" the woman echoed quietly as she angled her head to the side. "Who do you think you are, human?"

My eyes widened as the woman slowly reached up to remove her hood. Her back was to me, but the expressions on the overseers' faces revealed everything.

"V-vampire!" the second overseer shrieked. His torch clattered to the forest floor, and my blood went cold as the flames sputtered out.

Vampire.

"Run!" the first overseer yelled shrilly. He discarded his torch too and began to sprint back the way they had come.

The second overseer had dropped to his knees and was now clasping his hands together in prayer. "Have mercy!"

Suddenly, the woman's voice whispered in my ear, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Close your eyes."

I squeezed my eyes shut. My heart was beating so fast that I was afraid it would give out at any moment. There was a rush of wind, followed by the sound of screaming. I clapped my hands over my ears. I felt light headed. What was going to happen to me?

The woman's voice returned. "It's over."

Ever so slowly, I cracked open an eye. I was finally able to see the woman's face, which was illuminated by a patch of moonlight. She appeared no older than myself. She was beautiful, and her delicate features reminded me of a princess I had once seen in a painting years ago. But the most captivating feature was the young woman's eyes. Her blood-red irises seemed to glow as she looked down at me.

"Are you cold?" she asked softly.

"I-I'm sorry?"

"You're shivering."

I blinked. I hadn't even registered that I was shaking all over.

"Take this," the vampire said as she unfastened her cloak and dropped it at my feet. Her inky hair cascaded down her back, stopping just shy of her heels.

I hesitantly picked up the cloak with a shaky hand. "I-thank you."

"What are you doing in the forest?" the vampire asked quizzically. "Are you running away?"

"No. I'm trying to get to the next slave village. I'm supposed to meet someone there."

The vampire's eyes glowed as they seemed to stare into my very soul. "You've made it this far. Are you sure you don't want to escape?"

I stared back, refusing to back down from her gaze. "My family needs me. I won't let them down."

"If that's the case, you should continue on your way. I can assure you that you won't encounter anything on your way to or back from the village."

I nodded my head, still in a state of shock.

"Then I wish you good luck." There was a gust of wind and I snapped my eyes shut for a second time. When I opened them, the dark-haired young woman had vanished into the night.

It took me a long moment to register what exactly had just happened. First, I was still alive. Second, the young woman who I had tried to save turned out to be a vampire. And third, the overseers who had pursued us were now dead.

My heart rate had yet to return to normal. After fastening the vampire's cloak over my shoulders, I climbed to my feet and winced as my ankle barked in protest. Fortunately enough, nothing seemed to be broken. I needed to get out of the forest as fast as I could. The girl with the medicine was waiting for me, and I couldn't afford to keep her out all night.

✦ ✦ ✦

By the time I reached the rendezvous site, the temperatures had dropped even lower.

"Sister," a voice called out. Leaves rustled above me, then the medicine girl dropped to the forest floor. She and I had established that it was safer for her to stay hidden until I arrived.

"We shouldn't stick around here too long," I said as a way of greeting.

The girl just nodded as she looked up at me. Her dark skin glowed in the moonlight. She was no older than ten, yet her dark eyes held both the maturity and knowledge of any adult.

"Here." The girl pressed a small cloth pouch into my hands. "How is your brother's recovery going?"

"It's a slow process," I told her tiredly. "But thanks to you, at least he hasn't gotten worse."

The girl nodded her head. "That's good." Then her gaze turned serious. "We both should get back."

"Thank you," I whispered. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can give you in return?"

The girl shook her head. "No need, sister. Everyone here is family. Where would we be if we didn't look out for each other? Now, hurry back to your immediate family. They're waiting for you."

✦ ✦ ✦

"Corinna!" Chloe-Jane's whisper greeted me as I pushed open the door to our tiny house. "You're back!"

"And you're still awake." I closed my eyes to relish the warmth from the small fire burning in the hearth. My entire body was frozen, and the shock of the night's encounter still had yet to wear off.

When I opened my eyes, I found that Chloe-Jane had rushed forward to wrap her arms around me in a tight hug. Even though Chloe-Jane recently turned fourteen, she had both the appearance and spirit of a girl much younger.

"I tried to get her to go to sleep, but our stubborn sister kept refusing," Clarity said from the back of our one-room house. Her arms were folded over her chest.

Chloe-Jane pouted as she finally released me. Her thick, wavy hair was pulled back in a messy braid, and I reached out to tuck a flyaway strand behind her ear. I couldn't be bothered to fix my own hair; I settled to simply braid back the curls, and after my encounter in the forest, the number of flyways was a lost cause.

I glanced over at Mother and Cameren. The two of them were fast asleep on the pile of straw that made up our bed. Even in sleep, they looked completely exhausted.

I was pretty sure my sisters had noticed my new cloak, but neither of them commented on it. I unfastened the vampire's cloak. After shaking it out, I folded it into a neat square before setting it next to the door. I set the medicine down as well. Next, I limped over to the hearth and took a seat on the dirt in front of the dancing flames. I could tell that Clarity was eyeing my limp, but I turned to Chloe-Jane and patted the ground next to me. "Come here."

Chloe-Jane hurried over and plopped down at my side.

"I'll rebraid your hair for you," I told my sister. "Then it's off to bed for all of us."

"That means you too, Clarity," Chloe-Jane said, grinning. Then she turned so that her back was facing me. I skillfully unbraided Chloe-Jane's hair before carefully combing through the it with my fingers. As far as appearances went, Chloe-Jane looked different from the rest of us. Her skin was a shade of toasted caramel rather than the deep brown the rest of us shared. But that was because she had a different father than Clarity, Cameren, and me.

"Unlike the two of you," Clarity said as she looked down her nose at us, "I happen to be an adult."

Chloe-Jane crossed her arms over her chest. "You're just jealous that no one does your hair anymore!"

Clarity gave the two of us an amused look. "That's because I'm an adult. I know how to do my own hair."

I just shook my head as I smiled at their exchange.

Suddenly, Chloe-Jane turned to look up at me. "I prayed for you for hours, and it looks like the Immortal One listened!"

"Is that so?" I gently turned Chloe-Jane's head forward again to continue her braid. "And what exactly did you pray for?"

"I prayed that you wouldn't meet any overseers or vampires in the forest!"

I nearly choked on my laugh.

In truth, there was no Immortal One. The Immortal One was an image created by one of the former kings of the western kingdom. But for Chloe-Jane, the Immortal One was her best friend. I had gently tried to explain to her numerous times before that He wasn't real. She refused to believe me, though, so eventually I came to terms with letting her be.

Most of the older slaves in the village knew that the Immortal One was a made-up concept; they had come from a land where they worshiped their own gods. It was the young ones who were easily influenced. All the children who weren't old enough to work in the fields were subjected to indoctrination classes. I still remembered my own time there and how much of a joke I thought the Immortal One sounded like. Chloe-Jane, on the other hand, had fallen head over heels for Him.

"Thank you," I said. "I appreciate it. Look-I've finished your hair. Off to bed with you."

"Alright, alright." Chloe-Jane bounced to her feet and hurried over to the straw bed to snuggle up beside Mother. "But can you sing me Mother's lullaby?"

Clarity let out an exasperated noise. "Mother already sang it for you when you were supposed to have gone to sleep all those hours ago, remember?"

I brushed off my older sister's words and instead walked over to lie down next to Chloe-Jane. "I'll sing. I'll have to do it quietly, though."

Chloe-Jane closed her eyes. "I know. Whisper it."

And so I began to quietly sing the lullaby Mother sang to us every night. It was a lullaby in the language of the people we once were. A lullaby of a land that never knew winter. A lullaby of a home I'd never see.

The song was the only thing I had of the language of Mother's homeland. Mother, Father, and Cameren were born in that faraway land of the southern continent. When Cameren was no more than a year old, the three of them had been stolen away with two hundred others.

Mother still told us stories of her home, but it was obvious that she had long ago given up hope of ever returning. Even so, she had tried her best to teach us the language of her people in secret many times before. But it had proven difficult because there was little time for us to practice. And if we were caught, well, sometimes I wasn't sure if the consequences were worth it.

By the time I finished the song, Chloe-Jane had fallen fast asleep. I closed my eyes as well. My own exhaustion was rapidly catching up to me. But before I could sleep, the face of the forest vampire flickered across my mind. I had been warned time and time again that the vampires were cruel and ruthless creatures-that they were monsters wearing human skin. But I hadn't sensed either of those things from the dark-haired vampire. It was true that she had killed the overseers, but I couldn't blame her.

Vampires were human once. Maybe some of them had been able to hold onto their humanity and not give in completely to their bloodlust.

✦ ✦ ✦

I woke to the sound of horns blaring.

Wincing as the noise shot knives through my skull, I slowly sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. The windowless room was still dark, despite the small fire burning in the hearth.

Mother, Cameren, and Clarity were already up, and the latter was shaking Chloe-Jane awake. I groggily put out the fire and followed my siblings out the door as we did every morning. There was still a good hour until sunrise, and the air felt sharp like ice.

I limped toward the middle of the village to collect my breakfast, and when I finished eating, my sisters and I bid goodbye to Mother and Cameren. Because of Mother's age and Cameren's injuries, the two of them were assigned to different work. I followed the line of slaves trudging toward the fields. As we walked, I winced as the sound of whips cracked in the distance and my body tensed up instinctively. Winter was rapidly approaching, and the question of who would survive another year was hanging heavily over our heads.

"Girl!" a gruff voice called.

I froze midstep.

"Yes, you," the voice said impatiently. There was a loud crack, then something sharp hit the back of my legs. I hissed as I was knocked to my knees. Pain shot through my calves and my hands clenched in the fabric of my skirts. "Get up and face me."

With my calves stinging, I rose to my feet and slowly turned to face the overseer. I rounded my shoulders and dropped my gaze to the man's dirt-stained boots.

"Why are you limping?" the overseer demanded.

I continued to stare at the ground. "Forgive me, sir. I was collecting firewood, and I tripped because of the dark." Lie, lie, lie. These were always dangerous waters.

The overseer turned, already losing interest. "Don't go around injuring yourself like that. Injured slaves aren't any use to us, you know."

I bowed my head to the overseer before turning to catch up with Chloe-Jane and Clarity.

"What was that about?" Chloe-Jane whispered worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"He wanted to know why I was limping," I explained tiredly.

"I heard. But you weren't collecting firewood last night . . ."

"It was dark in the forest. You don't need to worry, though-I really just stumbled over some branches."

Chloe-Jane chewed her lip but nodded all the same.

When we arrived at the fields, I crouched down to begin the day's work. It was the same every day: the mornings and afternoons were spent picking a silk-like flower. The evenings were spent weeding.

Clarity dropped down beside me, and we began to work our way through the dew-covered greenery. "Whose cloak were you wearing last night?" my older sister asked quietly.

"Cloak?"

Clarity gave me a sideways look. "Don't act so surprised. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?" Unlike Chloe-Jane, who would believe almost anything she was told, Clarity was naturally suspicious. She had a tendency not to trust anything she was told until she verified it for herself, and she didn't seem to trust anyone but herself.

"I met someone in the forest." I continued to carefully remove the stringy flowers from their stems. I ignored the way they stung at my hands. I saw no point in lying to my sister, especially when she would see right through me. "A young woman-about my age. She had run into a couple of overseers, and I helped her escape."

"Overseers?"

"Don't act so surprised," I said lightly as I echoed Clarity's own words. "This isn't the first time I've gotten away. I'll just make sure to keep my head down for a few days. The last time I nearly got caught was a mistake on my part. And I won't make the same mistake twice."

Clarity was still giving me the side eye, but she remained silent as she waited for me to go on.

"I'm going to try to return it the next time I go see the medicine girl."

"Good," Clarity said shortly. "We don't need an overseer finding it in our house when they do their weekly inspections."

I finally looked up at my sister. "It's getting colder. Do you think we'll be okay?"

"We've managed before." Clarity turned back to the flowers and skillfully plucked the blossoms with her callused fingers. "We'll manage again."

I let out a heavy sigh. I hoped Clarity was right. The alternative wasn't something I wanted to think about.

Chapter Two

I sat in the heart of the forest. Last week I sensed the presence of the slave woman in the forest, but I never expected her to run in and save me. Save me. A rare smile flickered across my lips. If anyone was in danger, it was the overseers, but that young woman risked her life for my sake. Maybe she was brave. Or maybe she was a fool.

I lifted my hand to my face-the hand the young woman had grabbed as she pulled me along-and stared absently at my palm. Immortality was a curse. If I ever found Karmen, the queen of vampires, I would put an end to her to ensure she wouldn't share her curse with anyone else again. But I had given up my search years ago. How was I supposed to find the queen when I didn't have the slightest clue what she looked like? My only memory of Karmen was a pair of blood-red eyes glowing from the shadowy depths of a hooded cloak.

I can give you the strength you need to take your revenge, Karmen had told me. I can give you the power you desire.

When Karmen had offered me her blood to transform me into a vampire, I drank it without hesitation. I hadn't been thinking about the future, and it certainly hadn't crossed my mind where I'd be now-alone in a forest. There weren't even any animals to keep me company. It was almost as if they could sense me and fled from my presence. I chewed my lip but stopped when my fangs drew blood. Not even the wind was brave enough to whisper through the heavy foliage.

It had been years now since I'd laid eyes on another vampire. I didn't mind, though. Vampires were difficult to deal with at times-I could never tell the ones who sided with the queen apart from the ones who opposed her. Most vampires, like myself, spent their days confined to the shadows of the forests around the northern continent or hiding away in the capital city.

I could confidently say that there were no vampires on the sunny southern continent because too much exposure to direct sunlight causes our skin to crack and flake off. The sun in the southern sky was rumored never to set; it's the last place any vampire would go. Even if a vampire's skin did peel off, it would grow back within a day as long as the vampire stayed out of the sun. Just like how everything regenerated within a matter of days. Skin, hair, limbs-everything grows back as if it was never damaged in the first place. Not even a scar is left behind.

I rose to my feet. I had sat here long enough, and it was time for me to make my rounds.

The forest was dark-all except for the faint moonlight that danced through the leaves high above. Suddenly, I sensed a human presence entering the forest, and I quietly made my way toward it. After perching in a tree, I blinked down in surprise as my eyes landed on the same dark-skinned woman I'd seen a week ago.

"Hello?" the young woman whispered into the dark as she nervously glanced around the trees. "I want to return your cloak."

I dropped from the branch I had been standing on and landed on the ground behind the young woman. "I'm right here."

The young woman jumped and whirled around to face me. The scent of her fear practically shoved its way up my nose as her brown eyes met mine. "This," she stammered, "this is for you." She held out my cloak with shaky hands. The thick cloth was folded in a neat square.

I just looked at her. "You don't want it?"

The young woman held my gaze despite the fact that she was trembling all over. "It belongs to you. I couldn't take it."

"What if it's a gift?"

"A gift?"

I tilted my head to the side. "You're cold."

"I am," the young woman admitted. "But if the overseers find this in my family's house during their weekly inspection . . ."

"Then how about you only wear it in the forest? If you only wear it in the forest, the overseers will never need to know."

"Are you saying I should leave it in the forest?"

I nodded.

"Can-can I really do that?"

I absently took a step closer. "I don't see why not." The young woman flinched but didn't retreat. I stopped as I watched her eyes. "Are you afraid of me?"

"I am," the young woman breathed. Well, I appreciated her honesty.

That deep, hidden sadness within me sparked up again and I dropped my gaze. "You're not the only one. Sometimes I'm afraid of myself as well." There was a long pause before I spoke again. "Wear the cloak to wherever your destination is. You can leave it with me when you return back to your village. I'll lend it to you again the next time you're in the forest."

I turned to walk away, but the young woman called out to me. "Wait!"

I paused and looked back over my shoulder.

"I-my name is Corinna. What's your name?"

My name? It was a name I hadn't used in decades. A name I had forgotten again.

"You can call me Talon," I said softly.

"Okay." Corinna nodded her head and her curls bounced with the movement. "Thank you, Talon. I-I guess I'll be on my way then."

I watched silently as Corinna unfolded the cloak and draped it over her shoulders. After bowing her head, Corinna turned and hurried off.

Corinna would have to do something about her bare feet if she didn't want to lose them to the cold. I lifted my head to the leafy canopy as if I could see the sea of stars glittering beyond the foliage. Alone again, I found my mind wandering. I couldn't just sit in this forest forever. But where would I go? Where could I go?

Unfortunately, death was not the simplest option. The only ways a vampire can really die is if they are decapitated or if their body is burned to ashes. Both methods are said to be painful; vampires can feel the curse within them reeling as it struggles to stay alive. I wasn't desperate enough yet to attempt either of the two.

✦ ✦ ✦

A week later, I heard the sound of Corinna's footsteps draw near. "Talon?" she called quietly through the dark.

I rose to my feet and glided through the trees to meet her.

"Everything went smoothly with the medicine girl tonight." Corinna unfastened the cloak and held it out to me. "Here."

I hesitated for a moment before I took the cloak from her and tucked it under my arm. "Are you sure you're going to be alright in the cold?"

Corinna angled her head to the side. "You almost sound as if you're worried about me."

"Do I?" A faint smile flickered across my lips. Suddenly, I heard Corinna's heart rate quicken-she had caught a glimpse of my fangs. My smile faded. "You should go."

Not needing to be told twice, Corinna hurried out of the forest. I watched her retreat until she vanished behind the trees.

I held the cloak in front of me. It was never mine in the first place. Its original owner was long dead.

I turned on my heel and made my way through the trees until I reached a large hollowed-out log and knelt down to rummage around inside. My fingers traveled over a couple of cloaks, a handful of daggers and other blades, and then finally-shoes! I triumphantly pulled out a pair of scuffed winter boots and set them down on the ground beside me. They looked slightly larger than Corinna's feet, but they would do.

It had always been in my nature to help people. Those who showed me kindness would be repaid. Those who showed me malice would also be repaid.

Then I frowned. Karmen. She constantly plagued my thoughts, but it couldn't have just been me, though-I was confident that she wasn't someone anyone could easily forget. It was true that she saved me, but at the same time, she condemned me to this immortal life.

I let out a humorless laugh. If I ever did come face to face with Karmen, I would kill her. Or at least I would try my hardest to. If the queen of the vampires had been a good person, that would have been one thing, but Karmen was ruthless. She had gone on killing sprees in the distant past, murdering humans and vampires alike in cold blood. To have been turned personally by such a cruel and heartless person . . . I couldn't help but wonder why she did it.

Even though I was a vampire now too, I still had morals and Karmen needed to be held accountable for her lack of morality.

✦ ✦ ✦

Another week went by until the young woman entered the forest again, and this time I emerged from the trees slowly so as to not startle her. "Here." I dropped the cloak into Corinna's surprised arms. After she hastily fastened the cloak around her shoulders, I placed the winter boots at her feet.

"Are these for me?" Corinna asked with wide eyes.

"I don't need them. They'll be more useful to you than me."

"If you don't mind me asking"-Corinna bent down to shove her feet into the boots-"who exactly did these belong to?"

"They belonged to a slave man who wandered into the forest many years ago."

"This man . . . what happened to him?"

"He died."

"You killed him."

"I did."

"How could you?" Corinna's voice dropped to a whisper. Her hands stilled briefly over the laces of the boots. "He was only seeking freedom."

"You knew from the start how I acquired these shoes. And yet you still chose to wear them."

Corinna raised her eyes to meet mine. "I need to do what I can to keep myself alive. Otherwise I won't be able to help my family survive."

"How old are you, Corinna?"

"I don't know my exact birthdate, but I'm seventeen summers old."

Seventeen. She was only a year younger than I was when I was turned into a vampire-when I was trapped as my eighteen-year-old self for all of eternity. "I found the man in the forest," I said quietly. "I gave him a choice the same way I give all of those who wander into my forest a choice. I told him that I could guide him through the forest to freedom. Or if he so desired, I could end his life in a painless way. He chose the second option."

Corinna's eyes widened. "You've helped people escape to freedom?"

I nodded. "I've noticed a trend in the people who do try to make their way through the forest: if they're traveling alone, they're more likely to pick death than the people traveling with others."

"Of course." Corinna stood back up. "If you don't have anyone to live for, then why continue to suffer?"

"Some live for revenge. Some live with the hope that things will eventually change for the better."

Corinna crossed her arms over her chest as she looked sideways at me. "And what about you, then?"

"I just don't want to die yet. I've grown too used to living."

Corinna let out a laugh. "That's certainly one reason to keep living. Anyway," she continued as her smile faded, "I need to be on my way. Unless you want to walk with me."

Not having anything better to do, I agreed.

The two of us walked silently through the trees. I walked in front while Corinna lagged a few paces behind. I didn't blame the young woman for not wanting to put her back to me. If I were in her shoes, I would be just as cautious as she was.

Corinna finally broke the silence. "I've been wondering for a while, what other kinds of creatures inhabit this forest?"

"I'm the only one in this forest."

"Just you?" Corinna said in surprise.

"Yes."

Corinna fell silent at that, and neither of us spoke until Corinna reached her destination. I faded back into the shadows of the forest and stayed hidden until she finished talking to the young girl who had leaped down from the trees.

When Corinna started on her way back, I joined her once we were out of sight. "What happened to your brother?" I asked, curious about the snippets of conversation I had overheard during their swift exchange.

"He was sent off to fight in the war several months back when the king ordered all able-bodied men eighteen years old and up to serve," Corinna explained sadly. "Even though they all went through intensive training, my brother returned a few months later with horrible injuries. In fact, they were so severe that the knights sent him home after they deemed that he was too incapacitated to be of any use. We're trying to do everything we can to help him recover, but he still hasn't gotten much better. The medicine I get here is the only thing keeping him from getting worse."

"Wasn't there a similar draft ten years ago?" I furrowed my brow as I tried to remember.

Corinna nodded grimly. "That time, my father had no choice but to go fight. After all these years, the war still rages on and my father hasn't returned home."

"Have you ever considered the possibility that your father is-"

"Dead?" Corinna sighed heavily. "Yes. Yes, I have. That's very likely too. But false hope is better than no hope at all. Hope is what keeps all of us going." When we reached the border of the forest and her village, Corinna removed the cloak and boots before handing them back to me. "Thank you, Talon," she said quietly. "Until next time, then."

I inclined my head as I watched Corinna turn and stealthily hurry back into the village. When she vanished from my line of sight, I turned and made my way back into the heart of the forest. I had to admit that her company was a nice change.

Suddenly, I stilled. Someone had just entered the forest and was moving rapidly through the trees. This wasn't a human presence.

Narrowing my eyes, I leaped into the branches high above and scanned the surrounding forest for signs of movement. Whatever had entered the forest was moving fast-too fast.

It was a vampire.

Just as I was debating whether to stay put or chase this other vampire out myself, the presence vanished. I dropped silently to the floor and made my way to the place where I had sensed the disappearance.

The sun had slowly begun to rise and I hissed quietly as a handful of blinding rays found their way through the gaps in the canopy of leaves high above. Dew sparkled among the fallen leaves and grass as I made my way toward the edge of the forest.

I halted. My suspicions were confirmed as my gaze traveled over the forest floor. Deep crimson blood pooled around the severed head of a long-haired male, whose body lay a short distance away.

I wrinkled my nose as I knelt down to examine the corpse. I could tell that a dagger had been used to sever the head from the body, but the vampire's killer had long vanished. Whoever had sliced the head from the body was not human-the precision of the cut was a dead giveaway that the killer possessed an immense amount of inhuman strength. Whoever they were, they knew how to wield a blade.

I gingerly lifted the vampire's head from the ground. My eyes widened as I stared at the lifeless face. I had met this vampire once many years ago. I couldn't recall his name, but I vaguely remembered his face. About fifty years ago, I attended a meeting of vampires regarding what to do about Karmen. Half of the vampires didn't think that Karmen deserved to hold the title of queen, while the other half tried to convince them to all pledge allegiance to her. This vampire sat a few seats away from me at the meeting.

This vampire was fleeing, I realized. That was why he was moving so quickly. He was trying to run away from whoever beheaded him. Then a frown crept onto my face. All the vampires in the area knew this was my forest. Had he purposely been trying to lead his pursuer here? Had he been hoping that they would find and kill me instead?

After setting the head back down on the ground, I moved over to the body to see if there were any other clues leading to the killer's identity. My eyes traveled to the vampire's outstretched hands, and I blinked. Once. Twice. There, etched into the dirt, were letters. I tilted my head sideways as I tried to make out the crudely drawn shapes:

K A R M

The vampire hadn't finished spelling out the name, but I didn't need the remaining letters to figure out who the culprit was.

Chapter Three

"Corinna!" I awoke to Chloe-Jane shaking my shoulders.

I blinked groggily. "Is it that time already? I don't hear the wake-up horns."

Chloe-Jane shook her head. "No, we still have a few minutes. But look! It's snowing!"

Suddenly wide awake, I jumped to my feet and hurried over to the door. After opening it just enough to press my eye to the opening, I peeked outside. Glittering flakes drifted down from the overcast sky and covered the ground in white powder. The first snow of the year.

"It's beautiful," Chloe-Jane said dreamily from behind me. "Isn't it? Isn't it?"

Clarity yawned from our straw bed before I could respond. "It's cold. Shut the door, will you?"

"Fine, fine," Chloe-Jane huffed. She irritably crossed her arms over her chest as I carefully latched the door.

"It's freezing outside," I observed. "Is it too much to hope that they'll give us proper shoes this year?"

Cameren sat up to join our conversation. "The likelihood that we'll be given shoes is not very high. The king doesn't care about us-the overseers don't care about us either."

"You almost make it sound as if that's a bad thing," Chloe-Jane said as she pursed her lips.

"She's right." Clarity yawned again. "Once you get noticed, there's no guarantee that you'll make it out in one piece."

I nodded along. Since our farm was located near the edge of the inner kingdom, we tended to be forgotten when it came to the distribution of clothing and food. At least we were still part of the inner kingdom. It was hard to think about those even farther away from the capital.

Fortunately for us, we had come up with a temporary solution. I hurried over to the corner of our small house to retrieve the straw shoes we had woven. Just as I bent down to pick them up, the wake-up horns blared through the village and I instinctively clapped my hands to my ears until they finally subsided.

✦ ✦ ✦

The next few days dragged by without anything out of the ordinary occurring. I harvested those silk flowers for hours alongside my sisters while Cameren and Mother's duty was to work at the washing station and clean the plants. I met Talon again in the forest, and the vampire accompanied me to the next village over. What had once been the most stressful three miles of my life was suddenly not as frightening.

Initially I had been wary of the vampire, but that fear quickly faded. I had been too quick to judge her. Throughout my life, I had always tried my best to be a friend to those who needed one the most. Talon was no exception-there were still kind people in the world.

Now I was working in the fields, and as I tossed yet another flower into the basket, a horn suddenly blared from the village. I looked up in confusion. Dread was already seeping into the fabric of my being, and it took me a moment to realize that I was shivering. My hands were so cold that they felt as if they were on fire. It was the burning sensation before they numbed entirely. When they went numb, I beat them on my skirts until I regained feeling.

"The overseers haven't called a meeting in years," Chloe-Jane whispered worriedly. "Do you think this might be about the shoes we are hoping for?"

"I wouldn't bet on it," Clarity said under her breath.

I just grimaced as I rose to my feet. I brushed the frozen mud and dirt from my skirts. My back ached and my fingers were covered in blisters.

After we all crowded into the village square, a royal messenger stepped onto a crate and cleared his throat. "The king," he announced, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe what he was saying, "the king is dead."

I looked back and forth between Chloe-Jane and Clarity, but my sisters had the same surprised expression painted on their faces. What did the death of the king mean for the enslaved? Confused murmurs flooded the square as the messenger's words finally registered.

The messenger held up a hand and silence fell once again. "The king died five weeks ago, and the crown prince-the sole heir to the throne-has succeeded him."

The prince? I knew better than to get my hopes up. While I didn't know anything about him, I doubted that the prince would be better than his father. The king had died five weeks ago? Of course we hadn't heard about it until now. Information always seemed to take its sweet time to reach us.

"You are to keep working as if nothing has changed," the messenger continued. "The new king is coming to inspect the farm and then give out new orders at a future date."

"When exactly is the king coming to inspect this farm?" one of the overseers called out.

The messenger blinked as if the answer was obvious. "Tomorrow. Why else would I be here?"

Tomorrow? Chloe-Jane mouthed as we looked at each other. I shook my head in bewilderment. The previous king had never visited our farm himself-whenever there was an inspection, the archduke was always sent in his place.

"Is that all?" the overseer asked. The messenger nodded, and the overseer stepped up onto the crate. "Get back to work, all of you!"

I silently followed my sisters out of the square. When we returned to the fields, Clarity let out an irritated sigh. "If the new king is anything like his father, the odds that we'll ever leave this wretched place just got even slimmer. Why couldn't the person who killed the king wipe out the rest of the royal family while they were at it?"

"That's a little harsh," I said lightly, even though I was inclined to agree. "Come to think of it, though, I don't remember the messenger even telling us how the king died."

"He obviously was assassinated." Clarity gave a nod in my direction as her breath puffed out in front of her. "There's no way the king's health could have failed-he was the king after all. No one could have been healthier than him."

"You're right," Chloe-Jane piped up. "With all the best doctors and healers in the kingdom, it couldn't have been due to ill health."

"But who," I pushed. "Who do you think killed him?"

Clarity shrugged, losing interest. "There are plenty of people who had a grudge against him, plenty of people who wanted that power for themselves."

Chloe-Jane suddenly looked up. "The prince. Didn't he just turn eighteen this year? Now that he's an adult, do you think he wanted to claim that power for himself?"

"Maybe." Clarity wiped the frozen sweat from her brow. "Maybe not."

"If that is the case," Chloe-Jane said anxiously, "our new king is evil. If he doesn't have any sympathy for his own father, how is he going to have any sympathy for his subjects?"

Clarity tossed a handful of flowers into her basket. "That's not our problem. As long as we keep a low profile, he'll never look twice at us."

I sighed as I looked up at the overcast sky. We didn't need another thing to worry about.

✦ ✦ ✦

The next day, I found myself constantly glancing up from the fields, expecting the king to appear any moment in the distance.

"Corinna," Chloe-Jane said as she tugged on my sleeve. "Look."

I followed my sister's gaze to the edge of the field. I could barely make out a group of knights on horseback.

"That must be the king," Clarity said darkly as she gestured to the golden-haired figure at the front of the group.

As they drew closer, I could see the gold crown glinting on the king's head.

"Insufferable nobles," Clarity muttered under her breath.

"The king's looking this way!" Chloe-Jane exclaimed worriedly before ducking down behind a cluster of frozen bushes.

"Don't do that!" Clarity hissed in exasperation. "You're just making yourself look suspicious!"

"If he can't see me, I can't be all that suspicious!" Chloe-Jane shot back. My younger sister shielded her head with her arms as if something would fall out of the sky.

I continued to watch the king as he slowly surveyed the large stretch of farmland in front of him. Then the king turned and steered his horse back the way he had come. The knights turned as well and followed the lead of the young man with the golden hair.

When the sun finally dropped from the sky, the sounds of the horns blared, instructing us to return to our houses. The next day was upon us before I could blink, and we were all summoned to the village square yet again.

"The king has new orders for all of you," an overseer addressed us. "You are to double your daily amount of crops harvested."

Double? My heart sank. We could barely make our daily total as it was.

The overseer's cold eyes swept over the crowd. "For those of you who cannot meet the requirements, you will be punished." The overseer placed a hand on the leather whip at his side for emphasis.

I felt Chloe-Jane grab my arm from next to me. "Is doubling our harvest even possible?" she whispered shrilly.

"For us, maybe," I whispered back, trying my best to remain calm. "But the very young and the very elderly will struggle."

"You are to weigh your baskets at the end of the day to make sure you have met the new requirement," the overseer called. "Now, get to work!"

Clarity, Chloe, and I hurried back to the field and frantically dropped down to pick the string-like flowers. We were on our knees in the frozen mud for hours, and it didn't help in the slightest when the overseers walked up and down the rows of flowers to crack their whips at our bent backs. My back was sore and aching by the time the horns blared. We had met our requirements-barely.

I wiped the frozen sweat from my face as I stood up. My vision swayed. At some point, my chapped lips had cracked and I could taste my own blood in my mouth. I staggered.

Clarity grabbed my arm before I could topple backward onto the icy ground. "Careful." She met my gaze before turning to help Chloe-Jane to her feet.

I began to unbraid my hair, but I paused as my frostbitten hands cried out in protest. I held out my hands, and in the silvery light from the moon, I could see the many cuts and pricks that peppered my skin. The flowers we were harvesting grew amid thorn bushes, and the fact that the flowering buds grew back within twenty-four hours made sure there was always endless work. Such a plant shouldn't be allowed to exist.

"We should go," I said quietly, bending down to scoop up my basket. My sisters nodded and picked up their harvest before following me back toward the village square.

The three of us stood in line with the other slaves, waiting for our turn to place our baskets on the scales. As we drew closer to the weighing station, there was a sudden clatter as a basket was knocked to the ground. I instinctively whirled toward the sound to find a woman a few years younger than my mother standing before one of the scales. An overseer was glaring down at her. "Didn't you hear what would happen if you didn't meet the new requirement, girl?" he demanded.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." The woman took a trembling step back. "I-I was helping my youngest daughter finish hers, and I couldn't-"

"No excuses," the overseer said icily as he unfurled the whip attached to his belt.

I slid my free hand over Chloe-Jane's eyes and dropped my own gaze to the ground as the sound of leather against flesh cracked through the air. The woman's screams were followed shortly by the metallic smell of blood slowly drifting through the frozen air.

The overseer finally lowered his bloody whip. "Take her away." Two other women hurried forward. They slung the first woman's arms over their shoulders and helped her stagger out of the village square.

"It's over," I said shakingly as I removed my hand from Chloe-Jane's eyes. My own stomach had clenched painfully. I recognized that woman. She was a mother of three.

The overseer turned to look coldly over at the rest of us standing in the line. "That could be any of you. Make sure not to disappoint if you don't want to be punished."

Chloe-Jane trembled beside me, and I followed her gaze to the pool of blood staining the snow a deep crimson.

"We're up next," Clarity told us softly.

I walked up to the scale and placed my basket on top.

"You pass," the overseer monitoring the scale told me listlessly. I nodded silently before taking my basket to the large barrel of flowers and emptied the contents into it. My sisters followed me and did the same. When we finished, we quietly shuffled out of the square as fast as we could and returned to our house.

Mother and Cameren were already inside, and the former was tending to the fire in the hearth. Cameren was sitting with his back to the wall. He was applying the medicine I had retrieved for him on the large gashes that covered his arms and legs.

"Here"-I hurried over to my brother after I shut the door behind us-"let me do that for you."

"Are the three of you doing alright?" Cameren placed a hand on my arm as he looked up at me with worried eyes. The scars on his face were illuminated by the fiery light, and I couldn't help but remember the heartbreaking way my brother looked when he first returned from the war. "I was confident that you could manage to meet the new order, but it didn't stop me from worrying." Then Cameren's eyes fell on the cuts peppering my hands. "Corinna! Your hands-"

"Don't you worry about us-all you need to do is take care of yourself and heal." I took the bottle of medicine from Cameren and dipped my fingers into the paste inside.

Cameren gave me a grateful smile, but his eyes were still concerned.

"Did you see what happened to the woman in the village square?" Clarity asked as she marched over to sit down on our straw bed.

Mother sighed tiredly. "We didn't see it. But we heard her screams."

Chloe-Jane shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "It's always horrible." Mother walked over to wrap her own arms around her daughter. Chloe-Jane buried her head in Mother's chest, still shaking.

"Did you see the sky outside?" Mother asked softly as she stroked Chloe-Jane's hair.

"The sky?" I had been so busy thinking about what had happened in the village square that I hadn't been paying attention to the night sky.

It was Cameren's turn to sigh. "A storm is coming."

"A storm? When will it get here? How long will it last?"

"Tomorrow," Cameren replied grimly as his dark eyes met mine.

I stared blankly at my brother, half hoping that he was joking. But Cameren didn't make jokes anymore.

I walked over to join Mother and Chloe-Jane at the hearth after I finished applying the medicine to my brother's wounds. "This could just be the first of many orders from the new king."

"The temperatures keep dropping as well," Clarity added stoically. "At this rate, who knows if we'll make it to next year?"

I gave my sister an exasperated look. "Don't say that."

"You don't want to hear the truth?" Clarity shot back.

"A little optimism won't hurt." Even though I wouldn't admit it, especially in front of Chloe-Jane, Clarity was right. If things continued the way they were now, there was no guarantee that all five of us would survive the winter. Clarity and I wouldn't go down without a fight, but Cameren was still recovering from life-threatening injuries, and Mother was not as young as she used to be. I fell silent as my heart sank even lower.

✦ ✦ ✦

When I opened the door the following morning, I was greeted with a deafening roar and a rush of icy wind. I shuddered, already chilled to the bone.

"This can't be real," Chloe-Jane said weakly as she looked out at the raging storm. Snow was blowing in every direction and the sun was completely hidden by the sea of dark gray clouds. After wolfing down our breakfast in the village square, Chloe-Jane, Clarity, and I sprinted as fast as we could toward the field.

Our day was a grueling one, and it took all of my willpower and strength to force myself to keep going. When the sun finally set and the horns blared in the distance, I shakily climbed to my feet. Everything hurt. A strong blast of wind swept over the field and I had to snatch up my basket to keep it from being carried away.

"Be careful," I warned my sisters as they picked up their baskets as well. "Move slowly and steadily. We have ten minutes to get back." Another gust of wind swept over the field and I threw my free arm in front of my face to prevent the icy wind from tearing at my eyes.

Chloe-Jane let out a cry from behind me, and I whirled around to find that my sister had fallen face-first into the snow.

"Chloe!" I dropped to my knees beside her. "Are you alright?"

"I slipped." Chloe-Jane stifled a sob as she sat up. Her lips were cracked, and she brushed snow from her hair and face. "I can't feel my feet. And m-my basket," she said through chattering teeth, "I-I dropped it!"

I quickly stood up and frantically scanned the field for the large basket.

"There!" Clarity suddenly pointed.

"Hold this!" I pushed my basket into Chloe-Jane's arms before turning to dash through the storm.

"Corinna!" Chloe-Jane called after me, but her voice was swept away by the winds.

My frozen limbs screamed in protest as I darted through the rows of thorny bushes. All I knew was that if I didn't retrieve the basket, Chloe-Jane would be in big trouble.

In one swift move, I scooped up Chloe-Jane's basket before it could tumble further away. I flipped open the basket's lid and my heart nearly stopped. At least half of Chloe-Jane's flowers had scattered in the wind. Gritting my teeth, I turned and hurried back toward my sisters. "I got it," I told Chloe-Jane as I returned to the two of them. "Now let's hurry!"

"Wait!" Chloe-Jane panicked. "Shouldn't we swap baskets? I still have yours!"

"Later," I panted. "I don't know how much time we have left. If we're late, we'll all get punished."

Fortunately, by the time we made it back to the village square, we weren't the last ones back. We were able to join the line of slaves waiting to weigh their baskets, and judging by the faint scent of frozen blood in the air, it looked like someone hadn't been able to meet the requirement today. I just hoped that whoever they were, they were okay. Then I let out a humorless laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Clarity asked sharply. Her eyes were narrow as she scrutinized me.

I shook my head. My heart rate had increased to the point where I was finding breathing difficult. "It's nothing."

When we reached the scales, I waited until Chloe-Jane and Clarity had finished weighing their baskets before stepping forward. At this point, I couldn't tell if I was shaking from the cold or the fear of what was about to come.

"Girl." The overseer slowly looked down at me. "You saw what happened yesterday, and yet you still bring me a half-empty basket?"

I tried my best not to flinch as the overseer threw the basket to the ground at my feet. Pale flowers spilled into the snow before being swept up by the wind. I kept my eyes on the ground as I heard the overseer crack his whip.

"Turn around, girl," the overseer said coldly.

Drawing in one uneven breath after the other, I slowly turned on the spot. Before I had fully finished pivoting, the overseer's whip bit into my back and I lost my footing. I tumbled to the snow-covered ground with a cry. My back was on fire as my vision went red, and my frozen hands felt like they were tearing apart as I curled my fingers into fists.

I refused to look back at my sisters as the whip struck me again and again and again. The last thing I could remember before I blacked out was the excruciating pain, my own screaming, and then Chloe-Jane and Clarity half-carrying, half-dragging me back to our house as they called my name.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Corinna, Corinna, Corinna." I awoke to the sound of Mother softly calling my name.

I blinked and squinted against the blinding light. I was lying on my stomach, and my back burned as if someone had laid hot irons on top of it. I hissed as white spots flared across my vision.

"Corinna!" I heard Chloe-Jane's sob. "Why did you do that? It was my basket-why did you do that?"

I just winced. Her voice shot a new series of needles through my skull.

"Chloe," Cameren called in a hushed voice, "a little quieter, okay?"

"Don't move, Corinna," Clarity's voice commanded from somewhere behind me. "I cleaned and bandaged your wounds the best I could."

"Clarity, where did you manage to find bandages?" My voice was raspy.

"Don't ask," Clarity said shortly.

I fell silent. "How long was I out?" I asked instead.

"Two days," Mother informed me.

My head spun. "Two days?"

"The overseers say you're supposed to be back in the fields by tomorrow," Chloe-Jane said worriedly. This time, her voice was considerably softer.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took one shallow breath after the other. I could barely move without my back screaming in protest. Could I work in my current condition? I didn't have much of a choice.

"How are you feeling?" Chloe-Jane asked.

I closed my eyes. "I'm still alive."

Even though I was drifting in and out of consciousness, I could feel the constant warmth of a hand around mine. It was Mother. "Try to get some more sleep," she told me softly. "Tomorrow is going to be another long day."

I could only nod and close my eyes. All my energy was completely spent, and before I knew it, I had drifted off into a sea of memories.

✦ ✦ ✦

I heard Clarity's voice. "You're doing it all wrong." My shoulders curved inward as I turned to face her, and I wiped the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand. I remembered this day: it was the middle of summer, ten years ago, and the sun spared us no mercy as it beat down over us. "If you pick them from the stems that way-"

"I can't anymore, Clarity," I rasped. My throat was parched and my head muddied. "I don't feel very good."

Cameren's figure swam into my vision next to Clarity. "This is her first summer working on the fields, her first month too-everything will come into place with a little practice."

"Cameren," I said as I looked up at my brother. My hands were just as raw as my throat.

Cameren crouched down to gently tuck a loose curl behind my ear. "Don't pick anymore. Look! Mother's on her way over right now-she's bringing all of us a drink of water."

"Corinna!" Mother dropped down at my side. "Quick-have some water."

I took the bowl from her and gulped down the liquid. The world around me seemed to clear up, and I squinted against the brilliant sunlight. Then I dropped my gaze to my feet. "I'm sorry-it's almost time for the midday inspection and I haven't finished my basket."

The words had only just left my mouth when an overseer approached us. "Whose basket is this?" his voice demanded. I felt my body tense up, and fear flooded through every fiber of my being.

"I-" My voice was no more than a whisper as I trembled.

"It's mine." My head snapped up as I watched Mother step in front of me, shielding me from the overseer.

"Being lazy, are we now, girl?" the overseer asked nastily. "Trying to test your luck, eh? Just because you used to serve the master himself doesn't give you special privileges . . ."

The sound of a whip cracking shattered the air, and my screams bled together with Clarity's and Cameren's. "MOTHER!"

I couldn't stop tears from streaming down my face even after we had returned to our house. Mother lay on the pile of husks we used as a bed with her brow furrowed in pain.

I sat there next to her and held her hand tightly in mine. I wouldn't let go.

"Corinna," Father called my name as he sat down next to me.

I finally tore my gaze away from Mother to look up at him.

"It's late," Father sighed softly. "We've got another long day ahead of us tomorrow-you should try to get some sleep. You've done a wonderful job looking after your mother, but I can take it from here."

I blinked. I hadn't registered the passage of time. Looking around, I realized that Chloe-Jane had returned from the class all the children under the age of seven were required to attend. I had been there with her until just a month ago. I shook my head. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep without Mother braiding my hair the way she does every night."

"How about you let me try?" Father suggested. There was a faint smile on his face. "I chop wood all day-braiding hair should be an easy task."

"Me too, me too!" Chloe-Jane sat on the other side of Father as she tugged on his sleeve expectantly. "Braid my hair too!"

Father laughed with warm eyes. "One at a time."

"I can do Chloe's," Cameren offered.

"I doubt you know how," Clarity said shortly with a glance in Cameren's direction. "Here, let me teach you."

I saw Mother flash Father a grateful smile. I looked up at Father, but suddenly, the pain in my back returned, and the memory faded before I could see his face one last time. As I drifted in and out of consciousness, my eyes stung with silent tears, and my hand tightened around Mother's.

✦ ✦ ✦

The next week painfully dragged past, and by the end of it, we were all exhausted to the point of collapsing into the snow. I hadn't traveled to the forest either because of my condition, and I hoped the medicine girl didn't think that I was dead. We still had enough medicine for Cameren for now, but if I didn't get better before it ran out, Clarity would go in my stead.

When the horns blared in the morning, I slowly sat up. My back was still sore and tender, but there was nothing more I could do about it. Before I could leave the house, another horn sounded. A village meeting was being called. We filed into the village square and looked up wearily at the overseers standing at the front of the group.

"There has been a new order from the king," one of the overseers said loudly as he addressed the crowd. "All girls between the ages of eight and fifteen are to be taken to the capital city. Young seamstresses are in high demand."

I looked down in horror to see that Chloe-Jane had frozen. Her eyes and mouth were wide open in shock. This had to be some kind of misunderstanding. They couldn't take Chloe-Jane away!

"If you are a girl between eight and fifteen years old," the overseer called as he eyed the crowd, "step forward immediately to get documented. You'll wait at the edge of the village. The carts that will collect you will arrive at noon." When no one moved, the overseer scowled in annoyance. "We'll do this the hard way, then." He nodded to the other overseers surrounding the village square. Despaired cries filled the air as the overseers forcefully made their way through the crowd of slaves and dragged out all of the young girls as they went.

Chloe-Jane frantically grabbed my sleeve as the overseers drew closer. "They're going to take me away, Corinna!"

I held my sister's gaze as my panic began to sink in. "I'll try to think of something. I won't let them take you."

Suddenly Chloe-Jane was forcefully yanked from my grasp as an overseer tugged her into the crowd.

"Chloe!" I retrieved her hand and pulled her back toward me. Somewhere behind me, Clarity was yelling Chloe-Jane's name, but her voice was lost in the clamor around us. Mother and Cameren were nowhere to be seen and I could feel my panic taking over.

"Why, you-" the overseer seethed as he lifted his hand. I knew what was coming before the blow to my face sent me staggering backward.

"Corinna!" Chloe-Jane sobbed as she was dragged away. She thrashed and kicked, but her struggles were in vain.

All I could do was look on in horror as Chloe-Jane and the overseer vanished from sight.

Noon. I had until noon to rescue my sister. I had been doing everything I could to keep the remaining members of my family together. After Father had been drafted all those years ago, an unfillable void was left behind. At the time, we were all so young that Chloe-Jane didn't even have a clear memory of our kind, loving father.

The overseers couldn't take Chloe-Jane away. If she was taken to the capital city, we would never be able to see her again. And how would fourteen-year-old Chloe-Jane survive in the capital city all alone?

"Get back to work," the overseer called down to the rest of us once all the young girls had been removed from the crowd. "You're still expected to meet the requirements for today's harvest."

"Corinna." Clarity tugged at my sleeve. "We need to go."

I whirled to face my older sister. "Our sister just got dragged away!"

Clarity glared at me with steely eyes. "If we try to do anything, we'll just be causing her more trouble!"

"Don't you want her to stay with us?" I asked desperately. "Don't you want our family to stay together?"

"Of course I do! But there's only so much we can do without putting ourselves in danger as well."

"I'm going to save her," I vowed.

"You can't," Clarity said as she dragged me toward the field. "That won't be possible without you getting yourself seriously injured or even killed. And what would I do if anything happened to you?"

I shook myself free from Clarity's arms but continued following her toward the field. "Help me, then. We'll get her away from the overseers together."

Clarity gave me a sideways look. "Let's say we do get her away from the overseers-then what?"

I held my sister's gaze. "I'm going to get all of us out of here one day."

Clarity turned her back to me. "Do as you will. But you're in this alone. If anything goes wrong, I want you to remember that it's on you, not me."

When we reached the field, I set my basket down on the dirt. Instead of crouching down to pick the flowers, I straightened and stood upright. Standing there in the middle of the field, I looked around at the land spreading out around me. This land had been all I ever knew. My body ached as I gazed out at the horizon. My life was anything but ideal. But while I didn't have freedom, I did have a family. I had my siblings. We had grown up together, and those brief moments of joy we shared were something I held dearly within me. And so as those memories played in my head and heart, I turned on my heel and began to carefully make my way back toward the village.

I crept through the now silent village, careful to avoid the watchful eyes of overseers on the way. Judging from the direction the girls had been dragged, I concluded that Chloe-Jane and the others were being kept in the overseers' meeting hall.

When I finally arrived at the hall, I silently tiptoed up to a window. As I had predicted, all of the young girls were huddled inside. Two overseers stood in front of the door, deep in conversation. I scanned the sea of faces for Chloe-Jane and quickly spotted her among the crowd.

After taking a deep breath, I quietly pushed the window open. Fortunately I didn't need to distract the guards. They were so busy talking that they barely moved at all as I silently slipped into the room. If any of the girls noticed me, they didn't react.

Keeping my head lowered, I moved toward my sister as quickly as I dared. "Chloe," I whispered.

Chloe-Jane's head snapped up to look at me. Her eyes were wide with fright. "What are you doing here? Do you know what will happen if they catch you?"

I gently took my sister's warm hand and laced my frozen fingers with hers. "I'm getting you out of here. Follow me."

Chloe-Jane nodded and I slowly led her back toward the window. When we reached it, I quickly climbed outside before turning to help my sister over the ledge.

"Stop!" a gruff voice commanded from behind me before I could lift Chloe-Jane up. I froze. "Don't move, girl."

I held my breath as I heard the sound of a blade being unsheathed. I had only heard it a handful of times before, and it sent fear rippling through my core.

"Run!" Chloe-Jane screamed as she shoved me with all the strength she could muster. "Run!"

After painfully tearing my gaze from my sister, I turned and sprinted toward the forest. I swerved past the first overseer, then the next one, and the next. Why are there suddenly so many overseers surrounding the building? I thought in a panic. But my question was answered a split second later as my eyes fell on the carts parked a short distance off: it was already noon.

"Stop running!" an overseer shouted angrily at me.

I willed myself to run even faster. My heart pounded in my chest and my breath felt like glass in my throat. As I entered the forest, I could hear the footsteps of my many pursuers, but I refused to look back.

"Talon!" I shouted desperately. Then another thought struck me: could the vampire even hear me from this distance? My heart sank. I couldn't run forever, and my back was beginning to strain.

Suddenly, there was a startled yell from behind me, followed by the sound of bodies thudding to the ground. I skidded to a stop when I realized that the footsteps had fallen silent. I slowly turned to look over my shoulder.

Five overseers lay unmoving on the forest floor and I could sense the presence of someone standing next to me.

Chapter Four

"Talon!" Corinna cried as she spun around to face me. I could see relief fill her eyes as she slumped down against a tree and clutched her heart with a raw, frozen hand.

"What happened?" I asked worriedly.

"Long story short, I tried and failed to rescue my sister from being taken away to the capital city."

I blinked. "The capital city?"

Corinna nodded in defeat. "The new king wants all the girls between eight and fifteen years old to be taken to the capital. It was something about having a shortage of seamstresses . . . or so they claimed."

"When are they taking them?"

"Now."

"Follow me." I quickly made my way toward the edge of the forest. Given that the sun was still up, I made sure to remain in the shadow of the trees when the village came into view. "Where's your sister?" I turned to Corinna, but the young woman was nowhere to be found. "Corinna?"

Retracing my steps, I found Corinna staggering through the trees toward me. "Not everyone can move as fast as you, Talon," Corinna said, still out of breath.

"I'm sorry," I apologized hastily. This time we made our way to the forest's edge together. "Where's your sister?" I asked again.

Corinna fell silent as she peered through the bushes. There were fresh cart tracks in the snow leading toward the main road. "She's gone. I-I don't believe it. All of the girls are gone." Corinna dropped to her knees and turned to me with a look of helplessness in her eyes. "Please, I'm begging you-I can't let them take my sister like that!"

I held Corinna's gaze as I knelt down and lifted her back onto her feet. "I'm sure you know that if a vampire is exposed to direct sunlight, they lose their strength and speed and skin. Besides, with so many carts and escorts, I wouldn't overestimate my own abilities. It's true that I could run in there, but I don't know what your sister looks like. Even if I did, I might be able to get her out, but I'm afraid of what it would mean for the safety of the other girls."

"What do I do?" Corinna asked hopelessly. She paced back and forth as she tugged at her hair.

"What do you want to do?"

Corinna took a deep breath. "First I need to get my family out of the village. After that I'll make my way to the capital city." Then she looked up at me again and determination sparked in her eyes. "Will you help me?"

✦ ✦ ✦

Corinna sat in the clearing, huddled in the cloak and boots I had brought out for her. The forest, with its tall trees and mist and shadows, was already cold for a human-and it would be even more so by nightfall. "Do you know how many more hours until sunset?" she asked quietly.

"About two more now," I answered softly. "I'll start getting ready."

After leaving the clearing, I made my way to the hollowed-out log where I stashed clothes and weapons. I pulled out the different parts of the overseer's uniforms from inside it: tunic, trousers, boots, armored chest plate, and helmet. With this outfit, I would be able to go in and out of the village without arousing any suspicions. The iron chest plate completely hid my breasts and the helmet nearly covered my entire face. Once I finished changing into the uniform, I made my way back to Corinna.

Corinna jumped to her feet when I emerged from the trees. "Talon-you really do look like an overseer!"

I removed the helmet from my head and set it down on the ground. Then I brushed my long hair over my shoulder and twisted it between my delicate fingers. In one swift movement, I sliced it all off with a razor-sharp nail.

"What are you doing-?" Corinna stared in shock at the inky strands floating to the ground around my feet.

"Cutting it off. I'd be too obvious otherwise. It will grow back within a couple of days. Are you ready?"

Corinna nodded her head.

I tucked my helmet under my arm. "In that case, we'll move to the edge of the forest to wait."

When the sun faded from the sky, the peak of the rising moon was my cue to make my way into the village. The overseers I passed did nothing more than nod in my direction as I walked by. According to Corinna, there was only one overseer who watched the section of the village where her house was located. I made my way toward the location based on the map Corinna had previously drawn out in the dirt. When I found the overseer, I quickly knocked him unconscious before walking back to the forest to alert Corinna that it was safe to come out.

Corinna hurried into the village and made a beeline for her house. I waited outside the small building as Corinna silently slipped inside. "Mother," I heard Corinna's whisper, "wake up."

"Corinna?" a woman's voice said in surprise. "I was so worried-when you didn't come back, I . . ."

"You're back." Another woman spoke up. Her voice was as sharp as a knife.

"Yes," Corinna said, "I am. And I'm getting all of you out of here."

"Out of here?" a man's voice asked. "What do you mean?"

"Please." Corinna's voice was full of emotion. "Just trust me."

There was a soft creaking as the door opened. Corinna was the first to cross the threshold and was closely followed by three others. The older woman, who must have been Corinna's mother, was the first to notice me. Her eyes were fearful as she squinted at me through the dark. The other woman, Corinna's sister, saw me shortly after. She stared at me defiantly with her head held high and eyes full of steel.

"It's okay," Corinna quickly reassured them as she placed a gentle hand on her mother's arm. "We just need to move quickly."

I let Corinna take the lead, and she motioned for her family to follow her toward the forest. As we hurried toward the trees, I heard Corinna's brother ask her under his breath, "Did you really manage to convince an overseer to help you? Can he be trusted?"

"She," Corinna corrected. "She's not actually an overseer. And as a matter of fact, Cameren, I do trust her."

Once reached the trees, I led the group to the clearing in the middle of the forest. "We'll stay here until morning. Then we can start making our way toward the capital."

"The capital?" Hope bloomed in Corinna's eyes as she turned to look at me. "You're going to take us to the capital?"

I inclined my head. It would be nice to have company for a change-also I would be able to ask around about Karmen as we traveled.

Corinna smiled tiredly. "Thank you."

"Wait." Corinna's sister placed a hand on her hip as she gave me a piercing, dark look. "What are we doing in the middle of the forest? What about all the monsters that are lurking in this place? Corinna can't speak for all of us. I don't trust you."

Corinna tugged at her sister's sleeve. "Clarity-"

Clarity just brushed her sister off. "Whoever you are, whatever you are," Clarity continued, "if you hurt my sister in any way, you will regret it."

"You seem to have caught on fast," I said lightly. I smiled faintly as I reached up and removed my helmet.

Clarity inhaled sharply as her eyes went first to the fangs peaking over my lower lip and then to my blood-red irises. Corinna's mother let out a faint gasp and took a step backward. I sighed, and my smile faded. I wasn't going to pretend that I wasn't a vampire. Only with honesty could there be trust.

"It's okay, really," Corinna said. "She won't hurt us."

"How do you know that?" Clarity demanded. Even though her voice was cold, there was a slight tremor in it now.

"As Corinna said-I won't hurt any of you," I added, still all too aware of the eyes on me. "You can choose to believe it or not." With that, I set my helmet on the ground and turned to leave the clearing.

"Talon," Corinna called after me. "Where are you going?"

I looked back over my shoulder. "I'm going to go prepare a few things for our journey. I can tell your family members are anxious. They'll feel more at ease if you stay with them." As I walked into the shadows of the mossy trees, I could feel their eyes on my back.

I reached my log and knelt down to rummage through the stash of clothes and weapons. While I could cross the entire forest at record speed, walking through the forest would take at least a few hours for a human. Eventually I dumped everything onto the ground and set aside certain clothing items to bring back to Corinna and her family. When I was satisfied with my selection, I turned to the weapons-knives, daggers, and a couple of swords. I reached for the daggers and examined their blades.

Swords wouldn't do-especially not on the road. First, I doubted anyone in Corinna's family knew how to properly wield one. Well, that wasn't entirely true-Corinna's brother once fought in the war, but he couldn't do much in his current state. Second, I knew we were already going to be an eye-catching party. Corinna and her family were going to look out of place wherever they went in the western kingdom.

I picked out a few daggers and dropped them on top of the pile of clothes. After setting aside a sword for myself, I absently reached up to brush my hair over my shoulder, but suddenly remembered that I had sliced it off. Instead, I scooped up the pile of clothes and weapons, then returned to the clearing.

"Clarity, we need to work with her," Cameren was saying, and I paused to listen behind the trees. "If the vampire really was the monster you think she is, we'd all already be dead by now."

"Some risks are risks that we have to take," Corinna's mother added tiredly.

"What use are we to Chloe-Jane if we're all dead?" Clarity countered. "Have you ever thought about that?"

"Clarity," Corinna said firmly. "No one's going to die."

"What use are we to Chloe-Jane if we remained in the village?" Corinna's mother asked softly. "Chloe-Jane is your sister, but she is also my daughter. We will get her back."

"You all said the same thing about Father," Clarity muttered under her breath. "You all said to wait-that if we waited long enough, he'd come back to us."

When they finally fell silent, I took a step forward from the tree line. Corinna hurried over to me and eyed the pile of clothes in my arms. "Are these for us?"

I set the pile down on the ground. "Divide these up with your family. Also"-I took Corinna's hand and pressed the hilt of one of the daggers into her palm-"this is for you."

Corinna just stared down at the weapon in her hands. "A dagger?"

"Let's just hope you don't have to use it."

Corinna stared down at the blade as if it were some foreign object. She turned it over in her hands. "Is this really necessary?"

I gave her a knowing look. "You never know. I understand that you'd probably not want to use it if you can help it, though. Threatening someone with the dagger might be enough to scare them away."

Corinna pocketed the blade with shaky hands. "Right. I'll keep that in mind."

I sat down on the forest floor while Corinna went to distribute the clothes among her family. When she was done, she turned and walked back over to me.

I blinked as she took a seat in front of me and carefully arranged her skirts around her legs. "Why are you helping me?" she asked. "Helping me get my family members out of the village was already more than I could ever hope for. And now you're even willing to go to the capital city with us to find my sister."

I dropped my gaze. "Have you heard of Karmen, the queen of the vampires?"

Corinna shook her head as she waited for me to go on.

I could feel the eyes of Corinna's family members on me. "Let's go collect wood for a fire. Come, we can talk on the way."

Corinna rose to her feet and followed me deeper into the forest. "Karmen. You were talking about the queen of the vampires."

"She's the one who turned me into a monster," I said darkly. "I spent at least half a century trying to track her down, but I haven't been able to find her. No one knows her whereabouts or what she looks like. Even at the time when she turned me, her face was still hidden in the shadows of her cloak. All anybody knows for sure is that she's female."

"So," Corinna said slowly as she put the pieces together, "you think that Karmen is in the capital city?"

I nodded and began collecting tinder from the forest floor. "Just a few days ago, I found the body of a dead vampire in this very forest. It was Karmen's work."

Corinna shook her head in disbelief. "She's killing vampires? Why?"

"It is strange," I agreed. "At least she doesn't seem to be killing humans anymore. She hasn't for a while now. Maybe she got bored of killing them and set her sights on her fellow vampires instead."

"What are you going to do when you do find her?"

My hand stilled over the twig I was reaching for. "I would like to get justice for all those innocents she's killed . . . but I don't know. Even though I do have some knowledge of wielding blades, I don't think I could win against her. The queen is known to be quite skilled with weapons herself." There was a long pause, and I picked up a few more twigs before straightening. "We should head back to your family. You should get some sleep. It's a long way to the capital city."

"You should get some sleep too."

I let out a dry laugh. "I appreciate your concern, but I don't sleep."

"Vampires don't sleep?"

I sighed. "Technically I'm dead. Dead bodies can't sleep-they don't have beating hearts."

Corinna frowned slightly as we walked. She angled her head to the side as if trying to find which part of me indicated that I was dead. "You look very much alive to me."

"You should get some sleep," I said again as I averted my gaze.

"I'll stay up with you," she replied quickly. "I don't think I'd be able to fall asleep even if I wanted to."

The two of us returned to Corinna's family, and we set down our piles of sticks. It didn't take long to get a fire going, and I felt the curse within me recoil from the flames. I ignored the internal clawing sensation as I inched away from the fire.

After making sure her family members were seated as comfortably as they could be around the fire, Corinna shuffled back over to me. "Will you tell me more about the queen of the vampires? Now I'm curious to learn more."

I found a rare smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "What do you want to know about Karmen?"

"What does she do as queen of the vampires?" Corinna inquired quietly. "Has she always been the queen? Wait-does that make her the first vampire?"

"If I'm being honest, I'm not exactly sure what she even does as queen. But I know for a fact that 'queen' is a title she bestowed on herself after she killed the first progenitor some five hundred years ago. With the first progenitor dead, that makes Karmen the most powerful vampire around. Occasionally a vampire will figure out where the queen is and try to kill her. But those who do cross her are either never seen again or turn up dead years later."

"So, if you're already aware of the fate of those who challenge Karmen," Corinna said slowly, "why are you really looking for her?"

"Closure, perhaps."

"Closure?"

I raised my head to the leafy canopy, which blotted out the stars beyond. "I've lived for far too many years, but I could never bring myself to end my existence. If I find Karmen, I'm sure she'll do the job for me. She was the one who gave me immortality. It only makes sense for her to take it back." When Corinna didn't respond, I decided to change the topic. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"If you don't mind me asking, how long has it been since you were turned into a vampire?"

"Almost a hundred years now. Anything else?"

"Is 'Talon' your real name?"

"No." I let out a humorless laugh. "It's been a lifetime since anyone has called me by my real name. It's pitiful, really. After using so many fake ones over the years, I can't tell which one of them is my own. I'm sure it will come to me eventually if I give it enough thought."

"Please tell me when you do remember. I would really like to know."

"If we're still traveling together at that time, I'll make sure to let you know."

A silence fell between the two of us. Then Corinna rose to her feet. "I think I'm going to try to get some sleep after all. It is a long way to the capital city. Goodnight, Talon."

I watched Corinna shuffle back to the other side of the fire, where her family members were still wide awake. Even though she had mentioned sleep, Corinna spent another hour or so talking quietly with her family to fill them in on everything that had happened and reassuring them that things were going to work out.

✦ ✦ ✦

I led the way through the forest with Corinna and her family following closely behind. My hair had grown out again; I'd need to chop it off again before we reached the main road. After a few hours of walking, the trees began to thin out. We had reached the other side of the forest.

"There is a town just a few miles north of here," I explained as I turned around to address my company. "The main road is just up ahead as well. Even though it's something that I would normally avoid, the main road is our fastest and most direct path to the capital city."

Corinna let go of her mother's arm to walk over to me. "It's daytime right now. Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

"The sun is completely blocked by the storm clouds." I gestured toward the gray sky beyond the trees. "I should be fine, but I'll put a cloak on just in case. We'll see how far we can get down the main road before the storm starts."

We were able to make it through the first town down the road and had just entered the second town moments before the sky opened up in a roaring downpour, which turned the ground's remaining snow into a muddy slush. The walking had proven difficult for Corinna's brother, and I could tell that the journey was already beginning to take a toll on him. His wounds had never healed in the first place, and it was clear that they were starting to flare up. We needed to find someplace to rest, fast.

"This way"-I gestured toward a cobblestone building at the end of the street-"we can wait out the storm there." I had to raise my voice so I could be heard over the howling of the winds.

When we reached it, I pulled open the door, and the five of us quickly hurried inside. The sound of lively chatter greeted us as we entered the tavern. Wooden tables and chairs crowded the entire room, most of which were already occupied by other travelers and merchants who didn't feel like braving the storm.

"It might be worth checking out a room," I noted quietly. "I don't know how long the storm will last."

Corinna's family members nodded and followed me to the door at the other side of the tavern. I made to open the door, but Corinna put a hand on my arm and I paused. "How do you check into a room?" Corinna asked quietly.

"There should be someone behind a desk. We just ask for a room and then give them the amount of coin they ask for in exchange for one night."

Corinna held out her hand expectantly. "I'll do it."

I stared blankly at her open palm for a moment before reaching into my cloak and handing her my small coin pouch.

Corinna pushed open the door and stepped over the threshold. After motioning for the rest of her family to stay outside, I followed Corinna into the room. The door swung shut behind us and Corinna marched up to the desk. The man sitting at the table scowled as he looked down his nose at her.

Corinna bowed when she stopped in front of the man. "My master asked me to book a room. How much for one night?"

The man pointed at me with his thumb. "Is that your master?"

Corinna nodded. Her head was still bowed. "Yessir."

The man eyed me up and down. "At least he looks like he has the money. Twenty-five silver coins."

Corinna fumbled in the leather bag and quickly pulled out the money.

The man took the coins without a second glance at her. "Room two-ten. Here's the key."

"Thank you, sir." Corinna bowed before turning and hurrying back to me.

I gave Corinna a quizzical look as we stepped back into the tavern where her family was waiting.

Even though my face was hidden, Corinna smiled wryly as she understood my silent question. "I thought that it didn't make sense for you to do the talking. That probably would have blown your cover, no? I don't know much about money, but I know enough to rent a room. What now?"

I began to make my way toward the stairs at the corner of the tavern. "Let's head up to the room. We can rest there. We can bring up some food and drink as well."

"That sounds great," Corinna's mother-Meyrah, as she had introduced herself-said. "Cameren can finally get some rest from his injuries."

When we reached the room, I opened the door for Corinna and the others. The room was fairly small. If anything, it was the size of the house Corinna and her family had been living in. There was a small circular window on the back wall and a bed for one person in the corner.

Clarity silently helped Meyrah lift Cameren onto the bed before rolling up the cuffs of her brother's trousers to examine the gashes on his legs. She had refused to talk to me for our entire journey so far. But that was fine.

After taking off my helmet, I shook out my hair and found that it had grown out enough to brush my collarbones. I unfastened my chest plate as well and set the armor down against the wall.

"I'll go get some food," I announced to no one in particular.

"I'll come with you," Corinna said as she stepped forward. She had been watching Clarity tend to her brother, but it seemed like Clarity wasn't in need of any assistance.

As we made our way down the hallway, I suddenly froze.

"Talon?" Corinna asked quietly as I narrowed my eyes.

I placed a hand on the hilt of my sword as I scanned the empty hall. I knew this presence. One, two, I counted. Vampires. Two of them.

"Stay behind me," I cautioned as I took a step forward.

Footsteps sounded on the creaking stairs. I drew my blade and held it out in front of me as they appeared.

A male vampire reached the landing first, and his sword was pointed directly at me. His brown hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and he was dressed in the outfit of a traveler. A female vampire in a simple dress stood a few feet behind him. She had wavy ginger hair that tumbled all the way to her hips. Neither of them looked any older than their late teens or early twenties, but I knew that they were likely already decades old like myself.

We just stared each other down in silence for what felt like an eternity until the male blinked, and a look of surprise flashed across his blood-red eyes. "Talon?" he said in disbelief. "Is that you?"

I could tell that Corinna was just as confused as I was as she looked back and forth between me and the other vampires.

I angled my head to the side as I continued to point my sword at the vampires across the hall. "How do you know my name?"

"You don't remember us?" the female vampire asked. She looked slightly put out. "We also attended that conference about Karmen fifty-something years back!"

The male vampire sheathed his sword and raised his hands. "We're not looking for a fight."

I still refused to lower my blade. "What are you doing, then?"

The male held my gaze. "We're looking for the queen of the vampires-we're looking for Karmen."

Chapter Five

Karmen? I mouthed as I peeked around Talon's shoulder.

The female vampire's eyes were bright as she held up her hands as well. "How about we go downstairs together and have a nice friendly chat?"

Talon turned to look at me. What do you want to do? her eyes read.

I dipped my head in a small nod. I wasn't getting any malicious intent from the two figures across the hall.

Talon sheathed her sword, and we walked over to the other vampires. "You two know my name, but I don't know yours."

"My name is Lynden," the male vampire introduced himself. "And this is Phina."

"Are those your real names?" Talon asked lightly.

Both Lynden and Phina blinked.

"No!" Phina's ginger hair flew as she shook her head energetically. "My name's Josephina, you see, but you can call me Phina."

Lynden let out an exasperated sigh when Talon turned to him with raised brows. "Lynden is my real name."

"What about you?" Phina looked at me expectantly.

I tried my best to muster a smile. "My name's Corinna. It's nice to meet you."

"She's a friend of mine," Talon said when they looked at her for further explanation. "We have similar destinations in mind so we're traveling together for the time being. We're heading to the capital city."

"The capital city!" Phina exclaimed excitedly as she tugged at Lynden's sleeve. "We're going there too!"

I found myself smiling as my initial apprehension faded. The ginger-haired vampire gave off a very similar energy to Chloe-Jane.

Lynden turned on his heel to head back down the stairs. "Let's go downstairs and talk."

We found a small table in the corner of the room, and Phina, Talon, and I sat down on the wooden benches.

"Talon"-Lynden clasped his hands together in front of him after taking a seat next to Phina-"are you still looking for the queen?"

"No one's heard from you for years," Phina piped up. "We thought she got you."

"I decided to give up my search," Talon said simply. "But then I recently found the body of a dead vampire in the forest I had confined myself to."

Phina and Lynden exchanged a glance at that, then Phina leaned forward. The splattering of freckles across her nose was stark against her skin. "We also found the body of a dead vampire-multiple bodies, actually."

"Each of them had been beheaded in the same way," Lynden said grimly. "We suspected Karmen immediately."

"What are you going to do when you find Karmen?" I asked. I refused to shrink back as all three vampires turned to look at me.

"Phina and I were both turned by Karmen." Lynden's tone was flat. "We want to thank her for everything that she's done for us-and then end her so that no one else has to suffer at her hands."

Talon gave him a sideways look. "That's not going to be an easy task."

Lynden dropped his gaze, and a sadness flickered behind his eyes. "Even if we die in the process, it will be worth it."

Talon crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back in her seat. "Well, you're in luck. It just so happens that I have the same goal as you. But if I were to invite you to travel with us, how would that benefit me and my party?"

"I've seen the queen's face," Phina said softly. "She can't hide from me."

Talon blinked in surprise.

"Both Phina and I once worked for the queen," Lynden explained. His eyes were still downcast. "But only Phina got close enough to Karmen to see her properly."

"What does the queen of the vampires look like?" I cut in, knowing that Talon was probably wondering the exact same thing.

"Pale with long brown hair," Phina recalled. "Elegant. Cold. There isn't anything particularly special about her appearance, though. She could go anywhere and blend in without anyone looking twice at her."

"And that's what makes her terrifying," Lynden concluded heavily. "Karmen hasn't been this active in a long time. We thought she had gone into hiding, but with all the vampires that have been turning up dead in these more recent years, she's clearly up to something."

"So you can identify Karmen for me"-Talon inclined her head in Phina's direction-"but what can you do for the rest of my group?"

Lynden lifted his gaze. "We can help protect them."

"You'd do that?" I looked from Lynden to Phina. "You'd help protect my family?"

Talon let out a sigh. "I guess it won't hurt to travel together until we reach the capital." Then she eyed the two new vampires suspiciously. "What are you two doing here anyway?"

"We're looking for someone," Lynden said as if he was somewhat annoyed by the idea. "Have you heard of him? He's known as Storm the Dragonhearted."

Talon and I exchanged a glance. "I've never heard of him," I said.

Talon shook her head. "Me neither."

"Storm is the only known human to have single-handedly killed a vampire," Lynden explained. "He's also rumored to have been taught by a dragon deep inside the mountains. But no one really believes that part."

"A dragon?" My head snapped up to look at Lynden. "But I thought the dragons went extinct centuries ago."

"There are still a few," Phina piped up. "In hiding, of course."

"When we do decide to try to hunt Karmen down," Lynden continued, "someone like Storm will be good to have on our side. After all, a human will come across as less suspicious. And"-Lynden admitted-"Phina and I have never been to the capital city before. We'll need a guide of some sort if we don't want to get picked off by Karmen immediately. According to Phina, Storm's been everywhere at least once."

"How do you know that this Storm will even agree to work with the two of you?" Talon asked quizzically. "Vampires and humans aren't exactly known for working together."

"But what if they could?" I said, and everyone turned to look at me again. "I'm working with the three of you right now, aren't I?"

"You couldn't possibly understand," Lynden said coldly. "When you've been alive as long as us vampires have, you too will be mortified by human nature. Why would we want to work with humans?"

I held Lynden's gaze and tried my best not to flinch from his icy stare. "I think I might be able to understand. Humans have their flaws. They're influenced by greed and corrupted by power. My family and I were stolen from our homeland. Sometimes the overseers were no better than monsters. Yes, humans can be cruel. None of us are perfect, but not all of us have forgotten morality."

"Don't you want to get revenge on those who harmed you and your family?" Lynden asked quietly.

I sighed. "I do. But at the end of the day, my family comes first. I can't spend my life consumed by anger and driven by revenge when I have them to protect."

There was a long silence before Lynden finally looked away. "Karmen offered us immortality, and we blindly accepted the curse. Now we're all living with the consequences."

"We can't let the same thing happen to anyone else." Phina's voice was tinged with sadness.

Talon angled her head to the side. "Let's say Storm does decide to join you-then what? Are you really willing to have him go up against Karmen herself? Are you going to take responsibility for his death too?"

"Death?" Lynden and Phina exchanged a glance. The former didn't seem very concerned, and the latter appeared as if such a possibility hadn't even crossed her mind.

"You can't just rope innocent people into your plan," I said, frowning.

"And what about you?" Lynden challenged. "Why are you going to the capital city anyway?"

I slumped in my seat. "I just want to save my sister. She's barely fourteen years old and was taken there with a bunch of other girls." Suddenly, my blood went cold. The medicine girl had probably been taken to the capital as well. I hadn't even gotten a chance to see her for a final time.

Lynden fell silent for a long moment, and his expression was unreadable. "Let us help you, then."

"I'm sorry?" I blinked, perplexed by the vampire's sudden shift in attitude.

Phina leaned over. "He had a younger sister once," she said quietly. "A long time ago."

I opened my mouth to say something, but then a familiar figure approached our table. Her hands were crossed over her chest as she stared down at us coldly. "I was wondering what had been taking you two so long." Clarity frowned distastefully. "I see that you found some new friends." She took a step backward, and a single blink was the only amount of surprise she allowed herself to show. "Vampires."

I looked up at my sister. "They're going to help us."

"Help us?" Clarity let out a dry laugh. "Help us find Chloe-Jane? Why would any of these vampires help us?"

Phina shot to her feet. "We can help!"

"Corinna"-Clarity turned to me-"let's leave these vampires. I don't trust them."

I took a deep breath. "We won't last a day on our own, Clarity. They can help us. In fact, they're offering to help."

"Maybe I'll go off and find Chloe on my own!"

I opened my mouth to respond, but Talon placed a hand on my arm. "We can discuss this more later," she said quietly as she scanned the tavern with narrowed eyes. I followed Talon's gaze to find that a few heads had turned in our direction. Their eyes were watching my sister. If Clarity realized that she was making a scene, she didn't seem to care.

"I don't trust you either," Clarity said icily. "I hope I've made that clear, Talon." She dragged out the vampire's name as if the syllables were poisonous.

Talon's eyes flashed. "Don't trust me, then. But if you go, would you really feel safe leaving your sister in our hands?"

Clarity looked down at me, and her fiery eyes traveled to the hand Talon was still resting on my arm. Scowling, she turned and marched back the way she had come.

Talon sighed as she stood up from the table. "We should probably go back too."

I nodded and rose to my feet as well.

"Wait." Lynden stopped us. "When are you planning to leave?"

Talon glanced at him over her shoulder. "Once the storm subsides. Do you know when it's supposed to stop?"

"Storms like this shouldn't last more than a couple of hours," Lynden informed us with a slight frown. "It will be best to leave at nightfall."

"We'll wait for you, then." Talon turned and began to walk away. I hurried after her.

"If we're going to be traveling with Lynden and Phina," I said breathlessly, "we'll need better disguises, don't you think?"

Talon paused at the back of the crowded room where plates of hot food were being served. "You're right-we really are an interesting-looking party as it is." Talon passed me a couple of plates, and I carefully took them from her.

As we made our way back up the stairs and along the hallway, an idea suddenly came to me. "We could dress as a group of traveling merchants! Or wait-a troupe!"

Talon turned to me with bright eyes. "Brilliant! I'll go out and buy us what we need."

When we reached the room, I knocked three times on the door. There was the sound of feet shuffling, then the door swung open to reveal Clarity.

I tried my best to put on a smile. "We've brought food."

Clarity just silently took the plates from me and stepped aside to let Talon and me in. I walked into the room, but Talon remained where she was by the door. When I turned to the vampire, she just smiled faintly. "I'm going to get us the supplies we need," she told me. "I'll be back before dark."

I nodded. Both Mother and Cameren were fast asleep, but even in sleep, Cameren's expression was pained. We had run out of the medicine for his wounds, and neither Mother, Clarity, nor I knew anything about medicine.

"Here," Talon said suddenly as she pulled out her coin pouch. "This is for you."

I just stared blankly at the vampire as she held out the pouch. "I couldn't-"

Talon glided over and gently pressed the pouch into my hands. "Please, just take it."

"I-how are you going to get the supplies we need, then?"

"I'll trade these." Talon gestured to her overseer outfit. "And I'm sure the sword will fetch a high price. There are always wanderers coming in and out of small villages like these-wanderers and adventurers are always looking for a good weapon like this. I'll look for medicine for Cameren, too, while I'm out-I better hurry."

I lifted a hand in farewell as Talon disappeared down the hall. I quietly closed the door to the room behind me and took a seat on the floor across from Clarity. My stomach gave a loud rumble, and I reached for one of the plates of food. I hadn't even realized how hungry I was until now.

"Are you sure about this, Corinna?" Clarity asked quietly.

"I don't know." I sighed before stuffing a piece of bread into my mouth. "Our objective right now is to get Chloe-Jane back. After we do that, it's up to us whether we want to stick with the vampires or not. Even if the vampires have ulterior motives," I said quickly before Clarity could open her mouth, "they will take us to our destination. We've never been outside our village before, let alone the capital city."

"Let's say we do get Chloe-Jane back." Clarity watched me grab another slice of bread from the plate. "Then what do we do? Where do we go?"

I raised my head to watch the raging storm outside the small window. "We either could go far away and never look back, or we could stay and try to help."

"Help? Help who? How do we help?"

I folded my arms over my chest as I turned back to Clarity. "Help the people who live in this kingdom. Help the people who are trapped in this kingdom. We managed to escape our village with Talon's help. Maybe we can help others the same way she helped us."

"Talon is a vampire, Corinna. A vampire. She's immortal-invulnerable. She can do whatever she wants without facing any consequences. We're not like that-one wrong move and it's over."

"I know you're cautious. And rightly so," I said, holding my sister's gaze, "but focusing on right now first, I'm willing to take this risk if it means that we'll be reunited with Chloe. The four of us are together-you, me, Mother, and Cameren. But Chloe? She's alone right now and on her way to the capital city. I wish there was a way we could let her know that we're coming."

Clarity's eyes softened ever so slightly. "I know. When it comes to the people we love, there is no risk too great to take."

"Exactly."

Clarity moved to draw the curtains over the window. "You should get some rest. We've been walking all day."

I nodded before curling up on the floor next to the bed. If I was being honest, I was afraid that if I were to fall asleep, I'd awake to find myself back in the village. Even though it had always been a fantasy of mine, I had never thought that I would be able to escape from the village, let alone with my family. I just wished our circumstances had been better.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Corinna."

I blinked at the sound of my name. Blinking again, I found Mother standing in front of me.

"It's time to go."

"Already?" I was suddenly wide awake. After jumping to my feet, I hurried over to the small window and looked out at the night sky beyond. Just how long had I been sleeping? I turned back to the bed. "Where's Clarity? Where's Cameren? Did Talon find medicine for him?" I asked hopefully.

Mother shook her head tiredly. "After you fell asleep, I actually met up with Talon and accompanied her to the different shops in the town. All we were able to find were disinfectants. They seemed to help a little bit, but the healer we bought them from warned that Cameren is going to need proper treatment, or else in the next few months, he might find himself unable to walk."

I just stared at Mother. She had really gone with Talon to the shops? Even though she was weary of the vampire, she had set that fact aside to help Cameren. And Cameren . . . would he really be unable to walk if we couldn't find proper treatment?

"With the disinfectants, Cameren doesn't seem to be in as much pain as before," Mother reassured me with a soft smile. "Also, the other vampires-Lynden and Phina-the two of them helped him out. They know about basic medicine. They said that with them around, they'd make sure he can walk until we find a proper healer at the capital city."

"They did?" I was surprised by the new information, but a feeling of relief had washed over me and was slowly calming my anxieties.

The door opened, and Talon stepped into the room. "Corinna. I was just talking with Phina and Lynden outside."

I did a double take as I took in her new outfit. Talon was dressed in the long and flowy outfit of a dancer, with her now waist-length hair pulled back into a braid. The outfit was complete with an elegant scarf over her head and silver bracelets jingling at her slender wrists and ankles.

"Corinna!" Phina peeked around the open door. "We've got a costume for you too!" The ginger-haired vampire was also dressed in a dancer's outfit-the design was the same as Talon's, except the color was a sunny yellow instead of orchid purple.

Talon grinned as she twirled for me, and her long silk-like skirts flowed around her legs. "The troupe idea was brilliant!" Not only did she have the grace of a dancer, but she also embodied it perfectly.

I clapped my hands enthusiastically as Talon finished with an elegant curtsey. "Here"-Phina hurried over to me and handed me a dancer outfit as well-"I hope you don't mind being orange."

"Not at all. Are we all going to be dancers?"

"Lynden and your mother are dressed as musicians," Phina informed me brightly. "And your brother is going to be the troupe leader!"

I looked more closely at my mother and found that she was indeed wearing the dress of a traveling musician.

"We'll let you change." Talon ushered Phina out of the room, and the door swung shut behind them.

"Where are Clarity and Cameren?" I asked Mother for a second time as I swapped my dress for the dancer's outfit.

Mother came over to help adjust my headscarf over my hair. "They're finishing up their dinner in the tavern downstairs."

I nodded my head. Then I frowned as I shifted my weight from foot to foot. My gauzy skirts flowed like water, and the bracelets jingled softly. "Do you think we'll be warm enough in these?" My midriff was almost completely exposed and the light fabric of the outfit wouldn't do much to block out the cold.

Mother frowned as well. "You'll have a cloak. But if you get cold, I can try and find something warm for you. And if I can't find anything, I can go ask the vampires."

"If it's only for a night or two, it should be alright," I said with more confidence than I felt. "Chole-Jane would have loved these dancer outfits."

Mother smiled sadly. "I know. But I'm sure we'll get a chance to tell her about them very soon."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Before I could walk over to check who was outside, the door swung open and Clarity strode into the room. She was dressed in a forest-green dancer outfit, and her curly hair was pulled away from her face. I had never seen my sister in anything other than her ragged dresses. "Clarity," I started with wide eyes. "You look-"

"We're leaving," Clarity said shortly. Her dark eyes were steely behind her veil. "We all look ridiculous."

I ran over to grab my sister's arm before she could leave. "Is everything alright?"

"I want to know what the vampires are going to want in return," Clarity said under her breath. "They helped Cameren, but for what? These creatures are not like us, Corinna. Do you really think they'll give their services freely?"

"Clarity, a little trust won't hurt anyone."

"I can assure you that it can. But I'm not the one who's going to get hurt"-Clarity held my gaze-"it will be you."

I folded my arms over my chest, and my bracelets clinked softly with the movement. "I'm willing to take that risk if it means that we can be reunited with Chloe. I'm keeping this family together no matter what it takes."

Even though we were nearly the same height, Clarity still managed to look down her nose at me. "I once was optimistic like you. But where did optimism get me?" Clarity gestured to the long scar running across her abdomen. The wound was visible through the gauzy fabric of her outfit, and I bit my lip as she continued, "As your older sister, it's my job to make sure you don't have to fight for your life the same way I had to for mine."

I dropped my gaze from Clarity's wound. "I know."

When we finally left the room, Talon, Phina, Lynden, and Cameren were waiting outside. The four of them turned to look at us as we joined them in the hallway.

"Let's just hope that we won't actually have to do any dancing," Clarity muttered under her breath.

I let out a weak laugh. Even so, I was inclined to agree. The only kind of dance I knew was the one where the younger children would jump up and down without any real sense of direction. And while it was plenty of fun, something told me that it wouldn't work here.

"Here." Lynden handed cloaks to Mother, Clarity, and me. "It's going to be cold."

"At least we have shoes," I remarked to no one in particular as I fastened the cloak over my shoulders.

Talon drew the hood of her own cloak before striding toward the stairs. "Follow me."

When we exited the tavern, I quickened my pace to catch up with her. "We won't really have to dance, will we?"

A faint smile tugged at Talon's lips. "I don't think so. This was actually a great idea, though-no one is going to report a group of dancers."

"You were the one who decided to pick the dancer's costumes-now that was a brilliant idea."

Talon just giggled. At first, I stared at the vampire, but then I found myself laughing too. We walked through the bustling streets of the town as the lanterns next to the path illuminated our way in a warm glow of gold and orange.

"Hey, pretty girl," a slurred male voice called from the doorway of a small shop further down the path. "I see your dancer outfit. Are you gonna dance for me tonight?"

My spine prickled unpleasantly. "He isn't talking to us, is he?" I asked Talon under my breath.

Talon's expression melted into a frown. "Just ignore him."

We continued down the path and refused to give the drunk man a second glance. As Clarity and Phina passed by the man behind us, he called out again to them, and my spine prickled for a second time.

"When you were sleeping earlier, Lynden and Phina went out to ask around about Storm," Talon informed me as we made our way farther through the town. "Apparently he just passed through here, and if we hurry we'll be able to catch up with him in the next town. Also, even though I've never heard of him myself, it turns out that this Storm is quite famous."

"Famous?"

Talon tapped her chin thoughtfully. "He's a legend among adventures-everyone around here knows his name."

"If he really is such a legend, wouldn't having him with us attract even more attention?"

"According to Lynden and Phina, Storm's name is the only thing people really know about the boy himself. While everyone's heard of his adventures, no one can say for sure what he looks like other than that he's a sixteen-year-old with black hair and a sword."

We walked all night, and when we first reached our destination, Phin asked around about Storm and found out that he had just left hours before we arrived. And so now we were on our way to the next town.

We reached the town an hour before sunrise; the overcast sky was still dark. As we made our way through the deserted streets, Talon silently gestured in the direction of a large tavern sitting on the corner of the block. Light poured out of the windows, and the faint sound of chatter reached our ears.

"That would be the place to ask about Storm's whereabouts," Lynden observed as he followed our gaze to the building.

"What are we waiting for, then?" Phina's anklets jingled as she eagerly rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Let's go!"

I pushed open the door to the tavern and warmth instantly washed over me. The seven of us squeezed into the tavern to find a large crowd gathered around something or someone in the back of the room.

Clarity immediately took Mother by the arm and led her to the side of the tavern where hot meals were being served. It seemed like she was eager to get away from the vampires. After watching the two of them for a long moment, I turned back to the crowd. I stood on my tiptoes, but I was too short to see over all the heads. "Excuse me"-I tapped the shoulder of one of the onlookers-"what's going on here?"

The man turned and eyed me up and down. When he finally decided that I was worth talking to, he leaned over to explain loudly over the buzz of the crowd, "You don't know? Why, that's Storm the Dragonhearted!"

I turned to Talon with wide eyes. The vampire nodded; she had heard it too.

I tried and failed to squeeze past the crowd. "There's just too many people here-we'll never be able to talk to Storm at this rate."

"I have an idea," Talon said suddenly. "Leave it to me." Talon just flashed me a smile in response to my bewildered expression. A moment later, she gracefully leaped up onto an empty table in the opposite corner of the room. As I looked on, Talon began to dance. She was an orchid swaying in the wind as she tapped her feet and twirled her wrists. Her bracelets and anklets chimed as she danced to a rhythm of her own creation.

It didn't take long for the crowd to migrate to Talon's corner of the room, and soon the sound of clapping and cheering filled the tavern as she twirled faster and faster. She was a whirl of purple silk, and her inky black hair had come loose from its braid.

"Corinna"-Phina tugged at my sleeve-"Talon created an opportunity. Let's go talk to Storm." I followed Lynden and Phina to the back of the tavern where a teenage boy at least a year younger than myself was trying in vain to get his crowd back. He had raven-black hair and a sword at his side just as Talon had said.

"Hey!" The dark-haired boy called peevishly at the crowd of people watching Talon dance. "I didn't finish telling you about how I single-handedly stopped the bandits and-"

Lynden cut him off. "Are you Storm?"

The dark-haired boy puffed out his chest. "Of course I'm Storm." Then he blinked, and his eyes narrowed as his gaze traveled from Lynden to Phina and then back again. "Vampires!" Storm's hand was on the hilt of his sword in an instant.

But before he could draw the blade, Phina's hand was suddenly on top of Storm's. "I wouldn't do that," Phina said brightly. "We're not here to hurt you."

Storm frowned as he looked at Phina. He opened his mouth as if to say something but then quickly closed it again as he rapidly shook his head.

"We would like your assistance," Lynden implored, even though something about his tone suggested he'd rather not have to deal with the dark-haired boy. "We've heard about you and your accomplishments."

"I'm flattered," Storm said stiffly. "But why would I help you?" He was still trying to draw his blade, but Phina's hand was preventing him from doing so.

I stepped forward. "Isn't helping people what heroes like yourself do?"

"Well, of course." Storm looked over at me. "You're a human."

"Yes, I am."

"What are you doing with these vampires?" Then his eyes widened, and he pointed a knowing finger at me as if he had just figured it out. "I know! These vampires have taken you captive, and you need me to help-"

"No." I shook my head in exasperation. "It just so happens that we're working together."

Storm furrowed his brow. "Working together?"

Cameren took a step forward to join in our conversation. He offered Storm a friendly smile. "Please, we need your help. My youngest sister was taken to the capital city and we need to get her back. You're a legend. If anyone can help us, it's Storm the Dragonhearted."

"Of course I can help," Storm said enthusiastically. "I am a legend!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Clarity and Mother exchange a look as they watched us.

"Hey." Phina placed her hands on her hips. "We came to you because you are the best person for the job!"

Storm folded his arms over his chest as he finally gave up on his sword. "I'm not talking to you, vampire."

Phina just turned her chin to the air and crossed her arms as well.

"Will you really help us?" I asked uncertainly.

Storm nodded. "Helping people is my calling. And if there's one thing I'm good at, it's using a sword. Besides, I'd be going against my teachings if I didn't help those who need my assistance."

"Teachings?" Cameren asked curiously. "Who taught you?"

"My uncle," Storm said proudly. "He's the one who taught me everything I know."

"Impressive," a voice said from behind me, and I turned to find Talon standing at my side.

Chapter Six

"Another vampire!" Storm reached for his sword, but he dropped his hand at the look Phina gave him.

Corinna lowered her voice as she took a step closer to Storm. "Look, these vampires are on a mission to kill Karmen, the queen of the vampires."

Kill the queen of the vampires? Storm mouthed in shock.

"Have you heard of Queen Karmen?" Corinna asked quickly.

Storm paled. "Of course I've heard of Queen Karmen. And I've heard enough about her to know that she isn't someone I should ever cross. I know that's a fight I won't be able to walk away from alive. I have no reason to cross her, nor do I want to."

"Will you at least help us get our sister back?" Cameren asked.

"That I can do." Then Storm frowned again. "You aren't really a troupe, are you?"

I shook my head. "No, it's just that we're already a very suspicious-looking group. Disguises are our best option if we don't want to draw negative attention."

"You're on your way to the capital city," Storm said.

"That's correct." I took a step forward. Storm flinched at my approach but didn't move back.

"Seeing that you haven't killed me already"-Storm's gaze traveled from me to Lynden to Phina-"I have a place we can stay while we prepare for our trip to the capital."

"Really?" Corinna's eyes lit up. "Where's that?"

"At my uncle's," Storm said matter-of-factly. "I'm actually on my way home right now, and if you really want me to help out, you'll have to follow me up the mountain first. My uncle is expecting me. When I take you to him, he can determine whether you vampires are trustworthy or not."

"You'll really take us to your uncle?" Phina asked excitedly.

I watched Lynden and Phina out of the corner of my eye; there was something about them that I couldn't put my finger on. Even though Corinna seemed to be comfortable around them, I didn't trust them. They had both admitted that they had worked for Karmen in the past, and I couldn't help wondering if they were hiding something. Even though Phina's energy and cheerfulness seemed to be embedded in her personality, she still seemed far too eager to meet Storm's uncle.

Then it hit me. Maybe it wasn't Storm they had been so desperate to meet. Maybe it was his uncle all along. And that led to another question entirely.

"Storm," I said lightly. "How old is your uncle?"

Storm's head snapped over to me. "Why do you want to know?"

"Is he immortal?" If Storm's uncle was really immortal, it only made sense that Phina and Lynden would want to ask him about Karmen.

Storm stiffened. "He is."

"I see." A small smile played around the corners of my lips; my suspicions were confirmed.

Corinna turned to me in confusion, but I just shook my head. I'd tell her about my thoughts once we separated from Lynden and Phina.

Storm ran an agitated hand through his dark hair. "When do you want to leave? It's nearly morning, and I assume you vampires won't be able to travel during the day."

"We'll be fine if the sky is as overcast as it was yesterday," Lynden said flatly.

Storm held up his hands in defense. "Fine." Then he turned to Corinna. "I don't think you'll want to wear that dancer outfit. My uncle lives in the mountains where the temperatures are below freezing in the winter. Besides, we won't be using the main road, so no one will stop us on the way."

Corinna looked at me again.

"I'll buy new outfits for the journey," I reassured her.

Corinna turned back to Storm, and her eyes sparkled with determination. "We should leave as soon as possible-I need to get my sister back before anything happens to her."

Storm nodded.

"I'll go buy some clothes," I announced. "The shops and vendors are probably opening up soon."

"I'll come with you," Corinna said quickly.

I blinked. "You don't want to stay in the tavern? It's warmer here than it is outside."

"I've never been out of my village before. I want to look around and explore as much as possible."

I found myself smiling. "Alright." Then I turned to address Storm and the others. "We'll meet you back here in an hour or so."

As we made our way out the door, Corinna glanced back at where Clarity and Meyrah were now eating together at one of the many tables. Meyrah looked up from her plate and offered Corinna a warm smile. Clarity, on the other hand, ignored her sister.

As we made our way down the roughly paved streets, Corinna observed our surroundings. "It's a lot quieter than I expected." The fluttering of her vibrant orange veils in the light wind were a stark contrast to the gray and brown of the buildings.

"It's early right now," I explained as I glanced around. "It will probably get a lot busier in the afternoon. You've got to be careful, though," I continued as we made our way down another block. "There are always people on the lookout for young women who might fetch a high price."

"Even here under the eyes of the knights from the capital?"

I nodded. "The old king kept turning a blind eye to the issue. I doubt the new king will be any better."

Suddenly, I sensed another human presence lurking in the dark space between two houses. I placed a warning hand on Corinna's shoulder and we stopped walking.

"Who's there?" I called. My eyes narrowed.

"Oh ho," a rough male voice said in amusement. "Looks like I've been noticed." A masked man emerged from the shadows, and his footsteps echoed loudly. The man held a long coil of rope in one hand and an unusual knife in the other.

The masked man eyed me up and down. His gaze lingered unpleasantly on my exposed stomach and then traveled even lower. I stepped in front of Corinna before the man could scrutinize her as well.

"Entertainers," the man purred. "Looks like I got lucky today."

I just glared at him silently. There was a quiet rustling from behind me as Corinna reached shakily for the dagger she had stashed behind her skirts.

"You, little missy"-the man wagged a finger at me- "you can probably fetch a very high price. I bet even the king himself would pay to get his hands on a beauty like yourself. And you"-he looked over my shoulder at Corinna-"I bet if I sold you to one of the farms nearby, they would be quite happy to gain another worker. There's been lots of talk about runaway slaves lately." The man casually took a step forward. "I wonder if you might be one of them."

The scent of Corinna's fear shoved its way up my nose as the man continued to advance.

The man chuckled. "That's right-running will just make things more difficult for all of us. Now, be a good girl and . . ." the man trailed off as he noticed the dagger glinting in Corinna's shaking hand. "Give me that!"

The man lunged forward. In one swift movement, I pushed Corinna back, and in another, I kicked the man firmly in the chest.

The man flew backward and crashed into the cobblestone wall of a house with a thud. But despite just being thrown against a wall, within moments he was back on his feet, coughing. Bellowing in rage, he raised his knife as he broke into a full-out run.

I countered him with ease. I ducked under his blade before grabbing his arm and throwing him with all my inhuman strength. The man crashed into the wall again and slid to the ground. This time he did not rise again.

"Is-is he dead?" Corinna whispered.

I walked over to examine the man's body. I nudged him with my foot, and he let out a pained groan. "He's fine."

"Are you okay?" Corinna hurried over to my side, still eyeing the man apprehensively.

I gave her a reassuring smile as I nodded.

Corinna let out a shaky breath. Then she stared down at the dagger she was still clutching tightly in her trembling hand. "Talon"-she bit her lip-"I was scared. I was really scared. Not because I thought that you couldn't beat that man in a fight, but because of the fact that I'm holding a weapon, and I don't even know how to use it. I don't know how to defend myself. If you weren't here, I would have definitely been apprehended and taken to who knows where." Corinna lifted her eyes to meet mine. "Could you teach me how to defend myself?"

"Okay."

"Okay?" Corinna blinked. "Just like that?"

I smiled as I bent down to pick up the knife the man had dropped at my feet. This sort of blade would fetch a hefty price. "I don't see why not."

Corinna's eyes lit up as she broke out into a smile. "Thank you!"

"What's going on out here?" a woman's voice asked. A middle-aged couple had come out of their house, and it seemed like it was too much to hope that no one would notice the ruckus I'd made.

I quickly snatched the dagger from Corinna's hand and hid it with the knife I had just picked up behind my skirts. I dropped to my knees and pressed a hand to my face as if I were crying. Corinna quickly followed my lead. She sniffled as she dropped down next to me in a jangle of bracelets and orange silk.

I heard the woman let out a gasp as she noticed the body.

"Good heavens," the husband exclaimed.

"What happened here?" the woman asked faintly.

"Sir, ma'am," I said between sobs, "we were just walking down the street, minding our own business when that man tried to attack us."

"Are you two girls alright?" the woman hurried over to us in concern. "What happened to the man?"

"Someone saved us," I sniffled. "I couldn't see their face, but they knocked the man out and then disappeared." Corinna nodded along, wide-eyed.

The woman inhaled sharply. "Could it have been Storm the Dragonhearted? I heard that he just arrived in town. I didn't really think that teenager would actually have the skill, but maybe I'm wrong."

"Look, dear." The husband pointed to the coil of rope still in the masked man's hand. "This man was planning something bad. These girls are lucky to have been saved from whatever he was planning to do with them."

"You girls should hurry along," the woman insisted worriedly. "We'll turn this man over to the local guards."

I bowed my head, still wiping fake tears from my eyes. "Thank you, ma'am. We'll be on our way."

I climbed to my feet and we hurried down the street. Corinna let out a breath when we finally came to a stop. "That was a close one."

"On a different note"-I looked up at the building we had halted in front of-"we've arrived." A bell jingled as I gently pushed the door open.

"Welcome," a woman called from behind the counter at the back of the spacious room. "What can I do for you ladies today?"

"Eight sets of traveling wear"-I counted on my fingers-"and seven cloaks."

"Sure thing," the woman said with a nod as she scribbled down my request with a feathered quill. "I'll need a name to go with the order."

"Falon," I said lightly.

The woman set her quill down. "Alright, Miss Falon. Please wait here-I'll be right back." The door swung shut behind her with a soft click, and I was left alone with Corinna in the front of the store.

Corinna arched a quizzical brow. "Miss Falon?"

I laughed. "The name Falon sounds less intimidating, don't you think?"

The two of us walked around the small shop and examined the various mannequins and their outfits. Corinna leaned forward to run a light finger over the rich fabric of one of the dresses. She frowned slightly. "I know what these are made out of."

"It's practically everywhere now," I said grimly.

Corinna fell silent, deep in thought.

The door at the back of the room opened a few minutes later, and the woman stepped out with a pile of clothes in her arms. "Altogether this is fifty silver pieces."

After I traded the masked-man's knife for our gear, Corinna and I left the shop.

"That was brilliant!" Corinna grinned once the doors had swung shut behind us. "Did you take that man's knife because you knew you could trade it for the clothes?"

I nodded, and a wry smile played on my lips. "We can thank the masked man for paying today."

Corinna laughed again, and her eyes sparkled behind her veils. "Brilliant!"

✦ ✦ ✦

I dropped the pile of clothes on the table our companions were huddled around.

"Which outfit is mine?" Clarity asked stiffly. "I want to change out of this as soon as possible."

"They're all pretty much the same," Corinna said tiredly. "Just pick one."

Clarity picked up one of the outfits before standing up from the table and marching to the back room to change out of her dancer outfit.

"Are we just about ready to go?" Storm spoke up from where he was sitting uncomfortably between Cameren and Phina. He was leaning as far away from the ginger-haired vampire as he could.

"Change first, and then we'll meet outside," Lynden said flatly.

"I need to change too?" Storm asked defiantly.

"I think it would be better for all of us to be wearing the same thing," Phina pointed out. "If you're the only one who stands out, it will look like you've got quite a lot of followers or personal guards-"

"Fine, fine."

Ten minutes later, all of us were standing outside the tavern. We were all dressed in dark-colored travel outfits with cloaks fastened over our shoulders. Then we followed Storm down the snow-covered road.

Once we were out of town, Storm turned to look over his shoulder. "Just for your information, my uncle hasn't had visitors in ages, and I'm not sure how he'll react."

Lynden's expression was icy. "That's fine. If he wants to fight, I'll be more than happy to take him on."

"No one's going to be fighting-" Phina peeped, but Storm cut her off.

"What makes you think that you could even beat my uncle in a fight?"

"Your uncle might be immortal," Lynden said coolly, "but he'll definitely be outnumbered. In case you've forgotten, Phina, Talon, and I are also immortal."

"Who said I was going to help you?" I asked. "I have neither the obligation nor desire to pick a fight."

Lynden's head snapped to me, but he fell silent all the same.

Phina wrung her hands together, and the vibrant ginger color of her hair shone starkly against her dull gray cloak. "I don't think fighting is a good idea. Talking things out is a much better way to settle a dispute, no?"

At least one out of the two vampires seemed to think sensibly.

"My uncle is very reasonable," Storm said quickly, following up on Phina's statement. "If you really don't want to see my uncle, just stay upstairs while I talk to him myself."

"And what if he does want to pick a fight?" Clarity spoke up.

"He won't." Storm's frown deepened. "Look, do you want my help or not?"

"Don't listen to them," Cameren reassured Storm. "Lead the way. We're right behind you."

Storm turned back to the road. "Anyway, it's at least a two-day's walk to get to my uncle's place. He lives at the top of a mountain after all."

"That's certainly an interesting place to live," Cameren remarked. "I guess it's a great place to be if you don't want anyone bothering you."

"The mountains are great," Storm said enthusiastically. He had warmed up considerably more to Corinna's family than to the vampires. "Even though it's cold most of the year, the view is amazing."

As we continued further away from the town, the cobblestone road eventually turned into a dirt trail. We had been walking for hours, and the sky was getting progressively darker. Getting caught in the middle of a blizzard wouldn't be ideal, especially for Cameren. Lynden and Phina had temporarily saved his injuries from infection, but he was still in desperate need of treatment.

My inky hair whipped around in the wind as we trekked through the snow. I couldn't feel the cold, but my human companions certainly could. Corinna had wrapped her cloak tightly around herself and pulled her hood over her bushy hair. Clarity had done the same, and her expression was a permanent grimace. I watched Corinna's mother shiver and pull her cloak tighter around her dangerously thin body.

"Ma'am." I slowed my pace to walk side by side with Meyrah. My voice was quiet. "Please take my cloak."

Meyrah looked at me wearily. "I-I couldn't."

I unfastened my cloak and held it out for Corinna's mother to take. "You need it more than I do. The cold doesn't bother me."

Phina hurried over to a very surprised Cameren. "You can have my cloak!" she said as she dropped it into his arms. Then she snatched Lynden's cloak and danced it over to Clarity.

"Are you going to be alright?" I asked quietly as Corinna walked over to me.

Corinna smiled weakly. "I'm used to the cold."

After a while, Storm announced, "Let's stop for a lunch break. I can build a fire if one of you can collect some wood. And later on, there's an abandoned farmhouse further down the road we can take shelter in when night falls." When Clarity gave him a disbelieving look, he added, agitatedly, "It's perfectly safe. I stay there each time I travel to and from my uncle's house."

"I can collect the wood," Corinna offered. "I think my hands and feet will freeze if I sit in the same place for too long."

"I'll go with you," I said.

Storm dropped the satchel he had been carrying on the snow-covered ground before taking a seat next to it. "Great, we'll be here resting."

Clusters of dead-looking trees surrounded the path, and I followed Corinna through the sludgy snow. When we were far enough away from the rest of our group, Corinna looked at me. "When will you start teaching me how to protect myself with a weapon?"

"When do you want me to teach you?" I asked lightly as I reached down to collect fallen twigs and branches.

"As soon as possible would be ideal. From the way you countered the masked man, you seem to know a lot about self defense," Corinna noted as she picked fallen branches from the ground. "Were you a knight of some sort before you became a vampire?"

"A knight?" I let out a laugh. "No. I knew some knights once, but most of these things I only learned after I was turned. Once we reach Storm's uncle's place, I'll show you some routines."

Corinna's eyes were bright as she beamed. "Thank you!"

We returned to the rest of our group, and Storm got to work starting a fire. After lunch, we were back on our feet and continuing on our way. As the gray sky gradually grew darker, the abandoned farmhouse Storm had mentioned appeared.

"We'll rest here for tonight," Storm told us as we veered off the path and made a beeline for the building. "If we wake before sunrise tomorrow, we can make it to my uncle's place before the sun sets. I'll make another fire." Storm set his bag down when we entered the large barn. "When I finish, I can take the first watch."

I turned to look at him. "I can stand guard."

"We'll guard too." Phina gestured to Lynden and herself. "The more eyes, the better."

Storm stifled a yawn, too tired to object. "Fine. But if you kill me in my sleep, my uncle will murder all of you when he finds out I'm dead."

I watched Corinna and her family huddle around the fire together. They talked quietly before eventually nodding off to sleep. I didn't know how I felt about leaving Storm with them, but I doubted the dark-haired boy would do anything to hurt them.

As I walked outside, I found myself eyeing my fellow vampires. I needed to keep a close eye on the two of them. Phina's name hadn't rung any bells, but when we first met the vampires, something about the name Lynden had sounded familiar. I just couldn't recall where I had heard it.

I frowned and furrowed my brow as I tried in vain to remember.

"Is everything alright, Talon?" Phina asked worriedly.

I looked at the ginger-haired vampire. "I want to ask you something. Do you know when exactly Lynden was turned?"

Phina pursed her lips, deep in thought. "If I remember correctly, I think it was nearly a hundred years ago."

A hundred years ago. That must have been around the same time I was turned.

"Why do you want to know?" Phina inquired as she tilted her head to the side like a curious puppy. Her blood-red eyes glowed in the inky night.

I twirled a strand of my long hair around my finger. "I've heard his name before. It was around the time I was turned into a vampire."

Phina looked surprised. "You still remember that far back? I can't remember much of my life before I was turned." Sadness flicked across her face. "Sometimes I can't remember who I was or who I was loved by."

I looked up at the night sky. "Sometimes I think back to the past. Sometimes I choose to forget it. But even when I do manage to forget, it always comes back eventually. No matter how hard I try, some things can't be forgotten that easily. Some things aren't meant to be forgotten."

Phina nodded her head. "I know what you mean."

We fell silent, and there was a long pause in which neither of us said anything.

Finally, the ginger-haired vampire gave me a smile. "I'll go check in on Lynden. He's probably worrying about me."

"Wait," I said. "Do you trust Lynden?"

Phina blinked. "Of course!" Then her expression melted into a sad smile. "I hope you can come to trust him too. He may come across as cold, but at the end of the day, he's just been broken like the rest of us." And with that said, Phina turned and skipped away.

✦ ✦ ✦

The next day, we were back on our feet and continuing down the snow-covered road. Our journey became a steady ascent as we reached the towering mountains at the far corner of the inner kingdom.

"It's a good thing that the weather is better today," Corinna noted from where she was walking next to me.

I nodded. Even though it wasn't snowing, the sky was still clouded over, and the sun hadn't shown its face in days.

"Come to think of it," Corinna said quietly, "you never told me why you wanted to know if Storm's uncle was immortal."

I looked around at the mountains surrounding us. We were nearly at the summit. "Think about it-Storm got the title Storm the Dragonhearted for a reason."

Corinna sucked in a breath. "Are you telling me that his uncle really is a dragon?"

"I think it's a safe assumption," I said lightly. Suddenly I paused.

I remembered now.

Lynden. A hundred years ago, there had been an incident where a single vampire had slaughtered a duke and his family in one of the eastern kingdoms-and that vampire's name was Lynden.

Chapter Seven

Dragon.

The word echoed in my suddenly empty head. That can't be possible, I thought. Weren't the dragons hunted to extinction centuries ago?

I turned back to Talon but found that the vampire had fallen silent. Her expression was unreadable.

"Is everything alright?" I asked quietly.

"I just remembered something," Talon said darkly. "Have you ever heard about the downfall of the Winfielde's duchy?"

I shook my head in bewilderment.

"If I recall correctly, the duchy was governed by a very well-off family," Talon explained. "Since slaves only became big in the western kingdoms about twenty-five years ago, they had a lot of indentured servants at their estate. One day the entire family was found dead. Well, their bodies had been difficult to identify at first-all of them had been torn to shreds."

My stomach churned. "Was there a reason that provoked such an attack?"

"I don't know. But the person behind the murders wasn't human. They were a vampire."

"I don't think I understand-"

"That vampire is with us right now."

My eyes widened as my head snapped over to watch Lynden and Phina. The two vampires were walking at the front of the group, talking quietly among themselves. "Who?" I whispered.

"Lynden," Talon said grimly.

"Lynden?"

Talon's expression was grave. "We're traveling with dangerous people. And as of now, we don't know what they're capable of."

"Even if that's the case," I said slowly, "both Lynden and Phina have made their intentions clear; they want to try to take down Queen Karmen."

"You're right. If they wanted to hurt us, they would have already."

"Besides," I continued quietly, "it probably isn't a good idea to ask Lynden about the incident. If he wants us to know, he'll tell us himself."

Talon nodded.

"Look," I said suddenly. As we rounded the corner, a wooden structure slowly came into view. The two-story building had been built into the side of the mountain and was completely hidden from view of anyone who would observe the stretch of mountains from afar.

"Here we are," Storm said proudly.

"Just in time too," Phina added. The sun had just begun to set, and the gray sky was growing darker by the minute.

I pulled my cloak tighter around my body as we drew closer. On closer inspection, the wooden structure looked like a very normal house. If this really was where Storm lived, where was his uncle? From what I had heard about dragons, I was positive that one would not be able to fit into a house of any sort. Dragons were said to have been the size of houses, with great wings even larger than that.

When we reached the house, Storm pushed open the door before beckoning us into the room beyond. Warmth washed over me the moment I stepped inside. It thawed my frozen body, and I looked around the room in awe. The room looked ordinary aside from large glass windows revealing a gorgeous view of the sky.

"Hey," Storm called out, stopping us before we could move further into the house. "Remember to take your shoes off before walking around. I'd rather not have to clean up your dirty shoe prints later."

I quickly slipped off my boots and set them down by the door.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" Storm pushed open a wooden door at the other end of the room. "You can either stay here in the house or come with me to greet my uncle."

I walked over to Storm and peered into the darkness beyond the rectangular opening in the wall. All I could make out were the first few steps of a stone staircase leading down into the heart of the mountain. Of course Storm's uncle didn't live in the house on top of the mountain. The dragon lived inside the mountain itself.

Storm picked up a lantern before leading the way into the dark. "If you want to come with me, hurry up."

I watched apprehensively as Storm began his descent. His lantern was the only source of light. Lynden and Phina quickly stepped onto the staircase to follow Storm into the depths of the mountain. Clarity, Cameren, and Mother were next, and the former helped the others down the steps.

"Are you scared?" Talon asked softly from behind me. "You don't have to go."

I turned to face her. "I'd be a fool if I wasn't afraid. But have you ever met a dragon before?"

Talon's eyes were gentle as she offered me a smile. "I haven't, but there's a first time for everything, right? Besides," she reassured me, "even though their appearance may be intimidating, dragons are said to be gentle and wise creatures."

"I'll take your word for it then. I've been curious to see a real dragon." I turned back to the doorway and the looming darkness beyond. After taking a deep breath, I stepped onto the stairs.

Even though the steps were made of stone, there seemed to be a heat in them that seeped through my socks and warmed my feet. I could sense Talon walking a few paces behind me, and her presence calmed my nerves.

From somewhere far ahead, Storm's voice echoed off the stone. "We're nearly there," he said. "Do you see that light ahead?"

I quickened my pace, with one hand pressed against the cool stone wall so as to not trip in the blinding darkness. Just as Storm had said, as we went further down, a light at the end of the tunnel blossomed into existence.

"Storm!" a deep voice rumbled. "You are back!"

"Uncle!" Storm's voice said excitedly.

"My dear boy," the voice rumbled again. "Look at yourself! You have become so skinny! Have you lost weight?"

I jumped down the last couple of steps and held my breath as I rounded the corner. My eyes widened as I took in the sight before me. I was standing in a large cavern illuminated by hundreds of glowing lanterns. The ceiling of the cavern seemed to stretch infinitely and the sound of the bubbling stream that ran along its far side echoed through it. Vines snaked up the walls, and their green and oranges gave the cavern a homey feeling.

But out of everything in the cavern, the dragon himself was the most breathtaking. He was covered in green scales flecked with gold and stood the size of a house-maybe even multiple houses. He had magnificent gold-amber eyes, and his leathery wings were folded neatly at his sides.

Lynden, Phina, and my family had frozen in place with their mouths open in a mixture of shock and awe.

Storm crossed his arms over his chest as his uncle looked at him. "I'm not that skinny."

"I see that you have brought guests," the dragon said good-naturedly as he turned to survey the rest of us. "It would be rude of me if I did not introduce myself."

Storm gave us a sideways glance. "Oh yeah, I picked them up along the way. They said they needed my help, and since I told them you were expecting me to return, they could rest in the house upstairs. I think all of them were curious to meet their host."

"I hope the journey here was bearable," the dragon said as he addressed us. "When Storm is away from home too long, he tends to forget his manners. I am Andreus-Storm's uncle."

"Hello," Phina squeaked excitedly. "This is Lynden, Clarity, Cameren, Meyrah, Corinna, and Talon. Oh, and I'm Phina."

Andreus's large eyes swept over us. "Vampires. And people from the southern continent. A very rare combination, if I do say so myself. Tell me, what brings you here?"

"We're here because we need help taking down Karmen, the queen of the vampires," Lynden said. His observant eyes watched the dragon's every move.

Even though Andreus towered over us, Clarity still managed to look down her nose at the dragon, not intimidated in the slightest. If she was nervous, she hid it well. "We're here because we need help saving my sister."

Andreus blinked in mild amusement. "And what made all of you decide to work together?"

"We suspect that Karmen is in the capital city," Phina piped up. "Originally Lynden and I were going to go there by ourselves, but then we ran into Talon. We figured that Talon would be interested in hunting down the queen, but she happened to be traveling with a group of humans. And now all of us are traveling together!"

"Why do you want to hunt down the queen?" Andreus asked lightly.

Phina and Lynden exchanged a glance, but it was Talon who spoke up. "We have our personal reasons."

"Does one of you want to take over as ruler of the vampires?"

"No," Lynden said shortly. "Karmen was the one who turned us. It only makes sense for us to be the ones to stop her for good so no one else has to suffer at her hands."

Phina folded her slender arms over her chest as she nodded in agreement. "Karmen is dangerous. Who knows what will happen if she continues to stick around."

Talon walked over to stand at my side. "Karmen has been killing vampires."

Andreus sighed. "I know."

"You do?" Storm's eyes were wide with surprise. "Uncle, why didn't you tell me about this?"

The dragon sighed again, heavily this time. "Storm, you and I both know that the queen of the vampires is someone you should never cross. I did not wish to alarm you with the news."

"I-" Storm started, but then he fell silent at the tired look his uncle gave him.

"I do not know what Karmen is planning to do," Andreus said as he turned back to us, "but what I do know is that the queen could be worried that her death is drawing near."

"Her death?" Talon asked quickly.

"Have you heard of the ancient prophecy and the legend of the four queens?"

Talon shook her head. Lynden and Phina looked equally bewildered.

"The prophecy states that four queens will rise up and change the known world forever," Andreus recalled. "By the end of the ninth century, all four queens will return to the earth in eternal slumber, their duty fulfilled."

"Is Karmen one of the four queens?" Lynden asked sharply.

Andreus adjusted his great wings. "I think it is safe to assume that Karmen herself thinks that she is one of them."

Phina furrowed her brow. "The ninth century." Then her eyes widened in realization. "It's the ninth century now, isn't it? Year zero was when the last of the ancient magics were eliminated."

"If I remember correctly," I spoke up, my voice a lot stronger than I felt, "it's year eight-eleven."

Storm frowned. "Eight-eleven. So there are just about ninety years left until she dies."

"We do not know for certain if Karmen is one of the four queens from the prophecy," Andreus said lightly. "But then again, we do not know any other queens, do we?"

"Karmen must believe in whatever this prophecy is," Talon said quietly. "That's why she's taking action now-to prevent it from happening."

Phina tapped her chin, deep in thought. "But then what does that have to do with killing vampires?"

"Maybe she thinks a vampire is going to cause her death?" Storm offered. "And if that's the case, maybe she wants to kill them all before they get to her?"

Lynden's frown deepened. "Vampires are the only ones who have a chance at taking down the queen. No human would stand a chance against her."

"Queen Karmen despises both humans and vampires alike," Phina said solemnly. "It's her hatred for this world that continues to make her one of the most dangerous creatures that have ever set foot on it. I don't think she'll die that easily."

"And this is why we need to find her," Lynden concluded with a sigh. "After she finishes with the vampires, I fear she'll turn on the humans."

Clarity gave Lynden a sideways look. "Don't tell me that you actually want to stop her for the sake of us humans? I thought you felt that humans are unworthy."

Lynden's blood-red eyes flashed. "I do. But even so, there are still innocent people out there who don't deserve such a fate. You despise humans as well, don't you, Clarity? You hate what you had to go through to keep your family safe-to keep your family alive. And yet you still know that there are people out there who still deserve a better future. I can see it all on your face."

Clarity's eyes were steely. "It's funny how in a world of monsters, the human can be the most monstrous of them all."

"Exactly," Lynden said quietly, and traces of sadness flickered across his face.

Andreus looked at my family and me. His large glassy eyes reflected the lanterns' glow. "You must be exhausted from your journey. It is getting late. You should have Storm show you upstairs. We have a vacant bedroom."

I bowed to the dragon. "Thank you for everything."

Andreus inclined his head. "I will light the stairs for you now. Since I did not want to ruin my nephew's grand reveal, I did not light them up earlier."

Storm let out a yawn. "We'll start preparing for our trip to the capital city tomorrow. I'll show you where you can stay for the night."

"Have Storm get you something to eat as well," Andreus called after us as we turned to leave the cavern. "All of you could definitely do with some food." Suddenly, there was a flash of fiery light as every torch lining the walls of the stone staircase burst to life.

"You have one interesting uncle," Cameren said weakly as we made our way back up the stairs.

"He is interesting," Storm agreed. "He's old and big and tries his best not to set the house on fire. But that aside, he's the best uncle anyone could ever ask for. If it weren't for him, I probably would have died years ago."

"Died?" Cameren asked in mild surprise.

"My uncle's the one who found me," Storm explained as we continued our climb upward. His inky hair practically absorbed the light from the flickering torches. "I had no choice but to run away from my village when I was five years old. My uncle took it upon himself to raise me after that."

"Is Andreus the one who gave you the name Storm?" Cameren inquired curiously.

Storm shook his head. "No. Actually, I came up with the name. My father was a horrible man, you see. My mother died because of him. And if I hadn't run away, I probably wouldn't have lived very long. Anyway, my father named me after himself. I couldn't stand that name, so I changed it."

"Oh." Cameren fell silent.

"Uncle found me in the middle of a forest," Storm went on, lost in remembrance. "He asked me if I was lost and if I needed help finding my way back home. I told him that I had no home, and everything just kind of happened after that."

"You weren't afraid of the dragon?" Lynden questioned.

Storm's eyes darkened at that. "Between the dragon and my father, I would pick the dragon any day. Besides, after people meet him, who would actually be afraid of my uncle?"

Before I knew it, we were back in the house. Storm led us to the second level, then directed us to the door at the end of the hallway.

"We only have one extra bedroom," the dark-haired boy told us as we halted in front of the door. "I'm going to bed, so the seven of you work it out between yourselves. Oh," he added, "there's probably some sort of food downstairs if you're hungry." And with that said, Storm marched back down the hallway and disappeared into another room. There was a loud thud as he shut the door behind him.

"The four of you can take the room." Talon gestured to my family and me. "Vampires don't need sleep. If you need anything, we'll either be downstairs or outside."

I nodded my head. Clarity pushed open the door to the room, and Mother and I followed her inside. Cameren had gone back downstairs so Lynden and Phina could check on his injuries.

"Clarity and I can sleep on the floor," I said as I turned to my sister.

Mother nodded her head. "When Cameren gets here, he can have the bed."

Clarity just glanced around the room. "I'll go look around for extra blankets."

The room was fairly small, with one bed next to the window in the corner. But it was warm, and though I was confident Andreus himself didn't come into the house above his cave, the room was completely free of dust.

I lay down on the floor after pulling off my cloak and folding it into a neat square. This would work as my pillow. I was exhausted, and a little sleep wouldn't hurt . . .

✦ ✦ ✦

I awoke in the dark. Clarity was fast asleep next to me, and I carefully sat up so as to not wake her. I quietly made my way out of the room and pulled on my cloak as I went. When I reached the front door, I pushed it open and stepped into the night beyond.

A cool wind kissed my face as I lifted my head to the stars. My breath puffed out in front of me. The clouds had finally cleared, and the stars glittered as pinpricks of light against the infinite dark.

"Can't sleep?" Talon's voice asked.

I turned to find the vampire standing behind me. Her own face was tilted up to the stars.

"I wanted to see the sunrise," I said. "So I decided to come out here."

Talon smiled. "You're in luck. Sunrise is minutes away."

"The sky finally cleared up," I noted. "I haven't seen it this clear in forever. Hey . . ."

Talon turned to me and arched a brow as she waited for me to go on.

"Do you hate humans like Lynden?"

Talon held my gaze as her hair danced lightly in the breeze. "No. Once, maybe. But not anymore. I realized that when you live a life full of hatred, everyone suffers. And that includes yourself. When Karmen first turned me, it's true that I was very hateful. I was ready to hunt down the people who had caused all my pain and suffering but found that they had already died at the hands of someone else. After that, I realized that not all people were as horrible as I thought. A group of them had avenged me after all."

I nodded my head. "You know, I should probably hate humans as well after what they did to my family and me. But at the end of the day, I am human too. For me, life is short. I can't spend what precious little time I have consumed by rage and hatred. I had to decide what the most important thing to me in this life is. And right now, that's my family. Once my family is safe, then I can focus my efforts on everyone else."

Talon smiled. "Wise."

I smiled back.

The sky was slowly beginning to brighten, and I looked out over the mountains. My breath caught in my throat as I watched the sky change from deep indigo to gold to rosy pink. Light crept over the land and embraced everything in its brilliance. And then the sun appeared on the horizon. Its golden rays painted both heaven and earth in vivid color.

I had never seen such a sunrise before. Back at the farm, we had always been too busy working to pay attention to the colors. I stood there on the edge of the mountain for a very long time, gazing out into the distance.

Chloe-Jane was out there somewhere. I wondered if she could see the same sunrise.

"Hey, Talon," I said suddenly. "Do you think . . ." I looked over my shoulder only to discover that I was alone on the snow-covered mountain. The vampire had vanished along with the night.

I stared at the place where she had disappeared. How could one live for so many years without seeing the sun? I shivered and pulled my cloak tighter around myself as I made my way back into the house.

"Corinna!" Phina called excitedly as the door swung shut behind me. "Did you see the sunrise? What did it look like?" She was sitting at the dining table between Lynden and Talon. Talon caught my eye and offered me a smile. I shrugged off my cloak and took the seat next to the dark-haired vampire.

"The sunrise was beautiful," I told them as I pictured the breathtaking sky in my mind. "It was full of color and light and hope. It was the dawn of a new day."

"It sounds lovely," Phina said wistfully.

Talon's eyes sparkled. "It sounds magical."

Lynden just stared at the table. "I've never seen the sunrise before. When I was human, I never got the chance."

"Is it not possible to watch it from inside?" I asked.

Phina's expression turned sad. "We can't see the colors. It's just a blinding light."

I fell silent at that. It took me a moment to notice that all three vampires had cups on the table in front of them. "What's in there?"

"What do you think?" Lynden said flatly.

I felt my stomach churn unpleasantly. "Blood."

Phina gave me a guilty smile. "I'm sorry, Corinna. Lynden and I didn't think anyone would be awake this early."

I removed my gaze from the cups. "It's fine. The three of you should do what you need to do. I shouldn't be one to judge. Is blood really the only substance you can consume?"

Talon nodded. "We can't consume anything else without our bodies rejecting it. As vampires, we're technically dead. We don't need food or water. But since we are dead, we can't create our own blood. And as a result, we can only sustain ourselves off the blood of others."

Lynden grimaced. "It's disgusting, really."

Phina nodded along in agreement.

"That isn't human blood, is it?" I asked in a strained sort of way.

"No," Talon answered. "Most vampires prefer not to drink the blood of humans. It tastes vile."

"You can taste their greed and envy and hatred." Phina wrinkled her freckled nose. "You can taste their fear and sadness and desperation. It's awful. Other animals don't tend to have such emotions, or at least not to such an extreme extent. But then again, there are some vampires who are just as greedy and hate-driven. And those sorts of vampires don't have any problem with feeding off humans."

"Does feeding off an animal or human kill them?" I shuddered slightly at the thought.

Talon sighed. "If a vampire doesn't drain them entirely, they can still live."

I stared down at the table in front of me as I clasped my hands together on top of the wood. "I can only imagine what it would feel like to have one's very life force stripped away like that. It must be awful."

Phina tugged at a strand of her ginger hair. "It's quite the opposite, actually. Let's just say it isn't a very painful death."

I fell silent again and looked up as Storm appeared on the stairs.

"Good morning," Storm said with a yawn. His dark hair was disheveled and sticking up in all directions. Storm walked right by us and into the kitchen without a second glance. I noticed that the cups in front of my tablemates had vanished but decided it was better not to say anything.

Clarity, Cameren, and Mother came down the stairs shortly after and took seats at the table as well. It was a tight fit, but somehow we miraculously managed to get everyone around the table.

Storm returned with a bunch of bowls. "I hope you don't mind porridge."

"Can I really have all of this?" I asked in surprise as Storm slid one of the bowls to me across the smooth surface of the table. Back at the farm, we were only given enough food to sustain us. Every day, it was the same flavorless meal.

Storm blinked. "Of course."

I carefully dipped my spoon into the bowl. Faint tendrils of steam drifted lazily through the air. After lifting the spoon to my mouth, I took an eager first bite. "It's good."

"Well, I'm glad you think so," Storm said as he returned to the kitchen, "because it's the only thing I know how to make." He reappeared later with a bottle of amber liquid.

"Don't drink that," Lynden said sharply as he stood up.

Storm scowled. "I-"

"Sixteen-year-olds can't drink!" Phina stood up as well. Her hands were on her hips as if she were a mother about to scold a small child. "Does your uncle know about this?"

"Neither of you gave me a chance to explain myself," Storm said irritably as he looked from Lynden to Phina and then back again. "My uncle told me to be hospitable. It's not for me."

"Good thing you know not to drink it," Clarity said shortly. "Drinking makes you an easy target for manipulation. I would know as I've manipulated intoxicated people myself."

Storm fell silent as he eyed my sister suspiciously.

Cameren turned to Clarity in an exasperated sort of way. "He said he isn't going to drink it. You don't have to frighten him." Then Cameren turned back to Storm. "We appreciate that you're thinking about us, but none of us here drink either."

Lynden sighed. "Clarity's right, though. What's more is that too much alcohol leads to bad decision after bad decision. I learned that the hard way. And look where I am now because of it."

I waited for him to continue. But he didn't.

"Storm," Talon said as she changed the topic, "if I remember correctly, you're the only human to have single-handedly killed a vampire before. Would you care to enlighten us on how it happened?"

Chapter Eight

Storm's expression turned serious as he ran an agitated hand through his dark hair. "Look, it's not as impressive as you probably think or heard from whoever told you that story."

I arched a brow as I waited for him to go on.

Storm clasped his hands together. "I wouldn't have found that vampire if it wasn't for my uncle. It was about four years ago, back when Uncle still left the mountain. We were flying over a desert when we saw a vampire. It was daytime, and he was just lying there. Uncle landed, and the two of us went to check on him. He was barely conscious. All of his skin had flaked off too. We flew him to the closest forest and waited for him to wake up. When he did, he was, well, sad. He asked why we had saved him and then told us that he wanted to die. I didn't want to kill him, but I also wanted to help him."

I listened to Storm's story in silence. Four years ago. The boy was only twelve years old at the time.

"My uncle could have easily ended him, but I don't know what made me decide to do it." Storm stared unseeingly at the wall. "I just felt so bad for him. After that, word got out somehow that I successfully killed a vampire, and people kept changing the story until it was as far from the truth as it could get. Even when I tried to correct them, they refused to listen. Do you still want me to work with all of you after you heard my real story?" Storm asked tiredly. "I won't blame you if you don't."

Phina looked in my direction. "I don't know about you, but Lynden and I have never been to the capital city before-at least not in the very heart of it. We still need a guide."

I nodded. "I haven't been to the capital city in years. I can only imagine how much it's changed since then."

Cameren offered Storm a smile. "Would you still consider it?"

Storm broke into a genuine smile. "I'll be your guide. And I'll do my best to be the best guide there ever was!"

Phina beamed. "That's the spirit!"

Storm nodded his head. "So you're looking for Queen Karmen?"

"First we find the sister," Lynden said. "Then we'll look for Karmen."

"You're okay with that?" Clarity asked with raised brows.

Lynden looked at Clarity. "Karmen can wait. Right now your sister's well-being is more important."

"With all of us looking, I'm sure we'll find her in no time," Phina said reassuringly. "And who knows, maybe while we're searching, we'll run into Karmen along the way."

"Chloe-Jane was taken to the capital to be a seamstress," Corinna explained. "Do you know all the places where a seamstress could end up working?"

"I'll go through my maps with my uncle and find all of the places she could be," Storm declared determinedly. "All of you are welcome to start looking through our stash of weapons," he added over his shoulder before he dashed upstairs.

"Weapons," Corinna said quickly as she turned to me. "That's right-Talon, you said that you'd help train me. When do we start?"

I found myself smiling at Corinna's eagerness. "Let's go look at some weapons now, shall we?" I stood up from my seat, and Corinna followed closely as I opened the door to Andreus's cavern. "When we came down here yesterday, I noticed a door with a sword hanging over it," I explained as I led the way down the steps. "I'm positive that's where the weapons are kept."

Sure enough, a short distance down the staircase, the door made an appearance. I pressed my hand against the wood and the door swung open with ease. Inside was a large stone room. Shelves of different blades lined the room, along with shelves of bows, spears, shields, and other miscellaneous weaponry.

Corinna sucked in a breath. "I've never seen so many weapons in one place before."

"Me neither." I pivoted on my heel as I took in the entirety of the room in all its glory. As an immortal, Andreus must have spent his whole life collecting weapons. I only needed to glance at the collection to know that some of them dated back hundreds of years ago. Not only that, but Andreus had been alive hundreds of years before I had even been born. Who knew how ancient some of these weapons were.

A chunk of the morning was spent setting Corinna up with a set of daggers. When she had finally decided on her weapons, Corinna stared down at the blades in her hands.

"Now that you have your own weapons, what will you do with them?" I asked softly.

"I will use them to defend and protect," Corinna vowed. Determination sparked in her eyes. "I've never liked weapons. But I will take them up if it means I can keep my family safe."

The two of us spent the entire morning in the weapons room running through different motions and exercises.

"It's time for a break," I announced after a while.

"A break?" Corinna stared up at the high ceiling in a daze. "I think I finally got the hang of it, though."

I laughed. "Pushing yourself is good, but pushing yourself too much can lead to injuries. And for someone who doesn't have limitless stamina, you need to take the time to rest and recover."

Corinna looked over at me. "You're a very good teacher." Even though she had braided her hair back from her sweat-slick face, loose curls had still managed to escape. "Something tells me that I'm not your first student."

I sighed as I took a seat on the ground. "I had two students before. If I remember correctly, it was about forty years ago. They were sisters. Twins, actually."

Corinna sat down across from me. "What happened to them?" she asked quietly. From the look in her eyes, I could tell she already knew how the story was going to end.

"We met in one of the smaller towns on the outskirts of the capital city," I recalled. "The girls were young at the time-both of them no older than fifteen. I just happened to be walking by when I saw a group of men trying to abduct them. After I knocked out all of their would-be kidnappers, the girls begged me to teach them how to defend themselves. I agreed. The three of us journeyed together for four years." I found myself smiling wistfully. It had been a while since I had last allowed myself to think of the past. "They didn't care that I was a vampire. They just respected me as both their teacher and an older sister. I taught them everything I knew, and they were fast learners.

"The three of us bought a house close to the capital city. The two sisters took it upon themselves to watch the streets during the day, while I would patrol during the night. They saved and helped countless people. But even with all the good they did, there were quite a few people who felt threatened by the sisters. They didn't like that they couldn't get away with things as easily anymore, so they rallied against them-shortly after, the sisters were accused of being witches and were burned to death in front of the castle for all to see. I was away at the time, but when the news reached me that the sisters were dead, I rushed back to the capital as fast as I could. All that was left of the sisters were their ashes."

I shook my head as I concluded my story. My chest was hollow and empty. If I was still human, I probably would have shed a tear at this point. But I wasn't human. I couldn't cry. I couldn't express my pain properly-couldn't mourn the sisters properly.

Before I could blink, Corinna wrapped me in a tight hug. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

There was something about the embrace that settled all of the emotions gnawing away at me. And for a brief moment, there was warmth.

"You helped those sisters." Corinna pulled away a few moments later. She took my hands in her own and gave them a reassuring squeeze. "Who knows what would have happened to them if their kidnappers had managed to successfully abduct them."

I nodded as I returned Corinna's gentle smile.

Corinna let go of my hands. "I noticed your ears, by the way."

"My ears?" I reached up to tuck my hair behind an ear. Unlike Corinna's rounded ears, mine ended in a delicate point. "All vampires have pointed ears," I explained. "They allow us to hear different frequencies than humans. But that's enough about me for now-let's get you back upstairs to rest."

Upstairs, Corinna's mother and sister were sitting at the table, talking quietly. All the curtains were drawn over the windows, leaving the room to be illuminated by flickering lanterns. Lynden and Phina were sitting on the couch, looking over a large pile of maps. Cameren and Storm sat opposite them on the floor, playing a game of cards. Cameren was smiling faintly as he looked up from his hand of cards. "It looks like it's a tie again."

"Good game!" Storm grinned. He set his cards down before extending a hand for Cameren to shake. Out of everyone, Storm seemed to have connected the most with Corinna's brother. Maybe it was because Storm liked to talk, and Cameren, being the big brother he was, was willing-and had enough patience-to indulge him.

"Corinna." Cameren waved his sister over when he noticed the two of us had entered the room. Corinna hurried over to take a seat beside her brother, and Storm eagerly shuffled the cards for a new round.

I took a seat on the floor in front of the couch before picking up one of the maps from the pile. I scanned the paper and frowned slightly when I noticed how outdated it was.

Phina reached for another map. "All of these are at least over a hundred years old. Who knows if some of these buildings are still around."

As I looked through the maps, Corinna and Cameren eventually migrated to join Meyrah and Clarity at the dining room table. Storm brought out more porridge for lunch, and I found myself listening in on their conversation.

"Mother and I decided that we're going to stay here with Andreus," Cameren explained to Corinna. "As much as we want to help in finding Chloe, we agreed that it would be better if we didn't slow you down. Andreus said that he could help heal my injuries."

"He did?" Corinna asked quickly. My own ears perked up. Could Andreus really heal all of Cameren's injuries?

"Andreus was actually the one who offered," Meyrah added. "We went to visit him with Storm earlier this morning."

"What do you think of Andreus?" Corinna asked lightly.

"I trust him," Cameren said confidently. "If he can really heal me . . . this is an opportunity I can't afford to pass up. While we're here, I bet Andreus also has countless stories to tell about his adventures as an immortal. That's an opportunity I can't pass up either."

"I think that's actually a good idea." Corinna looked from her brother to her mother and then back again. "The journey to the capital city will be a long one, and I'll be reassured knowing that the two of you will be safe and comfortable here. What about you, Clarity? Are you planning to stay here too, or are you coming with us to the capital city?"

"Of course I'm coming along," Clarity said stiffly. "Chloe-Jane is my sister. I'm going to help with getting her back."

Corinna let out a breath. "I'm glad. Chloe would be overjoyed to know that."

When they were done eating, Corinna hurried back over to me, and we returned to the weapon room to continue training. We stopped when it was time for dinner and then returned downstairs for a couple more hours after that.

By the time we decided to call it a night, the moon had risen in the sky outside the living room windows. After Corinna and I bid each other goodnight, I exited the house.

Alone in the night, I tilted my head upward to take in the ocean of stars above the snow-capped mountains. Then closing my eyes, I let my mind wander.

I heard the voice: I can give you the strength you need to take your revenge-I can give you the power you desire.

This time, the Karmen in my mind was more than a pair of glowing red eyes; she was a woman with pale skin and long brown hair. Elegant yet cold. Just as Phina had described.

After opening my eyes, I leaped up into the sky and landed lightly on the roof of the house. The pearly moon hung low. And there were so many stars. Whenever I found myself questioning whether there was beauty left in the world, I'd just have to look up at the night sky and the stars would answer. Always, always, always.

"Lynden," I said without turning around. I had sensed his presence. "What brings you here?"

"Talon," Lynden replied curtly. "I can go wherever I please, can't I?"

I glanced over my shoulder to look at the other vampire. "Since you're here, I have a couple of things I'd like to ask you."

I took Lynden's silence as an indicator for me to continue.

I turned to face him. "What's your relationship with Phina? Do you trust her?"

Lynden paused for a moment before folding his arms over his chest. "Phina and I met while we were working for Karmen. And as a matter of fact, I do trust her."

"What's Phina's story?" I watched Lynden's expression. "For that matter, what's your story? I know what you've done, Lynden. What happened at the Winfielde's estate was your doing. Do you deny it?"

Lynden's expression didn't change. "I don't deny it."

"Then how can I trust you? You slaughtered an entire house of humans."

"You've killed many people yourself in that forest, Talon." Lynden's tone remained unchanged. "I don't need your trust. Why would I want yours when I can't even trust you?"

"Don't trust me, then. But for the sake of Corinna and Clarity, let's be civil until we get their sister back."

"Who are you really, Talon?" Lynden refused to look away. "You seem to already know my story. What's yours?" When I didn't answer, Lynden let out a snort. "Fine. If you're not going to tell me, I won't ask again." There was a rush of wind as Lynden leaped down from the roof and vanished into the night.

Frowning slightly, I turned back to look out over the mountains. I clasped my hands together behind my back as a soft breeze set my long hair dancing.

Who am I? I wondered. Lynden had posed a very good question. But who I was in the past didn't matter now. That girl died the moment she was turned by Karmen.

Who am I now? I was a monster of claws and fangs and darkness.

Karmen. Why did Karmen turn Lynden and Phina? I asked myself. What did the two vampires mean to her? Why did she turn me? In all of these years, Karmen was rumored to have only turned ten vampires. But I didn't know what to believe at this point. I hadn't met any other vampires turned by the queen herself until stumbling across Lynden and Phina.

✦ ✦ ✦

"What are you going to be teaching me today?" Corinna asked eagerly.

I took a seat on the smooth floor of the weapon room. Corinna followed my lead and winced slightly as she sat down.

"Sore?"

Corinna nodded but flashed me a smile all the same. "It's not that bad. I want to learn as much as I can as fast as I can. I don't want to keep Chloe-Jane waiting if I can help it."

I picked up a nearby weapon. "How about we start with learning how to use a dagger, then?"

The two of us spent a good hour going through the motions over and over before working on different exercises. We took a break when lunchtime rolled around and joined Corinna's family and Storm upstairs.

"Good news," Storm announced as we gathered around the table. "We were able to pinpoint all of the locations where Chloe-Jane might be."

Corinna let out a breath. "That's wonderful."

"We'll find your sister in no time," Storm said confidently. "When we get to the city, I'll find us a current map and add any new shops to our list of locations. If we split up in the capital, we can cover all of the locations in a little less than a month."

"A month?" Clarity asked incredulously. "Is the capital city really that big?"

"Of course it is," Storm replied, frowning. "Look, I'm doing the best I can."

Corinna shook her head. "This is great news. I don't know how to thank you enough. When do we leave?"

"Tomorrow morning," Storm answered. "We'll leave tomorrow morning. My uncle has been helping me get ready."

Phina jumped to her feet. "Lynden and I will go collect more plants that we can make into medicines later," she declared. "You never know if someone will get hurt."

Lynden nodded in silent agreement.

Suddenly, Clarity surprised everyone in the room. "Can I come along?" she asked.

Phina blinked before her expression melted into a smile. "Of course!"

Clarity got to her feet and brushed invisible specks of dust from her skirts. "My brother was suffering right in front of me for so long and there wasn't anything I could do. I just felt so useless. If I knew about medicine, I could have helped my brother out myself. I want to be able to help."

"Lynden and I can teach you what we know about medicine," Phina said excitedly. "I think the knowledge will be more useful to you than us vampires."

I watched as the three of them left the house. The afternoon sky was dark, with gray clouds streaking through it. Another storm was approaching, and all I could do was hope that things would clear up before our descent down the mountain.

After lunch, Corinna and I returned to the weapon room. We spent the rest of the day there before climbing back up the stairs for a late dinner. At that point, Corinna's family had already gone to bed, and Lynden and Phina were somewhere outside, keeping watch over the silent mountains.

Corinna turned to me after she had finished washing her bowl in the kitchen. "I guess this is where we say goodnight."

I nodded. "You did a good job today."

Corinna beamed. "Goodnight, Talon."

"Goodnight, Corinna." I watched her climb the stairs to the second floor and vanish around the corner. Once she was gone, I stood up from the table. I slowly unbraided my hair as I gazed out the window at the night beyond.

"Talon." Storm's voice called. "My uncle wants to speak with you alone."

"He does?" I asked mildly. I looked over my shoulder at the dark-haired boy.

Storm nodded. "I'm not completely sure what it's about, but I think he wants to give you some useful information."

I sighed. "Let's see what Andreus has to say, then."

Chapter Nine

I awoke the next morning to a flood of sunlight pouring in through the window. And ever so slowly, I sat up from where I had been lying on the floor. It looked like the storm had blown over after all. My stiff back whined as I climbed to my feet, and I winced.

Clarity was already awake. She was standing next to the window as she gazed out over the mountains. Quietly, so as to not wake Mother and Cameren, I tiptoed over to admire the view as well. The sky was a clear blue with long streaks of white clouds carefully brushed onto the surface. "We're going to get Chloe-Jane back," I said quietly. "I believe we can do it."

"And what if we don't find her?" Clarity gave me a sideways glance. "Then what?"

"Then we keep trying."

Clarity turned back to the window. "Why are you so confident?"

"I have to have enough confidence for the both of us, don't I? You've just got to believe."

"What has believing ever got us? Even if we do find Chloe, what do we do then? Where do we go? It will be tricky to stay in this kingdom."

I stared out over the horizon. "We'll go somewhere far away. You, me, Chloe-Jane, Cameren, and Mother. We could go to the southern continent, but we've been cut off from the language and culture for far too long . . . We'll think of something."

"And what about the vampires?"

I blinked. "What about them?"

"Once we get Chloe back, will you really be okay parting ways with them just like that?"

I let out a soft sigh. It wasn't something I wanted to think about right now.

Clarity met my gaze. "I'm just asking because even if I personally can't stand them, I've noticed that you seem to be enjoying their company."

I averted my eyes. My sister noticed everything. I could never seem to hide anything from her.

"Clarity, Corinna," Mother called out to us. We turned to find her and Cameren watching us from the bed. "Have the two of you eaten breakfast yet?"

"Not yet." I quickly shook my head. "We were waiting for you and Cameren to wake up."

Clarity inclined her head in Mother's direction. "We're leaving after breakfast."

"Corinna." Mother smiled at me tiredly. "Come here."

I walked over to Mother and looked down at her expectantly. Mother stood up and gently placed her hands on my shoulders. She turned me around so that my back was to her, and I held still as she skillfully braided my hair away from my face.

When she finished, she turned me back around to face her. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of sadness and joy as she gazed at me. "That's my beautiful little girl. If only your father could see you now. You've grown up so fast. And look at your sister-she's already an adult!"

Clarity flashed Mother a rare smile. The usual hard lines of her face were briefly softened. I found myself smiling faintly as well. Mother was the only person Clarity ever smiled for-not me, not Cameren. As a matter of fact, she didn't even smile for Chloe-Jane. But that was fine. That was just how Clarity was. If she couldn't find anything to smile about, she wouldn't go out of her way to fake it. She was harsh at times, but her harsh nature was usually balanced by Chloe-Jane's carefree personality. Now that Chloe-Jane wasn't here, something felt unbalanced.

"Corinna isn't a little girl anymore," Cameren said as he grinned at me. "She's a young woman now. It's crazy how time flies. Let's go get some breakfast now, shall we? Even after stuffing myself last night at dinner, I'm already hungry again."

I smiled at my older brother. It had been a while since I had seen him so content. He was hopeful too, I realized. Now that Andreus had presented him with the possibility of healing his injuries, Cameren's own hope had rekindled.

Mother and I each took one of Cameren's arms and helped him to his feet. We helped my brother down the stairs and onto the chair next to Storm at the dining room table. Lynden, Phina, and Talon were sitting on the couch, and each of them was dressed head to toe in heavy fabric as they talked in lowered voices. When Talon noticed me, she turned and waved. "Good morning, Corinna."

I smiled and waved back. "Good morning."

"I was just telling Lynden and Phina how I was talking with Andreus last night," Talon informed me as she stood up from the couch. "Apparently Andreus has a house that he keeps for friends on the east side of the capital city that we can stay in."

"What friends?" Lynden turned to Talon with raised brows. "He keeps a house for friends but sits around in a cave all day?"

"My uncle says it's for the friends he hasn't met yet," Storm said as he gave Lynden a look. "I've only been to the house a few times before, but I know the way. We'll be taking the main road to the capital. On foot, the journey takes over a week. Lucky for you, though, I know where we can rent a wagon and horses. I've got all of the weapons, food, and other supplies we need for our trip there." Storm pointed at a large crate next to the door.

"Is that much stuff really necessary?" Clarity asked as she eyed the crate.

"I said the same thing earlier," Lynden said with a frown. "But he insisted that it was important."

Storm crossed his arms. "It's very important. My uncle and I spent all night putting it together. Uncle found some clothes suitable for the capital city in one of his many storage rooms. If we walk around there as we are now, we'll certainly attract attention. Especially the three of you," Storm said with a nod to the vampires.

It was true; the three of them were wearing so many layers that it looked like they were preparing to walk into the middle of a snowstorm. Each of them wore a hooded cloak and numerous scarves over their faces.

Phina placed her hands on her hips. "We've got to cover up if we don't want our skin to flake off!"

"How does that work anyway?" Storm raised his brows.

"It's part of our curse," Lynden answered flatly. "Vampires are creatures of the night. We're not allowed to enjoy the sun. The ancient magic prevents us from going out in the day without consequence."

"Oh, that's right," Storm said. Then he turned back to address Clarity and me. "The two of you would look suspicious as well-people from the southern continent are only rarely seen in the capital city, and when they are, they're usually enslaved and trailing their masters around."

Well, he did have a point.

"Let's just focus on finishing eating right now." Storm shook his head, then his expression turned serious. "We want to make good time before night falls."

✦ ✦ ✦

After we finished eating, the six of us bid Andreus, Mother, and Cameren farewell before starting down the mountain. Lynden and Phina took turns carrying Storm's crate of supplies. Neither of them were particularly thrilled about the job. Storm was at the front of the party, talking to himself in a string of seemingly incoherent sentences. I had long given up on trying to understand him and was now trailing him from a good distance.

Talon came up by my side. Her face was completely hidden behind layers of dark scarves. "You could definitely pass for a bandit of some sort," I said lightly.

Talon laughed. "A bandit?"

I nodded as the frosty winter wind bit at my exposed face. "Yes-a mountain bandit that needs to wear as many layers as possible so as to not freeze to death."

Talon looked around at the piles of glistening snow covering every flat surface. "It does get quite cold in the mountains this time of the year."

I pulled my cloak tighter, and my breath puffed out in the frozen air in front of me. "Even though it's not snowing now, today feels like the coldest day yet."

"Look there," Storm called out from the front of the group as we rounded the corner. "You see that all the way in the distance? That's the capital city."

My eyes widened as I gazed out at the horizon. Without the clouds obscuring my view, I could now see for miles and miles. If I looked carefully, I could make out the hundreds upon hundreds of buildings that made up the city. And if I strained my eyes, I could almost make out the turrets and towers of the royal castle.

"We'll be there soon," Talon said quietly. "You won't have to wait much longer."

We spent the first half of the day carefully descending the icy mountain and the second half of the day retracing our steps to the abandoned farmhouse we had previously spent the night in. Along the way, Talon shared her knowledge of daggers and other knives with me. By the time we stopped for the night, I could recite almost everything she told me.

The next day, we arrived in a small town sometime in the late afternoon. Storm made quick work of renting a wagon and two horses. The six of us climbed into the wagon, and the dark-haired boy took the reins.

The journey blurred by in a flash, and the days and nights melted together in a rush of color and sound. Before I knew it, we had arrived at the house. It was midday, and the sun was hidden behind a layer of dark clouds. I stiffly climbed out of the wagon and stared up at the building. The house was located near the edge of the capital. It was about two stories tall with a simple but elegant design. Judging from its appearance, it must have cost a good amount of money.

Storm unlocked the door to the house, and we followed the dark-haired boy over the threshold. The inside of the house was dark, and Storm quickly walked around lighting the lamps. The room was slowly illuminated and I found that we were standing in the middle of an elegant living room.

"Andreus had an old friend help him buy the house completely furnished from its previous owner," Storm explained when he noticed me staring at the expensive furniture. "The owners were leaving the kingdom at the time and would rather sell everything than take it with them."

I shook my head as I snapped myself back to reality. I didn't want to think about how much money it took to purchase the furnishings in this room alone.

Storm opened the wooden crate Phina had just set down and pulled out multiple outfits. "Let's change quickly-we only have so many hours before night falls and the shops close."

Storm handed me one of the outfits. I unfolded the dress and held it out in front of me. Even though it was a maid's dress, it was still fancier than anything I had worn before in my life.

"You can change upstairs," Storm continued distractedly as he sorted through the remaining contents in the crate. "There should be three bedrooms."

Clarity and I headed upstairs together and took one of the rooms. When we had finished changing outfits, Clarity looked down at her dress in distaste. "I'll consider myself lucky if I don't have to be anyone's servant ever again."

I sighed as I braided back my hair. "I know, but we're doing this for Chloe-Jane. Standing out won't end well for any of us. And we've got to be especially careful too. Who knows how many people will try to send us back to the farm."

"Here," Clarity said suddenly before pressing a marble-sized ball into my hand.

"What's this?" I blinked as I examined the tiny sphere. On closer expectation, it was made entirely out of plant fibers all bound together with a single blade of grass.

"Phina has been teaching me about how to use herbs as both medicine and weapons." Clarity's expression was grim as she held my gaze. "If you add water to it, it will create something like a screen of smoke. If you're ever in trouble, hopefully it might give you an opportunity to escape."

"Thank you." I carefully pocketed the sphere. I was both happy and surprised that Clarity had decided to look out for me. "I hope that it won't come down to me having to use it, though. Also, I have this." I lifted my long skirts to show my sister the dagger strapped to my leg. "Well, I hope I won't have to use it either."

"Be careful, Corinna," Clarity said stiffly.

I nodded. "You too."

We returned back downstairs to find everyone waiting for us in their own change of clothing.

"Good," Storm said as he looked over at Clarity and me. "We're all here."

"Where did your uncle get these outfits?" Talon spoke up. The vampire was dressed in a coal-colored gown complete with matching gloves and a veiled hat that masked her blood-colored eyes. She had cut her hair as well; the inky strands were twisted into an elegant knot at the back of her head. Her lips were painted a deep shade of red, a striking contrast to her porcelain skin. She was a noblewoman through and through.

"My uncle likes to collect things like the latest weapons and clothes." Storm picked at the lace on his own outfit. "He has me buy them and then proceeds to hoard them in his cave. He's a dragon after all. Dragons like sparkly things. Anyway, my point is that if we didn't use the clothes, I'm not sure anyone ever would."

Lynden frowned. "We should get a move on." He, too, was dressed in the outfit of a noble. Phina, on the other hand, was wearing the same maid dress as Clarity and me.

Storm handed each of us a map and a scrap of paper with a list of shop names scrawled onto it in neat print. "We'll try to cover these today. If we move quickly, each of us can hit two or three per hour. Got it? Okay, let's go."

We exited the house in pairs. Storm and Clarity went first and took our two horses with them. Lynden and Phina followed five minutes later, and finally Talon and I another five minutes after that.

The two of us walked down the street in silence. The only sound that cut through the still air was the tapping of Talon's high heels on the cobblestone path.

"Where is everyone?" I asked quietly, slightly alarmed by the eerie quiet.

Talon looked around at the buildings, and her dark veil swished with the movement. "This area appears to be residential only. I assume everyone is either indoors because of the weather or at work."

A silence fell between us again, and at least ten minutes had passed before I mustered the courage to break it. "You didn't finish the story you were telling Phina and me on the ride to the city. I really would like to hear the ending."

As we walked further into the city, Talon resumed the story of how she thought she had a close encounter with Queen Karmen. The streets gradually became busier and busier, and the buildings began to press closer together as the sound of chatter filled the air.

"And that was when I discovered that the entire ball was a setup," Talon was saying as her heels tapped over the stones. "It turned out the whole thing had been a trap all along. Someone had tipped off the knights that a vampire was going to be there. I had heard that Queen Karmen was going to be there, but it turned out that wasn't the case."

"Why do so many vampires want to see Karmen dethroned?"

"Apart from the fact that she's a female, she doesn't allow vampires to turn humans into vampires," Talon explained. "If a vampire does decide to turn a human, she'll hunt both vampires down and put an end to them."

"Do you think she's worried that too many vampires will pose a threat to her?"

Talon frowned slightly. "I can't tell for sure. Karmen is known for being unpredictable."

"If you don't mind me asking," I asked mildly, "what does it feel like when you're transforming into a vampire?"

"When Karmen turned me, it felt like I was dying. It's like the very structure of your being is being rearranged as you burn from the inside out. Then when it's over, your human body has died while your mind continues to function as if nothing changed. Some vampires can't accept the fact that they're no longer living and go insane."

My voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm so sorry."

Talon absently opened the lace fan she was holding and fanned herself lightly. "Don't be-I was dying even before I accepted Karmen's offer."

I arched a brow as I waited for her to go on.

Talon just shook her head. "Oh look-we've arrived."

I blinked as I looked up at the building in front of us. I hadn't even noticed that we had reached our first destination.

"Ready?" Talon asked.

"Of course."

Talon stepped forward and picked up her lacey skirts as she climbed the single step to the door. The tinkling of a bell sounded as the door swung open. I quickly scanned the room. The shop was fairly large, and racks of dresses lined the walls, forming neat aisles down the length of the room.

"Welcome," a man's voice called from the corner of the room. Its owner was hidden away behind the lines of clothes. "What can I help you with today?"

Talon strode over to the source of the voice. "I'm looking for a dress."

"I have plenty of dresses here," the man at the counter said proudly as he finally came into view. He was middle-aged, slightly balding, with straw-colored hair and one of the thickest mustaches I had ever seen.

Talon angled her head to the side as she gazed down her nose at the clerk. "I'm not just looking for just any dress. I want the best-the most expensive dress-you have to offer."

The clerk eyed Talon up and down. Finally the clerk nodded to himself, liking what he was seeing. "Of course, of course! Anything for a lovely young lady like yourself."

Talon pulled out a large pouch of coins from her embroidered handbag. "How much for a custom gown?"

"Fifty gold pieces." The clerk's gaze went immediately to the pouch, as if he could see all the money inside of it.

Talon returned the coin pouch to her handbag. "I'd like to take a look at your seamstresses first. After all, I'll only settle for the absolute best. Show my maid to the back room, will you?"

The clerk blinked back to reality, and his head snapped up to look at me as if he had suddenly realized that I was present too. He didn't even bother to hide his distaste. "Of course," he said, then he turned on his heel and pushed open the door behind the counter. "Follow me, girl."

I quickly hurried after the clerk and cautiously peered around the door before stepping into the room beyond. The room was large, with tables, chairs, and mannequins filling every empty space. Racks upon racks of cloth lined the walls, and there wasn't a single window in sight. My eyes widened as I took in all of the girls crowded around the tables, busily sewing away. All of them were dark-skinned like me, and not one of them had looked up from their work when the door swung open.

"Knock on the door when you're done," the clerk said blandly before leaving me on my own.

I took a deep breath. Ten, twenty, thirty. There were thirty girls here. And all of them were younger than me. "Excuse me." I slowly walked over to the closest girl so as not to startle her. "Do you know if there's someone named Chloe-Jane working here?"

"Chole-Jane," the girl echoed quietly. Her head was bent as she refused to meet my gaze. "No, there's no one here with that name."

I nodded. It wasn't likely that we would find my sister in the first shop we checked anyway. "Thank you."

The girl just bowed her head. My heart tightened in my chest as I scanned the crowded space one last time before forcing myself to make my way back to the door. If I had the power and ability, I would help get all of these girls out of here. Even if Talon took the shop owner out of the equation, there was no way to guarantee the girls' safety once they were out on the streets. Later, I vowed. Once Chloe-Jane was back at my side, I'd come back for the rest of them.

I rapped on the wooden door. The clerk opened it a few seconds later, and I looked past him to Talon, who was waiting expectantly on the other side of the counter. Her eyes met mine immediately from behind her veil. There was a silent question written on her face.

I shook my head. This was not the right place.

"Well?" the salesclerk asked impatiently.

"It seems as if this is not the right place." The corners of Talon's red-painted lips curled into a smile. "Good day."

"Hey!" the clerk sputtered as Talon glided out the door with me close at her heels. "Wait!" As the door swung shut behind us, I heard the clerk mutter something under his breath that sounded like "good-for-nothing women."

"Are we allowed to just walk out of there?" I asked quizzically.

Talon's eyes sparkled as she hid her smile behind her fan. "I don't see why not. We weren't going to buy anything after all. Where next?"

I pulled out the roll of map I had stuffed into my skirts. I opened the map and pointed to a circled spot. "Here."

Talon leaned over to examine the series of complex lines that made up the city's streets. "That's about a thirty-minute walk from where we are right now."

Talon and I continued on our way. Had we been here in the capital city for another reason, I would have found it amazing. But I could only see it as nothing more than a maze of streets and buildings hiding my younger sister somewhere in its midst.

The second shop we visited was smaller than the first, and when I pushed open the door, a woman's voice greeted us. "Welcome," she called out. Her eyes went immediately to Talon. "What can I get for you today, Lady . . . Lady . . .?"

"Falon," Talon said distractedly as she looked around the room.

The young woman stepped out from behind her counter. "Lady Falon."

"I'm looking for a dress," Talon said. Then she went through the same speech she had presented in the previous shop. Like last time, the clerk led me into the back room, and again none of the young seamstresses had heard of a girl named Chloe-Jane.

The next three shops we went to were the same. By the time we exited the fourth, the sky was beginning to darken. Shops were closing left and right, signaling that it was time for us to head back. I shook my head tiredly. I was finally starting to feel the pain in my feet. I hoped the others had better luck than us.

Talon and I silently retraced our steps back to Andreus's city house. Even though it was late, the streets were brightly lit by high-hanging lamps and even more glass lanterns hanging over every house's door. It had to have been midnight when we finally arrived at the house.

"Welcome back!" Phina exclaimed as we walked inside. The ginger-haired vampire was sitting on the couch, and Lynden was standing a good distance away from her.

"Any luck?" I asked hopefully.

Phina shook her head sadly. "Not today. Storm and Clarity just got back half an hour ago. Both of them are asleep upstairs. Your sister is in the farthest room down the hall."

I just nodded my head, too exhausted to come up with a response.

Talon smiled softly. "You should get some sleep as well."

I didn't need to be told twice before I climbed the stairs, stifling my yawn. "Goodnight, everyone," I called, then made my way through the dark hallway to the last room and quietly pushed open the door. Clarity hadn't bothered to draw the curtains, and the room was illuminated by the moonlight cutting through the dusty air.

My sister was fast asleep on the bed. I stared down at Clarity for a long moment. Her hair was still in its thick braid, and in sleep, her expression was almost peaceful.

I drew the curtains and let the room fall into complete darkness. Finally, I lay down on the carpeted floor on my side before drawing my knees to my chest. The room was surprisingly warm, and a blanket wasn't necessary-it also just so happened that the only blanket in the room was the one Clarity was using. I didn't want to disturb my sister. Clarity was a light sleeper when she allowed herself to fall asleep.

I closed my eyes and let my exhaustion wash over me. As I began to drift off, I found myself thinking about Mother and Cameren-and Chloe-Jane. We had never been apart before. Not until now. So many things were changing that it was becoming more and more difficult to wrap my head around them.

I was scared, I realized-scared of what would happen if I lost them. First Father had been taken away. Now Chloe-Jane. But this time, unlike with Father, we knew about Chloe-Jane's whereabouts. Unlike Father, she was still in this kingdom. And she was still alive. That was more than I could say about Father. I drew my knees to my chest. I missed him so much sometimes that it would hurt.

I would do everything in my power to keep this family together. Cameren and Clarity had lost hope long ago-I could see it in their eyes whenever I looked at them. But back at Andreus's place, their spark had rekindled.

Clarity didn't hold on to hope, but she was always ready to fight for her family-to protect them and keep them alive, if only for one more day. She would sell her mind, body, and soul if it meant we wouldn't hurt anymore.

And Chloe-Jane . . . Chloe-Jane believed in the Immortal One. She believed that if she worked hard enough, the Immortal One would save her and take her to a better place. That's what all the overseers had told us, at least. But if it kept her going, I would gladly let her continue to believe in whatever she wanted.

Tomorrow, I reassured myself. Tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow will be full of new possibilities. Maybe I'll get lucky and find my sister.

Chapter Ten

I was lounging in the living room with my fellow vampires as we waited for the sky outside to darken. I hadn't bothered to change out of my dress-Corinna and I would be back out in a few hours anyway.

I blinked once and allowed my eyes to adjust to the darkness. Lynden and Phina did the same, and their eyes glowed crimson. Phina stood up from the couch a moment later and extinguished the lamps placed around the room. "Talon," Phina said in a low voice, "did you notice that this house has a basement?"

"A basement?"

"Over here," Phina whispered excitedly. She tugged her ginger hair from her braid as she hurried over to the corner of the room. "You should see this too, Lynden. Well, it's not quite a basement. It looks like it could be a cellar of sorts." Phina dropped to her knees and pushed the carpet aside. Her slender fingers closed around a metal handle, and she carefully pulled open the panel of floor, revealing a ladder that descended to a stone room beneath the ground.

"It looks like some kind of wine cellar," Lynden observed as he knelt down as well. "Except there's no wine."

In one graceful movement, Phina hopped into the room and landed silently on her feet. "You're right," she called up. "It's completely empty."

After exchanging a glance with Lynden, I hoisted my skirts and jumped down into the cellar. Lynden followed close behind. The room was roughly three-quarters of the size of the living room above it, and its walls were lined with empty wine racks. I looked around, eyeing the stone space thoughtfully. If we just pushed the wine racks to one side of the room, the cellar would make a great training room. It was spacious with plenty of room for sparring.

"Do you mind if I tell Corinna about this tomorrow?" I asked lightly.

Phina turned to climb back up the ladder. "Not at all. I wonder if everyone in the capital city has a wine cellar in their house. Or maybe only the rich do."

"Think about it," Lynden said as he climbed up after her. "Who has the money to buy an entire cellar's worth of wine?"

"The wealthy," Phina said thoughtfully.

I looked around the wine cellar again before joining my fellow vampires back in the living room. I carefully slid the floor panel back into place, then rolled the carpet back over it.

"I can take the first watch," Lynden offered.

I nodded absently before I tugged off my high heels and set them down next to the door. It had been a while since I last wore expensive clothes. In fact, I tried my best to avoid it whenever I could. It wasn't that I didn't like the clothes-I very much did-rather, I wanted to prevent any old memories from resurfacing. I knew I couldn't hide from myself forever. But I had been able to run for this long. A little longer wouldn't hurt.

I watched Lynden fasten a long cloak over his shoulders before leaving the house without a second glance. Phina returned to the couch and absently swung her legs. Her eyes were blank and glassy as she stared at the wall across the room.

After I pulled my hair free from its knot, I left Phina in the living room and silently made my way up the stairs to the second level of the house. I could sense multiple human presences behind the doors. One presence in the first room, two in the farthest room-Storm, Clarity, and Corinna.

As I made my way down the hall, I almost immediately noticed that the door to the sisters' room hadn't been shut properly. I walked over to close it, but my fingers paused on the handle as I peered through the slim opening. Both women were fast asleep, but my gaze immediately went to the floor where Corinna lay.

I quickly dropped my hand from the door and glided over to the vacant bedroom in the middle of the hall. I knew there had to be an extra blanket here somewhere, and it didn't take me long to find one folded neatly on the floor of the large closet.

I triumphantly made my way back to Corinna's room, blanket in hand, and carefully pushed open the door. Kneeling down, I unfolded the blanket before gently placing it over Corinna's sleeping body. Then with my work complete, I stood up and exited the room. I closed the door as quietly as I could behind me. Sunrise was just a few hours off.

I returned to the living room to find Phina exactly as I had left her: staring blankly at the wall. The ginger-haired vampire didn't even look up when I walked in. Frowning to myself, I sat down at the table on the far side of the room to study the stack of maps. Between Lynden and Phina, I still couldn't decide which vampire I found stranger.

✦ ✦ ✦

Morning came quickly, carrying snowy weather with it. The little white flakes drifted down from the gray sky to dance and twirl outside the windows. Fortunately, the snowfall wasn't heavy.

Corinna, Clarity, and Storm had come downstairs for breakfast, and the three of them were sitting around the dining room table.

Corinna walked over to me after she had dropped off her bowl in the kitchen. "I ran through your training exercises upstairs before I came down to breakfast. I'm ready to head out when you are."

I offered her a smile. "Alright. It's snowing outside right now. You should take one of the cloaks."

Corinna nodded her head. "You should make sure to get one too. Even noblewomen are vulnerable to the cold, after all."

"Of course. I'd be blowing my cover otherwise."

Phina bounced over to me. "Talon, let me help you with your hair."

Before I could even blink, she was standing behind me as she skillfully braided my now knee-length hair into a wreath around my head. I tensed.

The ginger-haired vampire must have noticed my reaction because she giggled. "Relax. I know you still don't trust me, but you really think I'd take this opportunity to kill you?"

"Could you?" I asked as I forced myself to relax.

"Is that an invitation?" Phina continued fixing my hair as if our conversation was no different than talking about the weather.

I kept my head straight. "It's a question."

Phina sighed. "I don't know. If Lynden and I worked together we might be able to take you down. But hear me out; we don't want to kill you. We want to work with you."

"Lynden doesn't trust me," I said lightly. "What about you?"

"Trust in what? That you'll try to kill the two of us when you have the chance? That you'll run away when we find Karmen and leave us to fend for ourselves? That you'll sell us out to the queen? I don't think you're that kind of person. At least, that's not the impression I've gotten from you."

"And what kind of person do you think I am?"

Phina dropped her hands. "I think you're a good person. A much better person than I could ever be. Anyway," Phina said cheerfully, "I finished with your hair." She was smiling brightly, and her face gave nothing away.

Phina, I decided-between Lynden and Phina, the latter was definitely stranger.

I carefully fastened my veiled hat to my hair, and the black gauze fell over my eyes. As Corinna had suggested, I selected one of the cloaks hanging over the stair banister and draped it over my shoulders.

"Hey," Storm called from the table. "Don't forget to bring money with you. We won't be returning here for the next few days, so bring enough for inns and food."

"Inns?" Clarity's head snapped up from where she was sitting next to the dark-haired boy.

Storm folded his arms over his chest. "Yes, inns. We went over this already, remember?"

"I'm not sleeping in the same room as you," Clarity said coldly. "I'd rather partner up with Phina this time around."

Storm choked on his porridge. "What? I wouldn't-"

"Storm," Corinna started. Even though her voice was tired, her tone was firm. "I think you'll have to let it go. Don't take it too personally-it's just that Clarity's gone through her fair share of unpleasantries after all."

"Oh," Storm fell silent as his expression turned solemn. "I-I'm sorry, Clarity."

"Looks like we'll be working together, then," Lynden said to Storm.

Storm grimaced, clearly not thrilled by the new development.

Corinna put a hand on my arm and gently tugged me toward the door. "We'll head out first. The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll find Chloe-Jane."

"Remember our meeting spot!" Phina called after me.

I nodded my head as Corinna pushed the door open. A thin layer of snow coated the cobblestones in a fine powder. Corinna's breath puffed out in front of her as the two of us made our way down the path. It was going to be a long walk. Hopefully we'd be able to pay someone for a carriage ride.

We arrived at the first shop sometime in the afternoon only to find that Corinna's sister was not there either. Now the sun had long dropped from the sky, and the temperatures dropped along with it. I could tell that Corinna was disappointed, but we had to find a place to stop for the night. Even though all the shops had closed, the streets were still full of people. I scanned the crowds through my veil.

Karmen was brilliant; the capital city was the perfect place to hide out. It would be impossible to sense an immortal presence in the midst of all the human ones. The sheer number of humans was overwhelming. But all of these people would hide our presence, too. The queen would never know that we were coming-well, if we could even find her, that is.

"According to the map"-Corinna squinted down at the map she was holding-"there should be an inn right here." She looked up, and I followed her gaze to a large building at the end of the block.

"Perfect." The two of us made our way into the building, and I booked us a room for the night. We were on the second story of the building, and the city lights were a glittering maze outside the small window.

Corinna immediately hurried over to the window and pressed her hands and nose against the glass. "It's so bright!"

I smiled faintly at her reaction as I looked around the room. It was slightly larger than the last inn we had stayed in, and nicer too. More expensive. But that's what was to be expected from the capital city and all its riches.

There was a wooden vanity with a lit glass lantern on the left side of the room, and I took a seat on the stool before unpinning my hat from my hair. The veil fell away, and my crimson eyes stared back at me from the mirror.

I tilted my head to the side and silently watched the vampire in the mirror-the monster in the mirror-copy my every movement.

"Talon?" The sound of Corinna's voice drew me back to reality.

I turned away from the mirror to face her. "Is everything alright?"

Corinna bit her lip. "I was about to ask you the same thing." Then she offered me a smile. "I'm fine. Just a little tired, that's all."

I returned the smile before turning back to the mirror and got to work tugging out the hairpins Phina had placed in my hair. I blinked in surprise as I watched Corinna's reflection make her way toward me. She stopped directly behind me, and I turned in bewilderment.

"May I?" Corinna asked hesitantly.

I nodded my head.

Corinna gently reached up and ever so carefully pulled the pins from my hair. I turned back to the mirror yet again, sitting as still as I could. "Is it weird that I'm a little surprised that you have a reflection?" Corinna met my eyes in the glass. "I heard that vampires aren't supposed to have reflections."

"I don't know who started that silly rumor. Everything visible is going to get reflected."

Corinna's eyes sparkled as she smiled faintly. "I suppose you're right. But I also heard that the reason why vampires can't be reflected is that they don't have souls-which is very ridiculous too because if that was the case, many humans wouldn't have reflections either."

I burst out laughing at that. "And who told you that?"

"One of the overseers back at the farm." Corinna skillfully twisted another pin from my hair. "I didn't believe him for a second. I would have told him that too if I hadn't been so intimidated by the sword at his side." She plucked the last pin from my hair, and my braid tumbled down my back. "Unfortunately, I don't have a comb," she said as she began untangling the messy braid, "but I'll do the best I can."

"I can take it from here," I offered. "You should get some sleep."

Corinna shook her head. "I don't mind. My younger sister used to have me braid her hair late at night, and I've been starting to miss it."

There was a brief pause before I decided to ask a question that had been on my mind for some time now. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened to your sister? Clarity, I mean."

Corinna let out a heavy sigh. "Clarity's had a difficult time. There's not a lot one can do at the farms to get favors from the overseers. But by 'accompanying' an overseer at night, a slave woman can ask him for small things like medicine and bandages, for instance. I've never done it," she added quickly. "But Clarity has multiple times. Originally she had no plan to do so until she was asked by one of the overseers. She had no choice in the matter. Once, an overseer's wife was visiting the farm. When she caught Clarity with her husband, she tried to kill her. Even though Clarity doesn't admit it, my sister's never been the same."

I felt a hot surge of anger bubble through my veins. "No one should have to go through that."

"No one should," Corinna echoed darkly, "but they do. For my sister, I'd personally kill each and every overseer that laid a hand on her. My sister isn't the only one they've hurt. Countless others have suffered because of them."

"Even if you are driven by revenge"-I lifted my eyes to meet her gaze in the mirror-"you shouldn't have to become a murderer because of it. Your hands are still clean. I'm already a monster. Leave the killing part to me."

"You're not a monster."

"I've killed people before, Corinna," I said as I turned to face her.

"I know," Corinna said solemnly. "But I can see the pain in your eyes. Do you ever regret it?"

I held her gaze. "Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don't. But it haunts me."

There was a silence as Corinna gently turned my head back to the mirror and neatly finished my braid. Only then did she speak again. "Even though I want the overseers to suffer-to feel all the pain they've inflicted-I won't let that control my life." Corinna finally dropped her hands. Her voice was tired. "It's complicated. Even though I despise them for what they've done, I also believe in second chances. If I were ever in a situation where it was up to me to decide whether to let them live or die, I don't think I could actually kill them. I think I'd get more satisfaction knowing that they were locked up for life."

I swiveled around to look up at Corinna. "That's what makes you different from them. Good people shouldn't have to do bad things. Because once you kill someone, there's no going back. Your hands will be stained with their blood forever."

"The night we first met, you killed those two overseers."

"I did," I said simply. "It's true that I didn't have to end their lives. I'm not trying to make excuses for what I did, but if I had left them alive, who is to say that they wouldn't try to do the same thing that they were planning to do to me to someone else?"

Corinna sighed softly. "It is complicated. I just wish things didn't have to be this way. Why does there have to be so much hate and pain and death?"

I dropped my gaze. "When it comes to power and absolute control, people stop seeing their fellow human beings as humans. Instead they view them as obstacles-or view them as puppets ready to manipulate into doing their bidding."

Corinna's skin glowed gold in the light from the lantern. "I think that's the harsh reality. In such a world, have the humans become the monsters?"

"The monster isn't always the one with the claws and fangs," I said darkly. Then I let out a sigh. "I hope I can find Karmen soon."

"Karmen?"

I lifted my head. "I'll finally be able to get some closure after all these years. She can end what she started. I want to be able to feel what it's like to be human one last time before I leave this world for good. And isn't death the most human thing?"

Corinna shook her head firmly. "No. The most human thing is to live."

Live. The word rang through the fog in my mind. Live, live, live.

"Would you like to sit?" I stood up from the stool and hastily straightened my skirts. "It would only be fair if I helped you with your braid as well."

"I'm afraid we'll have to save that for another time. I think I should get to bed."

"That's probably for the best. I've got to meet Lynden and Phina soon anyway." I picked up my cloak from where I had dropped it by the door and fastened the heavy fabric over my shoulders. "I'll be gone for an hour at most."

"Wait," Corinna called as I placed my hand on the door. I turned around with silent, questioning eyes. "The blanket last night . . . was that you?"

I nodded. "Did I wake you?"

"No, no." Corinna shook her head. A smile played on her face. "It makes me feel, well, it makes me feel happy."

I found myself smiling too. "I'm glad."

"Goodnight, then."

"Goodnight, Corinna." I pushed open the door and glanced back over my shoulder before gently closing it behind me. Standing alone in the quiet hallway, I pressed my hands to my face. I was smiling.

After shaking my head rapidly in an attempt to center myself, I forced myself to walk to the end of the hallway. I lingered there for a moment. My attention was caught by the snippets of conversations floating out from behind the closed doors. After meeting Lynden and Phina, there was one more stop I would need to make.

I carefully opened the window. The wind rushed in, and snow caught in my hair as I quickly stepped out onto the window ledge. In one swift motion, I leaped up soundlessly onto the roof of the building. I looked down at the city lights spreading out for miles before me. This was the capital city. In the distance, the turrets of the royal castle cut through the night. Each glowing window was a prick of light the size of a candle flame.

I sprung from where I stood and landed nimbly on the neighboring rooftop. I moved quickly, bounding from building to building. I was faster than the wind, faster than the night. The humans wouldn't notice me. To them, I was no more than a blur-a smudge against the midnight sky.

As I flew across the city, the lights and sounds and colors passed me by at an almost dizzying pace. At last, I gracefully jumped down from the rooftops and landed in the middle of a dark alley.

"Talon," Phina said excitedly as I faced my companions. The two of them seemed to have been in the middle of a quiet conversation before I joined them.

"Greetings," Lynden said stiffly. The two vampires stood side by side with their blood-colored irises glowing. Phina was wearing one of the extra noblewoman dresses, and her ginger hair was in an elegant half-up, half-down style. I almost didn't recognize her.

I dipped my head in acknowledgment. "Any luck?"

Phina's face fell as she wrung her hands together. "No. There doesn't seem to be a Chloe-Jane anywhere."

"We're going to keep looking." Lynden's tone was determined. "Who knows? Maybe the next shop we check will be the one."

I arched a brow. "You sound oddly optimistic. Or are you just happy to get away from Storm?"

Lynden frowned but remained silent.

"We'll meet here again tomorrow night," Phina said. "Best of luck to both of you."

"Likewise," Lynden replied. He vanished into the night with a rush of wind. Phina flashed me a sympathetic smile before disappearing.

I wasn't sure what I had expected, but either way it looked like we had another long day ahead of us.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Welcome, welcome." The salesclerk waved us over from behind the counter of his shop. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

I glanced around the shop, pretending to take interest in the dresses hanging on the walls. Finally I flicked open my fan and stared down my nose at the clerk. "I'd like to take a look at your seamstresses."

"My seamstresses?" the clerk repeated, taken aback.

I exchanged a glance with Corinna. She inclined her head slightly, ready to search the back room for her sister.

"If that's what you want, milady"-the clerk bowed-"your wish is my command."

"My maid can-" I started, but the clerk cut me off.

"Girls," the clerk hollered into the back room annoyedly. "Get out here! All of you!"

Ten young girls filed out of the room. All of them had sunken heads and averted eyes.

The clerk folded his arms over his chest. "Take your time. I've got some work to attend to in the back." I watched as he shuffled off into the back room.

"Well that was-" I began, but when I turned to Corinna I found her staring at one of the young seamstresses in disbelief. I followed her gaze to the girl, who couldn't have been older than ten.

I quickly put the pieces together in my head. "Is she the medicine girl you used to visit?" I asked quietly.

Corinna's eyes were wide as she nodded. Slowly Corinna made her way over to the girl and crouched down in front of her. I stood back and watched the girl slowly look up at Corinna. She blinked.

Corinna, the girl mouthed.

Corinna nodded, still in a state of disbelief. The girl glanced over at me before turning back to Corinna. "She's a friend." Corinna's voice was a breathy whisper. "We're looking for my sister."

"Chloe-Jane," the girl said.

"Yes." Corinna nodded vigorously. "Does she also work here? Do you know anything about what happened to her?"

The medicine girl averted her gaze. "Chloe-Jane is here in the capital city, but she's not working as a seamstress." Corinna sucked in a breath as the medicine girl continued, "At first we were working together here at this very shop. The very next day, the king showed up."

"The king?"

"The king." The medicine girl nodded. "He came in with his knights and took her away."

Panic flashed across Corinna's face. "The king took her away? Where is she now?"

"She's at the castle." The medicine girl slowly looked up to meet Corinna's frantic gaze. "Haven't you heard? The king married Chloe-Jane just a few days ago. She's our queen now."

Chapter Eleven

"No." I shook my head as a dull ringing clouded my thoughts. Chloe-Jane married the king?

The medicine girl wrung her hands together. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true."

"What was the king thinking?" My voice came out as a breathy whisper. People of high status wouldn't even think about mingling with slaves. "He married a slave girl. A slave."

The medicine girl frowned. "I don't know what the king was thinking. But with that aside, do keep in mind that he was the one who ordered us to work as seamstresses here in the capital. He was the one who wanted to separate our families. If you want to see your sister, you're going to have to be very careful."

I turned to look at Talon. I was still trying to process the new information. The vampire looked just as surprised as I felt, and her eyes were wide behind the veil.

"You seem to be traveling with an interesting companion," the medicine girl said quietly. "You've got to be very careful or someone's going to end up seriously injured."

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. And once I get my sister back, I'm going to help all of you as well." I wasn't sure who I was trying to reassure more-the medicine girl or myself.

The medicine girl held my gaze. "I wouldn't make such a promise if I were you. Besides, once you get your sister, you're going to want to take your family and go somewhere very far away."

The medicine girl was right. My family and I would be in danger if-when-we got Chloe-Jane out of the castle. But if we ran . . . running away would only help my family to be safe. Maybe my family and I could live freely, but could I really be happy knowing that others were still suffering with their own families torn apart?

"Running away is always an option," I admitted. "But is it right? I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I left all of you here at the mercy of the king. No one's going to get left behind. If I'm going to leave this kingdom, I'm going to take everyone with me. There must be a way."

The corners of the medicine girl's mouth curled upward into a small smile. "Most of us gave up years ago. But your spark hasn't died."

The door to the backroom flew open as the salesclerk reemerged. "Well? Is there anyone in particular that you have your eyes on?"

"No," Talon said. She had replaced her surprised look with a mask of cool boredom. "We'll be on our way."

"Hey!" The clerk protested as Talon turned on her heel. "You're not going to buy anything?" As the clerk continued to call after her, I slowly climbed to my feet and bowed my head to the medicine girl. She returned the gesture. I was reluctant to leave her here in the shop, but I forced myself to hurry after Talon.

My head was spinning from my new knowledge. If Chloe-Jane had been in one of the shops, it would have been easy to sneak her out under the cover of night-getting her out of the castle was a completely different story. The castle was said to be the most secure place in the entire kingdom, with hundreds upon hundreds of knights guarding every entrance.

Talon and I sat across from each other in silence. She was able to pay a carriage driver to take us all the way back to Andreus's city house, and now all I could do was stare blankly out the window and watch the rows of buildings roll by.

"Think about it this way," Talon finally said. "At least now we know Chloe-Jane's exact location."

"We know that she's in the most protected place in the kingdom." I turned to Talon as I pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to ward off a headache.

"Just because it's a secure place doesn't mean that we can't break into it." Talon's eyes sparkled reassuringly as if she could sense my helplessness. "We'll come up with a plan."

"You'll help me?"

Talon nodded. "We've gotten this far. We're going to get your sister back."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in. "Thank you."

Talon's smile faded. "There is one problem, though. What if Chloe-Jane doesn't want to be saved? What if she likes being the queen?"

I shook my head. "Chloe isn't like that-she's never thought about being a person with power before in her life. She has a carefree personality. She loves to run and laugh and smile. Royal life will suffocate her. But now that Chloe-Jane is queen," I continued slowly, "what kind of power does she hold? If she wanted to, would she be able to set all of those enslaved free?"

Talon let out a soft sigh. "If it were just her ruling the kingdom, she'd be able to do it in a heartbeat. Right now, she's still second to the king. He can easily dismiss any of her proclamations if he doesn't like them."

I felt my lips tug into a frown. Would it be better to leave Chloe in the castle? As queen, she'd get all the food and clothes she could ever ask for . . . No-she might be well off, but she wouldn't be happy. I know my sister well enough to determine that much.

"Why Chloe-Jane?" My voice broke as I finally put that thought into words. "Of all the people the king could have married, why did it have to be my sister?"

Talon squeezed my hands reassuringly. "Your sister is going to be alright. As the king's wife, no one can lay a hand on her."

"No one except for the king himself." I dropped my gaze. Even though Talon's hands were neither warm nor cold, something about her touch made me believe that everything was going to be okay. "We don't know what kind of person the king is yet. He separates families and forces the slaves to work harder than ever in fear of punishment. And yet he still decides to marry a slave girl."

"I heard that the first thing the new king did when he took over from his father was call for a stop to the war on the southern continent," Talon said slowly. "They have been fighting a pointless battle for years, and thousands on both sides have died. Those who didn't perish are going to return to the kingdom within the next couple of months."

"The king put a stop to the war?" I looked up in surprise. "Where did you hear this?"

Talon held my gaze. "Last night. I overheard someone talking about it at the inn, so of course I had to confirm it for myself after I met up with Lynden and Phina."

I shook my head in bewilderment. "What was the war even about?" My father had been sent away all those years ago to fight in the name of the kingdom-to fight against the very people he had been stolen away from. "Both my father and brother had no choice but to go serve. Even when my brother returned, he had no clue what the fight had been about. I remember hearing it started due to arguments about trading, but I don't buy it."

Talon sighed again as she released my hands. "It's not common knowledge to the public, but the war was about conquering the southern continent. The former king was hellbent on taking the territory for himself."

"So the new king"-I furrowed my brow as I tried to piece everything together-"he's putting a stop to what his father started? Is that why he chose to marry Chloe? Because he wants to improve the kingdom's relationship with the southern continent?"

Talon leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms over her chest. "It's hard to say. I'd like to think that's the case, but his orders for the farms contradict that statement, don't you think?"

I nodded. "If he wants to improve his relationship with the people of the southern continent, he's not doing a good job. Instead of freeing the slaves-all of us being people from the southern continent-he had us work even harder than ever."

Talon's frown deepened. "Not everyone knows that, though. In the eyes of the kingdom's citizens, it looks like he's doing good by putting a stop to the war."

"All I can do now is hope that he doesn't do anything to Chloe-Jane." I closed my eyes for a brief moment.

There was a long moment of silence until Talon spoke. "We'll be back at the house soon. Tonight, I'll go let the others know that they can return to the house, and we can figure out what the best course of action will be from there."

I exhaled through my nose before turning to look out the window. Chloe-Jane, please be alright.

✦ ✦ ✦

We arrived at the house a couple of hours before sunset. In an attempt to distract myself from the problem at hand, I headed down to the basement to practice swords with Talon. As our blades clashed together again and again, I found myself wondering through my daze whether the neighbors could hear the metallic ruckus.

After calling it a day, Talon and I returned to the living room. And to my surprise, the vampire offered to let me try on her high heels in another attempt to take my mind off everything we had discovered about my younger sister's situation.

But just ten minutes later, Talon and I sat next to each other on the living room couch with the high heels discarded on the floor a good distance away. I had examined my feet to find that the back of my ankles had become red and tender. I gingerly touched the raw skin and hissed quietly as pain blossomed from underneath my fingertip.

Talon grimaced as she eyed my ankles. "I forgot that could happen. I'm sorry, Corinna."

"Don't be sorry. I'll admit, the heels were actually quite fun." I looked over at the vampire. "On a more serious note, how can I ever repay you for your help?"

Talon just shook her head, smiling softly. "Don't worry about it."

"I'd be dead if it wasn't for you." I held Talon's gaze. "I never would have thought that I'd end up here in the capital city. In fact, I thought I'd work on the farm for my entire life. I honestly didn't think I'd live very long. Maybe I'd reach thirty or forty years, but that was about it. Now that I'm here, I'm finally allowing myself to think about the possibility of a different fate."

Talon turned to gaze across the room, and her eyes grew distant. "Fate is an interesting thing. My fate led me to immortality. But what's the point of living forever? The pain of one lifetime is more than enough."

"If you had someone to share immortality with, wouldn't it be nice to live with that special person forever?"

"That would be nice." There was a distant look in Talon's eyes as she gazed across the room.

"Did you have a special person in your heart at one point or another?" I asked softly. "Do you miss them?"

Sadness flickered across Talon's face. "My parents. The way they were killed still haunts me until this day. Sometimes I wonder what they'd think if they saw their daughter now."

"Did you choose to become a vampire to avenge your parents?"

Talon laced her fingers together on her lap. "Yes and no. When Karmen found me that night, I was dying-bleeding out on the ground. I was scared. I felt so weak. So helpless. When Karmen made her offer, I didn't think twice when I accepted."

I slowly nodded my head in understanding. "You want to know the reason why Karmen showed up that night to spare you from death."

Talon dipped her chin. "Exactly. Why did she choose me? I wasn't the only one on the verge of death. And something tells me that Karmen doesn't just turn anyone into a vampire. I've never wanted to be associated with the queen-ever since she turned me, my existence has felt so wrong."

"Do you know how many vampires Karmen turned-how many vampires are there exactly on the northern continent?"

"No one's quite sure how many vampires the first progenitor turned besides Karmen," Talon explained. "It's rumored that the number is ten, but of course that rumor is questionable. As far as the total number of vampires here, I think it's safe to assume that there were somewhere around five hundred vampires on the northern continent the last time someone tried to count."

"Only five hundred?" I wasn't sure what I had expected, but five hundred seemed like a very small number in the grand scheme of things. "But what about in the southern continent? Are there vampires there too?"

"You won't find any vampires in the southern continent-there's too much sun there."

"Did you ever consider the possibility that Karmen could have decided to hide there?" I questioned.

Talon slumped down in her seat. "I definitely considered it. After all those years of searching for her, I was beginning to come to that conclusion. But then I found the body of that vampire in the forest. That was when I realized that Karmen was still here. She probably hadn't even left at all for that matter. It kind of clicked after that-the only place I hadn't searched for the queen was the capital city. I had been avoiding the capital city if I could help it. But it turns out she is probably here after all. Oh, look outside. It's already dark."

I turned in surprise to the window. Talon was right-the curtains were no longer glowing with the light from the fading sun.

"I better go." Talon stood up from the couch, and her long hair cascaded to the floor. "I'll be back before morning."

I nodded silently as Talon fastened her cloak.

Talon turned to face me. "Lynden and Phina will likely return with the others sometime tomorrow afternoon. We'll get your sister back one way or another. I promise."

I stood up as well, and my feet protested as I walked over to meet Talon by the front door. "Be careful out there."

Talon's delicate features softened as her face melted into a smile. "Of course." And with one last glance back at me, Talon pushed open the door and slipped out onto the snow-covered street beyond. I lifted a hand in farewell as I watched the vampire disappear into the night.

Sighing, I gently closed the door. The silence was beginning to press down on me as I wandered aimlessly through the empty house. I found myself in the kitchen a few moments later; the rumbling of my stomach told me that I needed food. After I had found myself something to eat, I made my way up the stairs to the bedroom Clarity and I had shared. I was exhausted-both mentally and physically.

I drew the curtains, then collapsed onto the bed and stared up at the dark ceiling. We now knew Chloe-Jane's exact location. How difficult will it be to break into the castle? I wondered. I didn't know myself, but something told me that between Lynden, Phina, and Talon, at least one of them would be able to figure something out.

If I couldn't break into the castle like the rest of them, maybe I could somehow sneak in. No. What was I even thinking? Breaking into the castle meant that I would become an enemy of the kingdom-an enemy of the king himself. I'd have to take my family and go somewhere very far away.

I let out a dry laugh. I was already an enemy of the kingdom, wasn't I? I had never belonged here. People from the southern continent had been seen as outcasts only to be used from the very beginning. I belong in the place where my mother and father were born-in the southern continent I had yet to see with my own eyes.

But did I? I wasn't born there. Would the people of the southern continent even accept me? I didn't belong here nor there. So if that were the case, where did I belong?

I watched the dust as it lazily swirled through the air, illuminated by the pearly light filtering in through the gap in the curtains. For the first time in a very long time, I felt alone.

There was no Mother or Father here. No Cameren, Clarity, or Chloe-Jane by my side. No Storm, Lynden, Phina, or Talon. I felt my chest tighten, and I flipped over onto my side. I drew my knees to my chest as if they could ease the sharp pang. Then squeezing my eyes shut, I took a deep breath. Even if Mother and Cameren weren't here with me now, they were safe. Clarity was safe too. I trusted that Phina would make sure no harm came to my sister. Chloe-Jane was the only one I needed to worry about right now. My sister's scared face flashed across my mind, followed by the sound of her scream when she pushed me away from the overseer's sword.

I opened my eyes, suddenly no longer tired. I slowly sat up and brushed my fingers over the soft blankets on top of the bed. Compared to the tiny house my family and I had been living in just a handful of weeks ago, this house was a complete luxury.

I walked over to the window, pushed the curtains aside, and let the moonlight spill into the room. I rested my arms on the windowsill and my chin on my arms. And for a while, I just stared out at the silent night sky beyond the icy glass.

They were all out there somewhere. My family. My new allies. Talon.

It was strange to think that even though we were so far apart, we were all under the same sky. I wondered if Father was out there somewhere-if he was somewhere on the southern continent or in the sky itself.

I let out a soft sigh as I watched a lone snowflake spiral past the window, carried on a gust of wind. In a blink of an eye, the snowflake disappeared into the dark. Even though I could no longer see it, I knew it was still dancing. And it would continue to dance-continue to fight-until it was no more.

The snowflake's story is a tragic one. It was only a matter of time before it hit the ground, and then only a matter of time after that before the sun would reduce it to nothing.

The snowflake and I were very similar. But unlike the snowflake, I was not alone.

Chapter Twelve

I landed in the middle of the dimly lit alley in a flurry of snow. The sounds of the bustling city outside floated in from beyond the walls, and I didn't have to wait long before Lynden and Phina appeared. Their faces were hidden in the depths of their hooded cloaks.

"No one seems to know anything about her." Phina pulled back her hood with a worried expression on her face. "None of the shops we checked today have a Chloe-Jane."

Lynden lowered his hood. "No luck here either."

I tugged my hood off too and shook out my long hair. "Well, I have news for the two of you."

"Good news?" Phina asked at the same time Lynden said, "It has to be bad news."

I folded my arms over my chest matter-of-factly. "Chloe-Jane is at the castle. She's the queen now."

"The queen?" Phina blinked as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But-but she's fourteen years old, isn't she?"

"What was the king thinking?" Lynden shook his head in disbelief. "The royal family never married anyone who wasn't of high status. Even regular servants were out of the question."

"Something big is going to happen," I said grimly. "Things don't change drastically without a reason behind them. And we need to get Corinna's sister out of harm's way before they do."

"We'll head back to the house first thing in the morning," Phina said faintly. She tugged absently on a strand of her hair. "The poor girl. The royal family is known for despising people they deem as inferior to their noble blood. This new king can't be any different than those who came before him."

Lynden let out a tired sigh. "I agree fully. But what if the new king really does want to change things for the better?"

I leveled Lynden a look. "Do you believe that? It's difficult to say what the king wants. His actions so far have contradicted each other. First he ordered the slaves to work harder than ever, then he decided to stop the war on the southern continent and take a slave girl as his bride."

Lynden frowned. "It doesn't quite add up. But as long as Chloe-Jane is at the castle, she's at the mercy of those around her, even if she is the queen."

"Exactly."

"We could break into the castle," Lynden said slowly. "The three of us could do it."

Phina elbowed Lynden halfheartedly. "Don't you know that the castle has anti-vampire defenses?"

"What kind of anti-vampire defenses?" Lynden arched a brow. "What even are anti-vampire defenses? I've never heard about them before."

Phina sighed. "That I don't know. But I do remember hearing about them adding something of the sort when they did renovations about twenty years ago. I don't know if said measures even work, but we shouldn't take our chances. What we need is a map of the castle, its layout, and where all of the defenses are."

I looked over at Phina. "Now that you're mentioning it, I do remember there being talk about methods to prevent vampires from entering the premises. That would mean that these so-called traps are likely somewhere outside. They wouldn't want vampires to get inside, would they?"

Lynden nodded slowly. "The windows and doors seem like a very likely place for traps. If there is such a thing, our best bet would be to have someone disable them from the inside."

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind one of my delicately pointed ears. "Let's not be too hasty about this. Before we do anything, we'll need to covertly get our hands on a map of the castle. If there really are traps, we'll have to be extra careful. If the king somehow manages to connect us to Corinna and her family-or even Storm for that matter-we'll be putting them in constant danger for the remainder of their lives."

Phina scrunched her freckled nose, deep in thought. "You're right. We should try to learn as much about the new king as we possibly can-hear what the public has to say about him."

"And if we're lucky," Lynden added, "find someone on the inside who can provide us with information."

Suddenly, I felt a shiver run down my spine. Amid all the human presences, I could sense an immortal in our midst-a vampire. And for me to be able to sense them among that many people, they had to be close.

I exchanged a glance with Lynden and Phina. Both of them nodded gravely. They had sensed it too.

Phina's eyes widened as they landed on something-or someone-over my shoulder. "Who's there?"

I whirled around, but whoever had been there was gone. My eyes briefly snagged on the tail of a long back cloak fluttering in the wind.

Lynden narrowed his eyes as he stared at the spot where the figure had vanished. "That was a vampire. There's no doubt about it."

"Did either of you see their face?" I asked as I turned to my companions.

Phina's expression was uncharacteristically serious. "I couldn't see under their hood."

"Could it have been Karmen?" Lynden mused quietly, voicing the exact thing I had been wondering.

"It must be," I said darkly. "What other vampire would be wandering the city?"

"That I can't say for sure." Phina's frown deepened. "But what I do know is that whoever they were, they saw my face and Lynden's face too. I don't think they saw yours, though, Talon."

"Should we chase them?" Lynden asked sharply. "If we go now, we could still catch up with them."

"No," I said tiredly. "If that really was Karmen, we don't want to engage her right now. Chloe-Jane is our top priority at the moment, not the queen of the vampires."

Lynden and Phina nodded.

"I'll take my leave," I said. Then I tugged on my hood, sprung into the air, and landed silently on a snow-covered rooftop.

"Please be careful out there," Phina called after me.

"I'll try to find information on the castle," Lynden added. "We'll make our way back to the house first thing in the morning."

I just nodded down to them, then leaped into the night.

Karmen was here. She was in the capital city. But that didn't come as a surprise; we had all known that coming here. It had to be Karmen, I thought. Because if the vampire who we had seen in the alley wasn't the queen . . .

After landing on another building, I glanced down at the sea of lights flickering and dancing along the streets. Even in the night, the city never saw the dark.

I arrived back at Andreus's house in no time, and I lowered my hood as I perched on the roof. I found myself looking out at the darkness of a familiar forest. It had been years since I had been back there, but I figured a short detour wouldn't hurt.

I soundlessly jumped from the roof, then hurried down the empty street. I traversed the city until the streetlamps disappeared completely, and I found myself taking my first step into the woods. The moon disappeared behind the trees, and I was bathed in complete darkness. I couldn't have been more than a mile away from Andreus's city house, but somehow I felt as if I were in a completely different place.

I slowed to a walk, and my feet moved on their own accord. I could hear the bubbling of water before the small stream even came into view. Something tightened in my chest as I kept moving forward.

Before I could second-guess myself, the house came into view. Sitting on the edge of the large clearing, the little wooden house was exactly as I remembered it. Well, almost exactly as I remembered it-vines had snaked up the sides of the building, and the weeds had completely hidden the front porch steps.

A wistful smile tugged at my lips as I stared at the house. This was once my home with the sisters Miah and Dahlia.

But the sisters were gone now. Out of the three of us, I was the only one still alive. For those seven precious days, I really believed that we would be able to live a peaceful life together.

I closed my eyes as I tucked all my thoughts and emotions into the furthest corner of my mind. It wouldn't do me any good to dwell on them for too long-because if I did, the insanity would start to creep in. I knew that after it sunk its claws into my being, it would rip me apart.

I slowly opened my eyes as a soft breeze sent strands of my hair flying. The moonlight bounced off the small stream running through the clearing, and its light stained the water silver.

In one swift motion, I leaped onto the front porch of the house. I tapped my foot a few times, and when the wood didn't crumble under my weight, I tried stomping. It was solid; the wood was still holding up.

I felt some of the weight lift off my chest. Good.

Next I reached for the door handle, and ever so carefully, I pushed the door open and peered into the familiar room beyond. All the furniture was exactly as I had left it. The house was still fairly empty because we hadn't bought much during our seven days living in it. As I made my way further into the living room, I ran my hand lightly over the back of the couch and then over the glass lamp beside it.

Before I knew it, I found myself facing the back wall of the living room and the doors leading to the two bedrooms beyond. The sisters' room was on the right, and mine was on the left.

I hesitantly placed my hand on the handle of the right door, but my nerves got the better of me, and I pushed open the door to my room instead. A bed sat in the corner of the room, pressed up against the curtain-drawn window.

A vanity sat on the opposite side of the room with its mirrors covered in heavy layers of dust. I walked over to the vanity, dragging the hem of my cloak over the dusty ground as I went. I carefully pulled open the first drawer beneath the wooden surface. Rows of daggers and knives glinted back at me. Their blades were dull and dusty.

I let out a dry laugh as I gently shut the drawer. What did I need so many knives for? The second drawer revealed sticks of charcoal and boxes of powder, and the final drawer was completely empty.

I shook my head as I exited the room. Then finally mustering the courage, I silently opened the second door and stepped into the room beyond. A wave of emotion washed over me at the sight of the sisters' room, and I stilled. All of their belongings were still arranged neatly on the shelves on either side of their wooden dresser. And if I blinked my eyes, I could almost see their smiling faces swim across my vision for a brief moment.

I dropped to my knees.

Happiness is fleeting, Miah once told me. You've got to enjoy what you have whether it lasts for a minute, or a day, or a year.

My sister's right, Dahlia had added. Our lives could end at any moment. So with that in mind, we should spend all of our time together being happy.

I stared unseeingly at the faded carpet. Even though I was completely immune to the cold, I found myself shaking. But whether I was shaking with sorrow or fear or anger, I couldn't tell. Either way, I couldn't stay here for long. I needed to get back to Andreus's house. Corinna was waiting for me.

After slowly climbing to my feet, I backed out of the room and gently shut the door behind me. The sisters were right: happiness is indeed fleeting. The years I spent in the forest after their deaths were not especially happy ones. But now I was traveling again with a new group of individuals-traveling alongside both humans and vampires. Even if I was still wary of the latter, I felt more alive now than I had been in years.

I stepped back into what had been my room and made my way to the vanity again. After pulling open the first drawer, I began sorting through the blades and picking out the ones that could fetch a high price. As I was rummaging among the blades, my fingers brushed up against what felt like a scrap of paper.

I set the daggers aside and carefully picked up the paper. I unfolded the scrap and took a seat on my bed as I smoothed out the crumpled corners. It was a letter.

To our dearest Talon, Dahlia's curly handwriting read. I quickly brushed my hair over my shoulder and began to read:

When you find this note, Miah and I will probably already be gone. We don't want you to blame yourself, Talon. We know that you will, so let us tell you right here and now that it is our decision to return to the capital city. The guards have planted eyes everywhere in the city and are keeping a lookout for us. The message is clear: they want us to stay out of the city. But we will not leave.

While people are still suffering, we cannot turn a blind eye. Staying here in this house would be the easy way out. Fleeing would also be the easy way out. Maybe we would get to live a little longer, but at whose expense? Maybe we would get to experience happiness for a little longer, but who will suffer in our stead? You have trained us to be warriors, and with our blades we will protect and defend those who need us the most.

Maybe it's my fault for falling in love with that boy. Maybe I'm to blame for how he eagerly sold our names and identities to the royal guards. Either way, Miah and I are bound to get arrested or worse sooner than later. That much is inevitable.

They say love makes someone a fool. And fools are destined to meet a tragic end, aren't they? Miah was always the romantic one out of the two of us, not me. I never would have thought that I would end up being the one to have my heart broken.

Miah and I are heading out again tonight. This time, I fear we won't be returning. Do you hear what they call us? Witches. They won't hesitate to take us down. We can't go on like this. You staying around us is just putting yourself at risk. I know you can easily take down dozens of armed men, but can you handle an angry mob of hundreds upon hundreds of people?

My sister and I don't kill people. We never have. Knocking out that many people is an impossible task even for the three of us. These aren't people who will settle for knocking us out. These people won't hesitate to kill us.

Talon, I'm so glad I got to meet you in this short life. You've always been like a sister to Miah and me. We love you dearly, you know. We're sorry for sending you out of the city, but neither of us regret that decision. If we don't end up seeing each other again, promise us one thing: promise us that you'll spend your life being happy. Live, Talon. Live for the three of us.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for everything. Thank you for giving us a chance at life.

Dahlia & Miah

I reread the letter. Once. Twice. Three times.

This letter had been here in my drawer for years.

I clutched the scrap of paper to my chest. My hands and shoulders were shaking. When I had rushed all the way back to the capital city, all that remained of Dahlia and Miah were their ashes. I could still remember the lingering scent of smoke and the even more nauseating smell of burning flesh. In the end, it seemed like I had saved the girls from one miserable fate just to condemn them to another.

After finally setting the letter down on the dusty blankets beside me, I turned to the window and pushed the curtains aside. Silver moonlight streamed into the room as it filtered through the numerous vines spiraling up the glass outside.

I let myself fall backward onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. I had failed the sisters. I had failed myself as well. For the longest time, I had been neither dead nor alive. I had just existed. Existed somewhere in my own dark world of misery and regret-a world gifted to me by the queen of the vampires.

But things were different now. Now I had a purpose. I had been given the chance to unite a family that had been torn apart.

I lifted my hand to my face, and my skin glowed silver in the moonlight. Even after all of these years, I hadn't changed. And at the same time, I was a completely different person.

When I closed my eyes, I could almost picture my homeland with the vibrant grass that seemed to extend forever. I could almost smell the sweetness of the flowers-could almost see Mother's laughing face and radiant smile that made her appear much younger. But her face was blurring in and out of focus. The memories were slowly fading. All of them were.

My name. My name was on Mother's lips, but all I could hear was silence.

What was my name?

I pinched the bridge of my nose, furrowing my brow as I tried to remember. Even though it hadn't been something I used or heard in years, how could I have forgotten such an important part of myself?

After opening my eyes, I slowly sat up and climbed to my feet. I carefully tucked the letter into one of my coat pockets before filling my others with daggers. It was time for me to head back. I silently made my way out of my room, through the living room, and out of the front door. And then with one final glance back over my shoulder at the little house, I leaped into the night.

✦ ✦ ✦

The stars were still glittering in the slowly brightening sky, and I arrived back at Andreus's house in a matter of minutes. I quietly pushed open the door, but then froze with my fingers wrapped around the handle as the scent of blood shoved itself up my nose.

I dropped my cloak, and the metallic thud from all the daggers sounded in my ears as I flew up the stairs. Has something happened to Corinna? In my state of alarm, it was only when I was at the top of the staircase that I realized Corinna's presence was in the backyard and not her bedroom. I spun on my heel and hurried back down the steps. I threw open the door to the yard and skidded to a stop on the wooden deck.

Corinna's hair glowed in the silvery light as she turned to look at me in surprise. She was in the middle of attaching a blanket to one of the clothing lines stretching from fence to fence. Corinna clutched her chest with her free hand. "You startled me."

Relief swept over me. "You're okay."

"Of course I'm okay." Corinna blinked again, clearly bewildered as she went back to hanging up her blanket.

"I smelled blood." I took a seat on the wooden porch with my feet dangling over the tall grass. "In fact, I still smell it on you."

Corinna let out a laugh as she walked over to take a seat next to me. "I was a little confused at first, but then I realized that I had gotten my cycle. Even though this was the first time, I kind of knew what to expect." She spoke with no trace of embarrassment, and her eyes were clear as they watched the moon's slow descent across the sky. "My mother told me that most girls get theirs between the ages of ten and sixteen, but I think my sisters and I were too malnourished on the farm."

"I see." I lifted my head to the stars as well. "I think I first got mine when I was twelve or thirteen. But once I became a vampire, that was the end of it."

Corinna tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I guess that would make sense. Vampires and humans don't reproduce in the same way, after all."

"All a vampire needs to do to turn someone is have that person drink their cursed blood. Vampires are like corpses-and corpses don't menstruate."

"I don't think comparing vampires with corpses is fair." Corinna glanced at me. "The more I think about it, vampires aren't like corpses at all. When it comes down to it, the vampire is still alive in some sense. Corpses, on the other hand, have lost the ability to think for themselves."

I let out a weak laugh. "You're right. Anyway, do you need help finding something to use as a liner?"

"I was able to find some cloth in the washroom. I should be okay for the time being." Then she climbed to her feet. "We should head back inside. Sunrise is only minutes away."

I followed her lead, and the two of us walked into the living room. Corinna shuffled over to where I had dropped my cloak on the floor and bent down to pick it up. A metallic clank sounded as she attempted to lift it.

Corinna stared at the cloak. "What did you put in here?"

"Daggers." I knelt down at her side and emptied the contents of my cloak onto the carpeted floor. "They don't look like much right now, but after I restore them to their former glory, we can sell them for a good price."

"Do I want to ask where they came from?"

"Don't worry." I carefully folded the daggers back into the fabric of my cloak. "They're mine. Do you remember those two sisters I was telling you about back at Andreus's mountain house? The three of us bought a house outside the capital city. I hadn't been back there in years and decided to check it out. I bought these daggers years ago and have little use for them now." As I rolled the daggers tightly up into my cloak, the letter from the sisters fluttered out of one of the pockets.

"What's this?" Corinna asked curiously.

"I found it at the house." I stared down at the letter. My feelings were still a mess. "It was the goodbye letter to me that I never saw until today."

"May I take a look?"

"Go ahead."

Corinna gingerly picked up the letter and unfolded the paper. Her eyes slowly traveled down the page as she silently mouthed the words.

"If you don't mind me asking, where did you learn to read?" I asked. "I know for a fact that the overseers don't take it upon themselves to educate their slaves."

"My mother taught my older siblings and me when we were younger," Corinna recalled. "At the time, she was still working in the master's house. I'm not too sure where or who she learned the alphabet from, but she would come home to us and teach us the letters. I don't think I was older than six or seven at the time, but Clarity and Cameren helped me practice when Mother couldn't be there. Reading is quite easy, actually. Once you know the letters, everything else is phonetic. So even if I'm not sure what a word is, it doesn't take much for me to sound it out."

I sucked in a breath. "Did your mother ever get caught?"

There was a distant look in Corinna's eyes. "Fortunately she never did. She even managed to smuggle out a book for us to look at once-well, granted that she had to smuggle it back into the master's house the following day to avoid anyone noticing that it had gone missing. The punishment for a slave knowing how to read or write is having the fingernails in one's right hand torn off. They'll whip us, beat us, and do other horrible things, but they're hesitant to kill us. Ever since the war started, all shipment of people from the southern continent was halted.

"My mother eventually was kicked out of the master's house and demoted to a field worker-not because they figured out she had learned to read, but rather because she had gotten pregnant, and the master didn't want to take responsibility for the child. Sadly enough, this type of situation is quite common, though. We don't dare to disobey our master's orders for fear of what would become of our family otherwise. Dahlia and Miah," Corinna said as she reached the end of the letter. "I know I've never met them before, but I can tell from their words alone that they truly loved you."

"They were like sisters to me," I whispered. I didn't trust myself to speak as my voice broke. "I just wish I could have had more time with them."

Corinna stood up from the ground before carefully refolding the letter. "Would you tell me about the first time you met them? You could tell me about all the adventures the three of you went on together. You can relive their story. If you feel up to it, that is."

I stared up at Corinna as she offered me a soft smile. "I'd like that, actually."

Corinna offered me a hand, and I took it. I interlaced my fingers with hers as she pulled me to my feet.

"We can get to work polishing up the daggers as we talk," Corinna said as she led me over to the dining room table and took a seat. "How does that sound?"

"I'll go grab what we need."

Five minutes later, the two of us were sitting at the table with all the knives neatly laid out on the wood in front of us. The sun had just risen outside, and the curtains over the windows glowed faintly with the golden light.

I picked up the first dagger and turned it over in my hands. "The story starts many years ago."

Chapter Thirteen

I listened intently as Talon spoke about Dahlia and Miah. Each tale was more fascinating than the one before it, and I found myself completely drawn into the stories. It was only a matter of time before the two of us had all the blades on the table polished to a gleam.

I wasn't sure how long I listened or how long Talon spoke, but it must have been hours because our conversation was cut short by the sound of a knock at the door. I exchanged a glance with Talon. The vampire nodded before she rose from her seat and glided across the room to the door.

"It's Phina," Phina's voice sang from the other side of the wood. "And Clarity."

Talon pushed open the door, and Phina hopped over the threshold with Clarity close at her heels. I let out the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in as I stood up to greet them.

"Is it true?" Clarity demanded immediately as she marched over to me. "Is it true that Chloe-Jane is the queen?"

"Yes," I answered seriously. "I found it hard to believe at first, but it's true."

Clarity's shoulders slumped as she shook her head. "How did this even happen?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," I said tiredly. "You must be exhausted from your trip. I'll go find you something to eat-"

"Don't bother," Clarity said shortly. "I'll go find something myself." And with that, I watched my sister turn and disappear into the kitchen without a second glance. Clarity seemed more irritable than usual, but that was only because she was tired.

"I don't think she slept at all," Phina said quietly as if she could tell what I was thinking. Her expression was sad. "She was too apprehensive of me the entire time we traveled together. Honestly, I think she would have been better off traveling with Storm. At least he's a human."

I sighed. "Don't take it too personally. Clarity isn't exactly the most trusting person."

Phina offered me a tired smile before walking over to take a seat on the vacant couch. She was still dressed in her noblewoman outfit, and I looked on as she kicked off her high heels before absently pulling pins out of her wavy hair.

We didn't have to wait long before Storm and Lynden arrived back at the house too. The former had a look of annoyance on his face, and the latter had an expression of austerity.

"I did some wandering through the city last night," Lynden explained to the quizzical looks cast in his direction. "It seems like Queen Chloe-Jane is the talk of the town. And not in a good way."

"Long story short," Storm cut in, "she's not very popular among the people. They don't think very highly of her at all."

Lynden narrowed his eyes. "They're not happy with the king either. They don't understand how or why he could have married a slave girl. And they've made it clear that they certainly don't want a slave girl as their queen. Do you know what they've been saying about Chloe-Jane?"

"What?" I asked as a feeling of dread slowly seeped in.

"They're calling her a witch," Lynden said grimly. "They're saying that she bewitched the king into marrying her."

"But she did no such thing!" Phina frenziedly jumped up from the couch. She nearly tripped over the shoes she had discarded in her haste. "How sick do they need to be to accuse a little girl of witchcraft?"

Bewitched the king into marrying her? The people of the capital city would go as far as accusing a fourteen-year-old? I turned to look at the dining room table where Clarity sat. My sister's lips were pursed as if she had just eaten something sour. Her back was stiff, and her hands were clenched together on the wood in front of her.

After a long moment of silence, Storm said, "So, are we actually gonna break into the castle?"

"There has to be a better way." Phina wrung her hands together in front of her frilly skirts. "Can't we find a time when Chloe-Jane is outside the castle to take her away?"

"Do the royals here ever leave their castles?" Lynden asked. "The previous queen was said to have never made a single public appearance. Even her funeral was kept private."

"The only time royals leave their castles is to attend events such as meetings and balls," Talon added. "But trying to kidnap Chloe-Jane in front of all of those people will be problematic."

"If I break into the castle," Storm said slowly, his face paling, "I'll become an enemy of the kingdom."

"That's right." Clarity's tone was cold. "You'll no longer be the beloved hero."

Storm crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't need that title anyway. They're just words after all. I want to help reunite your family. You asked me for help and I want to see it through. Besides, if I do become an enemy of the kingdom, I'll just go hide out with my uncle for some time. He can protect me."

"No one said that you need to break into the castle," Lynden said, vaguely amused.

Storm frowned distastefully. "I want to help."

"We'll need people on the outside in case something goes wrong," Lynden continued. "You're more than welcome to take that job."

"Perfect." Storm clapped his hands together. "I reckon I can do that."

Lynden inclined his head. "We'll also need someone to find us an informant. Theoretically they would be someone who knows a lot about the castle and isn't afraid to give us the information."

"I can find a person," Storm said quickly. "I think I know where to look."

"Perfect." Lynden's expression remained the same. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Storm's head snapped up to look at Lynden. "You want me to go right now? But-but we just got back."

"Will you be alright out there by yourself?" Phina asked with large eyes.

"Wha-?" Storm turned to the ginger-haired vampire. "Yes! Of course I'll be fine!" Storm stomped up the stairs and returned minutes later dressed in traveling attire. He muttered angrily under his breath on the way to the door. "I'll find someone by the end of the week," he said. "Just you wait!" And with that, the dark-haired boy marched out of the house and slammed the door shut behind him.

"I know you don't like him, but you could have at least let him rest," I said with a glance in Lynden's direction.

Talon nodded in agreement.

"Do you think he can really find someone?" I asked uncertainly. "I'm not sure how easy it would be to find someone who would willingly spill their knowledge of how to infiltrate the castle."

"Oh, I'm confident he can do it," Phina said brightly. "We wouldn't have given him such a task otherwise." Then Phina turned to look at Talon. "Last night I tried to track down the vampire we saw. I followed their trail to the city square, but then I lost them."

"Vampire?" Clarity asked sharply.

"We saw a vampire last night," Lynden explained. "Whoever they were, they seemed to be spying on us."

My voice dropped to a whisper. "Karmen?"

Phina's expression was serious again as she tugged on a strand of her hair. "We don't know. None of us saw their face. But they saw ours."

Clarity's mouth was a hard line. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No," Talon answered her. "Considering that they ran away when we noticed them, they aren't interested in engaging us. Not right now, at least."

Here was yet another variable that we needed to account for: what did the presence of other vampires in the city mean for us? Would they interfere with the rescue mission? I knew that whoever that vampire was, they couldn't care less about my sister. But would they try to drag Lynden, Phina, and Talon away?

"We're not going anywhere, Corinna," Talon reassured me as she read my expression. "We shouldn't worry too much about that vampire right now. It isn't unheard of for vampires to live in the capital city. Maybe they just sensed our presence and were curious to see what other vampires were doing in the city."

I nodded, but the uncertain feeling remained.

There was a brief pause, then Lynden spoke up. "Now that that's out of the way, it wouldn't hurt to try to get some information about the outside of the castle. We're going to need an escape route after all. And a backup plan in case things don't go as expected. I can go look around. I saw a library earlier on the way back to the house. Maybe there will be something useful there."

"I'll join you!" Phina said energetically.

Lynden sighed as he offered Phina the faintest trace of a smile. "There's no need for that. I want some time to myself."

Phina's face fell. "Alright, then."

"I'll be back before sunset." Lynden turned on his heel and disappeared out the front door.

"What now?" Phina looked from Talon to me, then finally to Clarity.

"We wait," Talon said simply.

Phina wrinkled her freckled nose. "I want to make myself useful as well."

"I have an idea." Talon hurried over to the table where all of our newly polished knives glimmered in the flickering lamplight. "You can sell these for us."

"Okay!" Phina perked up excitedly. Then she hesitated as she gave Talon a suspicious look. "Where did you get so many daggers from?"

Talon flipped one of the daggers over in her hand to examine its blade. "They're mine. I bought them the last time I was here in the capital city. I don't need that many knives."

"If you say so." Phina took the blades from Talon and carefully packed them away into a bag. Shortly after, she was skipping out the door.

"I'm going to bed," Clarity announced once the ginger-haired vampire had vanished.

I watched my sister stand from the table and make her way upstairs, leaving me alone in the living room with Talon. "I guess it's just us again."

Talon set down the dagger she was holding. "I guess so."

"Do you think we could do some training?" I asked. "This time I might be able to keep up with you."

"Are you sure you feel up for it? It won't hurt to take a day off to rest."

"I appreciate the offer, truly," I said, smiling. "But I want to keep doing my part to get stronger."

The corners of Talon's lips tugged upward. "Okay. If you really want to continue training, I won't go easy on you."

I laughed. "I'm counting on it."

✦ ✦ ✦

The sun had just dipped below the horizon when I climbed back up the wine cellar's ladder to the living room, completely spent. Even though I felt like I could collapse at any moment, I was still standing. That itself was definitely an improvement from our past training sessions.

Talon beamed as she extended a hand to help me up the last few rungs of the ladder. "You're getting better!"

I found myself smiling despite my exhaustion as I reached up to take it. "I'm still no match for you."

"Strategy is key." Talon's eyes sparkled knowingly as she pulled me to my feet. "Even if your opponent is stronger than you are, with the right strategy you can still take them down."

"Maybe that's the case with other humans, but I doubt I could ever go up against a vampire-with or without a strategy." Then a knock sounded on the door.

Talon turned at the sound. "It looks like Lynden's back."

The two of us made our way over to the door, and opened it. Lynden stood in the doorway. His face and eyes were hidden in the shadowy depths of his cloak, and a large bag was slung over his shoulder, filled with rectangular shapes.

"Don't tell me that you've got the entire library in there." Talon's tone was that of mild amusement.

"I don't," Lynden said stiffly as he crossed the threshold. He let the bag fall to the floor with a loud thump. "These are all I could find about the castle."

I eyed the bag. "On one hand, I'm surprised that there are so many books about it; if people know too much, wouldn't that make it a target? But then, on the other hand, it is the most important building in the capital city; of course people would want to know about the place the royal family resides."

"I'm sure they left out anything that could be used against them," Lynden said flatly as he folded up his cloak and placed it on the floor next to the door. "They won't say anything that would make them look bad either."

"I would be surprised if that wasn't the case." Talon flipped her braid over her shoulder. "How long will it take us to get through that many books?"

Lynden frowned. "Between you, Phina, and me, maybe three or four days if we don't take any breaks."

Three or four days. Things weren't going to happen instantly. They were going to require time and a solid plan. It looked like Chloe-Jane would have to keep holding on for a little longer. I would offer to help read the books, but even though I could read, it took me a while to sound out the words either out loud or in my head. Getting through just one of the books in the bag would probably take me an entire day.

Talon picked up the bag of books as if it weighed no more than a feather. "We might as well get started, then." She opened the bag, pulled out one of the books, and took a seat on the couch.

"I think I'm going to head upstairs," I said. "I'm going to bed."

"Wait," Lynden called as I turned to make my way up the stairs. I turned back around to watch the brown-haired vampire hurry over to the bag and pull out a stack of books. "Bring these up for your sister to look at."

I took the books from Lynden, and my tired arms burned from the weight. I craned my neck to read the cover of the book at the top of the stack. "Medicine? These are books on medicine."

"Phina requested that I find them for your sister," Lynden said as he returned to the bag of books. "She claimed that Clarity would find them interesting."

I carefully began my tedious climb up the stairs, then made my way down the dark hallway with the pile of books swaying dangerously in my arms. With my hip, I pushed open the door to our room and blinked in the sudden light.

A moment later, half of the books had been taken from my stack. "Books?" Clarity looked inquisitively down at the books in her arms.

"Yes, books." I walked over to set the rest of my stack down on the dresser. "Why are the lights on? I thought you were going to sleep."

"I was sleeping a few hours ago." Clarity brushed me off. "Clearly I'm not anymore."

I gave my sister a look, but she ignored me. "What were you doing in our room all day?" I tried a different take. "Wouldn't you feel better out in the backyard?"

"It's cold outside." Clarity set her stack of books down next to mine. "On a more serious note"-she turned to face me with steely eyes-"aren't you suspicious?"

"Suspicious?" I crossed my arms. "Suspicious of what?"

"Of the vampires," she hissed quietly. "Doesn't it strike you as odd how Lynden left on his own?"

I shook my head. "No."

Clarity ignored me again. "Isn't it strange how even though Phina is just supposed to be selling knives she hasn't returned yet?"

"No."

"You don't find it weird that Talon goes by such a name?"

"No," I said firmly. "These people are here to help us get our sister back, Clarity. I-"

"People?" Clarity scoffed. "They're vampires, Corinna. They're not like you and me."

"Not like you and me? Clarity-"

"Is it not true?" Clarity challenged. The flames in her eyes flickered. "They don't care about us."

I just stared at my sister. "And we're better than they are? Do you remember who put us through hell in the first place? Humans did, Clarity. Not vampires."

Even though we were just about the same height, Clarity still managed to look down her nose at me. "I don't want to be here in the capital city. In fact, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the fact that Chloe-Jane is here."

"I know." I took a breath to steady myself. "I'm asking you to please just bear with us for a little longer. We made it out, Clarity. We made it out of the farm alive thanks to Talon's help. If it weren't for her, I'd be dead."

Clarity turned away from me. "It's difficult, Corinna. Now that we're finally free, I'm scared. I don't know what I'd do if I were sent back there. Now that I've got a taste of freedom, the thought of being sent back haunts me. I'm worried that the vampires have some sort of alternative agenda they're not telling us about."

"Look," I said softly. "I don't mind if they do have some sort of alternative agenda that they don't want to tell us about. As long as it doesn't get in the way of rescuing Chloe-which it isn't-they can do whatever they want. I know that Karmen is still on their minds. But that's their business, not ours. I trust them, Clarity. Haven't you been around them long enough to understand their character?"

Clarity walked over to the window and pulled back the curtains to look out at the night sky beyond. "You trust too easily."

"That's not the case. I just feel like they can be trusted."

"Do you, now?"

"Clarity"-I stepped forward-"I'm trying my best here. I'm trying my best to get along with you. You're my sister."

"Then you're fighting a losing battle."

"I know that you don't want to get close with anyone." I met her eyes with my own. "I know that you're afraid that if you get close to someone, the pain will be unbearable if you lose them. Out of Chloe-Jane, Cameren, and I, you were the closest to Father. Even though you didn't show it, you were devastated that he never came back. Now you're trying to distance yourself from us. And I won't let you."

"Do you really think we'll be able to get Chloe-Jane back, Corinna?" Clarity's expression remained unchanged. "I want to keep our remaining family members together as much as you do, but breaking into the castle? That's impossible."

"Tell me, Clarity, are you really just going to give up?"

Clarity folded her arms over her chest. "I never said that I was going to give up. I'm just asking, how much are you willing to give? How much are you going to sacrifice for that unrealistic happiness?"

I blinked. "What do you mean? I am happy. I'm happy we've made it this far and-"

"Liar," Clarity said softly.

"I-I'm sorry?"

"You were never happy. Back at the farm, you were always the one who kept our family from falling apart. But even though we are supposed to be a family, we're complete strangers to each other."

"You really feel that way?" I whispered, shaking my head as I looked up at my sister.

"We barely interact if it isn't related to our survival. You haven't felt alone at all, Corinna? Mother hasn't been the same after Father left for the war. Cameren's still living with the physical and mental trauma of the fighting. Chloe-Jane was always off in her own world, praying to the Immortal One day and night. And I, well, I never went out of my way to talk with you."

My sister's words struck me into a stunned silence. I opened my mouth, but then closed it again when no sound came out. No. That couldn't be right.

"So what if we're flesh and blood?" Clarity's eyes were hard. "We're strangers, Corinna."

"Stop. We're family. I know you won't admit it, but you care for us. We care for each other, Clarity. I care for you."

Clarity just turned away. "Say what you will."

Calm. I needed to be calm.

"I'm going to bed." I walked across the room. I flopped down onto the bed and burrowed myself under the covers. "If you are going to go downstairs, thank Lynden and Phina for the books." I closed my eyes and rolled over onto my side, preparing myself for whatever response Clarity would throw back at me. But it never came. Instead I heard a snuff of the dresser lamp, followed by the padding of footsteps, then the sound of the door opening and closing.

I slowly cracked open an eye as Clarity's footsteps made their way down the stairs.

I was alone in the dark.

✦ ✦ ✦

I awoke the next morning to the faint smell of smoke. I bolted upright in bed. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, but the distinct odor in the air was still there.

I threw off the covers and hurried out of the bedroom. I nearly stumbled on the stairs as I took them two at the time.

"Corinna?" Talon's voice asked.

I whirled to find the three vampires sitting in the living room.

"Outside!" I gestured. "Smoke? Fire?"

"Don't worry," Talon's face relaxed as she offered me a smile. "We just checked. Nothing bad happened. It's just Clarity."

"Clarity?" I echoed. That was right, I remembered. Clarity wasn't in the room with me when I had woken up.

"How about you go take a look?" Phina gestured to the door to the backyard. "I'd go with you, but the sun's up now."

I made my way over to the door and slipped outside.

Clarity was sitting on the porch. Her back was to me and a large number of books lay open around her. In front of her was a pot full of what looked like charred leaves, and a faint burning scent still clung to it. "Did I wake you?" Clarity asked without turning around. "My apologies."

Even though she didn't sound very sincere, I just nodded. "It's fine. But what are you doing out here?"

"I've decided to make myself useful," Clarity said shortly. "Plants have many uses. I've never made medicine by myself before, but I've got to start somewhere, right?"

I crouched down to examine one of the books. "Medicine is good. But who are you making it for? The vampires can regenerate on their own."

Clarity finally looked up from her basket of herbs, and her thick hair glowed gold in the morning sunlight. "It's for you, Corinna. When you end up hurting yourself, you're going to need it."

"Who said I was going to get hurt?"

"You'll thank me when the time comes," she said, then went back to her work grinding the leaves.

I smiled faintly down at my sister. Even though she wouldn't admit it, Clarity did care.

"I'm going to head back inside," I told Clarity. "I'm really glad that you're trying this to help out. But with that said, we are trying to keep a low profile. Too much smoke will draw unwanted attention."

"I know," Clarity said. "It was a careless mistake on my part. It won't happen again."

I turned to head back inside. "Be careful out here." I pushed open the door to the house and slipped back inside.

"Look, Corinna!" Phina said excitedly. She and the other vampires were sitting at the table. "We have a plan!"

"A plan?" I walked over to examine the large map of the castle they had drawn up. "How are we going to save Chloe-Jane?"

Phina wrung her hands together. "Well, we still need to figure out that part. We have an escape plan."

"This mission should take place at night," Talon explained. "According to all of the books we've read through so far, there are balconies outside each room on the ninth floor. If we can find Chloe-Jane inside, we can take her to one of those balconies and jump. As long as we don't exit the castle from the front, we won't be spotted."

"I'm guessing you can't get in that way." I stared down at the map as I tried to make sense of what all the lines and scribbles were supposed to mean.

"We can't jump that high," Talon said with a sigh. "Maybe two or three stories at most. The balcony is the best way out because if the guards are alerted, they can't follow us from there."

"Will Chloe-Jane be alright after that fall, though?"

"One of us will be carrying her," Lynden reassured me. "She'll be fine."

Talon leaned over the map. "The best way to get inside would be through one of the windows. We'll have to find one that's either open or far enough away from the guards so they don't hear the sound of the glass breaking. And right now we don't have enough information to know which window that will have to be."

"That part is up to Storm." Phina leaned back in her seat as she wound a strand of her hair around a delicate finger. "Who knows? Maybe he'll find a castle guard to bribe."

Chapter Fourteen

Just as Lynden had predicted, it took us around four days to finish reading through the entire bag of books. Initially I had thought it would take a lot longer until I realized that most of the books were just repeating the same information. Storm had yet to return, and I couldn't help but feel tense. The clouds were beginning to clear to the point where I could no longer go outside during the day without covering up completely.

I had just finished my training session with Corinna, and the two of us were sitting at the dining room table.

"I think I'm getting better," Corinna said. Excitement glittered in her eyes.

I smiled. "You are getting better! It's amazing how much you've improved in such a short time."

Corinna laughed. "I've tried my best. Maybe I should try sparring with Storm when he gets back. I'm sure he could offer me some tips."

As if on cue, loud knocking sounded on the door, and Storm's muffled voice called through the wood. "It's Storm! I'm back!"

Corinna and I exchanged a glance before we both slid out of our chairs and hurried over to the door. Corinna pulled it open and Storm staggered over the threshold, completely winded.

"Did you run all the way here?" Corinna asked in surprise as Storm collapsed onto the couch.

"Yes," Storm panted. "Well, actually no. I rented a horse, but I had to return it to the stable on the way back. I ran all the way here from the stable."

"You're back!" Phina called excitedly from the top of the stairs. She quickly hurried down to join us with Lynden close at her heels.

"Well?" Lynden asked. "Did you find someone?"

"I did." Storm puffed out his chest proudly. "He's an information dealer. And get this-he happens to be a former castle guard!"

Phina tilted her head to the side. "Is he really willing to tell you how to get inside the castle?"

"Here's the catch." Storm sighed heavily. "He wants money for his troubles. Lots of it. But that's what to be expected from these kinds of people."

"'These kinds of people?'" Lynden inquired.

Storm ran an agitated hand through his dark hair. "Look, I know the capital city and where to go if you want to do something that will get you in a heap of trouble. Have any of you been to the north side of the port town before? Well, that's where all the crooks camp out. The crooks, the thieves, and the pirates. If you pay them enough, these people will do any job for you regardless of what it is. You can buy illegal items from them, along with information."

Lynden frowned. "And how exactly do you know these people?"

"I don't know them," Storm snapped. "They know me. I've stopped them from doing illegal things in the past. Did I mention that they don't like me very much? Some pirate tried to attack me when I first arrived, and I had to make sure to keep a low profile after that."

"Is that going to be a problem?" I asked hesitantly as Storm's temper continued to simmer.

Storm unfastened his cloak. "I'm not sure."

Corinna stepped forward to rest her arms on the back of the couch. "Did he give you the information?"

"No," Storm said tiredly. "I didn't have nearly enough money on me. Also, he said he wanted to meet my accomplices before we settled on a price. He knew that I couldn't possibly want to break into the castle by myself."

"He wants us to meet him?" Lynden echoed suspiciously. "That doesn't seem questionable to you in the slightest? What does he want, to see all of our faces so he can report us together?"

"It does sound questionable to me," Storm snapped again. "But he's our best source of information at this point. He says he knows all about the traps set up around the castle, where they're located, and how to disable them."

"It's a gamble, then," I said.

"It is." Storm tugged at his hair. "If he sees all of us, he can easily describe us to the royal guards, and then not only will they tighten their security, they'll also be on the lookout for us."

"He never said he needed to see our faces though, right?" I said slowly.

"That's right!" Corinna's eyes brightened as she caught on. "He never said we couldn't meet him in disguise!"

I turned to Storm. "Do you know where we can buy armor? If we can get helmets, we can hide our faces."

"It's perfect!" Phina excitedly clapped her hands together.

"You're right." Storm looked up. "There are always shady people coming and going from the port town. Most of them are in disguise anyway. Are all of us going? I'm just gonna go ahead and say it: the north side of the port town is really not a nice place."

Corinna's brows knitted together as she frowned. "If it's really that bad, Clarity wouldn't like it there."

Storm looked around the room. "Speaking of Clarity, where is she?"

"Outside." Phina pointed to the back door. "She's decided to start working with medicine."

"Do you think it's a good idea to leave her here alone?" A crease formed between Storm's brows. "If she catches the neighbors' attention . . ."

"I can stay behind," Phina offered. "I don't think I'd like the port town either. Besides, while I'm here, I can help teach Clarity what I know about self-defense."

"Are you okay with coming with us?" I asked quietly as I turned to Corinna. "This trip might not be very pleasant."

"I'm coming with you," Corinna said determinedly. "I want to explore the capital city. I want to see everything it has to offer."

"Then it's settled," Storm declared. "If we can get everything we need today, we can set out tomorrow morning." Storm flopped back down onto the couch as we all looked at him expectantly. "Oh, come on, I just got back. Can I at least rest first?"

"I can go buy the armor," Phina said energetically. "I want to do it!"

Lynden turned to the ginger-haired vampire. "I know you're enthusiastic about this, but I think it would make more sense for me to go. Don't you think a female buying males' armor would be a little suspicious?"

"You're right," Phina conceded, and her excitement fizzled out.

"Why are you so excited to help with the drudge work anyway?" I asked curiously, angling my head to the side.

"This is the first time in a while that I've got to be part of a good cause," Phina said sadly. "Is it wrong of me to want to help out?"

I shook my head. "I understand where you're coming from, but you shouldn't feel inclined to do everything by yourself."

"She's right." Corinna gave a nod in my direction. "We're a team. We work together."

Phina grinned from ear to ear. "This is so exciting!"

Lynden gave Phina a slightly exasperated look. "I'll head out now."

"Wait." I quickly hurried over to the corner of the room where we had stored the money Phina received for the knives. I picked up one of the coin pouches and returned to toss it to Lynden. "Take this with you. It should be enough."

Lynden nodded and fastened the pouch to his belt. "I'll take my leave, then."

Once Lynden had vanished, I sighed and took a seat on the couch. "And now, we wait."

Storm stiffened and scooted away from me. I offered the dark-haired boy a smile, but my fangs slipped over my lip and he jumped off the couch completely. So much for trying to be friendly.

"And now, we wait," Corinna echoed as she took the seat Storm had just vacated.

"I'm going to bed," Storm announced, all too eager to leave the room. He quickly hurried up the stairs and disappeared onto the landing in seconds.

Phina took a seat on the floor in front of the couch and pressed her hands to the sides of her face. "I wish he was my little brother. Is that too much to ask?"

I laughed at that. "I don't know how well that will fly with Andreus."

"Did you have any siblings before you were turned?" Corinna asked the ginger-haired vampire.

Phina scrunched her brow, deep in thought. Finally, she shook her head. "I can't seem to remember. It's been so long." Then she smiled, and her frown vanished as if it had never existed in the first place. "It must be nice to have siblings." Even though she was smiling now, there was still something sad flickering behind her eyes.

"I never had any siblings," I admitted to Corinna. "I never felt lonely with my parents, but having siblings wasn't something I got to experience."

Corinna smiled faintly. "Having siblings has its ups and downs. The good thing about them is that they're family. They're more likely to stick with you through difficult times. Or at least I'd like to think so. My younger sister, Chloe-Jane, was always the cheerful one," she recalled wistfully. "No matter how bad things looked, she would always face life with a smile. But then again, she's the only one in our family who believes in the Immortal One. As the saying goes, 'Those who are hard workers will have a place in the afterlife.' Chloe took that all too literally, and it was up to Clarity and me to make sure she wouldn't work herself to death."

Phina sighed sadly. "That Immortal One nonsense has people completely devaluing their lives." Her eyes darkened for a brief moment. "The previous kings were smart. They found a way to control their subjects completely. This kingdom is not a kind place. And the people living in it aren't any better."

"Maybe with Chloe-Jane on the throne," Corinna said slowly, "things can change for the better."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "While she's at the king's side, the queen doesn't have much power. He can veto any proclamation she tries to order."

"On a different note," Phina said seriously, "are you sure Chloe-Jane's going to want to willingly leave the castle with us?"

Corinna exhaled through her nose. "I want to say she'll come with us, but I really can't tell."

I placed a reassuring hand on Corinna's shoulder. "I'm sure there's some way we can try to get a message to her. All we need to know is whether she wants to leave the castle or not. If she says yes, then we'll continue planning and go through with the rescue mission. If she says no, then I guess we either stop what we're doing or go ahead and rescue her anyway."

"If she doesn't want to leave," Corinna said defeatedly, "we should respect her wishes. She's my sister after all."

"We'll figure something out," Phina said determinedly. "Don't lose hope now." Then she paused as her brow furrowed. "About Storm . . . Lynden and I feel bad about getting him involved in all of this. We were the ones who wanted him to be our guide around the capital city. Well, I was the one who wanted to work with Storm. Lynden never really wanted to, but he followed me when he saw what a big fan of Storm's adventures I was. Neither of us thought that we'd be breaking into the castle. If people find out Storm's been working with us, his reputation will be ruined."

I crossed my arms over my chest as I leaned back in my seat. "He's the only one of us who knows the ins and outs of the present-day capital city. He's done so much for us already."

"Yes," Phina said sadly. "And now I can't help but feel guilty. I didn't think things would go this way."

We all fell silent for a long moment before the ginger-haired vampire sprung to her feet, smiling. "I'll go check our supplies again. You never know if something's gone missing." As she danced off, I felt a pang in my chest. Out of us vampires, Phina was definitely the most cheerful. She was always smiling, always laughing. Did she really not remember if she had siblings? Or did she not wish to tell me? It was a personal question after all.

Had Karmen done this to her? Or was it the situation the queen of the vampires had saved her from? I'd have to ask Lynden later. Maybe he knew more. Then again, even if he did know, there was a high chance he wouldn't tell me, for both Phina's sake and mine. The two of them had past events they would rather not relive if they could help it. And I didn't blame them.

✦ ✦ ✦

Lynden greeted me stiffly as I joined him outside the house. The vampire was standing next to the front door with his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall. "What are you doing out here?" he asked stoically. "I thought we determined that I was going to stand guard tonight."

"We did. And you are."

"What do you want to know?" Lynden looked up at the sky, and his long brown hair glowed gold in the light of the flickering street lamps. "The sooner you ask, the sooner you'll get an answer."

"Now that we're both aware of my intentions, I guess there's no point to start with small talk." I smiled wryly, more to myself than Lynden. "It's about Phina."

"What about her?" Lynden continued to watch the sky. I watched his face, but his stone-like expression gave nothing away.

I lowered my voice. "What happened to her?"

"If you're so curious"-Lynden finally turned to me-"why don't you ask her yourself?"

"Ask her myself? I purposely came to you to save her the trouble of reliving the horrors she has undoubtedly gone through."

"At least you're considerate. But no matter how hard I try, I can't understand you at all, Talon."

I just raised a brow.

Lynden let out a sigh. "As you already know, Phina and I both worked for the queen. The two of us lived at her manor. Anyway, the longer Phina and I worked together, I began to open up to her about my past and she listened. Even though I've known her for years, she's only told me bits and pieces of her own past. It's not enough for me to put together the entire story, but it was enough to tell me why she had blocked it out of her memory.

"Before she was turned, Phina was going to get married. But on the day of her wedding, a jealous man killed the young man she was going to marry. He wanted Phina for himself. Phina was devastated. Karmen eventually found her trapped in the man's manor, and when the queen offered her the power to take revenge on the man who had wronged her, Phina didn't hesitate."

There was silence as I tried my best to process the new information. "She lost the love of her life," I said finally.

Lynden nodded regretfully.

There was a long pause before I broke the silence. "Should I not tell Phina that you told me her history?"

"It doesn't matter." Lynden's face became expressionless once again. "Phina herself said if you came asking, I could tell you. What about your past, Talon?" Lynden raised a brow. "How long are you planning to keep that to yourself?"

"My past?" I turned to head back inside. "Right now my past doesn't matter. As long as it isn't impacting us-which it isn't-I see no need to bring it up."

Corinna, Clarity, and Storm were asleep upstairs, and the house was silent. Phina had gone out to do some last-minute preparations for our journey to the port town. I sat down at the dining room table and rested my head on my hands as I turned to look out the window. The night sky sparkled outside the glass, and the faint stars danced lazily among it.

As I watched, a single star in the far corner of my vision vanished from the sky. I blinked, straightening in my seat. I stared at the place where the pinprick of light had faded into the inky backdrop.

I pressed a hand against the glass.

Can you see the stars? a familiar voice echoed in my head.

"I can see the stars," I whispered.

Don't be afraid, the voice said softly, but I could still hear the tears that choked it. Just look up at the sky. That's all you need to do. Don't look at your father. He's just gone to sleep.

The voice faded as quickly as it came, and I let my hand drop limply back to my side.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Remember that I'm going to do the talking," Storm called from his horse. "The three of you just need to stand in the back and look intimidating."

"What?" Corinna yelled. Her voice was already muffled by her helmet and grew even more inaudible by the second as it was swept away by the wind.

The four of us had left the house early in the morning, just as the sun had begun to rise. We stopped off at the stable to rent out four horses, then we were off on our way to the port town. According to Storm, at the pace we were going, we'd arrive in about two days' time.

Now we were racing through the outskirts of the capital city. The cobblestone paths slowly turned to dirt the farther we went from the city's heart. I squinted through the mesh of my helmet, and the brilliance of the light stung my eyes. According to Corinna, the sky was a brilliant blue without a single cloud in sight. Everything was so bright in the day. The sky was so bright. Each ray of sun was alive with flames as they searched for gaps in my armor.

"I said I'm going to be doing the talking," Storm shouted again. "We'll set up camp when night falls. Let's just hope this doesn't end badly."

As Storm had predicted, we arrived at the port town in the afternoon of the second day. We had slowed our pace to a steady trot and I took the time to take in our surroundings. The buildings in this part of town had seen better days: the wood was chipped and the paint was peeling.

The smell of rotting fish lingered in the air, mixing with the strong odor of unwashed bodies. I wrinkled my nose as the stench intensified the farther we moved into the town. People were milling around on all sides; some watched us out of the corners of their eyes, while others made no attempt to hide their stares. There were a lot of downsides to being a vampire-the enhanced sense of smell just being one of the many.

Storm looked around the buildings. "We're going to want to leave our horses somewhere safe. They want our horses." We followed Storm to an empty lot hidden behind a row of buildings and dismounted. I carefully looped the reins of my horse through an old fence, and the others followed my lead. "This is where I leave my horse each time I come to the port town," Storm explained as he rummaged through his horse's saddlebag. After selecting a couple of knives and fastening them to his belt, Storm turned to face us. "Follow me."

We followed Storm into a poorly lit alley, which grew narrower and narrower as we made our way to the very back. The stones that made up the floor here were covered in some kind of sludge, and the bones of little rodents crunched unpleasantly beneath our armored boots.

"You were right," Lynden said in disgust. "The port town is quite an unpleasant place."

"Of course I was right," Storm said distractedly as he glanced around the alley. "It isn't very likely for the royal guards to come here and make an inspection. But all the towns in the outer kingdom are like this. The capital city is the only one that shines. Anyway, here we are."

Storm stopped in front of a door hidden behind a clothesline. After ducking under the hanging clothes, Storm knocked three times on the wood. We didn't have to wait long for footsteps to sound from the inside. There was a clicking sound and a tiny square opened in the wood. A deep blue eye stared out of the hole as it took all of us in.

Storm pulled off his helmet. "I'm here for my information. And this time, I've brought the coins you've asked for."

"Storm," a deep male voice rumbled. "I should have taken your head years ago."

"I could say the same about you." Storm's expression was more serious than I had seen before. "Now, are you going to open the door? Or do I need to have my friends here open it for me?"

"Hold your horses, boy," the voice grumbled. "If you break my door, you're going to have to pay extra for the repair costs."

The square slid back into place, and the eye vanished. A moment later, the door swung open.

Chapter Fifteen

A man with wild brown hair stood in the doorway, with his hands clasped behind his back. "What are you waiting for? The door's open."

Storm took a step forward, and I exchanged a glance with Talon before we followed him inside. The moment Storm's foot had crossed the threshold, the man darted forward, swinging a wicked-looking sword at the boy's head.

I instinctively reached for my own blade, but Talon beat me to it. There was a loud clash as metal struck metal.

"You-" the man hissed as he sprung backward.

Talon remained silent, her knife at the ready. Lynden and I had drawn our blades as well, and the two of us stood protectively on either side of Storm.

Storm leaned around Talon's shoulder to frown at the man. "Now, that wasn't very nice. That wasn't very welcoming at all."

"Yeah, yeah," the man grumbled as he tossed his blade to the side of the room. "It was a joke-a joke. Don't take life so seriously, kid. But taking your head was worth a try though, wasn't it? Come in. Quickly now." He gestured for us to climb up the flight of stairs behind him.

Storm marched forward without a backward glance at the man, and his armored boots clanked on the wooden steps. I followed Storm, and Lynden and Talon brought up the rear. There was a click as the man closed the door behind us.

At the top of the stairs was a large room. In contrast to what we had seen of the port town so far, the man's house was surprisingly clean. There was a desk in the middle of the room, and the man took a seat behind it. He stared up at us expectantly. "Well? Where's my money?"

"Where's my information?" Storm countered crossly.

"Right here, boy." The man picked up a wooden crate from behind his desk and placed it on the table. "Now, are you going to tell me why you want to break into the castle?"

"I never said I was going to break into the castle," Storm said as he tapped his foot. "You assumed that yourself."

The man rolled his eyes. "The only reason someone would ask for this much information about all the entrances and exits is if they were going to sneak inside. And look here, I don't care about what you do. As long as I get my money, I'll tell you anything you want."

"You weren't this cooperative the last time I met with you." Storm folded his arms over his chest. "Is it because you're feeling intimidated by my friends?"

"Your friends seem like fine men." As the man spoke, his eyes flitted to the blades at our sides. "And I'm sure fine men like yourselves wouldn't dare to break into the castle."

"That's right"-Storm casually dropped a hand to the hilt of his sword-"we wouldn't dare. And even if we did, you wouldn't dare tell anyone about it."

The man let out a shaky laugh. "Of course not."

"Now that that's out of the way," Storm said with a smile that didn't quite reach his smokey gray eyes, "how about you tell us a little bit about your relation to the castle and the royal guards?"

"Before the former king passed away," the man said as he leaned back in his chair, "I was one of the castle guards. I spent time patrolling both the interior and exterior of the castle. I know just about everything there is to know about the castle. But once the new king took over his father's position, he fired and replaced all of us."

Storm tapped his foot. "Is there anything you can tell us about the new king?"

"King Volin?" The man's brows knitted together as if the mere act of recalling him was painful. "I never liked that boy. I think it's safe to say he isn't the person he and everyone else makes him out to be."

"Oh?" Storm looked down his nose at the man behind the table. "Tell us more."

The man lowered his voice as if he were afraid someone outside was listening in. "That boy was the cause of his father's death. No one outside the castle knows about this, but the former king fell ill four years ago. It was poison."

"Poison?" Storm blinked. "I've never heard of this before."

"Of course you haven't," the man said matter-of-factly. "I just told you that only those who were inside the castle knew of this, did I not? Anyway, to him, there is no difference whatsoever between right and wrong. He'll do anything to raise himself up no matter if it's at the expense of others. To him, everyone is disposable. I think it's safe to say that everyone at the castle is afraid of him."

Storm frowned. "Why haven't I heard of this either?"

"Stupid boy, did you think this was common knowledge?" the man said in exasperation. "I hope you know that you can't openly criticize the monarchy in the kingdom. You know that even talking about the royal family in a negative light could land you a life sentence in jail if the guards catch you. And that's if you're lucky."

The man fell silent for a moment to look over his shoulder at the thick curtains pulled over the window behind him. When he seemed to determine that there was indeed no one outside listening in, he turned back to Storm. "I tried to avoid King Volin at the castle while he was still the prince." The man's voice had dropped so much I had to strain my ears. "I don't know the full extent of his insanity, and I know for a fact that I don't want to find out."

"How do you think he would treat his wife?" Storm asked with a subtle glance in my direction.

The man blinked dully. "The queen? You mean that little girl from the southern continent?"

"Yes, her," Storm said quickly.

I held my breath as I waited for the man's response. If the king was as crazy as the man made him out to be, I was terrified to think of what state Chloe-Jane would be in if-when-we found her.

The man just let out a laugh. "How would I know how he treats his wife? He fired all of us before he decided to marry that witch."

Witch? I had to take a deep breath to prevent myself from blurting out something I would regret.

But it seemed like Lynden beat me to it.

"Witch?" Lynden choked out. We all turned to him in surprise.

"So you people can talk after all," the man behind the table said in amusement. "As an information dealer, it's a given that I know more than the lot of you on practically everything, but it's rare that my clients are this out of the loop. Haven't you heard? It's what the people have been calling her. She's being called a witch for seducing the king and tricking him into marrying her. Of course, I don't buy it. Knowing the king, he's probably trying to make some kind of statement-probably something directed at the southern continent. But I could be wrong. Maybe the girl just had a pretty little face and he wanted it for himself."

Disgust surged through me at how casual the man's words were. My head was spinning with the new information. Is Chloe-Jane alright? Can this man even be trusted? I snuck a glance at Talon, but she was still watching the man with her face completely masked by her helmet.

"I will say that all of the maids at the castle were terrified of him," the man added. "But I don't know if that was because he forced them into his bed or whether the girls merely sensed something was off about him. It's hard to say if the new queen will last very long at the castle."

Storm inhaled sharply.

The man raised his brows. "Do you know her? You seem concerned."

"No," Storm said quickly. "But do I need to know her to worry about her safety and well-being?"

The man shrugged. "I suppose not. But how old are you now, Storm? What was it? Twelve? I know you're not an adult yet, but look at yourself. Everyone has heard the name Storm the Dragonhearted at least once. You don't need to worry about some little girl in the castle." Then the man let out a laugh. "I think I've figured it out-you like that girl. But the king took her away. So now you have some friends to help you sneak into the castle and get her back. I know I'm right." Storm opened his mouth, but the man cut him off. "Look, I'm warning you now to give up on her. Oh, I won't stop you from trying, but if you get caught, you'd better use that sword of yours to slit your own throat. That's all."

"You better have given us all of the maps of the castle I asked for," Storm said tiredly. He was clearly more eager to leave than to stay and argue. "Here"-Storm dropped a pouch of coins on the table-"let's finish this deal quickly."

"I promise you that everything you need is in the box," the man said with a nod to the wooden crate on the table. "You've just given me so much money. How could I not give you the information you asked for in return?"

Storm eyed the man suspiciously. "I want to take a look. And if I find out you've been lying to us, a certain someone is gonna end up in a world of hurt."

"Don't worry." The man let out a slightly strained chuckle. "I swear all I've been is honest."

We all watched silently as Storm flipped open the lid and sifted through the contents inside. When he seemed satisfied that it was indeed everything we needed, he replaced the lid and motioned for Lynden to pick it up.

"So you didn't lie to us after all," Storm said lightly as he looked down at the man. "Sure, you did squeeze a lot of money out of us, but you actually gave us what we asked for."

The man crossed his arms. "You really think that lowly of me, boy? This information wasn't easy to come by, and it certainly wasn't free. You should be grateful I'm sharing it with you at all. I hope you don't expect too much of me, though"-the man stood up from his seat-"because the next time I see you, your head will be mine."

"Yeah, yeah." Storm turned to head back down the stairs. "The next time I see you, you'll probably have rotted away in prison."

"One more thing," the man called, and Storm looked back over his shoulder. "Have you heard about the ball the king and queen are going to be attending in two weeks' time?"

Storm paused. "A ball? When was this announced?"

"Yesterday," the man explained quickly. "I get that you lot wouldn't have known about this one. Apparently the king and queen were invited by the archduke to attend his annual ball. The king has been invited every year, but this one is a big deal since it's the first time the new king and queen are going to make a public appearance together. And everyone is curious about the new queen. This kingdom hasn't had a queen in nearly eighteen years now."

"Why are you telling me about this?" Storm asked suspiciously.

"I just thought it might be easier for you to rescue your girlfriend from the archduke's estate rather than the castle."

"Rescue her at the ball?" Storm let out a dry laugh. "In front of all of those people? That would be impossible. If what you said holds any truth, the ball will be packed full of nobles ogling the new queen."

The man threw his hands into the air in a gesture of surrender. "I was just putting it out there. Now get out of my house. You've all overstayed your welcome. I'm sure I don't have to show you to the door."

"We'll take our leave, then." Storm started down the stairs, and his boots clanked on the wood. "Let's both hope that we won't ever see each other again."

Talon, Lynden, and I followed the dark-haired boy down the steps. We were back in the dirty alleyway in seconds, and I tried my best to keep from gagging as the rotten stench shoved its way up my nose. Even my helmet did little to block it out.

Storm wrinkled his nose in disgust before he shoved his helmet back over his head. "Let's get out of here. The last thing we want is to find out that that crazy man has a bow and starts trying to shoot us in the back."

"He didn't seem that bad," Talon said lightly. Her voice was muffled by her helmet. "I've met worse."

Storm led the way out of the alley. The sky above was as brilliant as ever; it hadn't been this clear in so long that it was almost strange to see a color other than dull gray.

"About the ball," Talon said slowly. "Wouldn't that be the best time to find Chloe-Jane and ask her whether she wants to leave the castle?"

Storm paused for a moment as he glanced back at us. "I wasn't about to admit it in front of that crazy man, but I think it would work in our favor to attend."

"You're going to infiltrate the ball?" I asked in disbelief.

"Not just us." I could almost hear the smile in Talon's voice. "You'll be there too. Chloe-Jane is your sister after all. She'll be less likely to report you to the king than us."

"What if we get caught?" I countered. "Then no one's going to be rescuing Chloe. And at that point, we'll just be lucky if someone rescues us."

"It's quite easy to infiltrate a ball, actually," Talon said with confidence that calmed my ever-growing anxiety. "Forging an invitation is the hardest part. Everything else after that is easy."

"She's right," Lynden said. "Forging the invitation is only difficult because you need to get your hands on one in the first place. I've infiltrated one as well with Phina. That was back when the two of us were working for Queen Karmen and were tasked with collecting information on certain vampires."

"What do you think?" I turned to Storm.

Storm shook his head. "I'm usually invited to balls. I don't have to sneak in."

"People invite you to balls?" Talon asked in amusement. "Do you attend? You don't strike me as the kind of person who would enjoy such events."

"You're right." Storm stared up at the sky. "I tend to decline them. I've never liked those kinds of events. For one thing, I despise the clothes-they're uncomfortable and impractical. Everyone is so uptight and rigid. It's . . . uncanny. But that's not even the worst part. The worst part is how judgmental those nobles are. They'll smile at your face and gossip behind your back. They pretend that they aren't watching you, but you can feel their stares when you turn away."

Lynden nodded in agreement. "And then there's the fact that there are so many rules you need to know so you don't end up embarrassing yourself."

I swallowed hard. "Maybe you should reconsider bringing me along to the ball." The last thing we wanted was to draw attention to ourselves. "I know I'll be dressing up as a maid again, but what if I still mess something up?"

"As a maid, you'll have a much lower chance of drawing attention to yourself," Talon reassured me. "We'll talk more about this later. Right now we should probably find somewhere to get something to eat."

Storm pressed a hand to his stomach. "I don't think we've eaten anything since yesterday. Follow me-I know a place." Storm led us down block after block, each one full of the same battered-looking buildings. Finally we turned the corner, and my breath caught in my throat.

Waves sparkled in the sunlight, and the ocean spread out in front of me. We had turned onto the dock, and the stone path gave way to a long stretch of wooden planks that made the pier.

"You've never seen the ocean before?" Storm turned around when he realized I had stopped walking. "How about this, I'll go get us something to eat, and you can stay here until I come back."

I just nodded as I stared. I couldn't look away from the water. I had never seen this much water before in my life-had never seen how large the ocean really was. I'd heard that the majority of the world was covered by water, but this was the first time I was seeing it with my own two eyes.

"What do you think?" Talon asked softly as she came up behind me.

"It's beautiful," I said breathlessly. "Oh! What's that?" I raised my arm to point at the blurry shape in the distance. "What's that there on the horizon?"

"It looks like some kind of boat," Talon observed. "Maybe it's a pirate ship."

"A pirate ship?" I repeated excitedly as I squinted against the glittering water.

Talon laughed. "Or maybe it's just a regular trading ship."

I gazed out over the water. "I wonder what it's like to sail over the waves. Is it scary? Thrilling?"

"I'm not sure. I've never been on a boat before."

"Maybe one day we could go on one together, then," I suggested, smiling beneath my helmet.

"I'd love that," Talon said wistfully.

I finally tore my eyes away from the glorious ocean to look at the vampire. "Maybe one day, when this is all over, we could sail away. Far away. We could leave this kingdom behind and explore the world."

"That sounds like the perfect dream. A dream too good to come true."

I laughed. "But even if it's just a dream, it doesn't mean we can't fight for it. And then maybe one day that dream will become a reality."

The two of us fell silent, and we gazed out over the ocean as we stood side by side.

"I'm back," Storm's voice called, drawing me from my thoughts. I turned to find him jogging toward us with a bag in hand. "Let's go. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can look into the ball. Besides, the sooner we get out of this stink hole, the better."

I nodded before absently taking the flatbread Storm held out for me. And as I turned away from the ocean, I wondered whether this would be the last time I ever saw it.

✦ ✦ ✦

It was late night by the time we stopped at a local inn to rest for the night. Fortunately for us, there was a stable right across the way to let our horses rest up as well.

Lynden had transferred all of the documents from the crate into a different bag, which he made sure to hold on to at all times. Not only would traveling with a wooden crate be inconvenient for the horses, but it would also make us the target of potential thieves.

The four of us decided it was probably for the best that all of us stayed together in one room. The more eyes there were guarding our precious information, the less likely it was for something to happen.

The moment we stepped into our room, I pulled off my helmet. I could finally breathe properly again. And as much as I wanted to undo the tight braid snaking around my head, I knew that it would be too troublesome to redo it in the morning.

The room was fairly small; it had only a little table, a couple of rickety-looking chairs, a chest of drawers, and a single bed pressed against the back wall.

"Do you want the bed?" Storm asked me as he pulled off his helmet. His dark hair stuck up in every direction. "I don't mind sleeping on the floor."

I went to work unfastening my boots. "I'm fine with sharing it. I share a bed with my siblings all the time."

Storm just shrugged. "As long as you don't mind."

"The two of you should get some sleep," Lynden said blandly as he took a seat at the table. "I'll start looking over the documents the information dealer gave us. You're welcome to put the lights out. Talon and I can see in the dark after all."

Talon walked over to the window and drew the curtains, blocking out the glow of the city beyond. Then she moved over to the small lamp perched on top of the chest of drawers. She turned the little knob on the side, and the flame inside flickered out.

The room was now completely bathed in darkness, and I silently climbed into the bed. I didn't want to think about how risky our plan was-didn't want to think of the consequences if we failed. Not right now anyway. Storm climbed into bed next to me and was fast asleep within seconds. I stared at the wall for a long time, half-listening to Lynden and Talon's occasional whispers as they looked over the maps. How are Mother and Cameren doing at Andreus's place? I wondered.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I listened to the sound of Storm's steady breathing. I knew there was a large possibility that I'd die before I'd get to see my family again. Lynden and Talon were vampires; nothing was a threat to them. But on the other hand, I was only a human-one wrong move and it would be the end.

It took me a moment to realize Lynden and Talon had stopped whispering. They had probably sensed my rapidly changing emotions. But I didn't mind. The people in this room were on the same quest as me. I knew that they would stand by me until the end.

✦ ✦ ✦

We left early the next morning and were back on our horses before the sun had fully risen in the sky. As we raced through the streets, I found myself thinking about Clarity. It had been almost a week since I had last seen my sister, and I wondered how she had been faring with Phina.

By the time we arrived at the stables, it was late afternoon, and I was completely stiff as I dismounted my horse. I'd consider myself lucky if I never have to ride in heavy armor again.

The four of us made our way toward the house, but it didn't take us long to realize something was wrong as we turned onto the street. A group of about twenty people stood outside the front door to Andreus's city house, yelling angrily up at the building. My heart sank as we came to a stop behind the crowd.

"We demand to speak to the mistress of this house at once!" a woman yelled furiously.

"I already told you that my mistress is a sickly woman," Clarity's voice snapped back from the other side of the wood. "She's sleeping right now and will see you when she wakes up!"

"We're not leaving until you open this door!" a man shouted. "Either you get your mistress down here to speak to us right now, or we're going to find a way to get this door open ourselves!"

"Whoa there," Storm said as he pulled off his helmet. "What are all of you doing in front of my house?" The crowd spun around to look at us, and the suspicion in their eyes was plain as day.

"Who are you?" the woman who had yelled at Clarity demanded. "Your house? But that wicked wench just told us that it belonged to her mistress."

Storm frowned. "I'm the mistress's younger brother. And she's right; my sister is quite ill. All this ruckus is not helping her condition. I just returned from a trip with my fellow adventurers. Forgive me if I have no clue what is happening outside my house. Would someone care to enlighten me?"

"We want to know where your sister found such a maid." The woman curled her lips back in a cross between a grimace and a sneer. "You'll never guess what my husband and I saw today! While I was putting the laundry out, I heard a commotion from the other side of the fence. So I stood on my toes to look into your backyard to find a black-skinned girl! I'd never seen a black-skinned girl before, and I watched with wide eyes as she created smoke with only her bare hands and some leaves!"

"I saw it too," another woman called from the back of the crowd. "Even though slaves are allowed in the capital city, they're supposed to stay out of sight! This one couldn't care less! That thing is a disgrace to her mistress!"

Storm tried to calm the angry crowd, but it wasn't working. "If you didn't look over the fence, you wouldn't have seen her in the first place."

"Nonsense!" the man who had spoken before snapped. "She had it out for us! She looked me in the eyes, and I could have sworn there was a fire in them!"

"That girl's from the southern continent," another man called. "You've got to be careful of those sorts of people."

Storm's jaw clenched. It was clear that he was getting more annoyed by the moment. "Look, there's nothing wrong with the maid here. She's been serving my sister ever since we moved into this house."

"I don't believe it for a second," the first woman said shrilly. "I don't feel safe in my house anymore! Who knows what kind of evil magic that girl would be practicing! You don't know what those kinds of people are capable of! Do you know what else I saw in the backyard when I took the liberty to glance over the fence? Books! That's right, books!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

"They had to be spell books!" the second woman cried. "This is much worse than we expected! That girl's no maid! She's a witch!"

"That's right!" the man yelled in agreement. "She's a witch!"

"No, she's not!" Storm had to raise his own voice to a yell to be heard over the rapidly increasing volume of the crowd. "Please, everyone calm down!"

"Witch!" another man bellowed.

"Witch!"

"Witch, witch, witch!" the crowd chanted.

"You know what we do with witches here?" The first woman turned to Storm with a crazed look in her eyes. "We burn them!"

"But she's not a witch," Lynden said angrily as he took a step forward to stand at Storm's side. "You don't want to accuse innocent people."

"Innocent?" the man demanded. "How can she be innocent?"

"Where's your proof?" Storm countered furiously.

"Proof?" the man scoffed as he shook his head in disbelief. "There's so much proof! Don't you see it?"

"No," Storm snapped. "I absolutely do not see it!"

As the two argued, I felt myself freeze up. My legs were glued to the ground and my arms were weighed down at my side.

"If you're so convinced that wench isn't a witch," a man from the crowd said slowly, "how about we do the good old witch test?"

"Perfect!" The first woman grinned like a fiend. "If we determine that she is indeed a witch, we can still burn her after!"

"What is this witch test?" Storm said angrily.

The woman ignored Storm completely. "We'll go make the preparations. We'll be back." And with that, the crowd dispersed, leaving the four of us standing in front of the house.

"Hey!" Storm yelled after them. "Get back here! You haven't told me what the witch test is yet!"

"I happen to know." Lynden's tone was grim. "The townsfolk take the woman in question to the well and throw her in. If she floats, she's a witch. And if she drowns, well, then it turns out she wasn't one after all."

Chapter Sixteen

"What kind of test is that?" Storm demanded. But I wasn't looking at the dark-haired boy. My gaze was on Corinna. She was frozen with her face hidden beneath her helmet.

"We can talk more about this inside," Lynden said quietly. "Right now we just want to get off of the street."

I placed a hand on Corinna's shoulder. "Let's go inside."

Corinna nodded absently as she let me lead her into the house. We followed Lynden and Storm over the threshold to find Clarity and Phina crouched next to the door. The former's expression was unreadable, and the latter's was fearful.

"What do we do?" Phina wrung her hands together anxiously. "I didn't know when all of you would get back, and I couldn't go outside, either, since the sun is still out . . ."

Lynden pulled off his helmet. "We've got to be careful now. Even more careful than before. We could easily stop them from getting to Clarity, but in doing so, we'd put ourselves at risk of exposing our identity. If we don't do anything, there's a high chance that our house is going to get stormed."

"We can't just turn her in," Phina said defiantly. She clutched Clarity's arm. "I won't let them get you!"

Clarity stiffened but made no move to shake herself free from the ginger-haired vampire's grasp. "What would happen if I hid? Do you think the neighbors would give up if they couldn't find me?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," I spoke up. "If we made it look as if you ran away, who knows if they'll send out people to search the entire city for you."

Storm angrily threw his helmet onto the couch. "We've got to fight back somehow. We can't let them get away with it!"

"So physically preventing them from getting to Clarity runs the risk of exposing yourselves as vampires," Corinna said slowly. "And in doing so, that puts us at risk of Queen Karmen figuring out that you're here."

"We don't want to deal with the queen right now," Lynden said stiffly. "If Karmen decides she wants us out of the city-or even dead for that matter-all of the planning we've done so far to save Chloe-Jane will have been in vain."

"It looks like that isn't an option, then," Corinna said heavily. "And if we make it look like my sister ran away, Clarity would no longer be safe anywhere. We can't let that happen either."

"What if we send Clarity someplace where no one will be able to hurt her?" Storm asked. "We could send her to my uncle's place."

"Nonsense." Clarity's eyes flared. "I want to stay here in the capital city. I want to help out."

Corinna dropped to her knees in front of where Clarity was still sitting on the floor. She had pulled off her own helmet and now looked her sister straight in the eyes. "Clarity, you're in danger here."

"I wouldn't have been if those nosy neighbors kept a better watch on their laundry! It blew over the fence, and when I tried to hand it back to them, they started acting offensive."

Corinna took her sister's hands in her own. "We're not blaming you, Clarity. Please, I just want you to be safe."

Clarity shook off Corinna's hands. "You want me to be safe? What if I want you to be safe? Would you leave with me if I asked?"

"Clarity." Corinna's eyes flashed as she paused, clearly conflicted. "One of us needs to stay here to make sure we can get Chloe back. Since you've got people out to get you now, I'm the one who has to stay."

Clarity pursed her lips as she fell silent.

"Now that we've agreed it's in Clarity's best interest to return to Andreus's place," Lynden said with a frown, "how are we going to get her there in a way that doesn't just seem like she fled?"

"If I did get captured by the townsfolk," Clarity started slowly, "would you be able to save me?"

Phina's eyes widened. "But they want to kill you! How would you escape? Fake your death?"

Clarity nodded, and Phina just stared at her.

I looked from Phina to Lynden. "We could do it."

"How?" Corinna's expression was slightly panicked. "Isn't that a little too risky?"

Clarity's eyes were steely. "We've been taking risks ever since we ran away from the farm. What's one more? This way I'll be able to get away without having to worry about anyone searching for me. Queen Karmen won't be tipped off, and our house won't get burned down either."

"So you agree to go?" Corinna asked softly.

Clarity rose to her feet and brushed off her skirts. "What choice do I have? As much as I want to stay, I don't want to hinder you either."

"We don't know when the neighbors will be back." Phina stood up as well, and she glanced worriedly at the door as if someone would knock on it any moment. "I don't know if we'll have enough time to come up with a plan by then."

"It's fine if you don't tell me what it is," Clarity said shortly. "As long as you can get me out of here alive, I couldn't care less about what you come up with."

I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "If you're going to be thrown into the well, one of us vampires should wait inside for you to be thrown in. Since we don't need to breathe, we can wait under the water for as long as it takes. Someone could then cause a distraction, and we can whisk Clarity away in a blink of an eye."

"I need to finish something," Clarity said suddenly before turning to walk briskly up the stairs. "When the neighbors come back, turn me in to them. I'll let you do the rest." Corinna hurried after her sister, and the two young women disappeared to the second floor. Their footsteps grew softer as they made their way to their room.

Lynden narrowed his eyes. "This was unexpected. Don't the neighbors have any decency?"

I shook my head. "Apparently not."

"On a different note," Phina said, trying her best to muster a smile as she turned to Storm, "you're my little brother now?"

"No." Storm folded his arms over his chest defensively. "You know I only said that to try to get the mob outside to back off."

Phina let out a weak laugh. "Of course."

I walked over to the dining room table, then took a seat. I turned my helmet over in my hands. Lynden was right; things had indeed taken an unexpected turn. But the more I thought about it, the less unexpected it seemed. Chloe-Jane, a darker-skinned girl of southern continent origins, was being accused of seducing the king with her black magic. Of course people would believe the silly rumor and then be angry at all people from the southern continent.

I despised this kingdom. Even though the world itself had changed and I was far from the beautiful land I had once grown up in, I kept clinging to the hope that I'd live long enough to see it change again for the better.

✦ ✦ ✦

Lynden, Phina, Storm, Corinna, and I sat around the table, dreading each passing minute. The sun had just gone down, and the neighbors would come knocking at our door any second.

Phina had changed into the black lace dress I wore when we searched the city for Chloe-Jane. Her ginger hair was pulled back into an elegant knot, and the look was completed with a veiled hat. All in all, she would have looked quite intimidating if it weren't for the look of pure terror on her face.

"Are you alright?" Storm gave Phina a sideways look. "It's not like you're the one being handed over."

"I know." Phina wrung her gloved hands together. "But how am I supposed to act? What if I say something wrong? I'm just worried about Clarity."

"You'll be fine." Lynden tried his best to reassure the ginger-haired vampire. "Just say that you suspected that Clarity was a witch after all and are happy to get rid of her."

"I can't say that!" Phina's expression was even more horrified.

At that moment, a heavy knock sounded at the door. "Is anyone home?" a man's voice called. "We're here to collect the witch."

"Looks like you'll have to," I said grimly. Then I turned to Lynden and Corinna. "Helmets on. It's better if they don't see our faces."

Phina flashed us another terrified look before she slid out of her seat. She hastily straightened her skirts and walked shakily to the door. "Good evening." Phina's voice shook slightly as she opened the door. I glanced over my shoulder to make out the crowd gathered outside the house. Even though I couldn't see all of them, I could tell there were at least forty people. Their numbers had doubled since this afternoon.

The man bowed deeply to Phina. "Good evening, milady. When did such a beautiful young lass move in? This house has been vacant for quite some time."

"My brother and I just arrived here last month," Phina told the man in a strained sort of way. "Our parents thought it would be good for us to spend some time in the capital city."

The man looked into the house, and his eyes landed on us. "I see your brother there. He made quite the scene earlier-and has quite the temper." Then the man frowned. "The two of you don't look like siblings."

Phina let out a shaky laugh. "My brother's adopted. Don't take him too seriously. He's young and will say whatever's on his mind without a second thought."

"Of course," the man chuckled. "I'm sure you know by now that your maid is a witch?"

Phina nodded. "I suspected that she was a witch all along, and today just confirmed my suspicions. She's locked up upstairs as we speak. I'm happy to be rid of her."

The man clapped his hands together. "Wonderful. I knew the mistress here would be a sensible woman."

Phina turned to us with large eyes. "Bring her out."

Corinna and I slid out of our seats before hurrying upstairs. Clarity was standing on the landing and gave us a grim nod as we arrived. Corinna and I each took hold of one of Clarity's arms before marching her down the stairs.

Phina stepped aside to let us practically drag Clarity out the door. "Here's the witch."

"Perfect." The man smiled awfully. "Quickly, tie her up."

A group of townsfolk hurried over, ropes in hand, and quickly bound Clarity's arms and legs.

"Let me go!" Clarity hissed, her eyes blazing. "You'll regret this!"

"I'd be careful not to get too close to her if I were you," Phina warned the crowd gathered outside. "As a witch, you don't know what kind of magic she's capable of."

The man bowed again to Phina. "Don't worry, milady. You're safe now. The witch will be locked in the stable. All of our preparations are almost complete-the witch trial will take place tomorrow at sunset." And with that, the man turned away. The crowd dispersed into the night, taking the thrashing Clarity with them.

Phina shut the door before turning back to us. Her eyes were wide as if she couldn't believe what she had just witnessed. "It's done."

I pulled off my helmet, and Corinna and Lynden did the same. "They took her." Corinna shook her head in disbelief. "They really took her."

"Who's going to wait at the bottom of the well for Clarity?" Lynden asked as we all sat down again at the table.

"I can do it," Phina volunteered quickly. "I can wait in the well."

"I'll do it," I cut in. "You're supposed to be Clarity's mistress, remember? It would be a little odd if you didn't show up for her trial, no?"

Phina sighed heavily. "I guess you're right. Maybe it's for the best we leave this part to you." I half expected Phina to keep pushing to help out, but there was something sad behind her eyes. "What do we do now, then?"

"Now we wait," Lynden said simply. "Talon should probably get into the well sometime before the sun rises, though."

I inclined my head in his direction. "I can head out tonight."

Storm slumped in his seat. "I'm sorry, everyone-I didn't know the neighbors would be so meddlesome."

"How could you have known?" Corinna offered him a strained smile. "No one could have predicted this happening."

"Maybe my uncle could," Storm said suddenly. "He can see the future."

I looked at Storm with raised brows. "So you're telling us that Andreus could see that this was going to happen, and he didn't warn us?"

"Well, not exactly." Storm ran an agitated hand through his hair. "My uncle can see brief snippets of different possible futures. Even he doesn't know which one will happen. Or so he says."

Lynden frowned. "He could have at least given us some kind of warning. He told us about the legend of the four queens-which has nothing to do with us-and didn't tell us anything about Clarity's witch trial?"

Corinna blinked. "The legend of the four queens. Queens . . . queens! Aren't there two queens in the capital city now? Queen Karmen of the vampires and now Chloe-Jane?"

"You're right!" Phina's eyes grew even larger. "Chloe-Jane is a queen now!"

"She can't be one of the four queens in the legend, can she?" Corinna said in disbelief.

Storm furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "I can understand how Karmen can be one of the four queens, but Chloe-Jane was a little sudden though, don't you think? What, are the other two queens suddenly gonna show up as well?"

"Are you saying that all of the queens are here in the capital city?" I asked slowly. With all the events that had happened today, the legend of the four queens had completely slipped my mind.

"Maybe." Phina tugged on a loose strand of hair. "If they're destined to meet before the end of the century, we won't have to wait much longer to find out."

Lynden clasped his hands together on the table. "If it does turn out that Chloe-Jane is one of the queens, we'll no longer have to go looking for Karmen. If we wait long enough, she'll come to us. I think I understand now. Karmen came here to the capital city to look for the queens."

"If she's just looking for the queens, why has she been killing vampires?" I asked skeptically. "I think there's more to it than that."

"Maybe she thinks one of the queens is a vampire?" Storm suggested.

I shook my head. "That wouldn't make sense since the corpse I found was a male."

Silence fell between us as we stared at the table. If Karmen did find the other queens, what then?

"I'm gonna go to bed," Storm announced.

I watched as Storm stood up from his seat. "Once we get Clarity away from the well, you'll have to escort her back to your uncle's place. You're the only one who knows the way."

"Don't worry. I'll have the horses ready and waiting. When I get back, I'll draw out a map so we can all know the way."

Corinna rose from her seat as well. "I think I'll head upstairs too-I need some time to think. Goodnight, everyone."

"Goodnight." I offered Corinna a tired smile.

Corinna gave me a small smile before she turned to make her way upstairs.

"I think we're going to run into Karmen sooner than later," Lynden said grimly once Corinna and Storm were out of earshot. "We need to get Chloe-Jane out of the castle as quickly as possible."

"We can't be hasty either, though," Phina said worriedly. "Haste will lead to mistakes."

"Let's just proceed as we planned to," Lynden said. "Right now, that prophecy doesn't have anything to do with us. If Karmen really is here for the queens, she won't show up until Chloe-Jane is here with us."

I nodded. "Listen closely. Here's what we're going to do tomorrow."

✦ ✦ ✦

It was a little after midnight when I silently left the house, dressed head to toe in black so as to blend into the night. Lynden had left the house a few minutes before me to check on Clarity, and Phina stayed behind to make sure Corinna and Storm were safe.

It didn't take me long to reach the well. It was located in the center of the town square; the surrounding buildings formed a large circle around it. Perched on the roof of one of those buildings, I took note of all the entrances and exits. Right now the square was completely empty, and an eerie silence hung in the air. Tomorrow at sunset, this square would be packed with people. All the pathways would be blocked off. And so the best way to go was up.

I dropped from the roof and landed on the stones below, then made my way over to the well. I placed my hands on the rough stone rim. My hair fell forward and shot ripples across the previously crystal-like surface.

As the water stilled and the ripples subsided, everything came into a sharper focus. Even though the water's surface was a perfect mirror, I could hardly recognize the face of the young woman that stared back. The long black hair and delicate nose were my mother's, and the eyes and cheekbones were the same shape as my father's. But the blood-red irises that gleamed up at me were not from either of my parents.

I stared at those eyes for a very long time, and the eyes stared back.

They were the eyes of a vampire; a creature of the night, a creature forever cursed to flee from the light. They were the eyes of a monster. But they were my eyes.

There was a faint splash as I dove headfirst into the well-into the eyes staring up at me from its depths. I sunk down, down, down. Everything was silent and dark underneath the surface. Then with a wave of my arms, I was upright again, and I tipped my head back to watch the moonlight above grow fainter the deeper I descended.

I closed my eyes, savoring the dark. It was almost peaceful down here. All I had to do was watch out for the monster at the bottom of the well. My father had once told me a story about the creature that sat at the bottom of wells.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Once upon a time, there was a monster that lived at the bottom of a well. It was a small village with no more than fifty villagers, and each day, a young girl would take a pail and go down to the well to fetch water for her family. One day, a group of village children thought it would be fun to play a trick on this little girl and push her into the well. Little did they know, the girl could not swim. So when they pushed her down, she thrashed around in the water, doing everything she could to stay afloat. But alas, her efforts were in vain. By the time the other children realized what was happening and ran to call the grown-ups, it was too late. The girl had sunk into the well.

"Now you see, the creature living at the bottom of the well sensed that the girl was drowning and quickly swam up to save her. But when the villagers saw the monster emerge from the well, they grew scared. They fled the village and left the little girl and the monster alone. From that day forth, the girl and the monster slowly but surely became friends.

"Years passed. Even though the girl and monster had become close friends, the girl was still a girl, and the monster still a monster. By this point, the little girl had grown into a beautiful young woman. One day, a young man from a distant kingdom was journeying across the land and decided to stop off at the girl's village. The moment he saw the girl, he was infatuated by her beauty. The girl treated him as a guest, provided him with food and water, and finally introduced him to her friend, the well monster. But when the young man saw the well monster, being the hero he was, he decided to slay it. It turned out that this young man was a prince, and he took the young girl to his castle to become his wife. The end."

"What? But Father, that's a horrible story!"

"I'm glad you noticed. And you are right, it doesn't end happily for everyone."

"The only one who gets a happy ending is that good-for-nothing prince! What about the girl? What happened to her when she arrived at the castle?"

"Sadly, no one knows what became of the girl. Not all stories have happy endings."

"Father, I don't think I liked that story very much. Could you please tell me a happier one next time?"

"Did you take anything away from this story, at least?"

"Yes! I know not to be like that idiot prince!"

"Is that all?"

"I don't think I understand. What more is there to take away?"

"It's understandable if you don't get it right now. You're only seven after all. You will understand when you get older."

✦ ✦ ✦

Just how deep is this well? I wondered. It felt as if time and space itself had halted as I tumbled in slow motion through the dark water.

After what could have been seconds or minutes or years, my left foot scraped the bottom of the well. I slowly opened my eyes. There was something surreal about floating there in the water. I looked from side to side and felt my long hair flowing around me with the movement. Where was the well monster? Where was the creature with the claws and fangs?

Then I let out a humorless laugh, and the sound was silent in the stillness of the water. It's me, isn't it? I'm the monster at the bottom of the well.

I closed my eyes again. My father's voice was a faint whisper as the words of his story echoed in my head. What I had originally taken away from the story was not to act the same way the prince had. What I could see now was that the monster in the well was only a monster in name-its kindness had shown through in the most important of times.

Sometimes the real monsters weren't the ones with the fangs and talons.

Chapter Seventeen

When I awoke the next morning, Talon was gone. Without her presence, the house felt different. Lynden, Phina, and Storm were already in the living room when I climbed down the stairs in my armor. At noon, Storm would leave to get the horses ready at the edge of the town. He had already prepared food for the journey into the mountains, along with sleeping bags and weapons.

Phina was still wearing the same black dress from the previous day. She was going to be part of the crowd. Lynden and I were both knights, dressed head to toe in armor. We had concluded that it would be for the best to keep our faces hidden from the townsfolk if we could help it.

The day dragged out so slowly it was almost as if the sun itself had gotten stuck in the sky. At long last, noon finally came around, and Storm vanished from the house after saying a brief goodbye. By the time sunset was upon us, I was just about ready to pull my hair out. The waiting was by far the worst part. The longer we waited, the more the doubt would sink in. What if something goes wrong? I asked myself. Will Clarity really be able to get out alright?

"It's time to go," Lynden said stiffly.

I swallowed hard, then shakily pulled my helmet over my head. I followed the two vampires out of the house to join the crowd of townspeople meandering toward the square where the witch trial was going to take place. When we arrived at the crowded square, the three of us parted ways. I pushed through the crowd and made my way toward the well.

A thick layer of clouds had covered the sky, and the entire square was painted in an ever-darkening gray as the sun sunk lower and lower. More people spilled into the square with each passing minute, talking in excited voices as if the witch trial were the event of the year. I grimaced, nauseated by all the smiling faces.

"It's time, everyone!" a loud voice called from the back of the square. A hush fell over the crowd as they turned to face the speaker. It was the man who had knocked on our door the previous day. Clarity stood next to him with her head in a burlap sack and arms bound together behind her back. She had been changed into a ragged-looking dress, and her bare feet were peppered with cuts from having walked over the rough stones that made up the path. But apart from her feet, Clarity seemed otherwise unharmed. It looked as if the townsfolk had taken Phina's warning to heart after all. "Make way, make way!" the man called. "Make way for the witch!"

The crowd parted, and the man marched over to the well. Two other men grabbed Clarity's arms and practically dragged her forward. Cries of "drown the witch" echoed through the square, and the man next to the well grinned. My stomach clenched.

The man ripped off the sack over Clarity's head in one swift movement. "Look at her! The girl looks different from the other witches we've caught before, aye?"

The crowd oohed and aahed as Clarity stood there. Her eyes blazed silently with flame.

"That's right!" the man chuckled. "She's a black-skinned thing from the southern continent! And you know who else is from the southern continent?"

"The queen!" the crowd roared in unison.

"The queen!" the man echoed almost triumphantly. "She's the same as that witch who seduced the king! Today we will show the entire capital city that we won't tolerate witches!"

"No witches in our city!" the crowd chanted. "Throw her in the well!"

"Any last words?" the man said to Clarity. "Oh, that's right. I think it's better if you hold that foul little tongue of yours. Push her in!"

For a moment, my heart stopped beating as I held my breath. The two men on either side of Clarity lifted her up by the arms like a rag doll and dropped her over the rim of the well. Clarity barely had time to scream before she hit the water with a loud splash.

I hurried toward the well, but the crowd surged forward, and I found myself being pushed and shoved in every direction. In a rising panic, I shoved the people standing in front of me with all my might, but they were like a brick wall. The townsfolk grumbled, reluctant to give up their spots, but eventually moved when they noticed my armor. Holding the little plant pellet Clarity had given me days ago, I finally reached the well, then discreetly dropped it into the water.

Bam! The moment the pellet touched the water, it exploded. Smoke filled the air, and the townsfolk standing around the well next to me staggered backward in shock. Through the thick screen of smoke, there was another loud splash as Talon rocketed up from the depths of the well with Clarity safely in her arms. She moved so fast that no one would have been able to see her if they weren't expecting her. And with everyone turning away from the smoke, that brief distraction was all that we needed.

"The witch is dead!" Lynden yelled out of the sudden silence from somewhere on the other side of the square. "It turned out she was a witch after all! Look! She exploded! I've seen this happen before with my own eyes!"

"The witch is dead?" the man in front of the well repeated in a mixture of shock and disbelief. Coughing as he fanned the smoke away, he slowly leaned over the well to look into the water. He blinked. "The witch is dead. The witch is dead!"

"The witch is dead," the crowd murmured. Then, a moment later, thundering applause filled the air. "The witch is dead!" they yelled in triumph. "The witch is dead!"

My task complete, I turned and pushed my way out of the crowd, still shaken. Right now, Storm was probably already escaping the town with Clarity. Even though I was still wearing my helmet, it felt as if I could finally breathe again. A heavy weight had been lifted from my shoulders, and as I made my way back to the house, it seemed as if the color had returned to the streets.

I reached the house just as night fully set in. I didn't even have to reach for the door handle before it swung open for me. Talon stood in the doorway, smiling. "You did it!" Laughter danced in her eyes despite the fact she was dripping with water.

"I did it," I said breathlessly as I stepped over the threshold. It took me a moment to realize that there was a smile on my face as I pulled off my helmet.

"Phina is still in the square indulging the townsfolk," Talon informed me as she shut the door. "Lynden's upstairs changing out of his knight outfit. Lynden and I both thought that it would be a good idea for you to leave this house until the neighbors have calmed down."

"Leave the house?"

"I have a house in the forest about half a mile from here," Talon explained. "If the neighbors happened to see you here, I'm certain they'd accuse you of being a witch as well."

Talon was right. The citizens were so angry at Chloe-Jane for "seducing the king" that they wouldn't think twice about ridding the city of people from the southern continent. I nodded my head. "When do we leave?"

Talon looked down at her soaking clothes. "We can leave after I change into something dry."

I hid my smile as Talon gracefully leaped up the stairs. Alone in the living room, I got to work unbraiding my hair.

Talon returned a few minutes later in a simple dress, and her damp hair hung over her shoulders. She patted the bag at her side. "I've brought you a change of clothes for when we get to the house. Ready?"

"I'm ready."

Talon returned the smile, and the two of us exited the house. The streets of the town were empty, as everyone was still gathered in the square. The clouds had cleared and the moon hung low in the clear night.

Talon led me into the small forest outside the town, and the two of us continued walking until we came upon a clearing. The wind gently rustled the leaves on the surrounding trees, and I paused for a moment to take it all in. There was something peaceful about the clearing and the little stream that ran through it-something peaceful about the wooden house neatly tucked away.

"Here we are," Talon said as we stepped onto the front porch.

I looked around with wide eyes. "This is the house you bought with the sisters."

"That's correct." Talon let out a soft laugh as she pushed open the door. Even though it was clear the house had been vacant for many years, there was still a hominess about it. Talon showed me to the back of the house, where two doors stood against the wall, then opened the one on the left and stepped aside for me to enter the room beyond. "You can stay here. This was my bedroom. Here"-Talon handed me the bag of clothes she had brought along-"you're welcome to any of the clothes in the closet as well. I bought them a long time ago but never actually got around to wearing them."

I took the bag from her. "Thank you."

Talon gave me a soft smile. "I'll be here in the living room if you need anything. Goodnight, Corinna."

"Goodnight." I watched Talon walk over to the couch before I gently shut the door. I went to the lamp sitting on the vanity and turned the knob. The little flame inside sprung to life, and its golden light flickered behind the glass. Even though no one had been living in this room for years, the vanity and all the other surfaces in the room had been dusted. It seemed as if Talon had made sure to clean up the room before I arrived.

I made short work of changing out of my cold armor and into the warm dress Talon had brought for me. Then I returned to the vanity and took a seat on the stool in front of it. My face stared back at me from the mirrors; my eyes looked just as tired as I felt.

I dropped my gaze away from the mirror and to the drawers under the vanity. I tentatively pulled open the top one to find an assortment of expensive-looking daggers. A laugh escaped from my lips. I picked up one of the knives and gave the blade a spin before setting it back down. Then I closed the top drawer and pulled open the one beneath it. It was filled with makeup, and I carefully lifted a jar of powder from the drawer. After blowing off a thick layer of dust from its lid, I returned it and closed the drawer.

Next I made my way to the closet. I gently pulled open the door and blinked in surprise as my eyes fell on all of the dresses. Some of the dresses were casual, while others could pass as ball gowns. Still shaking my head in awe, I shut the door. The ball. I remembered: in two weeks' time, we were going to sneak into the ball at the archduke's estate. There we would see Chloe-Jane. But how would we get everyone's eyes away from my sister long enough for me to have the chance to talk to her?

I collapsed onto the bed and stared absently up at the ceiling. What happens at balls? Well, dancing of course. Dancing . . .

I sat bolt upright before hurrying over to the door. "Talon!" I said excitedly as I threw it open. "About that ball-I just had an idea!"

✦ ✦ ✦

I dismounted my horse, and my long cape swished around my legs. I pulled my hood back as I looked up at the small shop in front of me. After I had discussed my plan with Talon, she had agreed that it just might work. Right now, Lynden, Phina, and Talon were working to forge our invitations. My job was to pick up a dress.

After taking a deep breath, I stepped into the shop.

"Welcome, welcome," the salesclerk called out from behind the counter. Then he blinked at me. "Hey, I remember you! You're the maid of that other young woman who so rudely left without buying anything!"

I bowed my head. "My mistress sends her deepest apologies. She's decided that she does want to commission you after all."

"Humph," the man huffed. "Are you sure I should work with you? What if that woman decides to walk out again?"

"My mistress won't walk out on you," I reassured him. "After looking at all the other dress shops, she's determined that yours is the best."

"Mine's the best?" Then he broke into a grin. "That's right! Mine is the best! Your mistress has good eyes, girl."

"As an apology for her behavior"-I reached into my cape-"she wants me to give you this." The man leaned forward as I pulled out a large pouch of coins. "My mistress hopes this will be enough for a single ball gown."

I set the pouch down and watched the man open it and look inside. His eyes widened. "This-this is enough for three ball gowns! Your mistress is too kind! Come with me."

The man led me toward the sewing room, pushed open the door, then stepped aside to let me pass. All the seamstresses didn't even glance up from their work as I stepped inside.

"With all of my seamstresses working on the dress, it will be ready in a couple of days," the man said smugly. "Just tell them what your mistress is looking for. Girls!" All of the seamstresses instantly halted their work and turned to the man with their heads bowed. "You've got a new gown to make. This one is to be finished as soon as possible." And with that said, the man turned on his heel and marched back to his counter.

I looked around the room, and my eyes fell quickly on the figure I was searching for.

Corinna, the medicine girl mouthed in surprise. She beckoned me over to her table in the corner of the room, and I hurried over to join her. "What are you doing back here?"

I sighed. "Long story short, we need a dress."

"We?" the medicine girl inquired quizzically. "Are you still traveling with that other woman?"

I nodded. "Have you heard about the ball the archduke is hosting?"

"I've heard about it."

"The king and queen are going to be there." I lowered my voice. "Chloe-Jane is going to be there, so we're going to-"

The medicine girl held up a hand, cutting me off mid-sentence. "Don't tell me, sister. If people come to question me about this later, this way I really won't be able to tell them anything."

I fell silent as I nodded again.

"What kind of dress do you need?"

I held her gaze. "What we need is the most beautiful dress at the ball. What we need is a dress that no one will be able to take their eyes off of. Do you think you could do that?"

"We certainly can," the medicine girl said simply. "But you're going to need to help me. This dress is for that woman, right? We need to find a theme that complements her."

"A theme that complements her?"

"From what I remember when I saw her in the shop," she recalled, "she's quite pale with a slender frame. And she has black hair. I think any dark color would work nicely."

"What about midnight blue?" I said suddenly. "The night sky. The theme should be the night sky."

The medicine girl nodded. "Let's get to work, then."

The two of us spent a good hour playing around with different designs for the dress before finally settling on the perfect one.

"You can count on me to get this done," the medicine girl reassured me. "With so many hands working on the dress, it will be done in no time."

"Thank you." I bowed my head. "After I get my sister out of the castle, I'm coming back for all of you."

The medicine girl nodded. "We'll be waiting."

With one last bow, I turned and made my way out of the back room. "Done already?" the salesclerk called as I walked toward the door. "Wait, I still need a name for the commission."

I halted and slowly turned on the spot to face him. "A name?"

"Yes, yes," the man said impatiently. "A name. Don't tell me you don't have one."

"You want my name?"

The man waved his hands in exasperation. "Well? What is it?"

"Falon." A wry smile played on my lips. "My name is Falon."

✦ ✦ ✦

I returned to the shop a week later to pick up the dress. Lynden, Phina, and Talon had gotten us forged invitations, and we were going to leave for the archduke's estate tomorrow. The journey would take us a couple of days, and we wanted to make sure we had plenty of time. Apparently Storm had just returned to the capital city, and I had yet to see him because I hadn't returned to the house in town since Clarity's witch trial.

The shop bell rang as I opened the door. The clerk was counting money behind the counter, and he paused what he was doing when he spotted me. "Ah, Falon, the dress is ready," he said, then reached underneath the counter to pull out a large box. "It was a pleasure doing business with you. Do come again."

I stepped forward to pick up the box. After lifting the lid a fraction, I peered inside at the sea of midnight-blue tulle. I let the lid fall back down, satisfied.

"Good day to you, sir." I scooped the large box into my arms. My back strained.

"And to you as well," the man said distractedly, having gone back to counting his coins as I staggered out the door.

Outside, I heard Talon's voice. "It looks like you need a little help with that." She effortlessly took the box from me. "This is it?"

"This is it."

"I'll drop this off-you should meet up with the others."

"Got it." I swiftly mounted my horse before pulling my hood over my head. "I'll see you later."

Talon offered me a smile before she vanished in a blink of an eye.

Smiling to myself, I spurred my horse into a gallop. It was time to head back.

✦ ✦ ✦

It was late afternoon by the time I reached the house. Careful to keep myself hidden from any watchful eyes, I climbed over the backyard fence before silently slipping inside. As I closed the backdoor behind me, I could hear the sounds of arguing coming from the living room.

"Come on," Storm was saying, "I don't even like these events. Why can't Phina go to the ball instead?"

"I want to go," Phina's voice squeaked. "I want to go to the ball."

I walked into the living room to find Lynden, Phina, Storm, and Talon standing by the stairs.

"One of us needs to stay behind and watch the house," Talon explained as I looked at her for an explanation. "We don't want the neighbors trying anything while we're away, or we might find that there's no house left to return to."

Phina's demeanor was limp. "I thought we were all going to go."

"I'm really sorry, Phina." Lynden sighed regretfully. His expression was almost pained. "I know we did plan for all of us to go, but knowing what the neighbors are like, it's better for you to stay and make sure nothing happens to the house. The neighbors know you as the mistress of this house after all. I'd volunteer to stay, but the neighbors don't know me."

"I can stay behind!" Storm tried again. "I'm her little brother, remember? There wouldn't be any suspicion if I stayed."

Talon gave Storm a sideways look. "What would we tell your uncle if the neighbors hurt you while you were guarding alone? You're better off coming with us. Besides, you're still our guide."

"But . . ." Phina said, clearly disappointed. "The ball . . ."

Lynden tried his best to comfort her. "We'll have plenty of opportunities to go to balls in the future-if Karmen doesn't kill us first."

Phina halfheartedly poked Lynden in the arm. "That's not funny."

"What if I stay behind with Phina?" Storm suggested.

"Didn't you just hear Talon say that you're coming with us?" Lynden asked. "If you died, I'm sure it would be easy for Andreus to hunt us down and send us to our own graves."

Storm frowned. "My uncle wouldn't do that. He couldn't do that even if he wanted to. He can't leave the mountains. Didn't he tell you that he used up almost all of his magic to seal himself inside?"

I blinked. "Andreus can't leave the mountain?"

Storm's eyes were downcast. "My uncle is old-like, really old. Even though he still has maybe a hundred years left, he's getting close to the end of his lifespan. After his partner died, he was living all alone out there in the world for a long time. As one final good deed, my uncle decided to take me in."

A silence fell on the room. "I guess it's settled, then." Phina said as she tugged on a strand of her hair. "I'll stay behind and Storm can go to the ball. But I want all of you to know that I want to hear about everything in detail when you get back."

"We'll be sure to tell you all about it," I reassured her.

"Thank you." Phina pressed her hands together. "I'll look forward to it."

Talon walked over to the dining room table, where different papers covered every inch of its surface. "Now that we're all here, let's go over our plan one more time, shall we?"

✦ ✦ ✦

When Talon and I returned to the house in the forest, the sun had long set and the night sky was flecked with stars. Talon pushed open the door to the house and stepped inside. I followed close at her heels, and my eyes immediately fell on the box in the center of the living room. Talon and I exchanged a glance before we both hurried over to crouch down next to it.

"Have you looked at the dress yet?" Talon asked.

I shook my head as I stared down at the box. "Not yet."

"Me neither." Talon stared down at it as well. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"If you don't mind." I gently slid the lid off of the box. Talon and I both leaned in as we examined the sea of midnight fabric. Tentatively, Talon lifted the dress from the box.

My breath caught in my throat as the dress unfurled into its true state. I had never seen anything like it in my life. It appeared strapless with layer upon layer of flowing skirts; a gown of night and stars. Silver glitter was sprinkled carefully over the deep blues of the skirt and bodice. The voluminous tulle of the skirts was like an ocean, and the silver flecks were like stars drifting over the midnight waves.

Talon's eyes widened as she held up the ball gown. "It's beautiful."

"It is," I breathed. Then I pointed to the box. "Look-there's more!" I crouched down to pick up the matching silk gloves from the bottom of the box, still in awe.

"Hey"-Talon suddenly turned to me, her eyes sparkling-"would you like to try it on?"

"What? Me? It's your dress."

"Go on." Talon smiled ear to ear. "I'll be wearing it at the ball anyway."

I eyed the dress. "I've never worn a ball gown before. As much as I'd love to, I wouldn't want to accidentally mess anything up either."

"That won't happen-come, I'll help you."

"Alright." I finally caved. "If you insist."

Talon tucked the dress under her arm before taking me by the hand and leading me over to the bedroom. We stopped in front of the vanity mirror, and Talon carefully set the dress on the bed. "I'll look for some jewelry in the other room while you change," Talon told me as she skipped back out with the energy of a little girl ready to play dress-up.

I smiled to myself as I picked up the dress and held it up to my body. There was something magical about it-like it was practically sewn from the night itself.

I slipped off my own dress before ever so carefully stepping into the ball gown. Then holding my breath, I turned to face the mirror. The girl in the mirror-the girl in the ball gown-was me.

"Corinna!" Talon exclaimed as she reentered the room with a small box in her hands. "You look beautiful!"

I beamed. "I can't seem to figure out how the ties in the back work, though."

"I can help you." Talon set her box down on the vanity table before stepping behind me. She hesitated slightly, and she hovered her hand in the air. "If you don't mind, of course."

"Not at all."

Ever so gently, Talon began to lace up the back of the dress.

I watched in the mirror as Talon paused, her hand stilling on my back. "What are these?" she breathed, tracing one of the still-healing gashes with a shaky finger.

I smiled sadly. "Lashings are common back at the farm. You don't have to worry, though-the pain has long faded."

"I'm so sorry," Talon whispered.

I sighed softly. "You don't need to apologize. It's not your fault."

There was a long moment of silence before she finally spoke again. "There," Talon said as she finished lacing up the dress. "It's done." She took a step back, and I twisted around to look at the back of the dress in the mirror.

I just stared, at a loss for words. Never would I have thought I'd get to wear such a dress.

"You should spin," Talon suggested. "There's nothing more fun than twirling around in a new dress."

"Okay." I found myself smiling. "Well, here it goes."

With my bare feet pressing down on the floorboards, I turned on the spot. Even at this slow speed, my skirts flowed out around me. The little stars glittered gold and silver from the combination of lamp light and the pearly moon outside. I spun faster and faster, a whirlwind of midnight tulle.

When I finally came to a staggering stop, Talon clapped her hands in enthusiastic applause. "What do you think?"

"Amazing," I said breathlessly.

Talon's eyes sparkled as she laughed. "I always loved fancy dresses as a little girl." A moment after the words left her mouth, something flickered behind her gaze. Her expression turned sad as she sat down on the floor and rested her chin on the palms of her hands.

"Are you thinking about your past?" I asked softly.

Talon nodded as she drew her knees to her chest. "Not only that. This world is cruel, isn't it? Look what it did to you."

I dropped to the floor, and my dress flared out around me as I took a seat in front of Talon. "I don't think it's a bad thing that you accepted Karmen's offer. I don't think it's a bad thing that you've become a vampire. I'm sure almost anyone in your position would have done the same. I know for a fact that if it were me, I wouldn't think twice about accepting the strength I'd need to take my revenge. In a way, Karmen gave you a second shot at life. And you've been using it to help out others. You gave Miah and Dahlia an opportunity to live a better life, even if it was brief. Later you even helped the slaves who fled to the forest escape from the inner kingdom. You helped me."

"Karmen did give me a second shot at life." Talon's shoulders slumped as her hands fell limply to her sides. "Even if I'm now living a cursed life, at least I can try to help other people to a better place."

I reached out and took Talon's hands in my own. "You don't have to go through this alone anymore."

Talon's voice was no more than a whisper as she raised her gaze to meet mine. "Really?"

"That's right." I smiled softly as I squeezed her hands reassuringly. "You have me now."

Chapter Eighteen

We left for the archduke's estate early the next morning. Corinna sat next to me, tentatively gazing out the window as the city outside rolled by in a steady hum of color and sounds. Lynden sat across from us, ignoring us completely as he sifted through a large stack of papers. Storm was outside, accompanying the driver on horseback.

"I feel bad that we couldn't take Phina along," Corinna said as she turned away from the window. "She seemed really excited about the ball."

Lynden finally set his papers down. "I feel bad too. She's always loved the music and dancing."

By the time we arrived at the inn, the sun had already passed its highest point and was now slowly descending toward the distant horizon. I pulled my cloak tightly around myself as I stepped out of the carriage. The sky was a raging sea of light.

We booked two rooms and made a good number of trips back to the carriage to collect our luggage. Lynden had offered to scout out the estate, leaving Storm, Corinna, and I behind at the inn. We had today and the daylight hours of tomorrow to prepare. Then it was showtime.

Corinna sighed as she took a seat on one of the two beds against the back wall of the room. "I know it's only been a few months since I've seen Chloe-Jane last, but it seems like it's been much longer-years, even. So much has happened in such a short period of time."

"I know." I unfastened my cloak before taking a seat on the bed opposite her. "But I also know that you've been handling this much better than I ever would if it were me in your position."

Corinna shook her head tiredly. "There's nothing I can do except to endure. How much longer I'll be able to hold out is another question entirely."

A knock sounded on the door, and Corinna's eyes looked at me questioningly.

"It's Storm," I said. "I can go open it." I made my way across the room and pulled the door open.

Storm stood in the doorway with the stack of papers Lynden had been looking over earlier tucked under his arm. "I thought we might want to look over these again," Storm said. He was looking in every direction except for mine.

Corinna waved the dark-haired boy inside. "Perfect-the more planning we do, the better."

Storm scampered past me as quickly as he could, then took a seat on the floor to sort through all the maps. He glanced up at me every couple of seconds as if I'd pull a knife on him.

I blinked in mild amusement as I shut the door and returned to my seat on the bed.

"Storm?" Corinna looked over at the dark-haired boy. "You've been traveling with Talon and the other vampires for a little over two months now. You don't have to be so apprehensive around them all the time."

"Why shouldn't I be apprehensive?" Storm crossed his arms over his chest. "They're vampires."

"That's funny coming from the person whose uncle is a dragon," Corinna said lightly. "You're not in constant fear of your uncle, now are you?"

"Well, no." Storm frowned slightly. "My uncle's always trying to keep me out of trouble. He'd never try to hurt me."

A faint smile played around Corinna's lips. "Then can't that be the same for the vampires? I'm sure many people would be quick to judge your uncle without ever getting to know him. In fact, they might not even want to get to know him. In their minds, Andreus is just a terrifying dragon without anything else to him."

"My uncle is not terrifying-" Storm started, but Corinna cut him off with a raised hand.

"Right now, you're doing exactly that to the vampires. You're refusing to even give them a chance."

"I am?" Storm blinked. Then his shoulders slumped. "You're right. I am. I've just heard so many stories about the infamous Queen Karmen during my years here in the inner kingdom that I think I've developed some ideas of vampires as a whole."

I rested my chin on the palm of my hand. "Not all stories are truthful. It's true that Karmen is dangerous, and we rightfully should be afraid of her, but that doesn't mean we can't give her a chance, either, if the opportunity presents itself."

"Would you really give Karmen a chance if you do run into her?" Storm asked skeptically as he finally looked up at me.

Would I give Karmen the chance? Would I give the queen who killed so many innocents, a queen with blood-stained hands, a second chance? Once I would have said no. Once I said that Karmen needed to die at all costs. But maybe I had just bought into all the stories about the queen like everyone else; maybe there was more to the queen than the rumors. "Yes." I nodded. "I would."

Storm ran a hand through his dark hair. "I'm sorry, Talon. I haven't exactly been the friendliest toward you. Or Lynden. Or Phina."

I offered Storm a smile. "It's alright. I'm just glad we're on the same page now."

"I'm glad, then." Storm broke out into a relieved smile. "I know we didn't get off to a good start, and I'd like to try to start again."

Corinna was smiling too as she sat next to Storm on the floor. "I'm sure Phina will be happy to hear that when we get back."

"Your uncle raised you well," I said as I joined the two of them. "If only more people in this kingdom could see things the way you do."

"According to my uncle"-Storm sighed heavily, and his smile faded-"after the concept of the Immortal One was introduced, people's thinking changed. The Immortal One showed them that there is only one way to be great-and that is by being powerful, no matter how cruel the methods of attaining that power is. I always thought it was ridiculous. According to my uncle, anyone who's different from those living here in this kingdom are considered lesser. I'm from the east. It was definitely a big shock to see it with my own eyes when I first arrived here. My point is that those who don't follow the so-called Immortal One are seen as sinners who deserve to die."

"Then according to that definition," I said lightly, "all three of us are sinners."

"That's right," Storm said as he rearranged the maps he had previously laid out. "I'm a sinner for associating with the 'evil' dragons and vampires, Talon is one of those vampires, and Corinna is connected to the southern continent. If people found out that my uncle was a dragon and that I'm working with vampires . . . Well, if they decide that they want my head after all, I can just run home and hide in the mountains with my uncle until things calm down. It will be a little more difficult trying to help out with people out to get me, but I'll think of something."

I raised a quizzical brow. "You really don't mind risking your famed reputation?"

Storm shook his head. "It was fun at first, with everybody knowing my name and the stories of my adventures, but that fun was short-lived. There are always people trying to prove that they are better than a kid like me. My uncle taught me that it's much more rewarding doing what's right. I don't need to be a hero. I just want to do what's right. I just hope it will be enough. I just hope I'll live long enough to see this kingdom become a better place."

I smiled wryly. "I respect you, Storm. I think this kingdom is lucky to have a hero like yourself."

✦ ✦ ✦

The next day passed so quickly that the night of the ball was upon us in a blink of an eye. Alone in the room, I stood in my ball gown as I gazed absently out the window. The pearly moon hung low in the sky and painted everything it touched with an ethereal silver glow.

Corinna and Lynden had left for the estate an hour ago as we had planned. After turning away from the window, I walked over to the mirror above the small dresser. I skillfully applied kohl to my eyes, rouge to my cheeks, and deep red paint to my lips.

I had already done my hair up in an elegant knot. This style was perfect because it completely hid my delicately pointed ears. Adorning my hair were silver beads-the same ones that hung from my ears and rested over my bare collarbone, which complemented the stars glittering gently on my dress.

Next I carefully opened a little box of dark-brown lenses. I gingerly placed the first circle in my right eye and blinked until it fell into place over my blood-red iris, then did the same for my left eye before staring in amazement at my reflection. For the first time in years, I actually looked human. Completely human.

I slid on my midnight-colored gloves and the deep blue heels I had brought along for the occasion. I was ready.

Less than five minutes later, Storm knocked on the door.

My heels tapped over the wooden floor as I made my way to the door, and I pulled it open to find Storm standing out in the hallway. He was dressed in the outfit of an attendant, with his dark hair slicked back from his face. "Wow." Storm blinked at me. "You look nice."

"That wasn't the most creative compliment ever," I remarked as I shut the door behind me. "But I'll take it."

"Ready to go?" Storm turned to lead the way down the hall. "The carriage is waiting outside. I've got our invitations." I followed Storm outside, and we climbed into the carriage. The driver brought his horse to a trot, and we were off to the estate.

I gazed out the window as we approached the large buildings. The stars were dancing in the sky beyond, and I watched them flicker during the carriage ride. I could almost see the castle in the distance, silhouetted against the night. We came to a stop behind the line of carriages waiting to pass through the gate in front of the estate's infinite stretch of garden.

Storm sat across from me, and silence hung in the air between us. I hoped that Corinna and Lynden had managed to make it into the estate without any issues.

Finally it was our turn as we reached the front of the line. "Invitations, please," the man standing in front of us said in a bored sort of way.

Storm pushed open his door and hopped out to hand the man our forged papers.

"Lady Falon and her attendant," the man said, more to himself than to Storm. He glanced over into the carriage, surveying me. When he seemed to deem that I really was the so-called Lady Falon, he tossed the papers into the large box beside him and waved our carriage through. Storm quickly climbed back inside, and we rolled through the gates.

As we moved into the garden beyond, I couldn't help but admire the sheer number of flowers that bloomed along the path. But as beautiful as they were, only someone as wealthy as the archduke could afford to take care of so many plants.

When we arrived at the front doors to the main house, Storm jumped out of the carriage and, being the attendant he was, held the door open for me. The moment my heels touched the ground, I could feel all eyes instantly fall upon me. I made a show of rolling out my neck so that my silver beads caught the light. And as our carriage drove away, I could hear the gasps and whispers begin to start up.

One noblewoman gawked. "Do you see that woman's dress? Where did she get a dress like that? I want a dress like that!"

"And I thought I had the best dress at the ball," another noblewoman said, sulking. "Who is that woman?"

"Looks like I won't be getting the king's attention tonight," a third said miserably. "Look at her! She has to be at least a princess."

Hiding my smirk behind my fan, I made my way up the marble steps and through the front doors with Storm close at my heels. The spacious entrance hall beyond was full of people all walking toward the set of doors at the opposite end of the room. If I craned my neck, I could just make out the elegant staircase beyond.

"I hate this already," Storm grumbled under his breath. "Do you see how many nobles are here?"

I glanced around the hall, taking in the majestic chandeliers and hand-painted portraits that lined the walls. "You could at least pretend you're having a good time," I said to Storm. "Everyone's looking at us, after all."

"I know." Storm put on a strained smile that resembled more of a grimace. "But for the record, they're looking at you. Not me."

The two of us climbed the stairs to the second floor and finally stopped at the doors to the ballroom. The man standing next to it looked at us expectantly. "Names?"

"Lady Falon and her attendant," I said.

"Lady Falon and her attendant have arrived," the man announced loudly before beckoning us through.

As the two of us passed through the doors and into the ballroom beyond, numerous heads turned in our wake. My skirts swished around my legs with each step, and the tiny silver stars glittered over the midnight backdrop. I lifted my head, the perfect portrait of nobility.

The ballroom itself was huge. Arching glass windows let the moonlight filter into the room, causing the crystals of the gigantic chandelier on the ceiling of the room to twinkle. The marble floor was polished to a gleam, as was every other inch of the place. The musicians stood off to the side of the room, readying their instruments.

It seemed as if distinguished guests from all over the kingdom had come to see the new king and queen. I narrowed my eyes ever so slightly as I surveyed the ballroom for the anticipated pair, and it didn't take me long to find them. The king and queen were standing on the far side of the ballroom. There was no doubt that the young man with the golden hair was King Volin and the frail-looking girl by his side was Chloe-Jane.

Even though both of them wore smiles on their faces, the latter's was obviously strained. Chloe-Jane wore an emerald-green dress, and her hair was pulled tightly away from her face. Something about her seemed off-I just couldn't seem to put my finger on it.

"That must be Chloe-Jane," Storm said quietly as he followed my gaze. "But look at her eyes. They look . . . dead."

As I did a double-take, I realized Storm was right. Chloe-Jane's eyes were completely blank as they stared unseeingly out into the sea of faces.

A nobleman came up beside me. "Are you looking at the new queen?" he asked. "She's a little young, don't you think?"

"She is young," I agreed as I angled my head to the side. "Do you happen to know why she looks the way that she does?"

"Look like what? Like a crazy witch that crazy king picked up on his way home from the farms?"

"No," I said slowly. "Has life as a royal been difficult for her?"

The nobleman shrugged. "How would I know? Even if I did know, I wouldn't care. The king is crazy to have married someone like her."

Storm folded his arms over his chest. "He's certainly crazy to have married a fourteen-year-old. I just feel bad for the queen."

The man looked at Storm distastefully. "And who exactly are you? Oh, you're just some lowly attendant. I was speaking to the lady, not you, boy. You need to learn to speak only when you're spoken to."

"But weren't you just speaking-" Storm started angrily, but I cut him off with a look.

The nobleman clicked his tongue as he turned back to me. "That girl's unsuited to be the queen, if you ask me. Our kind aren't supposed to mix with people like her. Anyway, it's clear that you have the most beautiful dress at the ball. Are you hoping to dance with someone special tonight?"

I turned to gaze out over the crowd. "Who I dance with is none of your concern. But I must say that it certainly won't be you."

The man opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Finally he sputtered, "Lady, Lady . . ." and he seemed to realize he didn't know my name.

"Lady Falon," a familiar voice said from behind us. All three of us turned to find Lynden standing there. "It's good to see you here." His expression was more relaxed than I had ever seen it before. "May I have a word?"

"Of course." I inclined my head, first to Lynden and then the nobleman. "Forgive me."

The nobleman just stared as I followed Lynden to the other side of the room, with Storm close behind.

"You came just in time," Storm said once we were far enough away from the nobleman. "That man was crazy."

"Did Corinna get in safely?" I asked quietly.

"She did." Lynden's expression grew serious, and his calm mask faded. "She's here right now. Look."

I followed his gaze to the group of servants lurking toward the back of the ballroom. All of them were carrying trays of food and waiting for the dancing to start so they could set the long table.

I felt some of the pressure in my chest lighten. "Good."

"Ahem," a loud voice called. A hush fell over the crowd as they all turned to the announcer expectantly. The man was dressed in yellows and golds, definitely one of the more expensive outfits here tonight. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to clear the dance floor. Our first dance is starting."

"That's the archduke," Lynden informed us quietly. "He's second in the kingdom only to the king and queen themselves."

The crowd shuffled to the sides of the room, leaving the gleaming floor wide open. The music started, and it didn't take long for couples to make their way out onto the floor. But even with the people dancing, almost everyone's eyes were still glued to Chloe-Jane.

It was time to make my move.

With a nod to Lynden and Storm, I made my way around the perimeter of the dance floor and only stopped once I arrived in front of the king. King Volin blinked as I looked up at him, and his deep-green eyes widened slightly as I dipped into a graceful curtsy. "Your Majesty. I was hoping that you'd ask me to dance." At this point, everyone's eyes were on me. I could practically feel them on the back of my neck as I held my curtsy.

"Whom might you be?" the king asked mildly.

I lifted my gaze to meet the king's. "My name is Falon, Your Majesty. There is nothing more I desire in this lifetime than to share a single dance with the king."

"Then it would be quite lamentable of me not to grant you your wish." King Volin motioned for me to rise before gracefully extending a hand. "May I have this dance, Lady Falon?"

"I would be honored, Your Majesty."

I rested my hand on the king's and let him lead me onto the dance floor. The dancers parted to let us reach the center of the ballroom, and my midnight skirts swished around my legs. It took all my self-control not to flinch as King Volin slid an arm around my waist. A moment later, we were moving. The silver stars on my dress glittered as we waltzed across the floor, and my feet were light over the smooth marble as I twirled.

"You're a wonderful dancer," the king praised as his green eyes flickered with amusement.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said, making my demeanor as shy as I could. "You're a marvelous dancer yourself."

"I think you are definitely the star of this ball tonight," he remarked as we continued to waltz through the ballroom. The other couples who had previously been dancing on the floor had backed up into the crowd to join everyone else in gawking at us.

Whispers of "who is that girl?" and "no fair!" rippled through the crowd, but I paid them no mind. Just keep your eyes on me. I twirled again and again. That's right, keep watching.

"Have we met before?" King Volin asked.

"No, Your Majesty." I let the king lead me across the floor. "This is the first time I've met Your Majesty in person."

"Is that so?" King Volin arched a quizzical brow. "Are you sure we haven't met before? Maybe at another ball?"

"If we had met before, I certainly would have taken the opportunity to dance with Your Majesty then."

The king shook his head in bewilderment. "Then why do you look so familiar? I could have sworn I've seen you somewhere before."

"Is Your Majesty only planning on having one wife?" I quickly changed the topic. If the king thought about it long enough, maybe he actually would recall where he had seen my face.

"Only one wife?" King Volin let out an amused laugh. "I don't know. There are many beautiful girls in my kingdom."

"Then why did Your Majesty choose to marry her?" I pretended to pout as I inclined my head in Chloe-Jane's direction. "She's from the southern continent, is she not?"

"I have my reasons." The king wouldn't look away from me as we glided over the dance floor. "Maybe I just thought she had a pretty face. But I'm afraid I've been so busy lately that I don't even have time for women. Right now, one wife is enough."

As he talked, I silently searched his face for any signs of the madman the information dealer had claimed him to be. After some time, I concluded that either the information dealer had lied to us-or the king was just really, really, good at hiding his true nature.

"What do you think about vampires, Your Majesty?" I asked mildly.

"Vampires?" King Volin blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. And for a second-a brief second-crazed insanity flickered through his eyes. It passed so quickly that if I had looked away for only a moment, I would have missed it entirely.

"I was just wondering how Your Majesty plans to keep them out of our kingdom for good," I continued as if I hadn't noticed his momentary shift. "They frighten me so much that sometimes I can't even sleep at night."

The king let out an absent sigh. "I don't have a solution right now. But I'm working on it."

I nodded along. "Of course. With Your Majesty working on it, I can feel relieved."

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Corinna slowly made her way toward Chloe-Jane. All she needed was a few seconds.

"Does Your Majesty happen to know what this song is called?" I looked up at the king and steered him away from the sisters. The eyes in the ballroom followed our every movement. "It's lovely, isn't it?"

Chapter Nineteen

I almost forgot what my task was when I saw Talon. Even from a distance, she looked stunning. She was a graceful butterfly as she twirled with her glittering skirts rippling behind her. Each movement flowed effortlessly like water, and I had to force myself to tear my eyes away.

Lynden and I had entered the manor earlier in the evening. The vampire had presented me, per our plan, as an extra maid brought from his own estate to help out at the event. The staff in charge of the maids didn't even question the story before handing me a uniform and telling me to get to work.

I carefully made my way through the crowd and stopped only when I was directly behind Chloe-Jane. "Your Majesty," I said quietly as I extended the tray I carried in my arms. "Would you care for something to eat?"

"No, thank you." Chloe-Jane turned around to look at me. "I appreciate the offer-" She stopped when her eyes fell on me. Corinna, she mouthed in shock.

"Chloe," I whispered, my voice breaking.

Chloe-Jane's eyes were wide with panic. "Why are you here? You're here to save me, aren't you? Oh no, you shouldn't be here! If the king sees you-"

"Chloe," I said in a hurried whisper, "calm down. I'm just here to ask you a question."

Chloe-Jane inhaled sharply. "A question?"

I nodded. "Listen, I met a group of people who have a plan to get you out of the castle. All you need to tell me is whether you want to leave or stay. If you want to stay, we won't go through with our plan and you can remain queen."

"No!" Chloe-Jane grabbed my hand a little too tightly, and her nails dug deeply into my palm. "Get me out of there."

"Then all you need to do is meet us on the balcony-"

Chloe-Jane shook her head quickly. "I'm not allowed on the balconies."

"We'll meet you in your room, then. You don't share a room with the king, do you?"

My sister shook her head again.

"In that case, can you tell me where in the castle that is?"

Chloe-Jane leaned closer to whisper its location into my ear. I nodded, taking careful note of her words.

"One week from today," I whispered before slipping back into the crowd. "At midnight. We'll come and get you."

Chloe-Jane stared after me, wide-eyed.

I silently resumed my place at the back of the ballroom. My work here was done. I passed the other servants who were currently offering food to the guests, none of whom paid me any heed. All I needed to do now was find Lynden, and then we could leave. Talon and Storm, on the other hand, were going to stay for the entire night. After dancing with the king, Talon didn't have much of a choice.

Before I could begin my search, I sensed someone's presence behind me. I felt a hand on my shoulder and my heart nearly stopped. Did I give myself away? Was I caught talking to my sister?

"You, maid," a man's voice said. I turned, keeping my head bowed. I recognized the man; he was one of the people in charge of the event. "Take these to the kitchen, will you?"

I blinked at the empty trays the man held out to me and hastily received them. I just stood there for a moment after he left while my heart beat rapidly in my chest.

After my trip to the kitchen, I reentered the ballroom, and I abruptly realized that Talon and the king were no longer on the dance floor. I looked around the room to find that the latter had resumed his place next to Chloe-Jane's side. I scanned the crowd for a glimmer of silver and blue, but Talon was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of Lynden's long brown hair outside on the balcony. I silently made my way over to the double doors and slipped into the night.

Lynden and Storm were standing outside, talking in low voices. "Corinna!" Storm turned to look over at me. "How did it go?"

I let out a breath. "It was a success. I'm honestly surprised at how well Talon's distraction worked."

"What did Chloe-Jane say?" Lynden asked seriously.

I rested my arms against the balcony's railing and stared up at the night sky. "She wants us to help her escape. It looks like we're going through with our plan after all. Do either of you happen to know where Talon went?"

"She went somewhere down there." Storm gestured to the gardens below. "I think she wanted to get as far away from the king as she could. You should find her if you turn the corner. Lynden and I will let you know if anyone else is coming out here."

I nodded in thanks before following the balcony railing around the corner of the ballroom. There were no windows on this side of the building. I took a deep breath and let the crisp night air flood my lungs. There was something peaceful about being outside.

I rested my arms on the balcony's railing again, this time gazing out over the garden as I searched among the rows of silvery flowers, and soon my eyes landed on her glowing figure.

Talon was standing among the flowers with her head tipped back slightly as she gazed up at the stars. Her gown billowed out around her in a sea of midnight, and the tiny silver stars on her skirts and hair glittered like crystals.

"Talon," I called softly down to her.

As she turned to look up at me, her expression melted into a smile, and she waved a gloved hand.

I smiled and waved back.

"Should I climb up to you?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I'll come down to you."

After taking off my apron, shoes, and socks, I climbed up onto the railing. In one swift movement, I leaped into the tree on the other side of the rail and clung tightly to the sturdy branches. A soft wind picked up, tugging loose strands of my hair free from my braid. When I had a solid footing, I jumped down to the grass below.

"Tonight was the first time I actually got to see you in your dress," I said breathlessly as Talon made her way over to me. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." Talon's eyes sparkled as she laughed. I noticed that her jewelry had vanished, and when I gave her a quizzical look, Talon held the jewelry out to me. "Would you mind keeping them for me? I feel more like myself without these adornments."

I nodded as I placed them in one of my pockets.

"So, what did Chloe-Jane say?"

I sighed as the two of us set off through the garden. "She wants to be saved. Are you sure it's okay for us to be out here?"

Talon gave me a reassuring smile as the far-off sounds of the music and the din of conversation from the ballroom drifted down to us. "It's perfectly fine. We're the only people out here. Besides, there are no windows on this side of the ballroom."

I nodded as my tension eased. "When I was talking to Chloe-Jane, something about her seemed off."

"Something about her looked off," Talon agreed.

"When you were dancing with the king, did you manage to get a sense of what kind of person he is?"

"I'm afraid that he might very well be the person the information dealer warned us about," Talon said grimly, and her eyes darkened. "At first I was doubting whether or not it was true, but when I caught him off guard, he accidentally let something slip. There's an insanity in his eyes, Corinna. And I've never seen anything like it before."

"Insanity," I echoed. Then I grabbed Talon's arm in a rising panic. "Talon, we've got to get Chloe-Jane out of there. If the king really is a madman, how much longer can Chloe last in the castle?"

"I know." Talon sighed as we stopped in the middle of the garden. She took my hands in her own. "We're going to get her out of there soon. Very soon. But I'm afraid she'll have to wait a few more days."

I bit my lip as I glanced toward the looming outline of the castle in the distance. She was right. We had to stick to our plan. If we rushed anything, things could go terribly wrong.

Talon let go of my hands to remove her heels, then mercifully changed the topic. "I noticed you watching me while I was dancing with the king. I was almost afraid that you would forget to go and talk to your sister."

I laughed at that. "You're the most beautiful woman at the ball. How could I not look? I'd consider the king lucky to even get a chance to dance with you."

"Don't tell me that you're jealous." Talon angled her head to the side, smiling. "Are you jealous?"

"Maybe a little bit."

"In that case"-Talon extended a gloved hand-"may I have this dance?"

"Dance?" I blinked at her delicate fingers. "I'd love to, but I'm not a very good dancer."

Talon laughed. "That's perfectly fine. We're not dancing for anyone but ourselves."

"In that case . . ." I gingerly placed my hand on top of Talon's. I let her lead me to the center of the garden, and our fingers twined together.

"Just listen to the music," Talon instructed. "How about a basic waltz? Right foot, left foot."

I nodded and furrowed my brow in concentration. As I followed her lead, I soon found that I was making my way through the steps. Even though I wobbled around with a fraction of Talon's grace, I was doing it.

Talon beamed at me as the two of us took turns twirling around. Our bare feet sent the flower petals littering the grass fluttering into the air. "You're doing it!"

"I am," I said in amazement as we glided over the ground.

When we finally came to a stop, I realized that we had made our way all the way back to the balconies.

"I don't believe that you aren't a dancer!" Talon grinned. "You were great!"

"Back on the farm, there was a dance my siblings and I used to do as a child whenever we were able to hold a rare celebration of any sort," I recalled. "Would you like me to show you?"

Talon beamed. "Please do."

"It goes like this." I took Talon's hands. "We hold each other's hands, and then we jump!"

The two of us jumped up and down, laughing as our skirts bounced with us. As we skipped in circles, it didn't take long for Talon's hair to tumble free of its knot in a cascade of ebony silk. My own hair had come undone from my braid, and the two of us finally collapsed onto the grass under the balcony in a heap of giggles.

"I think your dance is a lot more fun." Talon laughed as she rolled onto her back to look up at the stars. "If everyone at the ball danced this way, I think those events would be a lot more enjoyable too."

"I can't imagine the nobles ever dancing like this." I looked up at the sky as well. My heart was pounding away in my chest from all the jumping, and Talon's fingers were still laced through mine. The grass was soft as the two of us lay there under the balcony, and the entire garden was painted in shades of silver. I closed my eyes, listening to the sound of the music wafting down from the ballroom.

"While I was dancing with the king," Talon said absently, "he kept claiming that he recognized me from somewhere."

"How could the king have recognized you?" I opened my eyes as I turned to look at her. "This was the first time you've seen him."

Talon sighed heavily as her eyes met mine. "I know. And I don't get it either. Where could he have seen me before?"

"Come to think of it," I said slowly, "when we first met that night in the forest, your face reminded me of someone I had seen before."

Talon blinked. "It did? Do you remember who?"

"That's the thing." My shoulders slumped. "No matter how hard I think about it, I just can't remember. I know I couldn't have met you before that night in the forest. I'm sure I would have remembered."

Talon frowned slightly. "If you do happen to recall it, I'd be curious to know where you think you've seen me."

"If I do remember," I reassured her, "you'll be the first person I tell." I closed my eyes again, trying to remember that night as clearly as I could. What had been going through my head when I met her? Fear. Confusion. "How long are you planning on staying out here?" I asked Talon instead. "Wouldn't people start to notice if you're gone for too long?"

Talon sighed tiredly. "You're right. I can't stay out here forever." She slowly sat up, and the little silver beads tangled in her long hair as it tumbled over her shoulders.

"Would you like me to help you with that?" I asked.

"It's alright." Talon gave me a soft smile as she tugged the sparkling crystals from her hair. "Face the tree over there, will you?"

With a look of bewilderment on my face, I turned around. There was the sound of rustling skirts as Talon sat behind me, and moments later she carefully placed the silver beads throughout my hair.

Talon stood up from the ground and brushed off her skirts. "It's done."

"What about you, though? You don't want your jewelry back either?"

"I don't need the pins," Talon told me as she twisted her hair back into a knot and hid her pointed ears. "I think they look better on you anyway."

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Talon just smiled before she leaped up onto the balcony. She was nothing more than a smudge against the night sky. Now alone in the garden, I reached up to touch my hair. I smiled to myself as a light wind rustled my skirts and scattered petals into the air.

Wait. I hurried over the grass back toward the center of the garden. Sure enough, Talon's shoes were still lying on the ground. I shook my head and bit back my laugh as I knelt down to pick them up: she went back into the ball barefoot. But then again, her dress was probably long enough that no one would be able to see her feet unless they were looking very closely.

I carefully tucked the heels an empty pocket in my dress before making my way back to Lynden and Storm. My shoes, socks, and apron were still lying where I had left them when I climbed onto the balcony, and I quickly pulled them on. Lynden was waiting for me behind the corner, and it seemed like Storm had returned inside with Talon.

If Lynden noticed Talon's hair ornaments in my hair, he didn't comment. "Ready to go?" he asked.

I nodded.

As we made our way through the empty halls of the estate, I couldn't help but smile. The ball was much more exciting than I had anticipated. It was nerve-wracking at times, yes. But it was also fun.

With everyone so busy attending to the ballroom and its many distinguished guests, Lynden and I were able to walk right through the front doors. As it was already past midnight, the streets were empty and the town was quiet.

When we reached the inn, Lynden and I climbed up the stairs to our rooms and bid each other goodnight. After changing into my night dress, I carefully set Talon's shoes on the floor next to the door. When she returned from the ball, she'd surely notice them there.

✦ ✦ ✦

I awoke the next morning to find Talon sitting at the small table in the corner of the room. She was wearing a casual dress; the ballgown from the previous night was packed away somewhere.

Talon smiled at me as I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. "Good morning, Corinna."

"Good morning. You left your shoes in the garden, you know. I had to bring them back for you."

Talon laughed. "Looks like I forgot them." She had removed the brown lenses from her eyes, and her irises were back to their normal crimson.

"You're lucky I remembered. It would have been a shame if you left them there," I said, and Talon nodded in agreement. "When did you get back? I don't think I heard you come in."

"We only got back a couple of hours ago," Talon said before standing up from her seat to collect her shoes. "I felt a little bad for Storm. When we finally did leave, he fell asleep in the carriage out of sheer exhaustion."

"He did tell us he doesn't like these kinds of events. I'm honestly surprised Phina enjoys them."

Talon absently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "The way all the nobles gossip behind each other's backs isn't something I can say that I enjoy much, either. Only nobles are hot-headed enough to criticize the king while he's in the same room as them."

"Is it true that they don't think very highly of him?" I looked over at Talon from my bed. The sun had just started to rise outside the window, and the closed curtains took on a faint golden glow.

"They don't like how he married your sister." Talon tucked her high heels into one of her trunks, then sat cross-legged on the bed opposite me. "They have even less respect for Chloe-Jane, and they don't even try to hide it."

"I'm not surprised. People here have always been wary of the southern continent."

"Speaking of the southern continent," Talon said suddenly, "I overheard that the king is planning to invite representatives from the southern continent to his castle to discuss peace and the end of the war."

"Invite representatives from the southern continent?" I echoed in disbelief. "But people from the southern continent have never been invited to this kingdom before."

"Exactly. I'm worried that the king is up to something."

"It does seem that way, doesn't it? First he withdrew his troops from the war his father started, next he married Chloe-Jane, and now he's even inviting people from the southern continent here for negotiations. If the information dealer's information was correct, that seems a little out of character for him, don't you think?"

"I completely agree. The king wouldn't be doing any of this unless he personally benefits from it."

"But how is he benefiting from any of this? All he's accomplished so far is turning his subjects against him."

"King Volin was ambitious enough to kill off his own father and take his position," Talon said slowly. "I wouldn't put it below him to want to take the southern continent for himself as well."

I inhaled sharply. "Do you really think so?"

"I'm not sure what he's planning, but we've got to get Chloe-Jane away from him. Since he married her, I think it's safe to say that she's an integral part of his scheme. Also, another thing that I can't stop thinking about is the king's reaction when I brought up vampires. I think he knows something about them that he isn't letting on."

"Do you think he really did manage to come up with some method to counter them?" I mused.

"Let's say he does want to become the most powerful person in the world." Talon rested her chin on the palm of her hand. "Until all vampires are gone, he's still vulnerable to them."

"Would the king want to have the vampires killed off?" I said slowly. "And if he did, who has enough power to actually kill a vampire with ease?"

Talon sucked in a breath. "Karmen. But-but the king can't be working with her. If Karmen really is in the castle as we speak"-Talon flopped over onto her bed to stare up at the ceiling-"that is going to be a problem. Karmen despises people like the king, though. It doesn't make any sense for her to work with him."

I let out a sigh. "We should ask Lynden and Phina about this later. The two of them would know Karmen a lot better than we do."

Talon stared blankly, and she reached her hands skyward as if the answer was just out of her grasp. "We should head back to the house once Storm wakes up," Talon said after a while. "The sooner we get back, the sooner we can figure out what to do."

I nodded. Is Chloe-Jane in the hands of both King Volin and Queen Karmen? I asked myself. Is that why she was so terrified when I spoke to her at the ball? Did she see a vampire?

There was a knock at the door, and Talon and I both turned to look at each other. "Lynden," Talon said at my quizzical look. "I can get it."

She stood up and hurried across the room to pull open the door. Lynden stood in the doorway with his brown hair pulled back from his face. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," Lynden said. "I don't think Karmen is working with the king, either."

"And just how long have you been eavesdropping on us?" Talon arched a brow as she stepped aside to let Lynden into the room.

I looked over at Lynden. "You really don't think Karmen is working with the king?"

"I don't think so. It's people like him who she despises the most."

"That sounds about right." Talon sat down next to me so Lynden could have her seat on the second bed. "When my parents were murdered, Karmen appeared and offered me a chance to get revenge. You could say that the man who killed them and the king shared the same lust for power."

"Karmen appeared and saved me from a similar sort of character." Lynden's expression was flat. "But even though I was able to tear everyone who had wronged me into shreds, the damage had already been done."

Talon tilted her head to the side. "This was at the Winfielde family's estate. You had a sister. And they killed her."

The Winfielde family. Talon's words came back to me. I quickly looked up at Lynden; he was connected to the murder of an entire house of humans. Phina's words came back to me next. She had mentioned that Lynden had a sister once. It seemed like Talon had put the pieces together.

"They killed my sister," he said, and the corners of his lip curled away from his teeth in disgust. "But it didn't take me long to realize that even all of their lives combined couldn't bring her back. She was my only family."

"I'm so sorry," I said quietly.

Lynden's eyes were blank and his gaze was downcast. "You can't bring the dead back to life. But sometimes I think that it's better this way. In death, all the pain of living can be forgotten for good."

"You remind me a little of my sister Clarity." I inclined my head in Lynden's direction. "As a coping method, she shuts everyone out and refuses to let anyone get close. Both of you have lost someone in the past, and you don't want to lose anyone else." Lynden remained silent as I continued, "But what Clarity doesn't realize-what she refuses to realize-is that she doesn't have to go through this by herself. You don't need to go through this by yourself."

Lynden opened his mouth to respond, but a knock at the door cut him off.

"Hey," Storm's voice called from the other side of the door. "You're all here together. Why didn't anyone wake me up?"

Talon glanced up. "The door's unlocked. But now that you are awake, we can head out."

"Fine. I'll go get the carriage." Storm stomped off down the hall.

"I'll get the luggage ready," Lynden announced. He strode across the room and disappeared out the door.

Alone in the room with Talon, I reached up to pull the crystal-like beads from my hair. "I should give these back to you." I took one of Talon's hands and gently pressed the beads into them. But before I could withdraw my hand, Talon's fingers closed around mine.

"You should hold onto them. The other jewelry too. They're too fancy for me to wear normally, and I doubt I'll be going to another ball any time soon. You can sell them, if you want, and buy something of more use."

"Are you sure?" I asked hesitantly.

Talon nodded as she pressed the beads back into my own palm. "I'm definitely keeping the dress, though."

"I'd hope so-it would be such a shame to sell it."

Laughter danced in her eyes. "Definitely."

I carefully tucked the beads into the pocket of my skirt. "I'll keep these, then."

"Good." Talon stood up and shook back her inky hair. "Storm should have the carriage ready soon. Are you ready to go?"

✦ ✦ ✦

For some reason, the carriage ride back to our part of the city seemed longer than our journey to the inn. Maybe it was because all the other nobles who had come to the ball were now heading home, and the streets were packed with more carriages than usual.

All four of us were inside the cabin this time, and our faith was in the generous amount of coin we had given the coachman. Storm had fallen asleep shortly after we departed with his head resting on the curtains covering the glass windows.

We arrived back at the house by early afternoon, which was fortunately still intact, and we quickly dragged our trunks inside.

"You're back!" Phina's overjoyed cry greeted us. The moment we closed the door behind us, the ginger-haired vampire bounced over to us and looked from face to face expectantly. "I'm so jealous-I want to hear all about the ball! What was it like? Did Talon have the prettiest dress?"

"I can tell you all about it," Storm said with a yawn. "Let's go sit down first."

"Did something happen to him?" Phina whispered as she watched with wide eyes as Storm made his way over to the living room couch. "The last time I saw him, he was still doing everything he could to avoid us vampires."

"I think he might have had a change of heart," I said knowingly.

"A change of heart?" Phina thoughtfully tugged on a strand of her ginger hair. "Are you sure someone didn't beat him senseless? Or maybe he's just tired. He looks pretty tired to me."

The four of us joined Storm in the middle of the living room and quickly filled Phina in on what had happened and what we had learned. When we got to the part about whether Karmen was working with the king or not, Phina shook her head. "I don't think Karmen is like that," she said with a frown. "The man she saved me from was very much like the king in how he did whatever he could to obtain and keep what he thought was his."

"So are we in agreement that she isn't in the castle?" Talon asked.

We all nodded. The vampires knew Karmen better than I did, and if they didn't think the queen of the vampires was working with the king, I'd believe them.

When the sun finally dropped from the sky, Talon and I got ready to leave for the forest house. The stars twinkled lazily in the night above, and I turned to Talon once we were on the street outside. "You can head back to the house first. There's something I need to do."

Talon gave me a quizzical look but nodded all the same. "I'll be waiting for you at the house, then."

I smiled as I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head. "I'll see you later."

Chapter Twenty

The next few days seemed to fly by too quickly, and before I knew it, there were only four days left until the start of our rescue mission. Corinna and I had been training together every day, and I was proud that she was rapidly progressing.

At night, Lynden, Phina, and Storm would join us in the forest house to plan how we were going to break into the castle. Some part of me hoped that Karmen really was in the city, if only so the queen of the vampires could take the king out before we attempted sneaking into the castle. But that was just my wishful thinking. Ever since that night in the alley, I hadn't sensed any other immortal presences in the city.

Lynden, Phina, Storm, Corinna, and I sat in the small living room of the forest house, going over the castle maps. In the past few days, Storm had considerably warmed up to Lynden, Phina, and me. A small smile crossed my face. We had Corinna to thank for that.

"I think we should stop here for tonight." Phina was lying face down on the floor with her ginger hair in tangles. "My head can't take it anymore."

"I agree!" Storm said rapidly from where he was lying next to her. "We've been here for hours. Planning is important, but none of it will stick if we're tired."

Lynden frowned down at them. "When did the two of you get so unprofessional?"

Phina just faked a yawn, and her fangs gleamed in the lamplight like a cat.

Corinna and I sat shoulder to shoulder on the floor with our backs pressed against the couch. Corinna was smiling at the interaction taking place between our three companions, not tired in the slightest. After we had gotten back from the ball, Corinna changed her sleep schedule so that she could stay awake with me longer during the night. Winter had gradually melted into spring, and now the sun shone brightly in the sky every dawn to dusk.

Lynden stood up, still frowning at Storm and Phina. "We'll take our leave, then. Don't make me carry the two of you back."

Storm climbed to his feet, and Phina followed his lead. "We can walk."

"Bye, Corinna. Bye, Talon." Phina waved as the three of them made their way to the door. "We'll be back tomorrow."

I lifted my hand in farewell as they disappeared outside. Once they were gone, I turned to Corinna. "Are you sure you don't want to go to bed as well?"

Corinna shook her head, smiling. "I'm not tired. Let's go outside, shall we?"

The two of us left the house and stepped into the grassy clearing beyond. Apart from the sound of the bubbling stream that snaked through the clearing, the night was quiet.

Corinna clasped her hands behind her back as she looked up at the sky. The light from the moon painted her in an ethereal glow. Corinna smiled faintly, and there was a wistful look in her eyes. "Whenever I look up at the sky, it always reminds me of how small I am in the grand scheme of things. There's an entire universe out there. A universe filled with stars."

Corinna took a seat on the grass and patted the ground beside her. I smiled as I sat next to her. I leaned back to look up at the night sky. And for a while, the two of us sat there, gazing up at the thousands of twinkling lights.

After some time, Corinna rose to her feet. "Let's head back inside. It's starting to get a little chilly out here." Corinna offered me a hand. I took it, and the two of us laughed as she pulled me to my feet.

Hand in hand, we went back into the house. In the bedroom, Corinna sat me down at the vanity and turned me to face the mirrors. She gently brushed my hair to the side before she carefully fastened a necklace around my neck. My eyes widened as I reached up to touch the delicate string and the silver crystal-like beads that decorated it.

Corinna leaned forward to meet my eyes in the mirror. "What do you think?"

"It's beautiful," I whispered.

Corinna pulled a matching necklace out of her pocket before fastening it around her own neck. "Look-I have one too!"

"So this is what you were doing the other night."

"I attached the beads myself, so I hope it doesn't look too bad. It probably wasn't the best use of the beads but-"

I swiveled around to face her. "I think it's perfect!"

Corinna beamed.

"Would you like to hear a story?" I asked, trying to think of something I could share in return.

Corinna nodded energetically, and the two of us sat across from each other on the floor. "What's this one about?" Corinna tilted her head to the side in curiosity.

I rested my chin on my hands. "This is a story my father told me many years ago. It's the story of a girl and a monster that lives in a well."

When I finished the story, Corinna looked stunned. "Your father told this to you as a bedtime story?"

"I should have given you some sort of warning that the story didn't end happily," I apologized, suddenly worried I shouldn't have shared such a tale. "I'm sorry."

Corinna shook her head. "No, I thought it was interesting. I liked it."

"You liked it?"

"Every story has a moral. This story shows that even though it was met with a tragic fate, monsters can form friendships. Monsters can love. The monster in the story was only a monster in name. Sometimes the real monsters aren't the ones with the claws and scales."

That was the message my father had wanted me to understand.

"Just look at Andreus. He's a dragon, but he loves Storm like his own son." Then Corinna turned to look out the window. "It looks like the sun is rising."

The sky outside was slowly lightening, and the darkness gradually melted away with the stars and moon. Corinna stood up and made her way over to the window before quickly pulling the curtains over the glass.

"You don't have to do this, you know," I said as Corinna retook her seat next to me and arranged her skirts around her legs. "I feel bad that in deciding to stay inside with me, you can't see the sun."

"I don't mind." Corinna's fingers brushed lightly against mine, and I interlaced them together. "I think I've gotten better at sparring recently." She used her free hand to unfasten the dagger strapped to her leg. She twirled the blade around her fingers before setting it down on top of her skirts. "I'm curious to see how I'd fare against Storm."

"You can ask him if he's willing to take you on later today." I leaned into Corinna's side, and my long hair picked up dust along the floor with the movement. "That said, he's been studying swords for a lot longer than you have. His teacher is a dragon too. You'll have to be careful-Storm is quick on his feet."

Corinna turned to me, and her eyes were bright with determination. "I'll ask Storm once he arrives later. Maybe he can give me a few tips."

I stood up from the floor before helping Corinna to her feet. "You should get some sleep. You've got a fight to rest up for."

Corinna gave me a tired smile. "I suppose you're right."

I slipped back into the living room and gently closed the door behind me. I stood there for a while, lighting touching my necklace.

✦ ✦ ✦

"You want to fight?" Storm blinked at Corinna. It was sunset, and the two of them were standing on the porch of the house.

Corinna nodded. "I'd like to try."

Storm raised his brows. "Are you sure?"

"I really don't mind if I lose. I just want to get some more practice in."

"Okay, okay." Storm gave in as he unsheathed his sword. "I'm warning you now that I won't go easy on you just because you're my friend."

I looked on from the doorway, and Phina was standing on her tiptoes to peer over my shoulder. Lynden had gone straight inside the house without a backward glance.

Corinna flicked her daggers in her hands. "I'm counting on it." The two of them walked onto the stretch of grass before taking their positions. Their blades gleamed in the dying light.

Storm made the first move, leaping forward, and his sword was nothing more than a blur of silver. Corinna dodged with ease as she sprung backward.

"I knew you were training with her every day," Phina said excitedly, "but for her to make this much progress in such a short amount of time is really impressive, if I do say so myself!" The ginger-haired vampire rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Even though Corinna seems to be doing well right now, Storm is going to be the winner of this duel."

"Why do you say so?" I arched a brow as I finally turned to look at the ginger-haired vampire.

"Look." Phina nodded in Storm's direction. "Storm knows what he's doing. He might be young, but you can tell he's practically had a sword in his hand ever since he could walk. He's the kingdom's legend for a reason."

"How long have you been practicing with blades?" I asked mildly. "You seem to know quite a lot."

"I'll admit I dabbled in the art of swords for a few years," Phina said proudly, and she crossed her arms as she puffed out her chest. "I also practiced blades with Lynden for some number of years after that. Lynden's actually very skilled himself! If you ask him, he'll say that it's because I was a good teacher, but he's just being modest." Then her eyes brightened as she jumped up and down. "Look!"

I turned back to the fight just in time to watch Storm dodge past Corinna and point his sword at her throat. Corinna raised her hands in surrender and the two of them sheathed their weapons.

"Even though you slipped up a few times, you did a really good job, Corinna." Storm extended his fist and Corinna met it with her own. "It was a good fight."

"I want to fight too!" Phina called out to them, waving enthusiastically.

"No you don't," Lynden called. "The last thing we want is for you to get a little too over-enthusiastic and accidentally take someone's arm off."

Phina just sighed disappointedly.

"Are the four of you done?" Lynden asked in annoyance. "We have a plan to go over."

"Yeah, yeah." Storm made his way back over to the house. "We're coming."

"How did I do?" Corinna's eyes were bright as she stopped in front of me. Even though she had just lost, she was still smiling, and I found myself with a smile on my face as well. "I think I surprised myself with the number of strikes I was able to deflect."

✦ ✦ ✦

It was late at night, and both Lynden and Phina had left to get supplies. Storm was sitting on the couch, staring blankly at the wall.

"You should go outside," Corinna suggested as she looked up at Storm from the pile of maps. "Get some fresh air and take a look at the stars."

"The view of the sky here is nothing compared to the view of it from my uncle's house," Storm said tiredly as he stood up. "Once this is all over, if I'm still alive, I'm going back to visit my uncle. I wish I could stay in the mountains with him, but as long as there are problems in the kingdom, I need to stay here and protect those who are vulnerable. So far I've been careful enough that the kingdom has let me be, but now that I'm going to break into the king's castle, there's no saying how quickly it will take for them to have me publicly executed. If I get thrown in prison, even my uncle won't be able to save me."

Corinna and I watched as Storm made his way outside. "Going against the kingdom is practically asking for death," I said as I lowered my voice. "If you successfully escape the castle, you'll be hunted for the rest of your life, Corinna."

Corinna held my gaze. "I know. But I need to do this for my sister. And this kingdom . . . I won't leave it just yet. There's still so many people I want to try and help."

Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps, and both of us turned as the door flew open. We exchanged a glance as Phina hurried into the room with a worried expression.

"What is it?" Corinna asked, alarmed.

Phina pulled what looked like a crumpled poster from her cloak. "Lynden's still out, but we found something you might want to see. That crazy king is inviting representatives from the southern continent to his castle next week!"

"Next week?" I gingerly took the poster from the ginger-haired vampire. At first glance it was an ordinary advertisement for a weapon shop.

Phina nodded as she wrung her hands together. "Next week."

"What's this?" I flipped the poster over. On the back of the poster, someone had scribbled in violent letters: DEATH TO THE KING AND QUEEN. WE WILL NOT BOW TO THE SOUTHERN CONTINENT.

I gingerly handed the poster back to Phina.

"I'm worried the king is going to do something to the representatives," Phina said as she tucked the poster back into her cloak. "Whether it's bribery or full-out manipulation, I don't know what he's going to do, but I'm sure it can't be good."

Corinna shook her head tiredly. "Once we get Chloe out of the castle, we can ask her if she knows anything."

Phina nodded. Then she leaned in closer and lowered her voice. "What's Storm doing outside? He's just been standing there, staring up at the sky."

"I think he's missing home," I said.

Phina offered us a sad smile before she turned to leave. "I can take him back to the other house. We'll be back tomorrow. And by then, everything should be ready."

✦ ✦ ✦

I sat on the floor next to the bed in the small bedroom. The sun was shining outside and the curtains glowed with golden light. Corinna was lying on the bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling. We were going to break into the castle tomorrow night.

"I never thought I'd go to the castle before," Corinna said after a long silence. "I never wanted to go there."

"I know. I feel the same way."

Corinna rolled onto her stomach before propping herself up on her elbows. She absently ran her fingers through my hair and hummed quietly as she skillfully separated it into sections to braid.

"What are you humming?" I asked softly, making sure not to move my head. "I think I've heard you hum this tune before."

I could hear the faint smile in Corinna's voice. "It's the lullaby my mother would sing to my siblings and me. It's a song from the southern continent. Would you like to hear it?"

"I'd love to."

As Corinna quietly sang, I listened intently to the melody and the language of the southern continent.

"That was beautiful," I said, awed. "Now I'm curious to know what the lyrics mean."

Corinna continued braiding my hair. "It's a poem, actually. Even though I don't understand much of the lyrics myself, my mother told me that it's the story of the sun and the moon. One day, the moon and sun fell in love. Even though they were so deeply in love, the only time the two of them could be together was during the brief transitions between dawn and dusk. But they didn't let that stop them from loving each other. It was enough to glimpse each other from the opposite ends of the sky."

I clasped my hands together on my skirts as I brought my knees to my chest. "There's something both beautiful and sad about that."

"Isn't there?" Corinna said wistfully. "At least this one has a happy ending."

"At least this one has a happy ending," I echoed. But as the words left my mouth, I realized that happy wasn't quite the word I was looking for. Bittersweet was a lot more fitting.

Chapter Twenty-One

I took a deep breath as I walked with the line of servants filing into the castle. All of their heads were bowed as they walked toward the back entrance. With all of their eyes on the ground, it wasn't very likely that they would even notice the newcomer in their midst.

For the past few weeks, I had carefully studied the layout of the castle and the countless other maps of the grounds that the information dealer had given us. He had even given us insight into the servants' daily routines along with the positions of the knights. And thanks to his help, I didn't flinch when we entered the dark tunnels snaking through the castle. Here in the castle, the servants were everywhere; they did all of the cooking, cleaning, and maintenance. But it was a strict rule that they were never to be seen, hence the hidden passageways.

I was dressed in the uniform of a maid, with a dagger strapped on each of my legs beneath my skirts. I just hoped I wouldn't actually have to use them. Getting into the castle was the easy part-and maybe a little too easy at that. All I had done was put on the maid uniform and walk straight through the servants' entrance. The knights standing guard at the doors hadn't even looked at me twice.

I followed a group of uniformed young women through the dark passage and through the door to the supplies room. Each of them picked up a bucket and mop before continuing down the hall. I grabbed my own before trailing after them.

We walked down a flight of steps to a dimly lit room. A small well sat in the middle of the stone floor, and each woman took a turn filling her bucket. As I walked over to fill my own bucket, one of the maids took it from me and shuffled over to the well to fill it. She returned a few seconds later.

"You're new here," the young woman said quietly as she handed me my bucket. Her eyes were tired and her skin was sallow. She couldn't have been any older than me.

I nodded.

"Whatever you do"-the young woman lowered her voice, and I leaned in closer to pick up her words-"stay away from the king."

"The king?" I asked with as much innocence as I could muster.

"There's something wrong with his mind," the maid whispered. "I'll let you know that we're not allowed into the dungeons either. Make sure you don't ever end up down there."

"Noted," I whispered back. "Thank you for your advice."

The maid nodded once before shuffling off, leaving me alone in the dim room. The smell of mildew was starting to get to my head. With my bucket in one hand and mop in the other, I turned back to the passageway. It was time to do some cleaning.

I ambled through the dark passageways, grimacing as the bones of a small animal crunched beneath my feet. It was dark and cold save for the occasional torch, and the dwindling flames were the only source of heat.

After taking a deep breath to center myself, I followed my mental map of the passages to the door leading to the third floor. I gently pushed the door open and squinted against the sudden rush of light. When my eyes finally adjusted to the brightness, I slipped out into the corridor beyond. As I made my way toward the far end of the castle, I realized the entire place was deprived of life. Everything was silent, and my footsteps seemed to echo for miles.

A shiver ran down my spine as I continued down the hall, scrubbing the large stained-glass windows as I went. I could have sworn I felt eyes pressing down on the back of my head. But each time I snuck a glance over my shoulder, there was never anyone there.

After what could have been minutes or hours, I finally reached the end of the long hall and pushed open the door to the spiraling staircase beyond. The window was right in front of me, and I set my bucket down on the steps. This was the window Talon and Lynden would enter through at midnight.

After scrubbing the window down with my rag, I carefully unlatched it and pushed it open to dry. As I scanned the window frame for anything suspicious, my eyes quickly fell on the tiny mirror-like panels lying on the windowsill.

I stared at them for a moment before I tentatively stuck my hand over the row of panels. Nothing happened. Frowning to myself, I tapped the panels with a finger. Still nothing.

But as I touched it, the panel shifted. There was something beneath them.

After setting my mop and rag down as well, I gently shifted one of the panels over. A tiny candle sat beneath the panel, and the little flame danced in the wind from the open window. The candle was too deep inside the wall for me to blow out even if I had wanted to.

I moved the next panel over to find another candle nestled inside the wall underneath it. Did the panels somehow amplify the light from the flames? It didn't seem to affect me in any way, but I wondered if it was enough to stop a vampire from leaping through the window. Vampires are vulnerable to both light and fire, after all.

I carefully replaced the panels before picking up my cleaning supplies. I would douse the flames when I came back later. If I put them out now, someone might get suspicious if they were to check on it.

I climbed the spiraling stairs to the fourth floor before getting to work on the long corridor beyond, all the while trying to ignore the prickling feeling that someone was watching my every movement.

✦ ✦ ✦

When night fell, I returned to the dark passageway to put away my bucket and mop. But instead of following the rest of the maids to the servants' quarters, I lingered behind before silently slipping back into the dark passageways. Once the clock tower chimed eleven, I would make my move.

I took a seat on the cold stones that made up the floor of the passageway, glancing around every few seconds as if someone would emerge from the dark at any moment. The near pitch-black passageways were dreary, with a constant silence pressing down from all sides. Someone had definitely been watching me.

My fingers closed instinctively around the hilt of one of my daggers. Something was wrong, but it was far too late to go back now. Once Talon and Lynden arrive, I reassured myself, the two of them will be able to fight their way out if needed.

Whoever had been watching me must have not followed me into the servants' passageways because the pickling under my skin slowly subsided. Either they didn't know how to navigate the tunnels, or they deemed me not a threat after all.

At long last, the distant clock tower struck eleven, and its loud echo of chimes nearly made me jump out of my skin. I slowly rose from the ground-my heart pounding a little too quickly for my liking-and made my way back to the well. I carefully took a bucket, filled it halfway with water, and started off down the passageway. This time when I emerged on the third floor, everything was dark. The moonlight filtered in through the windows, tinting the light in shades of red, orange, and purple as it passed through the stained glass.

I held my breath as I tiptoed all the way to the door at the end of the corridor. When I reached it, I pushed it open as quietly as I could. Since the knights switched their posts before twelve, there wasn't going to be anyone on this floor of the castle until a little after midnight-which would give us just enough time to grab Chloe-Jane and escape.

Someone had closed the window I opened earlier in the day, and I suddenly felt very glad I hadn't put out the candles yet.

I unlatched the window for a second time and quietly pushed it open. The night sky outside was full of stars, and the moon was hidden behind a layer of clouds. A soft breeze rushed in to rustle my hair as I swiftly removed the rest of the panels from the window seal. The candles were still flickering inside the wall, and I made quick work of dumping the water from my bucket onto them.

Fortunately I didn't have to wait long for midnight. The moment the first chime sounded, there was a rush of wind as a dark-haired figure gracefully leaped through the open window. She landed on her feet before brushing her inky hair over a shoulder. She turned to smile at me. "I hope you weren't waiting too long."

"Talon!" I whispered excitedly.

There was a second rush of wind as Lynden joined us in the stairwell. Both of them were dressed entirely in black to blend in with the night, and Talon had swapped her usual dress for a pair of trousers.

Lynden went directly to the panels I had moved to the corner of the window. "What are these?"

I frowned slightly. "I'm not sure. But they probably have something to do with keeping vampires from just jumping into the castle any time they please. We can worry about it later though-we shouldn't linger here."

Talon nodded. "Let's go."

I shut the window before I hurried to follow Talon and Lynden up the stairs. We had to go all the way to the top story to get to Chloe-Jane's room and then back down to the ninth story to make our exit from the balconies.

"I think someone might be onto us," I said under my breath as we jogged up the spiraling staircase. "I felt someone watching me earlier. I could feel their eyes on me for hours."

Talon's eyes narrowed. "We better hurry."

The three of us quickened our pace, and when we reached the top story, I followed Chloe-Jane's directions on how to get to her room. As she had said, it was indeed the highest point in the entire castle. In a matter of minutes, we were standing in front of the door to her chambers. I exchanged a glance with Talon before pressing my ear to the door. There was silence. I reached for the knob, and the door swung open without a sound.

The room was quite large, and all the furniture was polished to a gleam. Even though lavish rugs, curtains, and blankets were abundant, it felt eerily like a prison.

Chloe-Jane stood with her back to us, staring out the large window arching the stone wall. She was dressed in a cream-colored nightgown, and her thick hair was loose and unbound. The way the moonlight flooded in through the glass gave her an ethereal appearance as she glowed with a faint silver light.

"Chloe-Jane," I whispered as I tiptoed into the dark room.

Chloe-Jane remained standing by the window as if she hadn't heard me.

"Chloe," I tried again, louder this time. "Chloe-Jane?" When she still didn't respond, I reached out and cautiously tapped her on the shoulder.

Chloe-Jane screamed, and I clapped a hand over my sister's mouth in a panic.

"Chloe-Jane!" I hissed as she thrashed and clawed at my hand. Her nails drew blood. "It's me! Corinna!"

"Corinna?" Chloe-Jane stilled as she turned to look up at me. Then she grabbed my arm. Her face was pale and her eyes were wide and wild as they scanned my face. "Who are those two?" Her nails dug into my skin as she nodded toward Talon and Lynden.

"They're friends," I quickly reassured her. "We're here to get you out."

"Friends?" Chloe-Jane eyed them cautiously as she squinted through the dark. "Wait! I recognize the girl with the black hair! She was dancing with the king at the ball while you spoke with me . . ."

I gently took Chloe-Jane's hand with my scratched one. "Quickly now-we don't have much time."

Chloe-Jane nodded and let me lead her out the door. "Where are we going?" Chloe-Jane asked as we jogged down corridor after corridor.

"We're going to the ninth-floor balconies."

"The ninth-floor balconies?" Chloe-Jane repeated blankly. "Are we going to climb?"

I exchanged a glance with Talon. "You'll find out when we get there." We had agreed it was better not to let Chloe-Jane know that they were vampires until we had made it out safely. I knew Chloe-Jane well enough to know that my sister would not take the information well. And the last thing we wanted right now was to send her into another panic.

But just as we reached the ninth floor, Lynden threw out an arm, stopping us in our tracks. He narrowed his eyes; his expression was dead serious. "Something's not right."

Talon's head snapped up. "Vampires. There are vampires here."

I felt my heart sink. "Vampires?"

"Vampires?" Chloe-Jane echoed in shock. I blinked as I turned to look at her. It was clear this was the first time she had heard of there being vampires in the castle . . . So then what triggered that reaction earlier?

"Hurry!" Talon broke into a run. I quickly followed her lead, and my heart pounded away in my chest. Queen Karmen couldn't actually be here, could she?

Talon threw open the doors to the balcony before skidding to a stop. I felt my heart sink as I staggered to a stop next to her.

There standing on the balcony railing was a dark-haired male. His fangs glinted as he smiled down at us, and his blood-red irises glowed. "So the king was right after all," the vampire said in feigned amusement. "People actually did break into the castle to try to take the queen away. He never expected them to be vampires and a slave girl, though."

"Are you going to move?" Lynden glared coldly at the male. "Or are we going to have to make you move?"

The dark-haired vampire hopped down onto the balcony to lean casually against the railings. "Oh, I'm not going anywhere. I'm supposed to delay you long enough for the king to arrive."

Talon's daggers were in her hands in an instant as she sprung forward. But before she could reach the male, there was a blur of gold as a figure descended from somewhere above. Metal clashed against metal, and I took in the new figure in horror.

A blonde-haired female had locked blades with Talon. There was a cat-like smirk on her pale face. "You're outnumbered," she purred.

"Outnumbered?" Talon angled her head to the side, and her eyes glowed crimson. "Even if that's the case, who says I can't end you right here and now?"

"Oh?" The female laughed. Her long blonde hair took on a silver sheen in the pearly light. "I'd like to see you try!"

One moment the two of them leaped apart; the next, they sprung back at each other again with their blades flashing. They moved too fast for me to keep up, and the two of them were nothing more than a blur of metallic silver, inky black, and blonde against the night.

After pushing Chloe-Jane behind me, I raised my dagger with shaky hands. My heart was beating so fast now I was surprised I was still conscious. I felt dizzy. Why were there vampires here in the castle? Why were there vampires working for the king?

"Vampires?" Chloe-Jane was grabbing my arm so tightly now I was afraid my circulation would be cut off. "Corinna, you're working with vampires? But-but that makes you a sinner!"

"Does that even matter right now?" My voice was unusually high, if not shrill. "We're in big trouble and this is what you're worrying about?"

"Let's back up," Lynden said under his breath as he motioned for Chloe-Jane and me to follow. "While Talon's got these two distracted, we'll try to find the next balcony."

I nodded quickly, but just as I took a step back, I felt myself walk into something solid. I froze, then slowly turned around to look into the red eyes of a new vampire.

The female vampire currently fighting Talon on the balcony had told us that we were outnumbered-but by how much?

I pushed Chloe-Jane behind me again. My blade arm shook violently. I couldn't let my sister go again. Not this time.

"What do we have here?" The new vampire sneered down at me. His hair was so light it almost appeared white. "A little girl with a little knife?"

Lynden drew his sword and pointed it at the vampire. "Stand down."

"Well, well, well," the vampire purred. "If it isn't Lynden. Looks like you're still Karmen's dog after all."

"I don't work for the queen anymore," Lynden said coldly. "Now move out of our way."

"Move?" The vampire arched a brow. "I think not."

Lynden leaped forward in a flash of metal, and the sound of clashing blades resonated through the corridor.

"This way," I whispered as I tugged Chloe-Jane down the hall. If only we could get to the next balcony over, maybe-just maybe-

"I don't think so," a male voice laughed. The dark-haired vampire from the balcony dropped down in front of me. "The king wants to see all three of you thieves."

"How did the king know that we'd break in?" I demanded with a lot more confidence than I felt.

"It was actually one of the former guards," the vampire said as if he couldn't care less. "He ran all the way from that shithole of a port town to request an audience with the king. He met with me and said that he had important information. He claimed that a band of knights led by Storm the Dragonhearted wanted to break into the castle. I paid him graciously for such information, of course." The vampire smirked at my thunderstruck expression. "He was right about the castle going to be broken into, but he failed to tell us that it was going to be vampires and a slave girl."

I narrowed my eyes. "You were watching me earlier."

"I was." The vampire continued to watch me. "What kind of maid carries around knives with her?"

I unfastened my second dagger from my holster. "I'm no maid. Now let us pass or else I'll have to fight you."

The dark-haired vampire howled with laughter. "Fight me? The little girl thinks she can fight me?"

I sprinted forward with my blades at the ready. The vampire easily sidestepped me, but at the last moment, I swiveled and slashed out with all of my strength. Cloth split as I tore through the vampire's sleeve. I nearly nicked the flesh beneath before the vampire twirled away.

"What-?" The dark-haired vampire blinked in shock. "The little girl knows how to fight?"

I remained silent as I eyed the vampire's every movement.

The vampire drew the sword at his side. "Alright then-let's see how good you really are!"

He leaped at me so fast that I barely had time to block before his sword made contact with my daggers. The force from his blow was so strong my very arms felt the shock wave roll through them. I gritted my teeth. My arms were screaming and my legs were shaking as I braced them the best I could on the ground. Metal splintered as my first blade broke.

Suddenly, there was a blur of inky black as Talon dropped down beside me. "Take Chloe-Jane to the secret passageways!" Talon called as she twirled her daggers. "I'll hold them off!"

I bit my lip as I nodded. The blonde-haired vampire appeared a moment later and I was instantly moving.

"Hurry." I pulled Chloe-Jane along. My body was powered by the adrenaline flowing through my veins. I had faith that Talon could hold the two of them off.

Just before we reached the end of the corridor, Chloe-Jane slowed to a stop.

"Chloe?" I panted. But before I could ask any further questions, Chloe-Jane lunged at me and wrestled my dagger from my hand. "Hey!" I fought with her for a hold over the blade. "Stop that!"

Maybe it was because Chloe-Jane was too quick or because I was hesitant to be forceful with her that she successfully pried the dagger from my grasp.

"What are you doing?" I hissed as she danced out of my reach, clutching my dagger tightly in her hands.

My feet seemed to move on their own as Chloe-Jane lifted the blade to her neck.

I tackled her in one swift motion and the two of us tumbled to the ground.

Chloe-Jane let out a yelp as I yanked the dagger from her hands and tossed it away. The blade hit the ground with a clank as it skidded out of reach down the polished tiles. "He's going to kill me! He's going to kill me!" Chloe-Jane cried.

"Snap out of it!" I shook her shoulders in a panic as she thrashed around in an attempt to crawl toward the discarded dagger. "What do you think you're doing?"

Another voice spoke up. "I think the real question is what do you think you're doing?"

My head snapped up to find King Volin standing in the middle of the corridor. Two more vampires stood behind him.

At the sound of his voice, Chloe-Jane began to flail around in fright.

The king walked over to where my dagger had skidded to a stop and bent down to pick it up. He eyed the blade before carefully pocketing it. King Volin stared down at Chloe-Jane, and his deep-green eyes were unreadable. "Take them to the dungeons. This one is coming with me."

"She's not going anywhere," I said angrily. I jumped to my feet in an attempt to shield my sister with my body. But before I could even blink, there was a blur of motion as one of the king's vampires leaped behind me. I barely had time to register what was happening before something heavy collided with my head and everything went black.

✦ ✦ ✦

When I came to, I found myself lying on a cold stone floor. I slowly opened my eyes, and my head throbbed painfully as I hauled myself into a sitting position. Looking around the dimly lit space, it didn't take me long to realize I was in a prison cell. The bars slowly came into focus as I squinted through the dark.

After crawling over to the bars, I tried my best to see out into the rest of the dungeon. I was in a circular room; the cells surrounded an open space in the middle. And from what I could tell, I was the only person here.

The faint sound of water dripping in the distance told me that I was somewhere deep underground. I shivered as I retreated further into my cell. Other than a pounding headache, I seemed to be fine.

"Corinna?" a familiar voice asked softly as it echoed through the stone room.

"Talon!" I jumped to my feet and swayed from a sudden rush of dizziness. I fought through it and hurried over to grasp the bars of my cell. In the center of the large room, Talon was chained to a rectangular pillar. At first glance, I had mistaken her for a statue because of her stillness. "What happened?" I asked as I pressed myself as close to the bars as I could.

"There were too many vampires, and I was taken by surprise." Talon shook her head in defeat. "I'm sorry Corinna, I never would have thought King Volin would have vampires working with him."

I exhaled heavily. "This isn't your fault. I couldn't have predicted this either."

"Here's the weird thing." I could hear the frown in Talon's voice. "These are some of the vampires who oppose Karmen."

"Oppose Karmen?" I slumped to the floor; my headache was getting the better of me. "I guess we can eliminate the possibility that she's in the castle, then."

"I'm thinking the vampire I saw in the alley that day was one of the ones working for the king," Talon said grimly. "Karmen wouldn't sneak around the city in a cloak like that. Since no one knows what she looks like, she could just waltz past us, and we still wouldn't have known it was her."

"Where's Lynden?" I strained my eyes to see if the other vampire was somewhere in the room with us. "Where's Chloe-Jane?"

Talon's chains clinked as she slumped. "Lynden was separated from me and dragged into a different room. I'm worried about what's going to happen to him. I don't know what's going to happen to us either, and I really don't want to find out."

I swallowed hard. "How long have I been knocked out?"

"Just about an hour or so." Talon's voice was tired. Suddenly she stiffened. "Someone's coming."

Dread began to seep into the very fabric of my being as I backed away from the bars. I wondered if I should have taken the information dealer's advice of slitting my own throat before getting thrown into the dungeons. The sounds of muffled crying grew louder and louder, followed by the sound of footsteps. I staggered back up to the bars. "Chloe-Jane?"

"That's right." King Volin appeared in the doorway with his hand closed tightly around Chloe-Jane's arm. "This is Chloe-Jane." The sound of iron chains rattling filled the air, and then a number of glowing lamps descended from the high ceiling. I blinked as the sudden light stung savagely at my eyes.

"How do you know Chloe-Jane?" King Volin stopped outside my cell, and suddenly I was very glad there was a wall of bars between us. Chloe-Jane was still dressed in her nightgown, and her face was almost completely drained of blood. Her wild eyes locked on mine and her bloodless lips mouthed my name.

I glared at the king. "She's my sister."

"She's your sister," he repeated slowly. "Now that you tell me, I do see a slight resemblance. But I must say that Chloe-Jane here is prettier than you are. Much more obedient too. How is it that one sister is the perfect wife and the other a thief?"

"So I'm a thief for wanting to get my sister back?" I demanded, suddenly very brave with the wall of bars between us. For my sister, I would be brave.

"Watch your tone, girl." King Volin's hand tightened on Chloe-Jane's arm, and I froze. "Now, I'm going to ask you a series of questions, and you're going to answer me."

"And what if I don't want to answer?"

The king's eyes flashed as he smirked. "For every question you refuse to answer, dear Chloe-Jane here will lose a finger." In one swift movement, a wicked-looking dagger was in his hand. Its blade pointed at Chloe-Jane. "We'll start now. Question one, what's your name?"

"Falon," I said with as much confidence as I could muster. My eyes were glued to Chloe-Jane.

"Liar." The king was smiling a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "I don't like being lied to." He forcefully grabbed Chloe-Jane's hand and swung his glinting blade into the air. Chloe-Jane screamed.

"Stop!" I threw myself against the bars of my cell. "Your Majesty, it's Corinna! My name's Corinna!"

To my surprise, the king burst into laughter as he shoved Chloe-Jane away. My sister staggered over the stone floor before falling over. She whimpered quietly as she clutched her hands to her chest.

"That was quite a reaction," King Volin snorted. "It was a joke! You really thought I would cut off her fingers? Don't tell me you can't take a joke. I just thought I'd try to lighten the mood."

"Jokes are supposed to be funny," I said faintly. My heart pounded so fast it was difficult to breathe. "That was not funny."

The king just waved me off as he continued to laugh. "Tell me"-King Volin's expression suddenly changed as he pulled Chloe-Jane back up from the ground-"how did a useless slave wench like yourself end up working with vampires?" His green eyes were crazed, and his smile was wild as he dragged the point of his blade along Chloe-Jane's upper arm, drawing blood.

"I thought you said you weren't going to hurt her!" I cried out, having to raise my voice to be heard over Chloe-Jane's screams.

"I said I wouldn't cut her fingers off, silly girl." The king laughed again as if this really was nothing more than a game to him. "I never said anything about cutting her-"

"Stop it!" Talon yelled. "Corinna and I met at the farms. I helped her escape, and we've been working together ever since."

"Silence, vampire!" King Volin snapped. His expression turned dangerous as he pressed his blade deeper into Chloe-Jane's arm. "I don't remember asking you to speak."

Talon fell silent as Chloe-Jane screamed again. All three of us were helpless in this situation.

"It hurts!" Chloe-Jane cried. She was hyperventilating now, and tears streamed down her cheeks as she writhed to no avail.

"Silence!" the king roared. "I don't care!"

"It's true." I tried and failed to keep the tremor out of my voice. "We met a number of months ago and have been traveling together ever since."

The king smirked, and the insanity behind his eyes was becoming more prominent with each passing second. "Not so brave are we now? That's right, you're going to tell me everything I want to know. Now."

Chapter Twenty-Two

I could practically smell Corinna's fear; it mingled with Chloe-Jane's pure terror as it shoved its way up my nose. As the king stood with his back to me, I tried as quietly as I could to tug at my chains. But despite my immortal strength, they wouldn't budge.

King Volin turned to look over his shoulder at me, and I froze. "I never expected you to be a vampire. What a shame. You really got my attention there at the ball too."

I hissed as my lips curled back from my fangs.

The king just laughed. As King Volin's attention was on me, Chloe-Jane suddenly twisted out of his grasp and made a grab for his dagger. But before her small hands could even touch the blade, King Volin kicked Chloe-Jane solidly in the stomach. Chloe-Jane hit the floor with a thud before curling into a ball. She clapped her hands over her ears as if to block everything out. "How many times have I told you?" King Volin was still smiling. "You aren't allowed to die yet. If you die now, what am I supposed to do next week when the representatives from the southern continent arrive?"

"What are you going to do to her?" Corinna demanded shrilly.

"Silence, slave girl!" The king whirled around. His smile was suddenly replaced by a very ugly look. "Has anyone ever taught you to hold your tongue? You ask too many questions. You will speak only when you're spoken to." The look in his eyes was chilling. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood tonight," he said quietly, dangerously. "Otherwise, I would cut that tongue of yours out myself." Then he was smiling again. "But why would I bother myself with a slave girl tonight while I have vampires here to play with?"

Corinna's eyes met mine from across the room; they were wide with terror as King Volin walked over to me without a second glance at Chloe-Jane, who was still trembling on the stone floor.

"I was always curious just how fast vampires can regenerate," King Volin mused as he stopped in front of me, dagger in hand. "As long as I don't take off your head, you won't die. So what happens if I drain all of your blood? Will you become a weak vampire? A creature on par with a human?"

There was a flash of metal as the king slit my wrists. Even though I couldn't feel the pain, I could feel the blood inside of me ever so slowly begin to drip out, and it took my strength with it. But within seconds, my skin had already begun to knit itself back together; my wounds were healing themselves.

"Interesting," King Volin said to himself as he looked on. I braced myself as the king's dagger flew through the air and my skin was split open yet again.

"Stop it!" Corinna yelled from her cell, unable to remain silent any longer. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why am I doing this?" King Volin paused as he hovered his blade over my right arm. A smirk spread across his face. "I'm curious. And it's fun." There was a flash of metal and the sound of tearing flesh as his blade came down and severed my hand from my body.

I hissed. It would take me at least a day or two for my hand to grow back, but in the meantime, I would lose blood. A lot of it. And that wasn't something I could regenerate on my own.

"I've got to do your other hand now, don't I?" King Volin ran a finger over the flat side of his dagger and looked at the blood that came off of it in vague amusement. "The best way to subdue a beast is to cut off its claws." The king swung his wicked blade through the air. It gleamed in the flickering light as my left hand hit the blood-spattered stones at my feet.

The coppery scent of my blood was thick in the air as I stared at King Volin. "You're a monster."

"Me?" The king blinked before bursting out in laughter. He wiped away the blood that had splattered on his face. "That's very funny coming from the vampire."

"Once I get these chains off," I whispered, "I will tear you to pieces."

King Volin ignored my threat as he turned and walked back over to Chloe-Jane "Now that we've become acquainted, I want you to tell me where Karmen is."

"Karmen?" Corinna inhaled sharply. "How do you know about Karmen?"

"How do you know about the queen of the vampires?" The king looked crazed, with traces of blood smeared over his features. He walked over to Corinna's cell and unlocked the door. I watched in horror as the king grabbed her by the arm and forced her out. His dagger was pressed against her throat. "If you don't tell me where Karmen is"-the king turned to look at me-"the slave girl dies."

"Leave Corinna out of this," I said quickly, my panic rising.

"Oh?" The king raised a brow. "I'm curious now, vampire. What does a single human mean to you? Are you going to tell me where the queen is, vampire? Or do you still need more of an incentive?"

Corinna's frightened eyes met mine.

King Volin turned impatient. In one swift swipe of his dagger, he slashed open the skin on Corinna's face and a long gash appeared over her cheek. "Remembered yet?"

Corinna inhaled sharply as the scent of her blood filled the large stone room.

"Karmen's in the capital city," I said desperately.

"At least she was," Corinna cut in.

"Was?" King Volin's eyes gleamed. "What do you mean she was?"

"Karmen is dead," Corinna choked out. "She killed the queen."

The king looked at me in disbelief; the insanity on his face was briefly replaced with shock. "You killed Karmen?"

"That's right." I schooled my face into an easy smile as I tried to hide my own surprise. "We killed her right before the ball."

King Volin shook his head in astonishment. He threw Corinna back into her cell, then marched to Chloe-Jane, who was still curled on the floor, and forcefully pulled the poor girl to her feet. The king dragged Chloe-Jane out of the room. The door slammed shut behind them, and the lights retracted back into the ceiling a moment later.

I stared at Corinna through the dark. Her eyes were just as wide as mine were as she met my gaze.

"I can't believe he actually fell for that," Corinna whispered, still shaken.

I shook my head, stunned. "Me neither."

Corinna dropped to her knees and leaned her head against the bars of her cell. "It made the king leave for the time being. Are-are you alright?"

I offered Corinna a weak smile. "I'm fine. I can't feel the pain, remember? I'm really sorry you had to see that, though. It probably looked a lot worse than it actually was. What about you?"

Corinna let out a breath as her gaze dropped to the hands lying by me on the blood-coated stones. "I'm fine. A little cut won't phase me." She drew her knees to her chest. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

I sighed. "It's better me than you. If I lose a limb, at least I can grow it back."

"I know you can't feel the pain, but I know for a fact that if we ever get out of here, this will haunt me for a very long time."

I slumped; the tight shackles around my elbows prevented me from moving. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Corinna said sadly. "We were sold out by that sketchy information dealer. If I ever find that man, he's going to regret ever going to the castle."

"What do you think happened to Phina and Storm?" I asked. The steady dripping of my blood sent my skin crawling. "Do you think they're still waiting below the balcony for us? Or did they realize that something happened and hid?"

Corinna stared up at the ceiling of her cell. "I just hope they don't try and break in to save us. They don't know there are vampires in the castle. And Lynden . . . he's all alone right now. For all we know he could be even worse off than we are."

"Phina and Storm are smart." I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince more, Corinna or myself. "The two of them will probably figure it out pretty quickly. Lynden, on the other hand . . . we can only hope that he's doing better than we are." There was a long pause. "I want to know how King Volin got five vampires to work for him. I know for a fact that those five vampires working for King Volin oppose Karmen."

"What do you think he wants from Karmen?" Corinna asked. Her voice was tired.

I let out another sigh. "I have no clue. But Karmen is dead. Well, according to us at least."

"I don't know how long we'll be able to keep the story up. If the king questions Lynden and gets different answers, I can't see things ending well. Also, did you notice that Chloe-Jane was so intent on killing herself?"

"Killing herself?" This was new to me.

"While you and Lynden were fighting those other vampires," Corinna explained quietly, "I took Chloe-Jane to run down the hall. But then Chloe suddenly grabbed my dagger and tried to slit her throat."

I inhaled sharply. "You think the king did something to her?"

Corinna looked at her hands. "I don't know. She claimed that the king was going to kill her. When the king was holding me earlier, I noticed that his hands were covered in scratches. Chloe had tried to fight him at some point. I don't think we're going to get answers from the king himself, though, and I'm pretty sure Chloe-Jane won't be coming down here again if she can help it." Corinna fell silent, and for a long time the only sound was Corinna's quiet breathing and the steady dripping of my blood as it pooled around my feet.

"If we do end up dying here," Corinna said after a while, "I'll admit, I think I'll be a little disappointed. But now that I'm here, as a whole, I don't mind. I might not have been able to free Chloe-Jane, but I want to believe that Phina and Storm will finish the job for me. Ever since I left the farm, I knew death was a possibility. Who knows how long I would have lived on the farm. I don't regret leaving. I don't regret meeting you, Talon. I never have. If there is one thing I regret, it's not being able to have spent more time with you."

I smiled weakly. "I wish I could have spent more time with you as well. I've never felt this alive in years. Ever since I lost my family and then the sisters, you're the first person in a long time to truly accept me as who I am. I-I just feel so happy whenever we spend time together. I've treasured every moment of it."

Corinna returned my smile as she let out a small laugh. "Isn't living wonderful?"

"It is." I held her gaze. "It's a shame that now that I've found a reason to live, death is right around the corner."

"I guess that can't be helped. At least we'll be able to face it together."

"There's something I haven't told you yet," I said softly. "About my late family."

"What is it?"

"My father," I started, "he was a king. My mother was a queen. And I was the princess of our small kingdom in the east."

"That's who you reminded me of!" Corinna's eyes widened as she jumped to her feet. "That book my mother snuck back to our house all of those years ago-I remember seeing the picture of a princess there. It was you!"

My own eyes grew large. "That must have been where the king recognized me from too. I completely forgot that a portrait of me was put in a book."

"It was Princess . . . Princess . . ." Corinna's brow furrowed. "I can't seem to recall your name."

"Well, that makes two of us."

"So the man who killed your parents . . . he wanted to become king?"

I nodded. "Before I became a vampire, I was actually engaged to my cousin. My parents never pushed the idea of marriage, though. They just wanted me to be happy. But my cousin wanted to rule the kingdom-well, my aunt was the one who wanted to rule the kingdom. But when she realized I wasn't going to marry her son even with the arrangement in place, she grew angry and sent my cousin to attack the castle. But after everyone in my castle was dead, the people of the kingdom were outraged and took the castle back. After that, with no leader, our small kingdom was easily conquered by the west."

"Your cousin got what he deserved," Corinna said in a mixture of shock and disgust.

"He did. I'm just slightly disappointed that I couldn't end him myself."

"And your aunt?"

"When she heard her precious son had been killed, she committed suicide."

Corinna fell silent for a long moment. Then her eyes widened. "Have you told anyone else that you're a princess? Wait-you're a queen now, aren't you?"

"Since both my father and mother passed away, I'm technically the queen now."

"That means there are three queens in the capital city then." Corinna stared at me in realization. "You, Chloe-Jane, and Karmen."

I frowned slightly. "If I really am one of the four queens from the legend, that means I don't have much time left to live. All the queens are said to die before the end of the ninth century."

"That means Chloe-Jane is going to die too?" Corinna's head snapped up. "Or wait-she could just live out her regular mortal lifespan within that time."

I let out a heavy sigh. "Other than you, Karmen is the only other person who knows that I'm a queen. I was worried Karmen would show up at our door one day, but she never did. It's common knowledge that Karmen killed the first progenitor and the other vampires he turned." I closed my eyes for a brief moment as I remembered how the queen's glowing red eyes shone from the depths of her hooded cloak. "Countless humans have died at her hands as well. At first I wanted to find and put an end to Karmen, like Lynden and Phina, but then I heard about the legend of the four queens from Andreus. The legend of the four queens says that four queens will rise up and change the world for the better. Isn't changing the world for the better one final piece of good we can try to do with our cursed lives?"

Corinna took a seat on the floor of her cell. "Changing the world certainly isn't going to be easy. Do you really think people can change?"

"Yes," I said quietly. "I think they can. I believe they can."

"But what if they don't want to change?" Corinna asked with equal quiet.

I smiled sadly. "Then all we can do is continue to encourage them to see the world from a new perspective. Encourage them to set aside their hatreds and start again."

Corinna gave me a small smile. "We've got to get you out of here then. You've got a world to change."

✦ ✦ ✦

I wasn't sure how much time had passed since King Volin had come to visit us in the dungeons. It had to have been at least two days, though, as both my hands had grown back. The fact that no one had come down to bring Corinna any food was becoming more and more worrying by the hour.

Suddenly, the door to our block of the dungeon was thrown open, and I slowly turned my head to watch King Volin step into the room. Chloe-Jane was with him again, and her eyes were downcast and ringed with dark circles. She refused to look at me or Corinna. The king motioned for her to stand by the doors and Chloe-Jane nodded. Her hands were clasped together on top of her skirts so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. It seemed as if the king brought Chloe-Jane everywhere with him.

The king's eyes flashed as he strode over to me. "We meet again, vampire."

"What do you want?" I demanded, but my voice was lacking strength. I had lost too much blood already.

King Volin smiled. It was a terrible smile. "I spent the last three days questioning that other vampire. Oh, don't worry. He's still alive. Barely. But he didn't seem to know anything about Karmen's death."

"Obviously." I forced a laugh. "Why would I tell him? Even though he claims not to work for the queen anymore, he's still loyal. He wouldn't have wanted his former master dead."

"That useless vampire refused to tell me anything," King Volin hissed in annoyance. "Even when I set him on fire he still refused to talk!"

"And why do you think we'd tell you anything?" I angled my head to the side as I tried my best not to let my horror show on my face. "A mortal like yourself should be more afraid of what we'll do to you once we escape."

The king just laughed. "Who said anything about escaping? You can't escape. Here's the deal, vampire. I want you to turn me into a vampire."

"What? You're insane!"

"I'm not insane," King Volin hissed. His head snapped up and his eyes whirled madly. He sure looked insane, and he was even more insane not to see it. "I'm brilliant!" The king waved his hands in the air in a series of wild gestures. "I'm the king! In fact, I'm the youngest king there's ever been on the throne! I killed my own father for this position. I wanted to become king, and king I became."

"Becoming a vampire isn't just a decision you can make," I said quietly. "This curse isn't meant to be shared."

"Curse?" The king scoffed. "This isn't a curse. Who wouldn't want to live forever? Who wouldn't want strength and power beyond their wildest imagination?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You don't deserve this kind of power."

I flinched as King Volin drew his dagger. The wicked blade was still stained with blood-whose blood it was, was another question entirely. "I'm the king. If I tell you to do something, you will obey my orders." His smile was back, and the crazed look in his eyes returned along with it. "Karmen was supposed to turn me. But now that a certain someone killed her, I can't become a vampire that way now, can I? I don't just want to be any vampire, you see, I need the blood of the strongest one to truly become superior. And now with you being the one to best Queen Karmen, you will be the one to turn me into a vampire."

"I don't think I will."

"That's not your choice to make." King Volin pressed his dagger against my neck and a moment later, the smell of my own blood shoved its way up my nose. I thrashed as the king pressed his mouth against my wounded neck and dug his teeth into my skin. "I'm going to be the first king to live forever!" King Volin laughed as he drew back. My blood dribbled from his mouth. "I'm going to-" But whatever he was about to say got cut off abruptly as he collapsed to the ground, clawing at his skin as if it were on fire. "What have you done to me?"

I stared down at the king, shaken. "Were you really so eager to become a vampire that you forgot to research how actually turning into one worked?"

"What do you mean?" The king hissed as he continued to thrash. Panic crossed his face, and his dagger had clattered to the ground. Out of the corner of my gaze, I saw Chloe-Jane crawling toward it.

"To become a vampire," I said quietly, "your human body has to die. You're dying, Your Majesty."

King Volin opened his mouth to respond, but he suddenly stilled, and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head as he passed out.

"Is he dead?" Chloe-Jane whispered. She was inches away from the dagger as she stared at the king's limp body.

"No," I answered. "But if his will to fight through the pain and continue to live isn't strong enough, he will be."

Chloe-Jane gingerly reached out and snatched the keyring attached to the king's belt before staggering over to open Corinna's cell. The moment the door opened, Corinna pulled Chloe-Jane into a tight hug. Chloe-Jane just stood there like a statue. "Chloe," she said quietly when she finally drew away.

Chloe-Jane silently passed over the key ring.

Corinna hurried over to me and knelt down to pick up the king's dagger. "How long is he going to be passed out like this?" she asked quietly as she fumbled with the lock and keys. Her voice was hoarse from lack of water, and the gash in her cheek was beginning to change colors.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment. My own skin was still crawling from the way the king had dug his teeth into my neck. "It's hard to say. It could be weeks or months."

My eyes flew open as Corinna wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly. Despite my current state, I smiled softly and pressed my forehead against hers.

"Are you okay?" Corinna whispered.

I shook my head even as the crawling sensation mercifully subsided at Corinna's touch. "I have very little blood left. My immortal strength is almost completely gone as well."

Finally, Corinna got the last lock click open, and I nearly collapsed to the floor as the chains clattered around me. My knees hit the hard stones. I hadn't felt this weak in a very long time. Corinna took my hands in her own as she slowly but steadily helped me to my feet.

From somewhere off to the side of the room, I heard Chloe-Jane suck in a sharp breath.

"Is everything alright?" Corinna turned to Chloe-Jane in concern only to find her sister staring at the two of us in disbelief.

"Corinna"-Chloe-Jane took a step backward-"why are you helping that vampire? Humans and vampires are not supposed to work together-they can't work together! Vampires are evil, Corinna. It's a sin to associate yourself with evil."

"How could anyone be more wicked than King Volin?" Corinna glanced down at where the king was lying in a heap on the stones. After tearing her gaze away from him, Corinna slung one of my arms over her shoulder to help me find my balance. "Talon isn't evil, Chloe."

"Sinners will go to a very bad place," Chloe-Jane continued as if she hadn't heard her sister. "And I don't want you to go there, Corinna."

"What should we do about the king?" I asked quietly, changing the topic.

Corinna frowned. "Should we really just leave him here? If he dies, he won't be a problem anymore, but if he actually completes his transformation, we'll be in big trouble."

I followed Corinna's gaze to the king's body. "The best thing to do would be to take him with us. That way we can monitor his transformation and then do some questioning of our own when he wakes up. If we can expose him and his plot, we might be able to get his subjects to turn against him."

"But can we really drag him along with us?" Corinna bit her lip. "Right now you seem even weaker than me."

I knelt down and cautiously turned over the king's arm. I placed a finger on his wrist to check his pulse. His heart was still beating, but the pulse was getting weaker and weaker by the second. "I think I have enough strength to carry him. I just need a moment to adjust to my new state."

"We have to find Lynden"-Corinna turned to Chloe-Jane-"do you know where the other vampire that was with us is?" Chloe-Jane hesitated. "Please, Chloe. We're all leaving here together. We're going to get you out of here."

Chloe-Jane turned to the doorway, conflicted. She clearly didn't want Corinna to leave with me, but her eagerness to get out of the dungeons seemed to take over. "This way."

I grabbed King Volin by one arm and Corinna quickly grabbed his other. I didn't even want to think about how we planned to get past the guards with the dying king.

The long hallway outside was lined with doors, and the scent of pain and despair hit me full in the face as we made our way past door after door. Judging by how all of the doors were solid blocks of metal, the cells inside were probably pitch black. I felt my skin crawl. Some of the prisoners here probably hadn't seen the sun-or even light-in years.

What struck me as strange was how there were no guards at all here in the dungeons. Besides the prisoners locked behind the doors, I couldn't sense anyone else around.

When we finally came to a stop, Chloe-Jane had arrived in front of a door that looked quite different from the rest. "He's in here," she whispered.

I exchanged a glance with Corinna before dropping King Volin next to the door. I extended my hand and Corinna handed me the king's dagger. With a flash of metal, I sliced through the lock and quickly pushed the door open.

I heard Corinna suck in a breath from next to me. A single torch flickered above the door, illuminating the space in a fiery orange light. The entire stone room was covered in soot and burn marks, and the sickening scent of burning flesh hung in the air.

Lynden was lying on the floor in a pool of drying blood. His long brown hair was burnt, and his skin was practically flaking off. He slowly looked up as we entered the room, his eyes glazed with pain. I winced. Even though vampires can't feel physical pain, direct exposure to fire causes the curse inside us to crawl and scream in an attempt to get away from it. It claws at the very fabric of our being-our soul, blood, and bones-a sort of burning from the inside out.

"What happened to you?" Corinna asked in horror as I quickly hurried over to slice Lynden's chains from the wall. Chloe-Jane scampered inside as well, not wanting to be left alone in the hall with the king's body.

"Fire," Lynden said. His voice was as raw as his skin. Even his face was burnt. "The king used fire. And light. How did the two of you manage to escape?"

"The king used my blood to turn himself into a vampire," I said grimly.

Lynden's eyes widened. "He did what?"

"He didn't seem to know about the transitioning period, though," I said quickly. "Once he passed out, we took the opportunity to get out."

Lynden shakily got to his feet, and ash fell from his blood-stained clothes. "Where is the king right now?"

"Outside," Corinna said quietly. "We're taking him with us. If he does survive, we can interrogate him later."

"How are we going to get out?" Lynden pressed a hand against the wall to steady himself. "We might be able to get past the regular guards, but there's no way we'll be able to fight off those other vampires in our current state."

I handed the dagger back to Corinna as I motioned for us to leave the room. "I don't know yet, but we can't stay here." Suddenly, I froze-aside from the unconscious king, I could sense two other people outside. One human and one vampire. Were the guards here already?

A knight appeared in the doorway. His helmet reflected the torch light, and a sword gleamed at his side. But just as Corinna raised her blade, the knight pulled off his helmet, and my jaw nearly dropped.

"I found you!" Storm exclaimed triumphantly. "Phina, look! I found them!"

Chapter Twenty-Three

"What are you all doing here?" I said weakly as I lowered my blade. "How did you get here?"

"We snuck in," Phina said proudly as she appeared in the doorway next to Storm. She pulled off her helmet to let her hair tumble down her back.

"But what about the vampires?" Talon asked, wide-eyed.

"Vampires?" Storm furrowed his brow. "They're dead."

"Dead?" Lynden choked.

Storm nodded with a shudder as if remembering something unpleasant. "It was strange-they were just lying in the passageways of the castle without their heads. That's not important, though." Storm's eyes widened in horror as they went from the gash on my face to Talon's blood-soaked clothes and finally to Lynden's burnt state. "What in the name of hell happened to all of you?"

"Lynden!" Phina clapped her hands to her mouth. "Who did this to you?"

"It was the king," Lynden said grimly as Phina and Storm hurried over to him, completely horrified. "He claimed he wanted information, but I think he just wanted to see how quickly I'd burn."

Chloe-Jane inhaled sharply from where she was standing by the door. "Are you vampires too?"

Phina turned to my sister and tried her best to offer a friendly smile. "You must be Chloe-Jane."

Chloe-Jane just took a step backward. Her eyes traveled rapidly back and forth between the vampires and me.

Storm finally tore his eyes away from Lynden to look at Chloe-Jane as well. "I'm not a vampire. But I can tell you on their behalf that none of them are going to harm you in any way. We promise."

Chloe-Jane stared at Storm. "You're a sinner too." Then she extended her hand and pointed wildly at all of us. "All of you are sinners!"

"Chloe," I tried in a rising panic, "calm down."

"No," Chloe-Jane said shrilly as she took another step back. "I won't calm down!"

"Will you please listen?" I pleaded. "We're trying to get you out of here. Just trust us. Trust me."

Chloe-Jane drew in a deep breath before finally nodding her head. It seemed that despite her fear of the vampires, her dread of staying in the castle outweighed it.

"We only have two other knight outfits," Storm informed us. "They were a little more difficult to get our hands on than we expected."

I exchanged a glance with Talon.

"I think one of them should be given to King Volin," Talon said as she gestured to the door and to where the king's body lay beyond.

"The king?" Storm said sharply. "But isn't he dead?"

I blinked. "Dead?"

"Yeah." Storm frowned in confusion. "Phina and I saw his body outside when we came down here, and when I checked his pulse . . . Well, he's dead, isn't he?"

Talon shook her head. "Not quite. He's in the process of turning into a vampire."

"A vampire?" Storm echoed in disbelief.

"We're taking him back with us," Talon explained. "If he really does complete the transformation, we'll be in trouble if we leave him here in the castle."

Storm's expression turned serious. "If that's the case, it makes sense to cover his face."

"Chloe-Jane or Corinna should probably wear the other one," Phina said as she wrung her hands together. "It isn't going to be easy running in a dress."

I glanced over at my sister. "Chloe can wear it. We wouldn't want people to see her face either-she's the queen after all."

Talon turned to Phina and Storm. "Do the two of you have an escape plan?"

The two of them looked at each other before Phina grinned guiltily. "We just snuck in. We haven't really thought about how to get out."

"Great," Lynden said weakly. "We're too far down to jump from the balconies, and given our current state, I don't know if that's even an option."

"And how exactly did you get in here?" Talon asked, with a glance in Phina's direction.

"We jumped through a window," Phina answered proudly. "Either their anti-vampire defenses are a joke, or Storm acted as a shield against whatever traps there were. Getting out of the dungeons themselves shouldn't be too difficult," she added quickly. "The few guards we passed on the way have already been taken care of."

Storm ran a hand through his dark hair. "Phina can't carry all of us out of here. We'll either have to make a break for it through the front doors, or we try to get out from the servants' entrance."

I shook my head. "We can't go out that way. If we run through there, we'll end up putting the servants in danger."

Storm sighed heavily. "That's what I was afraid of. And in that case, it looks like our only way out is through the front doors. Any of the other exits will result in us getting cornered the moment we get outside."

"I can draw the guards away," Phina offered. "Once they're after me, the rest of you can make a run for it. Since I'm still at my full strength, I'll be able to jump to safety. Oh, and I can take the king with me."

"We should go now," Storm said as he turned on his heel. "Even though we managed to sneak in without alerting the guards, it won't take them long to come running when they find the ones we knocked out."

We made our way out of the dungeons and followed Storm and Phina up staircase after stone staircase. As we climbed, I found myself wondering just how deep underground we were. Of course the king didn't need guards down here; the dungeons were a maze, with different staircases around each corner that seemed to branch off in every direction possible. If it wasn't for Storm and Phina leading the way, we would have gotten lost.

"I marked the walls," Storm whispered. His armor flickered from the light of the torch he held to illuminate the way. "You're lucky Phina was here to follow your scents." After a long while, we finally reached a door at the end of the stairs, and Storm pushed it open.

"Right now we're two stories below the front entrance," Phina told us quietly. "This way."

We followed Phina through the doorway and down the long hallway beyond. At first glance, the hall seemed to be free of guards-until my eyes landed on three of them lying in an unconscious heap on the floor.

We hurried up a flight of stairs and found ourselves in another hallway. Phina raised a hand to stop us before silently gesturing to the knights standing on the other side of the hall with their backs to us. "I'll go lead the guards away from the entrance," Phina whispered. "Once you get outside, run." Phina took off down the hall a moment later, holding the king tightly under an arm.

"Hey!" one of the knights yelled as Phina danced past them. "You don't belong in the castle!"

"Chase her!" another shouted as they all scrambled after the ginger-haired vampire. They disappeared from sight in seconds.

"Let's go," Storm said quietly. He held his sword at the ready as he led the way, and we followed him up a flight of stairs to find ourselves standing in the entrance hall. My eyes widened as I looked around. The large room didn't have any windows; the stairs were covered in rich carpet, and the walls were adorned with tapestries bearing the royal crest.

"There's gonna be knights outside," Storm said grimly. "We'll have to fight our way through the gardens."

I gripped the dagger in my hands tighter. Adrenaline and fear raced through my veins. All five of us broke into a run as we sprinted toward the doors.

The moment Storm threw them open, the bright sunlight from outside stung my eyes, and I squinted against its brilliance. I heard Talon quietly hiss as the sunlight hit her full in the face, but we kept running. We had to.

The moment we emerged in the gardens, the sound of shouting filled the air. "Halt!" a voice yelled. "I command you to stop in the name of the Royal Guard!"

We ignored his cries and sprinted as fast as we could toward the hedge maze. By studying the castle maps, we had all learned that the maze was not only the quickest way to the gates but also our best way of losing the knights.

I could hear the sound of armored footsteps pounding over the ground behind us; the clanking of armor and the sounds of drawn swords were just as loud. Judging from their footsteps, I could guess there were at least ten of them.

We crashed into the maze and sprinted in single file down the narrow path. The good thing about the maze was that our pursuers would not be able to charge at us all at once; they'd have to go in single file, and it would be even more difficult for them with the bulk of their armor.

My heart pounded away in my chest as I dashed down the dirt-covered path with one hand pressed against the tall hedge wall to keep myself from toppling over. All we needed to do was get to the gates and then sprint across the long stretch of open field back to the city itself. Once we were among the buildings, we could lose the knights for good.

Storm was in the lead, and Chloe-Jane and I brought up the rear. But just as we flew through the exit of the maze, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Chloe-Jane stumble. She fell to the ground with a yelp, and as I spun around to help her, my momentum nearly caused me to topple over as well. "Hurry, Chloe!" I grabbed her hand in an attempt to help her to her feet.

Just as Chloe-Jane grasped my hand, her eyes widened in horror. My head snapped up as a single knight emerged from the maze, and his sword was raised as he charged toward us.

"Run, Corinna!" Chloe-Jane pushed me away, terrified. "Run!"

But I would not run. Not this time.

Raising my dagger, I met the knight's blade with my own. A split second later, I whirled and slammed the hilt of my dagger into the side of the knight's head with all the strength I could muster. The knight staggered before falling to the ground unconscious.

I pulled a shocked Chloe-Jane to her feet. "Let's go!"

"What was that?" she puffed as we sprinted to catch up with the others.

"Run now," I panted back as I shook my head. "We'll talk later."

Storm, Talon, and Lynden had already reached the gates and were fighting off the knights standing guard there. Storm's blade flashed in the bright sunlight as he crossed swords with knight after knight. As the knights continued to fall at his hand, I felt relief spread through me. While I regarded Storm as a close friend, it was also true he was the kingdom's famous legend and owned up to his name. Talon and Lynden were doing their best to fend off the charging knights, but they were growing weaker by the second as their skin peeled and flaked from the light.

I hurried to join Storm, and my blade flew as I danced a dance of steel and blood. I hissed each time one of the knights' swords nicked my skin. I was moving too slowly; I needed to go faster, but my throat was parched from lack of water, and my strength was nearly depleted from lack of food. And yet I needed to keep going.

I knocked the last knight to the ground and stood there for a moment, swaying on my feet as I stared down at all of the armor-clad figures lying around me.

Storm slashed through the lock to the side door with his sword. "I've got the gate open-run and don't look back!"

We sprinted out of the gardens and onto the seemingly infinite stretch of field beyond. I kicked off my shoes to keep from sliding over the grass, and my legs screamed in protest as I ran.

"Do you think we're going to make it?" I asked. My breath was like a shard of glass in my throat as the wind ripped my voice away.

"I think we have a very good chance," Talon called back as she ran beside me. "That is unless they-"

Suddenly, an ear-splitting boom cut through the air, and the ground shook.

"Unless they have cannons," Talon finished regretfully.

We all staggered as the ground shook again. Then Chloe-Jane screamed as the field to the left side of us exploded. Grass and dirt flew in every direction.

"They've got cannons!" Storm yelled as he tossed his sword to the ground in a panic.

There was another boom as the ground on our right side exploded, closer this time.

My ears were ringing and my head throbbed as I threw my arms up to shield my face from the flying dirt. I kept running, and my feet continued to bark with pain as the skin on my arms and face were torn open by little rocks. My lungs strained. We were still so far from the safety of the city.

There was another boom. This time I watched in horror as Talon lost her footing and tumbled to the ground. I pushed Chloe-Jane ahead of me and doubled back for Talon. "Talon!" I pulled Talon to her feet, and we took off again at a sprint. "Are you okay?" Nearly all of her bare skin had flaked away, and her face was raw and red.

"I'm-" Talon started, but whatever she was about to say was cut off by another cannon blast. And before I could even blink or scream, the ground right behind us exploded, and the force sent us flying.

My vision blurred as I slammed into the ground with a thud. My ears were ringing so much I couldn't hear. My head was spinning, and my body was screaming. There was so much pain. I tried to rise to my feet, but my vision swam, and agony shot through my right leg.

"Corinna!" Talon was screaming my name, but her voice sounded so far away. It was as if everything was underwater.

Talon scooped me up in her arms and leaped into the air just as the ground where I had just been lying exploded. My leg was on fire; every inch of it screamed as if a thousand shards of glass were tearing into it.

"Corinna!" That was Chloe-Jane's voice.

"Corinna!" Storm.

"Corinna!" Lynden.

My vision was swimming in and out of focus. I could barely think-could barely move as Talon carried me.

Why did my leg hurt so much? I raised my head in an attempt to look, but Talon stopped me. "Don't look," she whispered. Her eyes were filled with panic.

I blinked even as a new wave of agony shot through me from my leg. I had never seen Talon like this before. I began to panic as well. Am I dying? Am I going to die here?

"Hold on, Corinna," Talon was sobbing. "We're almost there."

Almost there? Where are the buildings? Everything was red. Then everything was tilting forward and the very world was on fire as I collided with the ground. I couldn't tell if I was screaming. It was as if someone had clapped their hands tightly over my ears. When will the pain end?

Suddenly, I felt something sharp prick my neck. My pain instantly stopped as I lost consciousness and the world around me faded to black.

✦ ✦ ✦

When I came to, my entire body ached. My throat still felt raw as I drew in one breath after another, and my head throbbed painfully as I opened my eyes. I was lying on a bed. Curtains hung over the windows, dulling the brilliance of the sunlight outside. I recognized the room as Talon's bedroom back at the forest house. Someone had changed me into a plain nightgown, and as I reached up to touch my face, I found that the gash on my cheek had been patched up. The scratches on my hands had healed as well.

"Corinna!" Talon's voice said. I turned to find her sitting on the floor next to me. "You're awake!" She was no longer wearing the same blood-soaked clothes from the castle dungeons, and her hair was clean of dirt and blood.

I clapped a hand to my head to stop my vision from swimming. "How long have I been out this time?" Suddenly everything came rushing back to me. The castle dungeons. Our escape. The cannons.

I threw my blankets off to look down at my leg-except there was no leg. I nearly stopped breathing as I stared in disbelief at where my right leg was missing below the knee joint.

Talon's eyes were pained. "I'm so sorry, Corinna. We did everything we could, but most of it was already gone. You're very lucky Clarity prepared a batch of medicine to help with the healing process before she left, otherwise things could have been a lot worse."

"Are we safe?" I changed the topic, still in a state of shock.

"We're safe now. We lost the knights and made it back to the house in the forest."

"What about the others?" I slowly pushed myself into a sitting position, and Talon helped me.

"They're fine now too." Talon's eyes were still fearful as she held my hands in her own. "Chloe-Jane is in the second bedroom here, and Lynden, Phina, and Storm are back in the other house. Phina successfully brought the king back, and now he's locked in the wine cellar."

"Good." I let out a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in. "That's good. We made it out alive. That's all that matters."

"I'm so sorry, Corinna," Talon said again as her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Your leg-"

"This isn't your fault." I offered her a weak smile as I squeezed her hands. "If it wasn't for you, I probably would have lost more than just a leg."

Talon shook her head, and she dropped her gaze, burying her face in her arms. "I-if I didn't have the blood, I wouldn't have had the strength to get us out of there . . . I'm sorry," Talon's voice was muffled as she apologized again. "You were in so much pain that I-that I could only render you unconscious. I didn't want you to continue hurting."

I smiled faintly as I absently reached up to touch my neck. "I know. And I don't mind." I patted the bed next to me and Talon silently took a seat. "I'm fine, Talon. It seems like my blood saved the both of us. We're both alive still, and that's what matters. But how are you? We were outside in the sun for a long time."

"I'm fine." Talon offered me a weak smile despite the fact her skin was still flaking.

"Are you sure?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore. The light itself doesn't hurt, but it's how it reacts with the curse inside us. The curse recoiling from the light is the painful part."

"How long does it take to heal?" I asked softly.

"Maybe about a day if I give it proper treatment."

"How long has it been since we left the castle?"

"A week."

I blinked. "An entire week?"

Talon nodded tearfully. "I was starting to worry that you wouldn't wake up. Corinna, if you died, I-I-"

I smiled gently. "I'm awake now."

Talon let out a broken laugh as she returned the smile. Her eyes filled with relief as she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. When she finally drew away, Talon reached up with a shaky hand to cup the side of my face as if she couldn't believe that the two of us were safe and sound.

"Talon," I said as I held her gaze, "I love you. That was something I wanted to tell you in the dungeons but never was able to muster the courage to. After nearly dying, I realized that if I don't say it now, I might not get another chance."

Talon eyes widened as she stilled. Despite her surprise, something hopeful flashed across her face. "You're not afraid of me?" she whispered as she dropped her hand from my face.

I caught her hand in my own as I smiled. "Of course not."

"But I'm a monster," Talon's voice broke. "Besides, look at me"-she gestured to the skin flaking off her face-"I'm not beautiful anymore."

"In my eyes, you're always beautiful," I breathed. "Even right now. I don't care that you're a vampire. Or even a queen. In my eyes, you're just you."

Talon's eyes were large as if she were fighting an inward battle.

"I'm not afraid of you," I said softly as I reached up to place my hands on either side of her face.

"Then you're a fool."

"They do say that love makes a person a fool."

Talon gave me a weak smile. "If that's the case, then let's be fools together."

I leaned forward and gently brushed my lips over hers. Talon leaned into my touch, and her eyes fluttered shut as the two of us savored the brief sweetness.

"I love you, Corinna," Talon whispered. She pressed her forehead against mine when we drew apart.

I smiled as I pulled her into a warm embrace. Even though I had just lost one of my legs, everything seemed right. Talon returned the embrace, shaking slightly as she held me tightly.

"I think it was that night at the ball when it struck me that I wanted to stay with you," Talon admitted as she rested her head on my shoulder. "It was then that I really came to terms with the fact that I didn't want us to go our separate ways after our journey came to an end. But I was afraid to tell you at the time-with you being you and me being a vampire. I was also worried that if I were to stay around you, I'd be putting you in danger if Karmen ever came to look for me."

"If Karmen really does come to look for you"-I withdrew to hold Talon's gaze-"we can face her together. Besides, if she really is looking for the queens, she'll come here for Chloe-Jane at one point or another."

"You're right." Talon let out a weak laugh as she reached out to tuck a flyaway curl behind one of my ears. "I'll be putting you in even more danger by leaving."

The two of us shared a warm smile.

"Now that I'm awake," I said after a while, "you should worry about your own wounds. What do you need to do to recover?"

"To recover from burns, a vampire's body needs to shut down and reset," Talon recalled with a slight frown. "It's kind of like going to sleep, in a way. It usually takes about a day or two, and vampires aren't particularly fond of it since they're completely vulnerable throughout that period of time."

"If you need to rest"-I scooted over to make room for Talon on the bed-"you should rest."

Talon smiled as she lay down next to me. "Alright."

I lay back down with my fingers still intertwined through hers. "We got out alive." I squeezed her hands.

"We got out alive," she echoed as if she still couldn't fully believe it. "Phina escaped the guards without even getting a single scratch! Lynden has fully healed from his own injuries, but he's still a little shaken. All three of them-Lynden, Phina, and Storm-came to visit you while you were unconscious."

"Did Chloe-Jane ever visit me?" I asked hesitantly.

"Only once. I had to offer to leave the room before she came in as well. After that first visit, she locked herself in the other bedroom and still refuses to come out. She won't talk to me or Lynden or Phina. She'll talk to Storm, though, even though she makes it clear that she doesn't like him very much-he's gone in a few times to visit her."

It was my turn to sigh. "Even as her sister, I don't know if she'll listen to anything I say. I don't know what she went through at the castle, and I don't know if she'll ever tell me." I rolled over onto my back to stare up at the ceiling. "I just want to comfort her, but I don't know how I'll be received."

Talon looked up as well and followed my gaze to the wooden beams. "Lynden and Phina both want to talk to Chloe-Jane, but she won't let them get close enough to try and comfort her."

"Should we send Chloe-Jane up to Andreus? She can see Mother and Clarity and Cameren there. She'll be safer there than here in the capital city. But . . ."

"But we don't know how she'll feel about staying with a dragon."

I nodded my head in defeat.

I could hear the frown in Talon's voice. "I don't even know if we'll be able to send her out. Apparently the knights are looking for Chloe-Jane and the king. The story got out that the king and queen were abducted by southern continent spies. I don't think they can really link it back to us, but it's probably for the best that we keep a low profile."

Talon was right; the last thing we wanted was to be stopped on the road. If the knights were looking for people from the southern continent, it was very likely that they would be monitoring all of the roads out of the capital city.

Talon rested her head on my shoulder. "I don't mind staying here, though. Everything's good now. Chloe-Jane's out of the castle. Maybe we could just stay here forever."

A wistful smile tugged on my lips. "That would be nice. But there are things we need to do. No matter how much we try to set aside and forget our responsibilities, time will catch up with us eventually. Even if we can't stay here forever, we can definitely stay here right now. You should rest, Talon. You should have healed yourself when we got back to the forest house instead of waiting for me to wake up."

Talon let out a laugh. "I'll rest."

"I'll be here when you wake."

With one final smile, Talon closed her eyes.

Even though I had slept for days, I was still completely exhausted. Last week's events could have been nothing more than a nightmare, but that wasn't the case; the faint stinging of my cheek and my missing leg told me otherwise. As much as I wanted to dismiss it, the pain had been real.

All of this was real. Talon's hand in mine was real. This room, this house, this world. All of it. I was living. I propped myself up on my elbow and tenderly brushed Talon's hair away from her face.

It was true that life had dealt me a great number of hardships, but between the pain and suffering and fear, there was also sweetness. Joy, hope, happiness, and love.

Life is a journey without a clear end in sight. Sometimes things go to plan and sometimes they don't. If life is a winding river, then I am a boat drifting along the water. Even if I can't control where I end up, how I steer my boat is up to me.

Life isn't easy. It never has been. But even in the darkest of nights, there are still stars behind the clouds, waiting to light the way.

Sweetness and bitterness. Hope and despair. Not every second, minute, or even year will be easy. But that is life.

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Your Highness," Uncle Altair calls, and his armor clinks as he hurries up the spiraling staircase of the tower after me. "Slow down!"

I laugh as I race up the steps with my feet bare and long skirts fly behind me. "Hurry! We're going to be late!"

Uncle Altair lets out an exasperated sigh as he quickens his pace.

When I finally reach the top of the spiraling staircase, I throw open the doors to the balcony. A strong breeze greets me and whips my unbound hair in every direction. Mother and Father turn to look up at me from where they sit next to a blanket covered in plates of food.

"Am I late?" I ask breathlessly, tucking loose strands of inky hair behind an ear.

"Not at all," Father says with a chuckle. "In fact, you're just on time."

Uncle Altair emerges from the doorway, then sets his sword down as he takes a seat. "I'm sorry we're a little late-the princess insisted on picking flowers for the occasion."

"Mother, Father, look,"-I drop to my knees as I hold up a little container of flowers-"we can put these in the middle of the blanket as a centerpiece."

Mother smiles with bright eyes. "They're beautiful."

I beam as I set the container down. Then I excitedly look around at the treats laid out on the blanket. "Mother, did you make all of these yourself?"

Mother nods and reaches for a plate. "Have a taste."

I eagerly take one of the treats and pop it into my mouth. "Delicious!"

Father turns to Uncle Altair. "Did you tighten security for this evening?" Even though his tone is light, his eyes are serious.

Uncle Altair inclines his head. "Everything's ready."

"This evening?" I blink as I turn to look at the two of them. "Why are we tightening security?"

Mother sighs. "My dear sister-in-law is coming to visit. Don't tell me you've forgotten."

I reach for another treat. "I knew she was coming to the castle. I just didn't know it was today." Then my hand stills and my fingers hover over the little cakes. "Cousin Evsen is coming too, isn't he."

Father pinches the bridge of his nose as if to ward off a headache. "Yes, your cousin will be here too."

"I don't think he'll be very happy to see me." I lift my eyes to look out absently at the grassy fields far below. The vibrant greens are dotted with the occasional pinks and whites and yellows of flowers. "We did call off the engagement, after all." I fall silent as I turn my head to the sky. Clouds streak the brilliant blue canvas above, and I find myself watching them as they float lazily on the breeze.

"Your Highness?" Uncle Altair taps me lightly on the shoulder. "Are you spacing out? Your mother just asked you a question."

I blink as I snap back to reality. "I'm sorry! What was the question?"

"I just asked how you feel about meeting your cousin Evsen for the first time," Mother says lightly.

I wrinkle my nose. "I don't think I want to meet him. Apparently last year he had an affair with the marquess's daughter. Even though I couldn't care less about what he does, he was still engaged to me at the time. And that doesn't make him very honorable, now does it? Everyone talks about how greedy and possessive he is. I think I'm better off not associating with him."

"Everyone?" Mother arches a quizzical brow, and her long inky hair flutters lightly in the breeze like fine silk. "And who did you hear all of this from?"

"Uncle Altair." I pop another cake into my mouth.

Uncle Altair raises his hands defensively. "The princess needs to keep up with what happens outside the castle somehow."

"We don't mind," Father says as he shakes his head. "We're just curious how the captain of the knights knows all the gossip in the kingdom."

My uncle's armor clanks as he crosses his arms. "It's my job, is it not?"

Father laughs as he claps his brother on the shoulder. "It's your job to know what's going on with the neighboring kingdoms' militaries, not who's been having affairs with who."

I lean back to look up and watch a flock of birds glide through the air. "Don't worry, Father. Isn't it important for a princess to know what's going on in her kingdom? Well, Uncle Altair and the other knights have done a very good job of informing me."

"The other knights?" Mother asks as she rearranges her skirts around her legs. "They're in on this too?"

I take one of Mother's hands in mine. "Please don't be too hard on them-we're just having fun."

"Do you ever find yourself wanting friends outside the castle?" Father asks jokingly. "I know you consider Altair here to be your best friend, but my brother is about twenty years older than you."

"I've befriended quite a lot of the knights," I say thoughtfully. "And the maids. There are quite a few of them around my age. This is my home. When I get older, I'll be able to help protect our kingdom too."

Father places a hand on top of mine. "I know."

I smile as I take Father's hand and place it on top of Mother's. Then I spring to my feet to look over the balcony railings. The wind rustles through my hair, and I close my eyes to savor the warmth of the sun on my face.

When I open them, Uncle Altair is standing beside me. He rests his arms on the stone railings as he points down at the courtyard below. "Look."

A group of young knights are sitting in the grassy courtyard, chatting happily as they eat their lunches. I wave at them, but I'm too far away to be noticed. "It was worth a shot." I rest my chin on my hands, and Uncle Altair lets out a laugh. I turn around to look at my parents and then perk up. "Look!" I say as I tug on my uncle's sleeve.

Uncle Altair follows my gaze, and we watch as Mother and Father share a smile as they talk quietly among themselves.

I let out a sigh. "I wonder if I'll ever look at someone the same way Mother looks at Father. I wonder if someone will ever look at me that way."

Uncle Altair gives me a knowing wink. "Maybe someday you'll meet someone special."

"Come on, Uncle Altair. And what about you? Have you ever been in love before?"

"I've told you before," my uncle says as he straightens his cape, "I don't have time for romance. There's nothing I love more than being the captain of the knights. Besides, I've got my older brother, sister-in-law, and dear niece to take care of. I think my heart is full."

I finally look away from my parents. "I'm not marrying my cousin. I don't mind ruling alone. I love this kingdom just as much as Mother and Father do. Besides, you'll be here to help guide me. Right, Uncle?"

Uncle Altair ruffles my hair. "You really take after your father, you know. You've got your mother's spirit, though-her spirit of grace and strength and independence. I remember the first time I met your mother was when she was just a knight serving under my father. During the war between the eastern kingdoms and the expanding western empire, your mother and father saved each other countless times. We all fought hard to keep our kingdom and our neighboring ones out of the hands of the cruel western king. Your mother and father both made names for themselves on the battlefield, and with them as the rulers of our kingdom, the west doesn't dare to attack."

I smile as I return to the picnic blanket, tugging Uncle Altair along by the sleeve. I then take a seat next to Mother. "Are you worried my aunt is going to try something?" I ask quietly. "Is that why you're increasing security?"

Mother frowns slightly, and the long sleeves of her gown flutter as the wind whispers past. "My sister-in-law hasn't been here in years. I know her better than anyone. After all, she was the one who was the most vocal about my status and how I couldn't possibly marry into the royal family. Now she likes to tell anyone who will listen how I didn't initially want to be queen. I know that if things don't go her way, she'll take her anger out on anything in the same room as her."

Uncle Altair cuts in. "I think we just shouldn't let our sister into the castle at all. That son of hers is no good either! I heard that when the young woman he had been having an affair with decided to cut all ties with him, he completely wrecked the marquess's flower garden out of spite. Like mother like son, eh?"

Father lets out a sigh. "We won't know what they want if we don't let them in. They are family after all. All we can do is tighten our security and keep a watchful eye on them."

Mother nods. "Your father is right."

Uncle Altair and I both let out dejected sighs.

"May I be excused?" I stand up and skillfully brush off my skirts. "I'm hoping to catch the knights in the courtyard."

Mother looks up at me. "Of course. Just remember to get ready in a couple of hours for the meeting."

"I will!" I turn on my heel to hurry to the door leading back down the spiraling staircase of the tower. When we finally reach the courtyard, I hurry across the stones and grass to where the young knights are still having their lunch.

"It's the princess!" one of the knights says excitedly. "And look! Sir Altair is here too!"

All the knights gathered in the courtyard jump to their feet before bowing in our direction.

"There's no need for that!" I wave my hands quickly as I motion for them to rise.

One of the younger knights looks at me expectantly. "Your Highness, are you gonna come train with us again?" He couldn't have been more than thirteen years old.

"You really want me to train with all of you again? I was completely horrible last time, remember?"

The young knight shakes his head. "You weren't bad at all!"

"Yeah!" the other knights chime in agreement.

"Sir Altair"-the young knight turns to my uncle-"could we borrow Her Royal Highness? Please?"

"Alright." My uncle laughs. "But remember, Your Highness, you should be back in your room in an hour to get ready for the meeting with your aunt and cousin."

I sigh. "I know."

The young knight motions for me to follow him. "Come on, Your Highness. It's been a few days since you last visited us."

I smile as I follow him and the other knights to their large training room. "What do you all want to teach me today?"

"Let's do bows and arrows today," one of the knights suggests.

"I think it's better to do swords," another cuts in. "Even we don't know how to use bows properly."

The knights come to an agreement. "Then swords it is."

We do the sword training routine for a while, then all of us take a seat on the floor to rest.

"Your Highness," one of the knights says, and I look over at her. "When we were in town yesterday, guess what we heard?"

"What did you hear?" My hair sticks to the sides of my face with sweat.

The knight lowers her voice. "It's about the neighboring kingdom's Duchy of Winfielde."

I frown. "What happened this time?"

"Word got out that apparently the son of the duke forced another one of the servants to sleep with him," another knight says. His voice is just as quiet. "The girl was only eleven years old."

"The girl became pregnant," yet another knight continues sorrowfully. "And not only did she end up having a miscarriage, but she also died shortly after."

I shake my head sadly. Even in our kingdom, the duke's children have a bad reputation. We all fall silent and bow our heads.

Soon I say goodbye to the knights and run back through the halls, across the courtyard, then finally up the stairs. My bare feet tap across the polished stones as I come to a stop in front of the doors to my room. I pull them open and step inside.

After my bath, I change into the dress Mother picked out for me, then take a seat at my vanity. I stare at my reflection for a long moment, and my deep brown eyes stare back at me from behind my wet hair. I reach for a comb. I spend a half hour pinning up my hair and another fifteen minutes decorating it with tiny crystal-like flowers. Finally it's time to meet up with my parents and uncle.

In the entrance hall, I stand between my mother and father. I exhale through my nose. The sooner we get this over with, the better. We wait and wait and wait, but no one shows up.

"Are they really coming today?" I ask.

Uncle Altair is frowning. "They should have been here half an hour ago. Maybe they got delayed."

As we continue to wait, Father rests his head on Mother's shoulder. "I know that you just wanted the two of us to be a normal couple. No royalty duties or responsibilities. I'm glad that you finally decided to accept my marriage proposal so that we could rebuild this war-torn kingdom together."

Mother smiles faintly. "Over the years, the quality of life for our people has improved drastically. It shows that when monarchs rule with love instead of greed, the effect it has on their subjects is incredible to behold."

We stand there in the entrance hall until the sun drops beneath the horizon and paints the sky in pink and yellow and red.

Finally a knight appears in the doorway. He jogs over to us, bows, then clears his throat. "I just got a letter from your sister," he says. "She's canceling the visit."

Mother and Father exchange a glance.

Father sighs. "Did she say whether she was rescheduling for another day?"

The knight bows his head. "The letter didn't say, Your Majesty."

"You may be dismissed." Mother says. The knight bows one more time and leaves to return to his post.

My uncle stifles a tired yawn. "I'll go tell the guards to go back to their normal positions. Then we can all go to bed earlier."

Mother and Father nod.

"Let's go upstairs and have dinner," Mother suggests.

I absently ran a finger over the smooth metal of the banister as we climbed the grand staircase of the entrance hall. "I don't get it-my aunt and cousin made a big announcement that they were in the city."

But just as we reach the top of the stairs, we suddenly hear the doors being thrown open as Uncle Altair sprints back into the entrance hall. His armor clanks as he runs, and my heart rate quickens when I spot the look of panic on his face. My stomach clenches as I notice the droplets of blood spattered all over him.

"What is it?" Father asks quickly as Uncle Altair skids to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

"They're inside the castle!" Uncle Altair calls.

Mother takes a step forward. "Who's inside the castle?"

"Even with the tightened security, they still managed to get past." Uncle Altair is shaking his head in a state of shock. "They killed the knights guarding the gates!"

"Who?" Mother asks again; her voice is deadly calm.

"Your nephew Evsen broke into the castle with an army of knights from our neighboring kingdom." Uncle Altair glances over his shoulder as if they would burst into the entrance hall at any second. "They're making their way to the main castle right now-they've been killing everyone they see." The neighboring kingdom? I feel all the blood drain from my face.

Father's hand goes to the sword at his side. "We need to stop him-he's killing our people!"

"If he's really brought an entire army with him"-Mother puts her hand on top of Father's before he can draw his blade-"we can't be hasty. Besides, if we go out and fight, who's going to protect the princess?"

Suddenly, the sounds of screaming come from the courtyard, and my blood goes cold. I can hear blades clashing behind the entrance hall doors. The sound is growing louder and louder.

"Oh no." Uncle Altair whirls around, and his own sword is instantly in his hand. "They're here already!"

Mother pushes me behind her just as the doors to the hall are violently thrown open. My heart is pounding away in my chest as fear latches its claws into the fiber of my being. Armored knights charge into the room and sprint toward us with their swords raised.

My eyes widen as I see all the fallen and bloody bodies lying in the courtyard outside. No, no, no. This can't be happening.

"They've surrounded the entire castle!" Uncle Altair raises his voice as he meets the first knight with his sword. The sound of metal against metal reverberates through the room, and I take a step backward. My entire body is shaking.

Father draws his sword as he joins my uncle in fighting the knights climbing up the steps. "Altair," Father says between swings of his sword, "I want you to get the young knights and try and evacuate as many people from the castle as you can!"

"What?" Uncle Altair turns to my father as he slashes out at another attacking knight. "I can't leave the three of you here!"

"Listen to me," Father pants as the two of them are forced to retreat another step. "The young knights are further in the castle. The enemy couldn't have gotten to them yet. If you can't help anyone else escape, the least you could do is take them and leave!"

"But-" Uncle Altair protests.

"This is an order from your king," Father says grimly. Then his eyes soften. "Please, Altair. Your brother is asking you to do him a favor."

"Fine." My uncle reluctantly nods. "I'll do my best." All I can do is watch as Uncle Altair jumps from the stairs, fights his way across the entrance hall, and finally disappears outside into the courtyard beyond.

Father grabs my hand. "We need to run."

I let him pull me along as we sprint down the hallway. Night has fully set in by now and the sky outside is dark. I can hear the clanking of armored footsteps as the knights chase us. We are backed into a corner multiple times, and each time Mother and Father work together to fight us out. It doesn't take long for the number of knights on our tail to fall from twenty to zero.

"If all the entrances and exits are really blocked," Mother says slowly, "we either hide inside the castle or fight our way out."

Before we can give our options more thought, a door to our left flies open and a large group of knights flood out. However, the knight at the front isn't wearing a helmet as the others are. His inky hair is glowing in the moonlight as he sneers.

I inhale sharply. "Cousin Evsen!"

Evsen laughs unpleasantly. "Dear cousin, you really left me no choice." Then he turns to the knights behind him. "What are you waiting for? Kill them all!"

Mother grabs me by the hand as we push through a door at the end of the hallway. We sprint up the spiraling steps, higher and higher.

My heart sinks the moment we run through the doorway. This is the way to the balcony. With the knights at the bottom of the stairs, the only way we can go is up.

Mother and Father whirl on the steps, fighting off the knights together. The two of them are a whirlwind of blades, and the knights fall to the ground one after another. Suddenly, someone grabs my arm, and I cry out in pain and fear.

"Shut up," Cousin Evsen hisses as he makes to drag me down the stairs. "Stupid princess."

In my panic, I grab the sword of one of the fallen knights and swing it with all of my strength at my cousin. Cousin Evsen jumps away from me. The moment he lets go of my arm, I drop the sword and run.

Mother and Father have nearly taken out all of the knights, and they grab me by the hand. But then we hear the sound of bowstrings being drawn back, followed by the whoosh of arrows through the air.

I barely have time to scream before Mother, Father, and I are all shot in the back.

Pain explodes through me, but I continue to run. My vision blurs and my blood burns. I look back over my shoulder to see one lone knight running after us, bow in hand. Mother seems to notice the knight as well, and with a flick of her wrist, she throws her dagger at him. The knight collapses to the floor.

Father pushes open the doors to the balcony, and we stagger out into the night. My hair has come undone somewhere along the way, and it is whipped up by the wind as I drop to my knees. Tears stream down the sides of my face; my hands are covered in blood. This is my blood. The arrow in my stomach hurts when I touch it, and I let out a sob. I slump to the floor. My vision goes in and out of focus as I stare up at the night sky above.

Mother and Father collapse on either side of me, and each of them take one of my hands in their own. I notice that they have taken even more arrows than I have, and I stifle another sob, which sends a new wave of pain shooting through me.

Mother squeezes my hand. "I bet by now, your uncle got the young knights out of the castle."

"I bet Altair and the young knights are far away now," Father says quietly. "I bet they're safe."

I want to ask, How did this happen? But all I can manage is a choked sob.

"I'm sorry things had to end this way," Father's voice is strained. "I'm sorry we couldn't have spent more time together. All of us." My heart nearly stops as Father's hand goes limp in my own. I turn to look at him in horror, but I feel Mother place a trembling hand on my shoulder.

"Mother." Ignoring my pain, I clutch her hand tightly. "I'm scared."

"Can you see the stars?" she asks. Her voice is strained with tears.

"I can see the stars," I whisper as a light wind kisses my face.

Mother draws in a shaky breath. "Don't be afraid. Just look up at the sky. That's all you need to do. Don't look at your father. He's just gone to sleep."

"I'm scared," I repeat as my tears continue to flow.

"Look at the stars, Edeline." Mother's voice is fading now. "We love you. Remember that."

"I love you too." I let out a sob as Mother's hand goes still as well.

Lying here under the stars with the scent of blood in my nose, the taste of salty tears in my mouth, and the arrow in my back, I feel completely helpless.

After slowly sitting up, I roll out from between the bodies of my parents. I hiss as the arrow in my stomach shifts, but I grit my teeth and bear the pain.

I carefully place Mother's hand on top of Father's, gently interlace their fingers together, then collapse back onto the cold stones of the balcony. As I roll over to look up at the stars, I can feel my life force slowly ebb away. I am going to join my parents soon.

I close my eyes, waiting for the darkness to take me away, waiting for the pain to end.

I'm not sure how much time passes before my ears pick up the sound of movement. A cloak slithers across the floor.

I crack open one eye and then the other.

A pair of glowing red eyes greet me.

"Hello there," a female voice says from the shadowy depths of the cloak.

"Hello," I whisper. My own voice is broken.

"I can give you the strength you need to take your revenge," the voice says softly. "I can give you the power you desire."

As I fade in and out of consciousness, the cold stones of the castle melt away. And as I leave my dream, I can still hear the voice. There is something familiar about that voice, but I just can't put my finger on it.

✦ ✦ ✦

I was wide awake now. I was lying in the dark, and all of my pain had vanished-vanished as if it never even existed in the first place. Look at the stars, Edeline, my Mother's voice echoed in my head. We love you. Remember that.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Talon's eyes fluttered open.

I had been sitting next to her, and I blinked in surprise as she sat upright. She took my hands in her own.

"My name is Edeline," Talon said breathlessly. "I remember now."

I met Talon's gaze as I held her hands tightly. "Edeline. Princess Edeline. No-that's Queen Edeline, am I right?"

"I'm just Edeline." She shook her head as a faint smile tugged on her lips. "Not Princess Edeline or Queen Edeline." Then she paused. "How long have I been out?"

"About a day and a half," I informed her. "Storm came by earlier to check on Chloe-Jane and dropped a new leg off."

"A new leg?"

"It's wooden, of course. Look-" I hopped off the bed to pick up the wooden leg, carefully attached it to my own stump of a leg, and triumphantly stood on two feet. "It's not as great as my real leg was, but it will do."

Edeline let out a weak laugh. I smiled as I took her by the hand and helped her to her feet, then guided her over to the vanity and gently sat her down on the stool.

I placed my hands on Edeline's shoulders and looked at her reflection in the glass. "It's amazing-all of your burns are gone just like that."

Edeline nodded, wide-eyed as she held up a shaky hand to touch the smooth skin of her face. Then she turned to me as she stood back up. "Now that we're both awake, we should head over to Andreus's city house. I think Lynden and Phina will be very happy to see that you're doing okay."

I took a shaky step back and nearly lost my balance on my new leg. Edeline was there to prevent me from completely toppling over, and her eyes were warm as she helped me recenter myself. "I'll go check on Chloe-Jane." My own smile faltered slightly. "You might want to change before we head out."

"I'll meet you in the living room."

I slipped out of the room and quietly closed the door behind me. After taking a deep breath, I gently knocked on the door to the second bedroom.

"Who is it?" Chloe-Jane's high voice called from the other side of the wood.

"Corinna," I answered. "May I come in?"

There was a soft click. "The door's unlocked."

I pushed open the door. Chloe-Jane sat on the bed with her shoulders back and head held high. In the months that I hadn't seen her, something about Chloe-Jane had changed. She no longer had a constant smile on her face, and her posture had become rigid.

"Chloe-Jane," I said softly. I closed the door behind me before leaning against it. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Chloe-Jane said stiffly.

I took a step forward to embrace her, but Chloe-Jane took a step back. I let my arms fall back to my side.

"How's your leg?" Chloe-Jane asked; her eyes went straight to my wooden replacement.

I offered a small smile. "It's not painful anymore. It will just take some time to get used to."

My sister turned to stare absently out the window. "I came into your room this morning to check on you."

"You did?"

"You and that vampire were both asleep," she said. "The two of you were holding hands. Why were the two of you holding hands?"

"Who said we couldn't hold hands?"

"Who is she to you, Corinna?" Chloe-Jane turned back to me. Even though her voice was quiet, it was anything but weak.

"She's my best friend." I didn't need to think twice about my answer. "She's the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Chloe-Jane shook her head. "You can't."

"I can't?"

"She's a vampire, Corinna. A vampire. And not only that"-she stood up-"she's also a girl. Just like you."

"Chloe, what's so-"

"It's wrong." Chloe-Jane shook her head again. "Even though I've stopped believing in the Immortal One, I still believe in what He stands for."

I blinked. "Since when did you stop believing in the Immortal One?"

"I stopped believing in Him while I was still in the castle." Chloe-Jane turned away from me. "I've always been very faithful to the Immortal One. I trusted that He would always protect me. But when I arrived at the castle, no matter how much I prayed, I still suffered. It felt like I was trapped in there for years, Corinna."

"I'm so sorry, Chloe-"

"It was only a matter of time before the king would tear me apart just like the people he had locked up in the dungeons." She kept staring out the window, leaving me to watch the back of her head. "I gave up hope a while ago. I've seen just how unstable this kingdom is. I've seen the corruption. I know all about the conditions of the towns and villages in the outer kingdom. It's horrible, Corinna. It's horrible. And the king himself . . . I had long given up on the hope that anyone would save me. But then you appeared at the ball." She slowly turned around to meet my gaze. "The Immortal One would have never sent vampires."

I shook my head. No matter how much I argued, Chloe-Jane wouldn't listen. And when her mind was set on something like this, I doubted there was anything I could do to make her change it. Why was I arguing with my sister? We had just gotten her out of the castle. She was safe now. We shouldn't be arguing. "Edeline and I are going to visit Lynden, Phina, and Storm. I assume you wouldn't want to come along and see more vampires."

Chloe-Jane stared out the window as if she hadn't heard me. "Do you know why it was so easy for us to get out of the castle? We should have died going up against the knights, but all the high ranked knights that usually stand guard were sent to watch the representatives from the southern continent."

I fell silent. We had gotten lucky, but what mattered was that we got out. "Do you want to go to the city house with Edeline and me?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

I sighed. "I'll see you later. If you need anything, I'll be back soon."

I silently exited the room and found Edeline standing by the door. She had changed into a simple dress and wore the necklace I had made for her, which glittered on her collarbones, partially hidden behind wisps of her long hair. "Ready to go?" She skillfully fastened a cloak around her shoulders before helping me stagger awkwardly across the room. "Avoiding the guards patrolling the town shouldn't be all that difficult. Storm, Lynden, and Phina have been doing it all week after all."

I nodded as my wooden leg clunked on the floorboards. Edeline pushed open the front door and helped me out onto the porch beyond. I clung to her arm tightly. Even my normal leg felt shakier than usual. But maybe that was because I hadn't used it in an entire week.

Just as we made our way down the steps and onto the grass beyond, there was a rustling among the trees. I looked up just in time to watch Storm hurry toward us.

"What is it?" I inquired worriedly as he skidded to a stop.

"The king finally woke up," Storm wheezed, with his hands on his knees. "He's a vampire alright, but we've got a situation."

"What kind of situation?" Edeline asked sharply.

"The king doesn't remember anything," Storm said, still clearly in a state of disbelief. "He doesn't know who he is or even what he's done."

Edeline frowned. "It's not completely uncommon for people to lose their memories during their transition. It looks like King Volin's resolve wasn't strong enough. It was enough to keep him alive, but not enough to keep his memories intact. His loss of memory is his own fault."

"Corinna"-Storm looked up at me as if he had just remembered something-"does the leg work?"

I nodded. "The leg works. It will just take me a little while to get used to. That's all."

"Perfect. Let's go, then."

I exchanged a glance with Edeline before the two of us quickly followed him back into the trees.

"I'm glad to see that you've healed," Storm told Edeline as we walked briskly through the forest. "Lynden was able to heal the day we returned from the castle. We were starting to worry about you, Talon."

Edeline smiled faintly. "It's Edeline. I've finally remembered my real name."

"Edeline." Storm looked at us over his shoulder. "I like that. Talon was cool, but I think Edeline suits you better."

Edeline laughed. "I think so too."

Storm furrowed his brow. "You seem different than usual." Then he turned to me. "Doesn't she seem different?"

"I think I've finally come to terms with myself." Edeline's eyes were bright. "I've come to terms with the fact that I want to live."

"Good." Storm's smile was genuine. "My uncle always told me that it's never too late to start living again."

"I hope I get the chance to see Andreus again," Edeline said wistfully. "I admire him, really. As a survivor of the mass extermination of the ancient magics, his own life has undoubtedly been filled with hardships. But look at him now. He's living again. And not only is he living, but he's also living for his nephew."

Storm grinned proudly. "My uncle is amazing. Once all of this stuff about us kidnapping Chloe-Jane and King Volin blows over, let's all go back to visit him."

Fortunately for us, Storm already knew all the streets to take to avoid the patrolling knights, and when we arrived at the house, the three of us climbed over the fence to the backyard and hurried to the door. Lynden and Phina were standing next to the trap door to the wine cellar when we walked into the living room, and the two of them turned around to face us.

"Corinna!" Phina's face lit up as she excitedly rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. "You're awake! How are you? Does your leg still hurt?"

I smiled. "I'm okay now."

"That's good to hear," Lynden said as the two of them made their way toward us.

"I see that you've healed," I observed. All of the burn marks that had covered Lynden's body had vanished. "Are you alright?"

"For the most part." Then his expression turned serious. "I assume Storm told you about what happened to the king."

Edeline inclined her head from where she stood next to me. "So he doesn't remember anything? Nothing at all?"

Lynden frowned in the direction of the trap door. "It's quite pitiful, really. He doesn't even know his own name."

"Lynden and I were talking to him earlier," Phina said as she wrung her hands together. "We asked him about the vampires in the castle, and he didn't know what we were even talking about! He didn't seem to be lying either."

I clapped a hand to my face in exasperation. "We risked sneaking him out of the castle for this?"

"Do you want to go take a look?" Phina asked. "We've got him chained up and everything."

I exchanged a glance with Edeline.

Edeline stepped forward. "I'll go talk to him. I'm not sure if there's a way to trigger his memories."

A frown tugged at Phina's lips. "He'll either slowly regain his memories over time, or he'll just stay like this forever."

Edeline made her way over to the trapdoor, carefully pulled it open, and climbed down the ladder into the wine cellar below. Phina jumped in after her, and I followed. The room was dark, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the light.

When my eyes finally adjusted, I saw King Volin chained in the corner of the room by his wrists and ankles. His golden hair was in tangles, and he looked up at us with glowing red eyes.

"Hello," the king said mildly. "Is it time to feed the horses?"

Phina folded her arms over her chest in annoyance. "We don't have horses here."

Edeline took a step forward. "Do you remember me?"

King Volin frowned faintly as he looked up at Edeline. "I'm sorry . . . I don't think we've met before." Then his eyes widened. "Wait! You're Princess Edeline!"

Edeline angled her head to the side. "And what makes you think that?"

"I've seen your portrait in a book I read before!" the king said triumphantly. "You are her!"

"So he does remember something!" Phina exclaimed with equal triumph. Then she turned to face Edeline. "Talon, you're a princess?"

Edeline refused to draw her eyes from the king; she watched his face as if it would give something away at any moment. "I'll explain later."

"Wait," King Volin said again as he furrowed his brow in thought, "that's not right. You can't be Princess Edeline."

Edeline arched a brow. "Why not?"

The king frowned. "You're a vampire. And the princess died alongside her family." Then it seemed to finally dawn on him. "That's not right either! The princess didn't die that day! She became a vampire!"

"Are you familiar with the king of this kingdom?" Edeline directed the conversation away from herself.

"The king of this kingdom?" King Volin said slowly. He shook his head. "No, I don't know him. Why are you asking me this? She asked me that too." The king gestured at Phina.

"That's because you are the king," Phina said in exasperation.

The king laughed good-naturedly. "You must be crazy. I can't be the king."

Phina turned to Edeline and me. He's crazy, she mouthed.

"Let's try this again," I said, and everyone turned to look at me. "The king of this kingdom wanted to become a vampire. He wanted to live forever but never truly understood the vampires' curse."

King Volin was clearly bewildered. "I still don't know of this king." All the insanity we saw in his eyes at the castle was completely gone, and it was replaced by a look of confusion. "Whoever he is, though, he doesn't seem like a very nice guy. Why do you all keep confusing me for this king of yours?"

"You are the king," Phina said. "How many times do we need to tell you before you believe us?"

"But I'm not the king. How could I be a king? I don't live in a castle. I live here, don't I?"

"We live here." Phina gestured to herself, Edeline, and me. "You're our priso-uh, guest."

"Am I a vampire?" the king asked absently. "I don't think I'm alive."

"You are a vampire." Edeline stared coldly down at the king. "Does the name 'Chloe-Jane' ring any bells?"

"Chloe-Jane," King Volin echoed. "I'm sorry, I don't think I know anyone with that name."

Edeline turned to climb back up the ladder. "I think we're done here."

"Hey!" the king called after us as we all climbed back into the living room. "May I ask why I'm in chains?"

"We're worried you're going to escape otherwise," Phina called back in annoyance.

"Escape? Why would I escape? I think it's great here."

When we emerged from the cellar, Storm was shaking his head. "Can you believe him?"

"On a different note," Phina said brightly as she turned to Edeline, "Talon's a princess! Princess Edeline!"

"You're Princess Edeline?" Lynden turned to Edeline as well, and the surprise was clear on his face. "But wouldn't that make you Queen Edeline?"

"You're a queen?" Storm looked as if he had been struck by lightning. "I've been so disrespectful this entire time! Am I supposed to call you Your Majesty?"

Edeline smiled wryly. "There's no need for any of that. I'm not royalty anymore-I'm Edeline. Just Edeline."

"So then there are three queens in the capital city," Lynden said slowly. "You, Chloe-Jane, and Karmen."

Edeline suddenly frowned. "Speaking of Karmen, how did she get into the castle? According to Phina and Storm, the other vampires inside the castle had been killed by the time they got there. Karmen's the only one who could have taken them all down that easily. And if Karmen really was inside the castle at the same time as us, wouldn't we have run into her?"

"Maybe we got really lucky?" Storm suggested.

Phina let out a sigh. "As much as I want to agree. I don't think that's it. Karmen hasn't been trying to hide the fact that she's killing vampires. So why hasn't she gotten to us yet?"

"It has to be because Edeline is one of the queens," I said. "But then why was she in the castle? Did she just want to kill the vampires?"

Edeline sat at the dining room table and rested her chin on the palm of her hand. "We don't exactly know what Karmen is trying to do. But it doesn't seem like she wants to kill the other queens and stop the prophecy from occurring. We've been in the capital city for a while now. Karmen could have easily killed us at any time she wanted. She visited my forest next to the farms months ago and could have killed me then as well."

"Did we ever figure out why Karmen has been killing vampires?" I asked as I walked over to take a seat next to Edeline.

Lynden, Storm, and Phina joined us around the table. "I don't think we ever did," Lynden said. "Originally Phina and I wanted to confront her. We wanted to stop her from turning more people into vampires and spreading the curse. But now that I'm thinking about it, Karmen was never creating numerous vampires in the first place."

Phina shook her head. "Karmen is an interesting character. I don't fully understand her myself."

Edeline looked up to meet everyone's gaze one by one. "What I do know is that I'm not going to go look for her anymore. I'm just worried she'll come for the three of us eventually."

"Does that mean the two of you are in danger as well?" Storm looked worriedly at Lynden and Phina. "We should head back to my uncle's place as soon as possible. Karmen shouldn't know that that place exists. But if she does find us, my uncle can protect us from her."

Lynden shook his head tiredly. "We're stuck here for now. We can't leave the city without alerting the knights stationed around all the roads that lead out. The last thing we want is for the knights to find Andreus."

"Then what do we do?" Storm asked as he ran an agitated hand through his dark hair.

"Don't worry." Phina reached over to place a comforting hand on Storm's shoulder. "We should be fine here. We've been in the capital city for almost five months now. Maybe we'll get lucky and Karmen won't show up at all." But even though she was smiling, her eyes were worried.

During our time in the capital city, Karmen had always been a looming threat-not a threat to me, my family, or even Storm, but rather a threat to Lynden, Phina, and Edeline. I looked back and forth between the three of them. In the months that we had known each other, I felt as if I had grown close enough to the vampires to consider them my family-Storm, too, and even Andreus, for the lengths he went to help and support us. The thought of losing any of them . . .

I had lost my father early on, and that loss crushed me. I had been fortunate enough to get Chloe-Jane back, but if I lost another person, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to remain strong.

"It's getting dark outside." The sound of Edeline's voice drew me back to reality. "We should head back to the forest house. Chloe-Jane is still there by herself."

"How is Chloe-Jane?" Lynden asked suddenly. "Is she doing alright?"

Storm crossed his arms in irritation. "The last time I visited her she was still spouting the same nonsense about how vampires are evil and that she didn't want anything to do with a sinner like me. I just wanted to try and help her take her mind off what happened in the castle with a game of cards, but she slammed the door in my face."

"She still refuses to talk to me as well," Phina added sadly.

I sighed. "She's gone through a lot. I think all we can do is give her time to recover. She might not like any of us, but at least we can treat her better than those at the castle."

Everyone agreed to that.

✦ ✦ ✦

By the time we returned to the forest house, the moon was shining brightly in the night sky above. The stars glittered lazily as they drifted among the sea of inky night, and I took a deep breath of the crisp air. The sweet aroma of flowers found its way to me almost immediately.

As we walked across the living room, Edeline looked at Chloe-Jane's door. "She's asleep," she whispered. She opened the door to the other bedroom and helped me inside. I took a seat on the bed, unfastened my wooden leg, and carefully placed it under the bed before leaning back against the wall. The light spilling in from the window painted everything in silver.

"Are you tired?" Edeline asked.

I shook my head. "I'll stay awake with you."

I watched Edeline walk over to light the tiny lamp on the dresser. A warm gold glow burst to life amid the cool silver, giving Edeline's silk-like hair a fiery sheen. She sat next to me on the bed a moment later and rested her head on my shoulder. "Would you like to hear about what happened leading up to Karmen turning me into a vampire?"

I smiled softly. "If you're ready to tell me, I'm here to listen."

"Thank you." Edeline's voice was a whisper. "Then I'll start at the very beginning."

✦ ✦ ✦

The next day, I strapped my wooden leg back on. It was sunset, and we were going to visit Lynden, Phina, and Storm at the city house. And this time, we were bringing the reluctant Chloe-Jane along with us. As much as I wanted to keep my sister in the forest house, Edeline and I had agreed that if she was careful to keep her face hidden, it would do her some good to take a walk, if only to the city house.

We arrived at the city house just as the sun dipped below the horizon; the sky was still full of fading pinks, purples, and oranges. Fortunately for us, the guards in this section of the city had melted from patrolling on foot all day in the early summer heat. They had all taken shelter in the taverns and brothels, and the streets were clear. We snuck over the fence and through the back door of the house with ease. But just as I carefully pushed the door open, there was the sound of a loud clatter.

Edeline and I exchanged a glance before we darted inside. My dagger was in my hand in an instant, and my heart sank as I realized the clatter had come from the wine cellar.

There was a flash of motion as Lynden leaped into the wine cellar. Edeline and I quickly followed, and Phina appeared a split second later.

The moment I made my way down the ladder to the cellar, the coppery smell of blood hit me full in the face. Storm was standing in the middle of the room, with his hands pressed over his mouth in horror. His sword lay on the floor next to him by an overturned lantern.

I inhaled sharply. King Volin was still on the cellar floor. His hands and feet were still in chains, but his head . . . I felt my stomach clench unpleasantly. His head was lying next to him in a pool of crimson blood.

"I didn't do it!" Storm said in a panic as he whirled to face us. "I swear! I just came in here to check on him and his head was already gone-"

"We know," Lynden cut him off grimly. "This is Karmen's work. I recognize the queen's style."

"Karmen?" I stared at the king's body in disbelief. "She found us already?"

Edeline walked over to King Volin and gingerly crouched down to dip a finger in the blood pooling around his severed head. "He was killed less than an hour ago."

"Let's talk about this upstairs," Lynden said quietly as he glanced in Storm's direction. Storm had gone pale, and Phina was gently trying to avert his gaze from the decapitated corpse. Edeline nodded, and the five of us climbed back up the ladder.

"Is everyone alright?" Phina asked worriedly.

"The king was killed right under our noses!" Storm said faintly as he grasped Phina's arm for support.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was cut off by a shuffling of movement from the top of the stairs.

Is the killer still here? My heart nearly skipped a beat as everyone whirled around. But it was just Chloe-Jane. Her brows were knitted together as she looked at Phina in an odd sort of way. "You passed me on the stairs. And when I entered the washroom, there was a half-washed dress in the basin. Why is there blood on the dress and in the water?"

"What?" Phina stammered. "I-"

"Look at what you're wearing now," Chloe-Jane continued as her voice grew shrill. "Your new dress is still creased from being folded in a drawer! What have you done?"

My heart really did skip a beat this time as we all turned to Phina. She just took a step backward. Her eyes were wide as she stared down at her dress.

"Karmen," Edeline whispered. Her thunderstruck expression was an exact mirror of mine as the realization hit all of us at the same time. "You're Karmen, the queen of the vampires!"

Chapter Twenty-Six

I just stared at Phina in disbelief.

Phina was Karmen. Karmen was Phina.

I just couldn't seem to wrap my head around it at all. The Karmen I had pictured was calm, cool, and dangerous. As Phina took another trembling step away from us, all I could do was shake my head in shock. The ginger-haired vampire hadn't presented herself as any of those things.

"Are you really Karmen?" Lynden's eyes flashed with hurt.

"I-" Phina sputtered. She closed her eyes for a brief moment. "Yes. I am."

"You were lying to us this entire time?" Lynden asked as his shoulders slumped. "You were lying to me this entire time? Has everything you've done just been an act?"

"No!" Phina-or rather Karmen-took another step away from us. "I mean yes. I have lied to all of you and I'm sorry. But even though I hid my identity, my friendship with all of you has been genuine. I-"

Storm's face drained completely of the little color it had left. "You're the vampire queen everyone fears? I don't believe it. But-but-you're Phina. Just Phina."

"I didn't want to lie to all of you," Phina said tearfully. "I-I . . ."

Storm took a hesitant step forward, and Phina stiffened.

"Stay away!" She warned tearfully as she pulled out a hidden dagger from somewhere on her body. Storm froze as he looked from the blade to Phina's panicked face.

"Phina"-Lynden took a step forward as well-"we're not going to hurt you."

"You should stay away from me," Phina whispered. Her voice shook just as much as the dagger she was pointing at us.

Lynden lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Phina, please," Corinna tried desperately from my side, "we can talk this out."

"Phina," I said, still in a state of shock.

Phina faced me; her eyes were wide and fearful like a hunted deer's. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then she closed it again. She glanced over her shoulder at the back door instead.

Knowing what she was about to do a split-second before it happened, I called out to her. "Wait!"

But my cry was in vain. In a flash of motion, Phina darted from the house and into the night beyond. Her ginger hair was the last thing we saw before she vanished entirely into the darkness.

We all stood in stunned silence for what could have been seconds or minutes or even hours.

"I can't believe it." Lynden was the one to break the silence as he dropped to his knees. "Phina and I traveled together for years. How can she be Karmen?"

"I guess she couldn't have told us even if she wanted to," I said quietly. "Our feelings about the queen weren't exactly neutral."

"I can't believe it," Storm echoed. "Phina's gone. Just like that. I don't care if she's Karmen, the queen of the vampires. She's our friend."

Corinna placed a comforting hand on Storm's shoulder even though her own face was still painted with shock.

"And by how she fled like that," I added, "it didn't look like she wanted to hurt us either." Then I turned to Lynden. "Should we chase her?"

Lynden stared unseeingly at the wall. "We should let her be. If she wants to come back, she'll return to us on her own. Until then, all we can do is wait for her."

I took a seat on the floor. The queen of the vampires had been with us this entire time. Today, three of the four queens had been in this very room.

Corinna took a seat next to me, and her wooden leg clunked softly on the carpet. She looked over at her sister. "Chloe-Jane, how did you know to look at her dress? The blood in the washroom was an obvious giveaway, but I would have never noticed the folds in her dress."

"Something about her didn't seem right," Chloe-Jane said stiffly. "And less right than just being a vampire, I mean."

"Why did she kill the king?" Storm joined us on the floor. "Sure, he's useless to us now, but what does she get out of killing him? And if she really wanted to kill him, why didn't she kill him earlier? Why not kill him while she was alone with him in the castle?"

I shook my head. "She must have wanted to get answers from him as well. I'm willing to bet she didn't kill the king earlier because she wanted to see whether the king's memories would be triggered by seeing me. When they didn't, she must have determined that he really was useless after all and decided to end him."

Corinna turned to me. "Phina must have already known that you were one of the queens. That's probably why she and Lynden ran into us in the first place."

"But what did she want with my uncle?" Storm asked in confusion.

"I'm assuming she probably wanted to ask him about the prophecy," I answered. "But then Andreus must have known that she was Karmen. He knew that I was a queen."

"He did?" Storm blinked. "Why didn't he tell any of us?"

"Back at the mountain, Andreus called on me to meet him by myself," I said mildly. I ran my fingers absently over the carpet. "The first thing he said to me when I reached the bottom of the steps was, 'Hello, Your Majesty.' He talked to me about the prophecy. He told me that the moment I stepped into the capital city, all four queens would be there and it was only a matter of time before we all met."

"He must have had that same talk with Phina," Corinna said thoughtfully. "And since she accepted that she was going to die by the end of the century, I don't think she's as afraid of her death after all. Hold on," Corinna paused as she looked over at Storm, "didn't you and Phina sneak into the castle together? You said all the vampires there were dead when you arrived."

Storm looked as if he didn't want to believe it. "Phina and I only split up for a few minutes. She came back to me saying that all the vampires in the passageway ahead were dead. I never thought she had done it."

"Something tells me we don't have to worry about Karmen anymore," Corinna said softly. "I don't think she's going to come after us. Phina could have finished cleaning up the evidence before it was discovered by Chloe-Jane, but she left it and rushed downstairs at the crash to make sure we were okay."

We all fell silent again.

This time it was Chloe-Jane who spoke up. "I'm going to go back upstairs." I looked on as she turned and marched up the steps, leaving the four of us sitting on the living room floor.

"If Chloe-Jane hadn't been here," I said after she vanished into the landing, "we wouldn't have figured out Phina was Karmen."

Corinna bit her lip. "I can't tell if it's a good thing we've figured this out. Now Phina's gone." There was silence for a long moment.

"What should we do with the king's body?" Lynden said quietly. His eyes were downcast. "We can't just leave it in the wine cellar."

"We should burn it," I said with a glance in the direction of the trap door. "We don't want it lying around for someone to find. Even though it was Phina who killed him, all of us now have the crime of regicide on our own heads." Then I met Lynden's gaze. "When we first met, I'll admit I was suspicious of you too. I knew that you were responsible for the deaths of everyone at the Winfielde's estate. But at the time, I didn't remember how awful that family was."

Lynden blinked, and his eyes flickered up to look at me. "You know about the Winfielde's duchy?"

"While I was recovering, I remembered a few things. I remembered hearing about a servant girl who was raped by the duke's son."

"Do you remember hearing if that girl was eleven years old?" Lynden asked tiredly.

I nodded.

"That was my little sister." Lynden shook his head, and sadness flashed behind his eyes. "Her death still haunts me to this day. I think it's about time I told you all about my past. The Duchy of Winfielde was a terrible place, and my sister and I worked as indentured servants at the family's estate. Our parents had died when we were very young, and it was up to us to pay off their debt. The duke had many servants at the time-so many that he didn't even know any of our names.

"The duke also had two children: a boy and a girl. They were twins. And unfortunately the twins happened to take an interest in my sister." Lynden closed his eyes for a brief moment as if to block out the images. "Whenever my sister was asked to accompany them at night, I'd always volunteer myself instead. The punishment for disobedience was getting our toes cut off, and I was willing to do anything to keep my sister away from the two of them.

"But things got even worse when my sister became pregnant; we were already severely malnourished and she quickly fell ill. She was only eleven. When I went to the duke begging him to help my sister get an abortion, he refused and claimed that neither my sister nor I had the authority to ask for such a thing. And so all I could do was watch as my sister grew sicker and sicker with each passing day.

"When my sister had a miscarriage, her pain was heartbreaking. Whether it was from physical pain or mental trauma, she died a few hours later. Between the money my sister and I had made and the money my late parents had been able to make, I was actually able to buy my freedom sometime later. So I left and went out into the outside world with nothing but the clothes on my back. Even though I had gotten out, I was lost. I had nowhere to go. I was so broken, both physically and mentally. I couldn't even think straight. For days, all I did was drink.

"But the alcohol got to my head, and I came up with a foolish plan to storm the duke's estate, seek out all those who had wronged my sister and me, and kill them. I didn't get far before I was captured and thrown in their dungeons. Finally sober, I realized that I had returned to the very place I had spent so long trying to escape. And this time I'd never be able to get out.

"Just as I was rotting away in my cell, drifting in and out of consciousness, Karmen appeared. I was too delirious at the time to remember what she looked like, but I remember telling her that I wanted revenge. She told me she could give me the power I needed to get my revenge, and I didn't think twice before I accepted her offer. I don't know how long my transition from human to vampire took, but I remember fighting through the pain. When I finally awoke as a vampire, I had been buried in the dirt. I clawed my way out of the ground and returned to kill the duke, the twins, and the rest of that cruel family. After my task had been completed, I left. With their masters dead, the rest of the indentured servants were free to go wherever they pleased."

"I didn't know that happened to you," Corinna said, completely horrified. "I'm so sorry you went through all of that."

I nodded, completely at a loss for words.

"You should have told us this earlier," Storm added in shock. His face was pale. "If we had known, we could have-we could have-"

"Could have what?" Lynden asked tiredly. "Even though I appreciate the thought, I don't know what any of you could have done."

Storm fell silent, his brows knitting together.

"I'm still curious about how you met Phina," I said quietly when I finally found my voice. "Would you be willing to share that with us?"

Lynden dropped his gaze. "I met Phina even before I had become a vampire. At a tavern she tried to help me, but instead of letting her lift me out of my darkness, I pushed her away. To this day I still regret it. I never would have thought she was Karmen."

"She had us all fooled." I looked down at my fingers laced tightly together on my lap. "But even during the time she's been with us, she never tried to hurt any of us even once. I'm starting to think that maybe we've misunderstood Karmen."

"She has been killing vampires though," Corinna pointed out as she frowned slightly. "We still don't know the reason behind it."

Lynden shook his head. "I just can't seem to imagine how Phina killed the first progenitor. If the story she told me about her past was true, then the jealous man who stole her away on the day of her wedding and killed her lover was the first progenitor. He must have turned her during the time she was in his manor."

"Wait, hold up." Storm's expression was thunderstruck. "How come I don't know about this?"

Corinna blinked. "I didn't know about this either. But if that really is the case, I can understand why Phina killed him."

A silence fell again, and the flickering lamps were the only source of light cutting through the darkness that slowly crept in through the windows.

"What happens now?" Storm asked after a while. His voice was hesitant.

Corinna held each of our gazes in turn. "Now that Chloe-Jane is out of the castle, I'd like to start with freeing all of the slaves in the capital city."

"That's not going to be an easy task," Storm said, "but I'm in. If there's anything you need me to do, I'll try my best to make it happen."

"What about you?" I turned to Lynden. "Are you going to stay too?"

Something like determination sparked in Lynden's eyes. "I'm going to stay. Besides, if Phina decides to come back, I want to be here to greet her."

Corinna smiled. "Once we free the slaves working in the city, we're going to need a safe place to send them and an even safer way to get them there."

Storm furrowed his brow. "That's going to be a lot of people. Where could they go? I don't think my uncle even has enough space for that many people."

"We could use the forest next to the farms," I suggested. "The rumor that it's filled with vampires should be enough to keep the overseers and castle knights out until we can find a better space to relocate them."

"Perfect." A light had returned to Corinna's eyes. "Over the next few months, we can come up with a plan." She climbed to her feet. "But we can do that later. I'm going to make dinner first."

I sighed softly. "I'll leave you to it, then. I should go clean up the wine cellar." With that, I rose to my feet. I looked down at Lynden for a while. The vampire was still sitting on the floor with a dazed expression. He blinked once but didn't make any motion to rise. "If you want to stay here, I don't mind cleaning up the wine cellar myself."

"No." Lynden shook his head and finally raised his gaze to look at me. "I'll help you."

He slowly climbed to his feet, and I walked over to the trap door. The moment I jumped into the cellar, the smell of blood shoved its way up my nose. Lynden landed on the stones next to me. His crimson eyes glowed in the dim light.

"Lynden," I said quietly as we stood there in the silence. "I want you to know that I'm really sorry that happened to you. No one deserves that."

Lynden just nodded as he stared down at the king's headless corpse. "It was the kind of experience that no amount of time could heal. It follows me even to this day." Just as I knelt down to remove the chains from the king's lifeless body, Lynden spoke again. "Do you think we're to blame for scaring Phina away?"

"I don't know." I sighed heavily as my fingers stilled over the metal. "She was probably worried about how we'd react, so instead of facing us, she fled."

"I hope she comes back." Lynden's voice was tired. "I really hope she comes back. For the longest time, Phina was my only friend. She was my friend when I needed one the most."

"Hope is a fleeting concept." I dipped a finger in the blood pooling on the floor. The deep red was stark against my pale skin, and a single drop dripped on the stones. "But it's hope that keeps us all moving forward, isn't it?"

"Of course." Lynden sighed. "Oh, have you heard the way Phina talked about the queen of the vampires? Either Phina was a very, very, good actress, or it was her own self-hatred talking."

I straightened and took a step away from the king's corpse. "Was it really like that?"

Lynden nodded. "When we would talk about Karmen, Phina would always express how much she despised the queen. She would condemn the queen's warped idea of reality. It's common knowledge that the queen despises both humans and vampires. I don't blame her, though; it's very easy to hate both of them for their cruelty. But what I've come to realize-what I hope Phina's realized too-is that humans can be kind. That vampires can be good. Even though we possess the bodies of monsters, we don't have to become them."

"Both humans and vampires can be monsters," I said lightly. "But they're only a true monster once they don't mind being one."

Lynden looked over at me. "For the longest time, I didn't think humans and vampires could actually work together. And how wrong I was."

"To me, it never seemed impossible for humans and vampires to work together. Vampires were humans once after all. Unknown to most humans, we're all driven by the same things: power, greed, love, hope. When it comes to morality, we're no different than humans-not better than them and certainly not worse."

"Being locked up in the castle brought back a lot of unpleasant memories," Lynden said after a long pause. "The last time I had been locked up in a cell like that, my mortal body died."

"If you ever want to talk," I said softly, "I'm here to listen."

✦ ✦ ✦

The moon was high in the sky, and its silvery face was partially blocked by a thick layer of clouds. I lingered outside the front door to the city house for a moment. The scent of smoke still hung in the air around me.

I had just burned the king's body and scattered his ashes. Even though I should have felt happy that the king was gone, I found that I didn't feel much of anything. When Phina had killed him, King Volin wasn't himself. He couldn't remember any of the atrocities he had committed, and there was something almost unsatisfying about his end.

I pushed open the door to the house. The living room was dark save for a few dying lamps. Just as I turned to make my way over to the dining room table, I noticed that the back door was partially cracked. I walked over to the door and gently pushed it open.

Corinna was sitting on the deck outside, dangling her legs. "Edeline." Corinna turned as I stepped outside. Even though her eyes were tired, they still seemed to sparkle as she motioned for me to take a seat next to her.

A soft smile tugged on my lips as I walked over to join her. "Did Storm already go to bed?"

Corinna nodded as she turned to look back up at the night sky. "Storm and Chloe-Jane are asleep upstairs. Lynden left the house saying he'd be back in the morning. I think he's trying to look for Phina."

I sighed as I watched Corinna gaze out over the thousands of little lights twinkling lazily in the sky above. There was curiosity in her eyes, and I angled my head to the side. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking," Corinna said slowly, "well, I'm wondering if there are other worlds somewhere out there. I'm wondering if somewhere far away there's a better world than ours. A better place. A place where people aren't driven by greed and hate and jealousy."

"And what do you think?" I asked lightly as Corinna rested her head on my shoulder. "Do you think there's such a world?"

"I want to believe that there is one." Corinna's voice was no more than a tired whisper. "I want to believe that there's a place out there where people are kind-a place where there is no king, no hierarchy, no slavery, no nonsense about witches, and no death lurking around every corner. A place where everyone has an equal shot at life."

"That sounds like a good place."

"It does," Corinna said wistfully. "But even if such a place does exist, it's too bad that the two of us are stuck here."

I smiled faintly as I watched the clouds drift across the sky. "Maybe if we try hard enough, we can make this world a better place. Then we won't have to figure out how to travel to a different one."

"You're right." I could hear the traces of a smile in Corinna's voice. "When the sun rises in the morning, we can start coming up with a plan. But for now, can you stay with me here for a little longer?"

Chapter Twenty-Seven

I awoke to find myself lying in bed. The blankets had been carefully tucked around my body, and I groggily sat up. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes before looking around the room in a tired daze. I was in the city house, in the same bedroom I had once shared with Clarity.

The faint sound of the streets outside was the only noise cutting through the otherwise silent morning, and the soft light from the world outside gave the curtains a warm glow. A knock sounded on the door. Edeline? I quickly made my way over to the door. But when I pulled it open, I discovered that the figure standing in the doorway wasn't Edeline. It was Chloe-Jane.

"That vampire told me you were in here," she said stiffly, refusing to meet my gaze.

"Would you like to come in?" I asked mildly. Chloe-Jane stepped past me and into the bedroom beyond without a word. I gently shut the door behind her.

She took a seat on the bed. "I'm not here to talk about vampires." Ever so slowly, she raised her eyes to meet mine. "I'm here to talk about King Volin."

I inhaled sharply, suddenly very awake. "What is it?"

Chloe-Jane clasped her hands together in her lap as if she wasn't sure where to begin. Finally she took a shaky breath. "You've seen first-hand the kind of person the king was. Not only was he cruel and relished in the misery and pain of others, but he was also ambitious. His Majesty's grand plan was to conquer the southern continent."

"Conquer the southern continent?"

"He had a plan and everything." Chloe-Jane nodded gravely, and her face paled at the thought. "His plan was to actually give the people of the northern continent a proper incentive to go to war against the southern continent and conquer it once and for all. His plan was to kill me and blame it on the representatives from the southern continent. You know what the attitudes of the people here are when it comes to the southern continent-even if they didn't think very highly of the king for choosing me as his wife, their contempt for the southern continent is greater. For the right reason, they'd gladly jump at the chance to take it over.

"When I figured out what King Volin was planning to do, I got desperate and tried to run away. Unfortunately, the castle is a very heavily guarded place. And as a result, I didn't get very far. After that, King Volin never permitted me to leave his side. He brought me with him everywhere he went. I was in the dungeons too many times, and I don't think I'll ever forget the horrors I witnessed there."

An unsettling feeling had begun to creep through me. If we hadn't gotten Chloe-Jane out of the castle, there was a chance that my sister would no longer be around.

"The king was going to kill the representatives from the southern continent too." Chloe-Jane's voice grew quieter and quieter, and I had to lean closer to pick up her words. "It was horrible. And nothing I did made it any better. I prayed and prayed and prayed, but it was all in vain. I always thought the Immortal One protected people who were good-people who were faithful. But I was wrong. All of those poor people locked in the castle dungeons hadn't done anything to deserve that sort of fate."

Chloe-Jane wrapped her arms around her own trembling shoulders. I reached out a hand and placed it gently on my sister's back. Chloe-Jane flinched at my touch but didn't make any move to shake my hand off. I silently pulled my sister into an embrace, stroking her hair as she rested her chin on my shoulder.

"What happens now, Corinna?" Chloe-Jane asked tiredly when I finally let her go. Her eyes were unfocused yet alert. "You've saved both the representatives from the southern continent and myself from death. I want to say that you were blessed and guided by the Immortal One, but that isn't the case."

I sighed. "Lynden wants to talk to you and see if you're okay. Phina did, too-well, before she left, that is. I've been meaning to ask, what do you have against Storm? He's not a vampire."

"I don't like him very much," Chloe-Jane said shortly. "He has no idea how things are supposed to work-he doesn't have a problem with vampires and humans working together."

"Chloe-"

"I know you don't seem to think it's a problem either, but vampires and humans aren't supposed to work together. Vampires are an evil magic that go against everything the Immortal One is and stands for."

I just shook my head tiredly. "If you don't like the vampires, I don't know how much you're going to like Storm's uncle."

Chloe-Jane blinked. "Who's Storm's uncle? Or should I say, what's Storm's uncle?"

"I think you're better off not knowing right now. All you need to know is that his name is Andreus. I'm sure you already know that Mother, Cameren, and Clarity are staying with him."

Her head snapped up to meet my gaze. "Will we get to see them soon? I miss Mother. I miss Cameren."

I offered my sister what I hoped was a reassuring smile. "Once the guards move away from the main road, we can send you up to meet them."

"What about you? Won't you be coming too?"

My smile faded. "I still have work to do in the capital city. But after that work is finished, we can all leave the capital city behind us."

"Are we going to leave the vampires behind too?" Chloe-Jane asked hopefully.

I just turned to the door. "I don't remember you eating dinner yesterday. Let's go get you something to eat. You must be hungry."

"I can get something on my own." Chloe-Jane followed me out of the bedroom and down to the living room. Edeline was sitting on the couch, and she gave me a bright smile when I walked in. Lynden had returned and was standing next to the back door, seemingly lost in thought as he polished a sword that was already gleaming. Storm was in the living room too, pacing back and forth agitatedly.

"What's up with him?" I asked quietly as I took a seat next to Edeline. Chloe-Jane continued on her own to the kitchen.

Edeline sighed softly, and her expression was one of mild amusement as she watched Storm march in circles. "He can't stand staying in the house all day. Except the only people he'll run into if he leaves this place would be the castle knights. It's one thing to move between the two houses, and another just to wander the streets of the town. I don't think the king's decapitation sat well with him either."

"I can hear you, you know," Storm said irritably. "We've been in this house for over a week already. Phina made things interesting while she was still here with all of us, but she's gone now. I want to go help look for her."

Edeline opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly a knock sounded on the front door. Edeline and I were both on our feet in an instant, daggers in hand.

Storm had frozen midstride, and his eyes were glued to the door as if he'd be able to see through it if he tried hard enough. "Phina?" the dark-haired boy asked hopefully.

Lynden shook his head. His expression was serious. "Those are humans outside."

"Have the knights found us already?" Chloe-Jane asked shakily as she stuck her head out of the kitchen.

The knocking sounded again, and we all flinched.

"Who's going to open it?" Storm hissed fearfully. His hand was on the hilt of his sword.

"You're going to open it." Edeline crouched down to duck behind the couch and motioned for me to do the same. "You can tell them to go away, and the rest of us will hide."

"What?" Storm said in a panic. "If they really are castle knights, do you really think I can bluff my way out of this?" Storm continued to look at the door apprehensively. "Can't we just pretend that no one's home?" The knocking sounded for the third time, and Storm jumped.

Open it, Edeline mouthed.

"If it comes down to a fight," Lynden said as he joined Chloe-Jane in the kitchen, "at least you'll have us as backup."

"Fine." Storm marched over to the door and pulled it open.

Two figures stood in the doorway. The first was a knight dressed head to toe in armor, while the second was a slightly shorter figure in a black cloak.

"Hello," Storm said stiffly. "Do the two of you need something?"

"Storm," the cloaked figure said in a sharp voice I would have recognized anywhere. "It's been a while."

Edeline and I both looked at each other with wide eyes before we slowly rose to our feet to watch the cloaked figure lower her hood.

"Clarity!" I stared at my sister in shock. Clarity was the last person I would have expected to show up at the house. She had cut her hair; her curls brushed her shoulders as they glowed golden in the sunlight. But her hair seemed to be the only different thing about her. The same steel-like aura was still present as her eyes surveyed the interior of the house.

Storm beckoned Clarity and the knight inside. "Come in-quickly now."

"What are you doing here?" I pocketed my dagger as I rushed over to Clarity. "I'm so happy to see you, but-"

Clarity's face softened ever so slightly. "I was worried about you and the others. When I heard that the queen had been taken from the castle, I knew I needed to come back." She trailed off as she glanced around the room. "Where's Phina?"

I exhaled through my nose as my gaze went to the armored knight at Clarity's side. "Long story short, she left. We'll give you more details later."

"Who might this be?" Edeline asked as she looked at the knight.

The knight slowly raised his gloved hands to his helmet and lifted the metal covering off his face.

Storm's face split into a grin. "Cameren!"

"Cameren!" Chloe-Jane cried as she sprinted out of the kitchen. "Clarity!"

"Cameren," I echoed, shaking my head as if my eyes were playing tricks on me. My brother's posture had completely changed to the point where I hadn't recognize him.

"Chloe-Jane, Corinna, Storm." Cameren smiled as he knelt down to let Chloe-Jane throw her arms around him. "It's been a while."

"How-?" I blinked back the stinging tears in my eyes. Cameren was right here in front of me. Healed. Completely healed.

"I begged Clarity to let me come with her," he explained. "Mother wanted to come too, but Clarity and I managed to talk her out of it because of the danger."

Clarity turned to look down at Chloe-Jane, and her eyes softened. "Chloe, I'm so happy you're safe. All of us were so worried."

When Chloe-Jane finally released Cameren, my brother noticed the wooden leg peeking out from under my skirts. "Corinna, what happened to you?"

I sighed. "Getting Chloe-Jane out of the castle was no easy task. I'd consider myself lucky, though. If Edeline hadn't been there, I would have lost my life instead of just a leg."

Clarity arched a brow. "Edeline?"

Edeline smiled softly. "My real name is Edeline. I've decided to go by it now."

"I've been trying to fill Mother and Cameren in the best I could," Clarity informed me, "but I think you're going to have to continue from where I left off."

I looked up at my brother. "It's a little bit of a long story."

Cameren laughed. "That's alright. If you don't mind telling it, I'm more than happy to listen. But right now, I seem to be more out of the loop than anyone here. What happened to Phina? What happened to the king? He was said to have gone missing too."

"The king's dead," Lynden said shortly.

Cameren blinked in disbelief. "King Volin is dead?"

"It wasn't our plan to kill him," Edeline clarified. "Phina just got to him first."

Cameren shook his head in bewilderment as Clarity stepped forward, looking at us for an explanation. "I don't understand. Why would Phina kill the king?"

"It turns out Phina is actually Karmen, the queen of the vampires," Storm said.

"I'm sure you all know that if you get caught and this information gets out, things will not end well," my brother warned. "You know that you can't just waltz into the castle, abduct the queen of the kingdom, and kill the king."

"We know," I said with another sigh. "All of us are in a lot of trouble, and the last thing I wanted was to drag you and Clarity into it." I walked over to take a seat at the dining room table. Cameren, Clarity, and Chloe-Jane followed close behind. "Oh"-I suddenly remembered one of my many questions-"was it really okay for the two of you to wander around the capital city? You know as well as I do that people connected to the southern continent aren't exactly very popular, to put it lightly. And there are knights out searching for us."

"As long as I'm wearing the armor, no one bothers me or Clarity," Cameren reassured me. "Andreus made sure we came in costume."

We spent the rest of the day bringing my brother up to speed on everything that had happened over the past few months during our stay in the capital city. We told him about the representatives King Volin had invited over from the southern continent and how they were here in the capital city now. But even as we talked, I couldn't bring myself to worry about them at the moment-my brother had just shown up without a single injury on his body, and I would spend the rest of the night with a smile on my face.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

After dinner, Corinna and I said our farewells before making our way back to the house in the forest. I wasn't sure how late it was when we left, but the moon was high in the sky and the stars flickered softly against the midnight backdrop.

Corinna was quiet as we walked. She looked troubled; she was undoubtedly excited about the return of her brother and sister, but she was also worried about Chloe-Jane.

"What are you thinking?" I asked quietly.

Corinna hummed softly. "Having my brother show up healed-completely healed-I'm thinking this has to be a dream."

I smiled. "It's not a dream. I saw it too. This is real. All of it."

We reached the house, and instead of going inside, Corinna took a seat on the front steps to look up at the glittering lights in the sky.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to sleep?" I asked as I took a seat beside her. "Now that your brother and sister are here, I don't think you'll be able to stay up all night and sleep during the day anymore."

Corinna let out a sigh. "I know. I'm hoping that with the two of them here, Chloe-Jane will feel more at ease."

"Come on," I said softly. "You should go to sleep if you want to have enough energy to face everyone tomorrow."

"You're right." She let me help her to her feet. "You're always right, you know that?"

"I don't know about that. If I had always made the right decisions, I wonder whether I'd be where I am today. But since all of those choices ended up leading me to you, I don't regret any of them."

"What would you have done if you had met me back at the time when you were Princess Edeline?"

"If I had met you when I was still Princess Edeline," I started slowly. "If I had met you back at the time when I lived in my family's castle, I think we still would have been great friends. The only difference would be that the two of us would be safe and happy. And maybe we'd occasionally talk about vampires, but only about how we pitied them for not being able to set foot under the sun."

Corinna went to her bedroom first to change into her nightgown while I carefully folded our cloaks into neat squares and set them on top of the living room couch. I joined Corinna in the back room a few minutes later to find her sitting at the vanity, holding a hairbrush. A little lantern sat on the table, painting her skin and hair in glowing orange.

"Mind if I help you?"

"Not at all." Corinna smiled and let me take the brush from her hands. "Are you sure, though? A queen like yourself doesn't need to do these kinds of trivial tasks."

"You know I'm only a queen in name." Noticing my fang marks on her skin, I paused as I brushed Corinna's hair over her shoulder.

She turned to face the mirror, smiling faintly. "It's been a number of days now, and these haven't seemed to fade."

I covered my face with my hands. "I'm sorry, Corinna. I-I forgot to tell you that the mark of a vampire won't ever go away."

Corinna giggled at my reaction. When I still wouldn't lift my hands from my face, she stood from her seat and wrapped her arms around me in a warm hug. "I don't mind at all, you know. I know it was the only way to put a stop to my pain and the only way for you to replenish enough blood to get us out of there."

I finally let my hands drop from my face and rested my head on Corinna's shoulder. "If I had met you when I was still Princess Edeline, we wouldn't have ever been thrown into King Volin's dungeons."

Corinna held me tightly. "No matter how terrible it was, it's in the past now. King Volin is dead and won't ever touch you again."

"You think that's the only reason why I have a grudge against him? If we had stayed there any longer, you would have starved to death. We got lucky this time." Then I sighed, slumping my shoulders in defeat. "Even with me being a vampire, I was still completely useless. When Karmen turned me, the main reason I agreed was to gain the strength and power I needed to protect the people I love-to make sure the people who had hurt them wouldn't walk away without any consequences. But before I could get my revenge on the people who had killed my parents, they had already been brought to justice by others. This time, too-Phina killed the king before we could even decide what we wanted to do with him."

"We're out now, though." Corinna squeezed my hands as she pressed her forehead against mine. "We're safe. We're alive."

I helped her over to the bed before making my way over to the little lantern and extinguishing the dancing flame inside. I walked over to the door next and paused there to look back at Corinna. "I'll be in the living room if you need anything."

"Wait." Corinna looked at me through the dark. "Do you think you could stay here with me? I know vampires don't need to sleep, but I want to spend more time with you."

I smiled softly. "Okay. I'll stay with you." I made my way back over to Corinna and shook back my inky hair before lying down next to her.

"Thank you," Corinna whispered as she offered me half of the woolen blanket. "Goodnight, Edeline."

"Goodnight, Corinna."

The two of us lay there in silence before Corinna's breathing slowed and she drifted off into a deep sleep. The steady beating of her heart and the warmth radiating off her were comforting in a way.

I found myself smiling softly as I stared up at the ceiling. The moonlight spilled in through the window, cutting through the faint traces of dust, whose lazy spirals moved in slow motion through space. But no matter how slowly the particles danced, they were still moving. Time was still moving. The sun would rise shortly and bathe the northern continent in the light of a new day.

But right now it was still night. Right now I would enjoy the brief peace and tranquility because I knew that moments like this were short. Fleeting. Precious. Just like life itself.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Good morning." I smiled as Corinna slowly opened her eyes. Her lashes fluttered as her eyes adjusted to the light glowing through the curtains.

Corinna groggily sat up. "Good morning." She slid out of the bed and got to work fastening her wooden leg. I took a seat behind her and skillfully braided back her hair. "So what happens now?" she asked absently as she held her hands on her leg. "King Volin is dead, Phina has disappeared, my siblings returned, and the royal guards are searching for us. So much has happened in the past few weeks-the past few days, even-and I can't seem to wrap my head around any of it. But I stick by what I said before; I want to free all of the slaves. With that said, though, the more I think about it, the more impossible it seems."

"Since Chloe-Jane is the queen of the kingdom," I said slowly, "if she ordered for all of the slaves to be freed, wouldn't everyone have to listen now that she's the one in charge?"

"That's right." Corinna's eyes widened as she nodded along. Then she frowned. "But do you really think the people will listen to Chloe-Jane? Do you think the overseers will listen?"

"It's worth giving it a shot, though, isn't it? If worse comes to worst, we can always go with Plan B."

"Plan B?" Corinna raised her brows. "Please don't tell me that's where you go in and kill all of the slave owners in the kingdom."

"Alright." I smiled wryly. "I won't tell you then. But on a more serious note, I'd prefer to settle things in a way that doesn't involve any more death as well."

"We should ask the others. Maybe they've thought of something."

I wrapped my arms around her. "Everything will work out in the end. You'll see."

When Corinna and I reached the house in the city, we were greeted by the sound of raised voices.

"Just take the dagger," Storm was saying angrily.

"No," Chloe-Jane replied shrilly.

"How else are you going to protect yourself if you won't let me teach you?" Storm asked in exasperation.

"I don't want it." Chloe-Jane's eyes went from Storm to the blade in his hands and back again. "I won't take it. It's not my place to take it."

"Are you serious?" Storm looked as if he wanted to pull out his own hair. "I'm trying to help you, Chloe-Jane!"

"I don't want your help," Chloe-Jane snapped. "And when were we ever on a first-name basis?"

"Chloe-Jane." Cameren appeared in the doorway to the kitchen. His brows were knitted together, and he bore a slight frown on his face. "All of them really are just trying to help you, you know. If your sister hadn't learned how to defend herself-well, you have her to thank for getting you out of the castle."

"What's going on down there?" Clarity's cool voice called from the top of the staircase, and everyone turned to look at her. "I was trying to sleep. Oh"-Clarity's sharp eyes landed on Corinna and me-"the two of you are here."

Storm and Chloe-Jane looked over at us as well as if they both just noticed we were in the room. "I'm going upstairs," Chloe-Jane announced. Her voice was higher than usual as she quickly snatched the dagger from Storm before hurrying up the stairs. She ignored Clarity on the landing, and when she vanished from sight, Corinna and I made our way over to Storm.

"Where did Lynden go anyway?" Storm complained, and it was only then that I realized he was limping. "He's the one who asked me to give the dagger to Chloe-Jane, and she 'accidentally' dropped it on my foot before you got here."

"You could have asked me to help give the dagger to Chloe," Corinna said. "She's been through a lot already during the past few months. Constantly getting into arguments with her won't help anyone."

"I know, I know." Storm ran an agitated hand through his dark hair. "I just want to go help look for Phina."

I shook my head heavily. "Unless she wants to be found, no matter how long you look, you won't find her."

"I know that Phina's the queen of the vampires," Storm said defeatedly. "And while I've heard the stories of all the terrible things Karmen has done, I can't help feeling sorry for her. It sounds like we were her only friends. If we hadn't reacted the way we did when we found out she was Karmen, do you think she would have stayed?"

Corinna took a seat on the floor across from the couch, and I joined her. "Would it have changed anything?"

Storm absently passed his sheathed sword from hand to hand. "I think Lynden sent her into a panic when he accused her of lying to everyone. I don't blame him, though-we were all in shock. It would make sense for us to be wary of her, knowing all the things Queen Karmen has done, but she's never tried to hurt any of us. Everything she's done has been to help."

Corinna looked up at the ceiling as if it would somehow reveal all the answers. "I wonder whether she's still in the capital city."

Just as the words left her mouth, there was the sound of the back door opening and closing. Lynden entered the room, and his face was masked in the shadows of his hood. I turned to look over at him. "Seems like you've found something."

Lynden nodded. "It's about Phina." He briskly walked over to the other side of the room to hang his cloak next to the front door. "She's not in the capital city. Word has spread that the bodies of dead vampires have been turning up around some of the smaller towns and villages."

I blinked. "Dead vampires?"

"All of them have been decapitated in the same way too."

"What is she trying to do?" Corinna mused. "She can't have this many enemies, can she?"

"I don't think this is just about her getting rid of those who oppose her," Lynden said with a frown. "From the descriptions of some of the vampires that were found dead, there were quite a few in favor of Queen Karmen as well as a number of neutral ones."

"Could she be trying to kill all the vampires?" Storm piped up.

I furrowed my brow. "But if that's the case, why hasn't she gone after Lynden and me?"

"I guess we'll just have to ask her when she comes back," Storm said determinedly. "And if she really does want to kill all the vampires, she'll be back eventually."

Corinna leveled Storm a look. "Phina's already made it clear she isn't going to hurt Edeline or Lynden. But changing the topic, Edeline and I have started coming up with a plan."

"A plan?" Storm said excitedly, his eyes lighting up. "What's the plan?"

"We'll start freeing slaves at a few select shops at first," Corinna explained. "When the knights are alerted to these occurrences, it's very likely that they'll stop guarding the roads out of the city and go investigate. After that, we can safely leave the capital city and make our way down to the farms." Then, as if she just remembered, she breathlessly added, "Oh, and Chloe-Jane should return to the castle."

I blinked. I hadn't heard that last part until just now. I opened my mouth to speak, but Storm beat me to it. "You want Chloe-Jane to go back to the castle? But-but didn't we just get her out of there?"

"Listen," Corinna said tiredly. "Right now there's no one on the throne. If Chloe doesn't return soon, she'll be replaced despite the fact that she is the queen. We also have to address the representatives who came all the way from the southern continent to meet with the king. We don't know how quickly they'll return to their own country, and Chloe-Jane needs to meet them in the king's place. This is a rare opportunity for the two continents to make peace."

The pieces clicked in my head. "Chloe-Jane will continue to spread the word that the king wanted to cooperate with the southern continent before he was abducted by vampires. And with the help of those southern continent representatives, Chloe-Jane can stop the feud between the northern and southern continents."

"Exactly." Corinna looked at me with gratitude in her eyes. "The only problem is, I doubt Chloe-Jane wants to return to the castle or even meet these representatives. And if she did, would she even know how to negotiate terms?"

"You can leave convincing Chloe-Jane and the negotiations to me," Cameren said as he stepped out of the kitchen. "She happens to listen to me."

"Thank you." Corinna said appreciatively. "If Chloe-Jane can secure her place as the ruler of this kingdom, she can start making the changes we need."

Cameren nodded.

Corinna exhaled. "In the meantime, we should send a letter to the representatives-find a time and place for Chloe-Jane to meet them."

"I can get the letter delivered," Lynden said. "With a little poking around, it won't take me long to figure out where the representatives are staying in the capital city."

"Wonderful." Corinna clasped her hands together. "Once Chloe-Jane does return to the castle, we'll need some way to communicate. Chloe should replace the entire guard force in the castle. The knights were loyal to the king and the king alone."

"I'll make sure that happens," Cameren said confidently.

"Once the guards are replaced," Storm added excitedly, "we'll be able to leave the capital city without any problems!"

"And then once Chloe-Jane has gained the trust of the people," I said, "she'll be able to free all of the slaves with ease."

"The only question now is whether she's willing to cooperate." Corinna's shoulders slumped. "I would gladly go in her place, and I'm sure Clarity would too, but Chloe-Jane is the queen after all."

I reached for Corinna's hands and gently wrapped my fingers around hers. "Don't worry-I'm sure Chloe-Jane will do her part. It's in her own interest to help the people of this kingdom."

Corinna nodded as she gave me a weak smile.

Lynden walked over to the chest of drawers against the wall of the living room and rummaged around for parchment and ink for us. "I assume we'd want to get this letter out to the representatives as soon as possible. What are you going to write?"

"We'll say that the queen is safe and requests an audience with the representatives of the southern continent," Corinna said. "Once Chloe-Jane is out of harm's way, that's when we can start to make our own move against the slave owners in the capital city. If we draw attention to the issue at hand and the conditions that are forced upon the slaves, Chloe-Jane might gain the support of those who oppose it."

"That might just work." Storm nodded slowly as it seemed to dawn on him. "Most of the kingdom is living in poverty. The farther away from the capital you go, the poorer the people get. The capital city gives the illusion of wealth, and everyone who lives in the villages scattered around the rest of the kingdom despises it because of that. There are a lot more people who oppose the way things are right now than there appears at first glance."

I turned back to Corinna, smiling. "You're brilliant, you know that?"

"Of course." Corinna laughed as she took my hands. "With you reminding me so many times, how would I not? But it would be wrong for me to take all of the credit. We're in this together. All of us."

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Edeline and I sat at the dining room table, quietly working on a letter. Since Edeline had much better penmanship than I did, she had offered to do the writing. I watched the words bloom from Edeline's quill onto the parchment in neat, elegant script.

"There." She set down her quill before fanning the wet ink with a hand. "What do you think?"

I beamed. "It's perfect."

Edeline smiled back with bright eyes. When the ink dried completely, Edeline carefully folded the letter and tucked it into its envelope.

"Shall I take that to the representatives?" Lynden asked.

I nodded. "Please do." Edeline handed me the envelope and I passed it to Lynden.

"It will take me a few days at most to find their location," Lynden said as he pocketed the letter. Then he paused as he turned to look back at me. "What happens if Chloe-Jane doesn't agree?"

"She'll agree," I said with a lot more confidence than I felt. "I think when she realizes that she has the power to change things for the better, she'll rise to the occasion."

Lynden looked down at me. "I hope you're right. But if Chloe-Jane doesn't want to meet the representatives-if she doesn't want to go back to the castle-you shouldn't force her either."

"I know. If she really doesn't want to, Clarity or I will go in her stead. I don't want to think about what would happen if either of us pretended to be Chloe, but as long as we can get the backing of the southern continent, it will have been worth it."

Lynden just nodded before he disappeared out the front door.

"You'd really go in Chloe-Jane's place?" Edeline asked quietly.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment. "The representatives haven't seen her before. Most of the townspeople probably don't know what she looks like either. The only ones who do know at this point are the nobles and the castle knights. If I really do have to pretend to be Chloe, it's going to be very difficult to steer clear of them. Even if I do look a little bit like my sister, it's definitely not enough to fool anyone for long." I shook my head, trying to collect all of the thoughts and worries spinning around inside it.

Suddenly, I felt a reassuring hand rest on my shoulder, and I turned to find Cameren standing behind me. "Let's go talk to her together."

I nodded. "Edeline"-I looked back at Edeline as I rose from my seat-"while my brother and I are talking to Chloe-Jane, do you think you could indulge Clarity for a bit? You know how she is-if she finds out Cameren and I are talking to Chloe-Jane, she'll probably want to join in."

"Of course." Edeline flashed me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll keep her downstairs."

"What about me?" Storm called from the couch. "What should I do?"

"You should keep off your foot and get some rest." Cameren said. "We can play cards when we're done. I'll try to get Chloe-Jane to apologize properly later."

Storm shook his head dejectedly. "Don't bother. I know for a fact that she'd prefer not to talk to me." Then he looked at Cameren hopefully. "Cards sound fun, though. I'll take you up on your offer."

Cameren and I followed Edeline up the stairs, and I watched silently as she knocked on Clarity's door. My older sister appeared in the doorway a moment later. Edeline said something to her in a lowered voice, and Clarity frowned. She stepped out of her room, swiftly closed the door behind herself, and followed Edeline back down the hall. As Clarity passed by Cameren and me, she eyed the two of us suspiciously but didn't stop walking.

When Edeline and Clarity vanished downstairs, my brother motioned for me to stay outside as he knocked lightly on Chloe-Jane's door.

Chloe-Jane's high voice came from the other side of the wood. "Who is it?"

"It's Cameren, Chloe," Cameren said gently.

"Brother!" Chloe-Jane's tone of voice changed, and we heard the sound of hurried footsteps. The door was thrown open, and Chloe-Jane beamed up at Cameren.

I stood a short distance down the hall, far enough not to be seen but close enough to hear the conversation.

"Chloe-Jane." Cameren bent down so he could be at eye level with her. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm feeling better. That boy with the black hair annoys me, though." Then Chloe-Jane paused. "Did Corinna ask you to talk to me?"

"Your sister needs your help."

"I'm the least helpful out of everyone here." Chloe-Jane's words came quickly. "I know she wants to go and free the slaves from the capital city. Does she really want me to help fight? I-I don't know how to fight. Aren't the vampires and that other boy enough?"

"Chloe," Cameren said softly. "Listen to my words-the representatives from the southern continent are still in the capital city. As the queen of the kingdom, Corinna thinks you should meet them."

"Meet them?" Chloe-Jane echoed in confusion.

"Your sister wants you to meet them and negotiate ending the war between the northern and southern continents once and for all."

Chloe-Jane's eyes were wide. "But the king wasn't going to end the war. He was going to use that conference as a way to ensure that there could never be peace!"

"I know." Cameren took Chloe-Jane's hands in his own. "But now that the king is dead, you can be the one to determine how the conference plays out. Chloe, by doing this, you could strengthen the kingdom's ties to the southern continent. You'd never have to tell them about what the king was planning to do. Before we knew what his true intentions were, he had put on the act that he was trying to push our kingdom forward. To progress. I think Corinna and the others were fortunate enough to stop King Volin before he could destroy the fragile balance between the continents for good."

"I think I understand now," Chloe-Jane said slowly. "Let's say I do meet them. Then what happens?"

"Your sister wants you to return to the castle and take up the position as queen."

"She wants me to be the queen?"

"You are the queen, are you not?" Cameren's tone was calm if not a little tired.

"You're right!" Chloe-Jane said suddenly. "I am the queen! I-I have the power."

"Do you think you'll go meet the representatives? If you don't want to, Corinna is willing to go in your stead."

Chloe-Jane dropped her gaze to her hands. "That I can do." Then she blinked. "Wait, she'll go in my place? But she's not the real queen. Wouldn't that put her in danger?"

Cameren smiled wryly. "So you do care about your sister after all."

"Of course I care about my sister. I've been trying to help her this entire time, and she doesn't listen to anything I say!"

"Alright, alright." Cameren chuckled. "Does this mean you're willing to go back to the castle? We can give you some time to think about it."

"I-" Chloe-Jane started. "I don't know. I just felt so helpless there. No matter how much I prayed, things kept getting worse. It felt like I was trapped there for years. During the days before Corinna and the others got me out, I just wanted everything to end. The king made it very clear that he was going to kill me as part of his grand scheme.

"You were right. You, Corinna, Clarity, and Mother-all of you were right. I prayed for all of those poor people locked up in the castle dungeons, but nothing changed. I've done a lot of thinking recently, and I've come to the conclusion that the Immortal One has failed me. It's been said that the Immortal One is the most powerful being in the entire universe. If He's really that powerful, why would He let us suffer? Even though I don't believe in Him anymore, I do believe that everyone should be able to live a peaceful and joyful life."

"The Immortal One might not be real"-I stepped into view of the doorway, and Chloe-Jane looked up at me with wide eyes-"but we are. The people are real. I know it's difficult, but you should try to put your faith in them-to put your faith in us. Right now, you hold the most power out of anyone in this kingdom. You're the queen. Our queen."

Chloe-Jane let out a breath. "I know all too well about the state of the outer kingdom. As queen, I'd have the power to actually help out. I could make this kingdom a better place. Despite what has happened, I-I think I would like to try after all. I'll go talk to the representatives. I want to return to the castle and be the queen you think I can be, but I don't know if I'll be able to stay in that place forever."

"You wouldn't have to stay there for the rest of your life," I said softly. "Just until the kingdom gets back on its feet. We could figure something out. The choice will be yours."

Chloe-Jane nodded.

"Thank you, Chloe," I said as I offered my sister a smile.

Chloe-Jane dropped her gaze. "I'll do my best."

This was a start. "Cameren will go with you to the conference. All you have to do is agree to stop the war and tell the southern continent representatives that the kingdom would like to work with them."

Chloe-Jane nodded slowly. "I can do that. That's all?"

"That's all. I'll work out the details with Cameren later tonight. That way, the two of you can be on your way to meet them as soon as Lynden finds their location and gets a response."

Chloe-Jane just nodded before backing into her room and quietly shutting the door.

As we made our way down the stairs, I turned to my brother. "So Chloe-Jane does listen to you after all."

Cameren just gave me a knowing smile.

✦ ✦ ✦

As Lynden had predicted, it didn't take him long at all to find where the southern continent representatives were staying. He was back the following day with their response to our letter. "The representatives have agreed to meet Chloe-Jane," he informed us. All of us were crowded around the dining room table, every inch of which was covered by maps and other miscellaneous diagrams. Well, all of us except for Chloe-Jane; my younger sister was still in her room.

"That's great," Storm said enthusiastically. "When's the conference going to be? Where's it going to be?"

"Three days from now," Lynden answered. "That's much sooner than I had anticipated-which is fine, but that means that Chloe-Jane and Cameren would have to leave tonight to reach the rendezvous location on time. I can mark it for you on a map."

Storm furrowed his brow. "Is it just gonna be the two of them? It's dangerous outside, especially with the late king's guards searching for Chloe-Jane."

Lynden looked at each of us gathered around the table in turn. "Even though I have faith in Cameren's ability to wield a sword-he trained with the army, after all-I'll follow them from afar. I know that Chloe-Jane would rather not travel in the company of vampires, so I'll make sure to keep out of sight."

"Are you sure you want to act as the bodyguard, Lynden?" Edeline asked. "You've done quite a lot for us already. If you'd rather stay here at the house, I could follow Chloe-Jane to the conference instead."

"This is the least I can do. Really."

"Just because Phina turned out to be the queen of the vampires," I said softly, "you don't have to feel inclined to try and make it up to us."

Lynden sighed, and his eyes were downcast again. "I know. This isn't entirely about Phina. I don't mind helping out. It's the right thing to do."

A silence fell at the table, and after a while Cameren said, "I'll tell Chloe-Jane to get ready for our departure. I imagine she'll have some goodbyes to say."

✦ ✦ ✦

The next couple of days seemed to drag and fly by at the same time. Lynden, Chloe-Jane, and Cameren were gone from the house, and everything felt quieter than usual. Even Edeline had gone to prepare.

I spent the majority of the days finalizing our plan with Clarity and Storm, who turned out to be very helpful contributors. Night finally arrived, and Storm bid Clarity and me goodnight. And in minutes, it was just Clarity and I sitting at the table in the dying candlelight.

"Hey," I said softly.

"Hey." Clarity turned to look at me. Even though we were both sitting at the same height, she still managed to look down her nose at me. But there didn't seem to be anything cold about the gesture anymore.

"It's been a while since the two of us have been together like this."

"I guess you're right," Clarity said shortly as she turned back to the various maps and the shelled nuts we were using as markers.

"You came back because you said you were worried about me and the others."

"I did."

"I didn't realize you were so concerned about Storm and the vampires."

"We've gone through a lot together," Clarity said simply. "Why shouldn't I care for them too?"

I smiled faintly.

There was a long silence before Clarity finally asked, "Do you really think Chloe-Jane can be the queen of this kingdom?"

"She is the queen of this kingdom."

Clarity just sighed tiredly. "You know what I mean, Corinna."

I leaned back in my seat, stiff from sitting for the entire day. "I think she's capable. When it comes to the people of this kingdom, she has a good sense of right and wrong."

"And you agree with her sense of right and wrong even after what she's said to you?"

"What else could I have done? Right now, it's important that the people are given a ruler. Someone who can support them and lift them up. Someone who will help this kingdom thrive."

"You really have a lot of confidence in Chloe, don't you."

"I do. And I think you should too. She's grown up. I don't think we give her enough credit."

✦ ✦ ✦

To my pleasant surprise, Edeline returned the following morning, and Lynden two days after that. According to the latter, the conference went successfully, and Chloe-Jane had charmed the southern continent representatives. She had then gone back to the castle with Cameren and the representatives after claiming that Cameren had rescued her from her captors. She also claimed that the king was still alive and being held hostage somewhere in the capital city. Believing that King Volin was still alive, the people at the castle wouldn't lay a finger on Chloe-Jane in fear of what the king would do to them when he returned.

Now it was early morning, and the sun was still hidden behind the dark horizon. I had gotten to work strapping an assortment of knives and daggers to my legs under my skirts. We would spend the daylight hours traveling to our chosen location and the night hours to get their inhabitants safely out of the capital city.

"Are you ready?" Edeline asked from the other side of the room. She had just finished braiding back her inky hair and was now weighing different daggers in her palms. "We didn't exactly choose the easiest place to start."

I let out a shaky laugh. "As long as we can get everyone out safely, that's what matters."

"With Lynden and I there, the guards won't stand a chance. All you need to focus on is gaining the slaves' trust and helping them feel as at ease as possible."

"I know. I'll do my best."

Edeline walked over to me and pulled me into a reassuring hug. "After breaking into the castle, I think this should be simple."

I just laughed as I returned the embrace. "Let's never break into a castle again, though, okay?"

It was Edeline's turn to laugh. "If it means you won't have another near-death experience again, I'll be more than happy to avoid castles for the rest of my life."

✦ ✦ ✦

Edeline, Storm, Lynden, and I spent the last few daylight hours meandering through the town at the edge of the capital city as if we were mere tourists enjoying the sights. Back in the castle, Chloe-Jane had ordered that the knights be retracted from the streets, and we were now free to go wherever we pleased. Even though it was summer, the sky was overcast, and a heavy layer of clouds blocked the sun completely.

Clarity was staying behind at the house. Just in case something happened to us, she'd be able to report back to Cameren and Chloe-Jane later. When the sun finally dropped from the sky, the four of us quickly made our way to our first target: the slave market.

Even though there were a number of guards standing around the slave market, Edeline and Lynden, mere blurs against the night sky, knocked them out before they could even make a sound. With a swish of her dagger, Edeline severed the lock on the front door and pushed it open.

I held my breath as we crept into the building beyond. My heart beat rapidly in my chest. Even though there weren't any new slaves being imported from the southern continent, there were quite a lot of slaves from the farms being reassigned to the city.

I grimaced as we made our way through the empty entrance hall and into the large chamber beyond. A makeshift wooden stage sat in the middle of the room, and the windows along the walls were masked with metal bars.

"There." Lynden pointed to a closed door on the opposite side of the room. "That's where the slaves are being kept."

I looked over at Storm. "You know what to do."

Storm nodded once, then turned on his heel and hurried out of the building.

When he had disappeared from sight, Edeline, Lynden, and I made our way over to the doorway, and this time I used my own dagger to slice through the chain on the door. I pushed it open with one hand, then fumbled with the miniature lantern I had brought along. The seemingly endless stairway beyond the door was pitch black.

After lighting the flame in my lantern, I took my first step onto the stone steps. The staircase didn't go quite as far down as I had initially thought and instead led to a large room beneath the main building.

My heart pounded away in my chest as I slowly raised my lantern and let its fiery light illuminate the entirety of the room. At least fifty people sat against the stone walls, and their wide eyes reflected the light from my lantern. Besides the people inhabiting it, the stone room was completely empty. My heart clenched painfully.

"Come with me," I called out. My voice echoed in the room, unshaken. "My friends and I are here to get all of you out of here."

The slaves silently looked at each other before turning back to me and slowly climbing to their feet.

I blinked. "You're all really going to follow me, just like that?"

A woman only a few years older than me spoke up. Her voice was hoarse. "Why not? If it means that I can leave this awful place, I'll take my chances."

The others nodded along in agreement.

"Follow me," I said. "One of my other friends is outside right now distracting any knights and passersby. Once we're out, we'll travel through the forests until we get to the campsite. We've got food and water along the way. Right now, all you need to do is keep as quiet as possible."

After the slaves nodded again, I turned and made my way back up the staircase to the main building. Edeline walked next to me while Lynden waited for the last of the slaves to make their way out to bring up the rear.

When I arrived in the entrance hall, I carefully extinguished my lamp before pushing open the doors and beckoning everyone outside. I quickened my pace to a brisk walk.

The commotion from some distance away disturbed the otherwise silent night. It looked like Storm had successfully drawn everyone's attention.

We split into groups to better avoid any potential eyes, and I led my own group through the maze of alleyways I memorized like the back of my hand. When we regrouped at the main road, there were no people in sight, and we made quick work of hurrying out of the capital city. The lights of the buildings slowly faded the farther we got, and it was late enough that there was no one on the roads. We navigated into one of the smaller forests lining the main road about an hour later and continued our journey under the cover of the trees. When the sun began to rise in the morning, we deemed that we were far enough from the capital city to rest and give food and water to our party.

It was about a week's journey or so on foot to the forest next to the farms, and even though I hadn't walked such a great distance on my wooden leg before, I was determined to make it. If all had gone according to plan, Storm should be back at the house and told Clarity that we escaped.

As I stared up at the starless sky through the leaves and branches of the trees, I wondered if we'd really be able to pull this off-if we'd really be able to change this kingdom for the better. And as I looked around at the people sitting around, chatting in lowered voices, some even with hopeful expressions on their faces, I found myself thinking that maybe we really could.

Chapter Thirty

"Corinna," I whispered. "It's time to wake up."

Corinna's eyelashes fluttered as her eyes blinked open.

We had just finished leading the freed slaves to the forest next to the farms and were now on our way back to the capital city. We had spent a few days in the forest, making sure everyone had food and water and a place to sleep. Lynden had also stayed behind to keep an eye on the people for another day or so before rejoining us. Of the people we had just helped escape, a large number of them had eagerly stepped up to take responsibility for the campsite and ensure that everyone was taken care of.

We decided that even though we were traveling through the forest, it would still be quicker and safer to make our journey under the cover of night. The nights were no longer cold, and I shook my head in amazement at how long ago winter felt.

"Ready to go back?" Corinna looked over at me.

I smiled. "Ready."

When we reached the main road to the capital city, the two of us were able to waltz in without any problems. Due to Chloe-Jane's new orders, there was no one standing at the entrance.

We had been gone from the capital city for over two weeks, but it almost felt as if time hadn't passed at all. Everything in the city had stayed the same in our absence-the buildings, the lights, the people, the sense of misery and despair beneath a facade of color and wealth. Even with Chloe-Jane now on the throne, we needed to be patient.

The two of us silently continued on our way until we reached the house and hopped the fence into the backyard. I only had to knock once on the back door before it flew open.

Storm stood in the doorway, outlined by the warm glow of the lights in the room beyond. "How did it go?" the dark-haired boy asked as he shut the door behind us. "Clarity and I kept worrying that all of you would encounter something unpleasant along the way, but the two of you seem unharmed." Then his eyes fell on all the daggers I had strapped to my arms and legs.

"You can never be too prepared," I said stiffly.

Storm folded his arms over his chest. "With that many knives, you'd probably scare Phina away even if she did want to go and talk to you."

"Even with this many knives," I said lightly, "Phina would probably be able to kill me with her bare hands if she so desired."

Storm sighed. "I don't doubt that. All I'm saying is that we should give her a chance."

Corinna put a hand on Storm's shoulder. "We'll wait for her together. And when she returns, we can welcome her back with open arms."

Storm's smile was genuine, and his eyes were bright.

✦ ✦ ✦

I sat cross-legged on the roof of the house, gazing up at the stars dancing in the sky. Despite the fact that I couldn't feel the bite of the cold, I pulled my cloak tighter around myself as the wind swept up my inky hair. It was my turn to keep watch.

I frowned softly as the winds subsided and the night stilled. There was something that kept nagging at me. If I really was one of the queens from Andreus's prophecy, then I was to die before the end of the century. Being an immortal, the only cause of my death would be if I was killed. If I die, what will happen to Corinna? I thought. Will I die trying to protect her? Well, if that is how it will go down, I have no complaints.

Chloe-Jane was one of the queens too. And Phina. Chloe-Jane would live out her normal human lifespan before the end of the century, but how would Phina, the queen of the vampires, die?

The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. And aren't there supposed to be four queens in the prophecy? Why hasn't the fourth queen made an appearance yet? I'd have to ask Andreus the next time I saw him. Even during our first meeting with Andreus, I had gotten the impression that the dragon knew a lot more than he was letting on. Of course he wouldn't have told us that Phina was Karmen, for all of our sakes. But now that we knew, I wondered if he would be willing to tell us more.

I stared up at the moon. This was the same continent as before. But it had gone through many changes throughout my long lifetime. Sometimes the changes were for the better, while others had made it a much darker place. If we hadn't stopped King Volin when we did, I was sure that the king would have sent the entire continent into another spiral of war and misery.

I absently reached up to tuck a strand of my hair behind a delicately pointed ear. If I am destined to die, would I be dragging Corinna down with me? I couldn't say at this point. The only thing I was certain of was the growing possibility of our story ending in tragedy. And I hated it.

✦ ✦ ✦

Corinna and I lay on the floor of the forest house, hand in hand as we stared up at the ceiling. The light from the falling sun outside painted the curtains in a rose-colored glow and illuminated the lazy spirals of dust in the air.

"Edeline," Corinna said after a while.

I turned my head to look at her. "What is it?"

Corinna rolled over onto her elbows to look at me. "Maybe this is a little sudden, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you-however long that is."

"I feel the same way." Even though I was overjoyed by Corinna's words, I also felt a pang of sadness at the same time. Corinna knew that I might not have much time left-that she herself might not have much time either. "I have an idea," I said as I quickly sat up.

"What's the idea?" Corinna tilted her head to the side curiously.

"What if we get married? What if we have a wedding?"

Corinna's eyes lit up. "A wedding? The two of us?"

I nodded.

"What normally happens when people get married?" Corinna sat up eagerly. "If there's a wedding, I know there's normally a big crowd of people there."

"And fancy outfits," I added.

"And fancy outfits," she agreed. "It's just the two of us here, though-we don't need a big crowd of people."

"You're right. We probably don't need fancy outfits either."

"You won't wear that ball gown again?"

"I see how it is-you just wanted to see that dress again!"

Corinna was laughing now. "Come on, Edeline. You know there's more to it than that!" The two of us collapsed onto the floor in a heap of giggles.

"Jokes aside, we could definitely bring out the dress," I said as I looked over at her with a smile. "Are you sure you don't want to wear it this time?"

"How could I wear it?" Corinna propped herself back up on an elbow. "You look beautiful in it."

"What will you wear, then?"

"Doesn't Her Majesty have an entire collection of dresses in her closet?"

I blinked. "You're right-I do. Come on, let's go find you something just as beautiful." I jumped to my feet, helped Corinna stand up, and then the two of us made our way over to my bedroom, hand in hand. I pushed open the closet door and stepped aside to let Corinna take a look at the numerous dresses inside.

Corinna pulled out the midnight ball gown, and the tiny silver stars shimmered just as brightly as ever over their sea of tulle fabric. "This one's for you."

As I set the dress aside, I looked over to watch Corinna take a golden evening gown from the closet. "You would look beautiful in that one," I said softly.

Corinna smiled radiantly as she held the dress to her body. "Would you mind helping me? This will be the second gown I've ever worn."

Before long, the last of the sunlight had faded and was replaced by a cloudless and star-flecked night. I had just finished lacing up the back of Corinna's dress, and now I met her gaze in the mirror.

Corinna's eyes were sparkling as she looked on in awe at the way the golden fabric flowed around her.

"I like helping you try on beautiful dresses," I said with a smile. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if this could be us every day?"

"You should put on your own gown," Corinna encouraged giddily.

Just as I made to turn away from the mirror, I paused as I noticed my own reflection. It was the same face I had worn and looked at for years, but something seemed different this time.

There was light in my eyes. A smile on my face.

I looked alive.

✦ ✦ ✦

Once I changed into my own gown, the two of us found ourselves in front of the mirror again.

"What do we think?" Corinna asked as we stared at our reflections.

The corners of my lips tugged upward in a smile. "I think it's perfect."

Corinna finally tore her gaze from the mirror. "How about I go set up some candles outside? We'll have our own little ceremony with just the two of us." Corinna took me by the hands, and the two of us made our way out of the room.

It didn't take us long to set up a small table and candles outside. Now standing next to each other under the open sky, we looked at each other. "Now what happens?" Corinna asked.

"Now what happens?" I repeated. "I think people normally say vows."

Corinna nodded along. "Okay. I'll admit that I don't have anything prepared. I'll be improvising. But that's the fun of it, right?" She took my hands in her own. "Edeline, ever since I met you, you've always been there for me. You're my closest friend. I want to continue spending time with you. When I'm with you, I feel like I can be myself. You always push me to be the best version of myself, and I'm grateful for that. Whatever hardships we might meet in the future, I promise that we'll face them together."

I just stood there smiling with a giddy sort of happiness as I tried my best to gather my thoughts. "Corinna, you're the first person in years to accept me as I am-a monster with a human heart. You're brilliant and beautiful and kind-I couldn't ask for a better friend. I've treasured all the time we've spent together. I'm so happy to have lived this long, and I would do it all again if it meant that this day could happen. In this dark world of night, you've shown me that there's still light. You are my light, Corinna."

Corinna's radiant smile was the most beautiful thing in the world, and she pressed her forehead against mine. "I love you," she breathed.

"I love you." I smiled, closing my eyes for a brief moment as if I could stay in the moment forever.

Corinna pulled me into a hug. "Thank you, Edeline."

After what could have been minutes or hours, I finally brought myself to draw away. "I know we've got no music, but may I have this dance?"

"Dance?" Corinna's eyes lit up. "I'd love to dance!"

I laughed as Corinna and I began to dance to a silent rhythm. Our bare feet flew over the grass and our dresses swished around our legs. I felt lighter than I had ever felt before. We spun in circles until we grew too dizzy to stand properly, then collapsed onto the grass in a heap of skirts, giggling as we stared up at the sky.

"This reminds me of the ball," Corinna remarked when she caught her breath. "The two of us danced together there too."

"It really does. Except our garden here is a lot less extravagant than the one at the archduke's estate."

Corinna laughed as she turned her head to look at me. "We don't need extravagant things. All we need is what is here in front of us."

I met her gaze with a smile. "You're right. I couldn't ask for anything more." Then I looked back up at the stars. "It's a beautiful night."

"It is," Corinna agreed. "The night sky never fails to remind me that there are still beautiful things in the world. There's a whole world out there, Edeline. Once, I never even thought I'd get the chance to see even this much of it. In only a matter of months, I've been as high as the mountains and even seen the ocean."

"Someday we'll travel the oceans too," I said determinedly. "We could go anywhere you'd like. We could go everywhere. And when we've seen it all, we'll have a home for us to return to."

"I'd love that." I could hear the smile in Corinna's voice. "But until then, I'll keep doing my best."

I let out a soft sigh. "Me too."

The two of us stayed outside for a while after that, chatting quietly until the candles burned out. Corinna fell asleep, and the moonlight painted her golden dress in a shade of silvery blue.

I closed my eyes as well, listening to the soft wind rustling through the grass, the bubbling of the nearby creek, the steady rhythm of Corinna's heartbeat. Everything was peaceful.

✦ ✦ ✦

The next day, Corinna and I visited Clarity, Storm, and Lynden at the house in the city. The latter had just returned from the forest next to the farms and, to our relief, brought with us the good news that everything was going well.

"Look, look!" Storm said excitedly as he waved us all over to the dining room table. "I've got a letter from Cameren!"

"You've got a letter?" Clarity turned to Storm. "Since when did you have a letter?"

"Since I went out this morning."

"You've been holding onto that letter all morning?" Lynden arched a brow. "What if it's urgent?"

"I just thought we should wait for Corinna and Edeline to arrive before we opened it," Storm said uncomfortably, eyeing Corinna's sister as if she would snatch the letter from him at any moment.

"Well?" Clarity asked coolly. "What are you waiting for? We're all here now."

"Okay, okay, okay." Storm frowned as he pulled the letter from its envelope. He quickly unfolded the paper and cleared his throat to read aloud: "Dear friends, as you've already heard, the conference with the representatives from the southern continent was a success. Chloe-Jane was brilliant. She played the role of a sad queen worrying about her husband and kingdom very well. The representatives are here in the castle with us, and they are planning to depart back to their own country in three days' time.

"Corinna was right. Once Chloe-Jane told the castle staff that King Volin was still alive, they were sure to keep their distance from her. Right now, Chloe and I are working on figuring out who at the castle knew about the king's plans for the future and who might have been involved in them. We have already changed the knights and replaced them with people who we can trust. Even if they will need some time to warm up to Chloe herself, they are willing to pledge their allegiance to the kingdom in the name of protecting the people they care about.

"Chloe-Jane has appointed me as the temporary captain of the knights. While I don't think I'm qualified, we still haven't found anyone suitable yet for the position. Now that the situation at the castle has been stabilized, Chloe-Jane wants to make her first proclamation as queen and set all the slaves working on the farms free.

"I will continue to update you as our situation changes. Just in case Chloe's proclamation is ignored, you should start thinking of an alternative way to get the slaves to freedom. Do not bother sending a response at this time. It's too risky. Stay safe. Yours, Cameren." Storm gingerly set the letter down on the table. "See? It wasn't all that urgent."

"Urgent?" Clarity stared at Storm as if he had completely missed the point. "Maybe it wasn't urgent, but did you hear what Cameren wants us to do?" She whirled around to look at Corinna. "If Chloe-Jane's proclamation falls on deaf ears, Cameren wants you to liberate the slaves from the farms yourself!"

Chapter Thirty-One

"Do you think we can do it, Corinna?" Clarity looked at me apprehensively. "You really think two humans and two vampires will be able to get the hundreds of slaves out of there?"

"I think we can," I said determinedly. "And even if it's a very small chance, we've still got to try, don't we? Also, two humans? Are you not counting yourself, Clarity?"

"What could I even do to help out?" Clarity asked stiffly. "I'll just slow you down."

"I think freeing the slaves is less about escorting them off of the farms all at once," Edeline started slowly, "and more about taking the overseers away."

"You mean kill them?" Storm turned to Edeline in alarm. "Can't we just drag them off and lock them up somewhere?"

"If you don't want to kill them yourself," Lynden said flatly, "that's fine. I'm sure Edeline and I won't have any problem doing so. They've hurt so many people. Death is too light of a penalty for what they've done."

I turned to look at Edeline. "Would you really kill them?"

Edeline held my gaze. "It would be your call, Corinna. Yes, I've killed overseers in the past. It's not exactly like they're innocent." I momentarily flashed back to that first night in the forest where the two of us had been chased through the trees. Edeline was right. But if we didn't have to kill them, I'd rather not add to all the death, pain, and blood.

Storm looked back and forth between us. "But they're still humans, aren't they?"

"And does that make them any less guilty?" Lynden countered.

Storm fell silent at that.

I spoke up in an attempt to reduce the tension. "Even if they aren't innocent, I have to agree with Storm. I don't think we should go out of our way to kill them. But if we're in a situation where we have to fight for our lives . . ."

Edeline nodded at my unspoken words hanging in the air. "We'll do things your way."

"Corinna," Storm said suddenly. "You still remember the layout of the farm you were on, right? I don't know if all three farms were designed the same way, but if they were, do you know if there's some kind of building that could fit a lot of people? We could lock all the overseers up and give the slaves a chance to run."

"There is a place like that," I recalled. "I think this could work."

Storm clapped his hands together. "Now we have a plan."

Lynden frowned. "It sounds like you're planning to round up all of those overseers yourself."

"Of course not!" Storm blinked. "Aren't you all going to help?"

"I still think it would be better if we just killed all of the overseers," Lynden said darkly. "But we'll do it your way."

✦ ✦ ✦

The next few days dragged into weeks. The peak of summer was officially upon us, and the capital city had become considerably warmer. I couldn't say that I missed the snow, but the heat was becoming more and more stifling. We were sitting around the living room with all of the windows open to prevent us from being baked alive, when suddenly there was the sound of knocking at the door.

Storm's hand went immediately to the sword hanging at his side as he eyed the door suspiciously. "Who's there?"

"It's me," a familiar voice called. "Cameren."

Storm quickly pulled the door open. We all looked up in surprise at my brother, dressed in a castle knight's uniform. He pulled off his helmet as he crossed the threshold.

"Cameren"-I hurried over to him-"aren't you supposed to be in the castle with Chloe-Jane?"

"Chloe told me to go back and help you," Cameren said as if he still couldn't believe it himself. "I don't know why she was so adamant to get me out of the castle. She seems to have everything under her control now for the most part, but this decision still feels too soon."

"You couldn't convince her to let you stay?" Clarity asked, clearly just as stunned as the rest of us.

Cameren shook his head in defeat. "I tried, but she begged me to go back. She said that she was worried about her sisters and wouldn't be able to think properly until she knew that I was there to help keep them safe."

I blinked. "Chloe-Jane said that?"

"And you believed her?" Clarity's brows rose even higher. "Even if she is that worried about us, would she really be so worried that she can't do her work?"

"I know it was an excuse to get me out of the castle," Cameren said with a slight frown. "But the thing I don't quite understand is why she wanted me to leave so badly."

I looked up at my brother. "She most likely did it to protect you. But protect you from what?"

Cameren just shook his head tiredly.

"I'll go outside and see what's happening with the news of Chloe-Jane's proclamation," Storm announced. "I'm the best person to do it anyway."

"You're the only person," Clarity corrected, but Storm ignored her and left.

"Either Chloe-Jane got you out of the castle to protect you," I continued after the door swung shut behind Storm, "or she's planning to do something you as her older brother won't approve of."

"She wouldn't, would she?" Edeline asked hesitantly.

I just sighed. "I don't know. All she needs to do right now is gain the public's support and set the slaves free. I don't see how we would disapprove of either of those things. But when it comes to the people, I have faith that she'll do the right thing."

"All we can do now is wait and see what happens," Lynden said grimly.

Despite practically being cooked alive in the house, I suddenly felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Something felt off. Was it a mistake to trust Chloe-Jane with such an important task? I wondered. After all, she's only fourteen. No, I can't start doubting myself now-can't start doubting my sister now.

Time seemed almost to stop as we waited around in the living room. I fanned myself with a hand. The sun reached its zenith, and the temperature was at an all-time high. Edeline had found a paper fan upstairs and was doing her best to try and cool me down with it, but we had given it up quickly when I deemed that blowing hot air around the room wasn't any good.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, we heard footsteps outside, then the sound of Storm opening and closing the door.

"How did it go?" I asked.

Storm brushed his dark hair out of his face. "Surprisingly enough, quite a few people wanted to hear what the new queen had to say. There wasn't as much of an uproar as I first expected either. But maybe that's just because the people who don't care for Chloe-Jane either decided to stay in their homes and out of the sun, or the heat stripped them of their will to make a scene."

"Either way," Edeline noted, "that's good news for us and Chloe-Jane."

"I'll go out once it gets dark and see what I can find as well," Lynden said with a slight frown. "Summer is the most inconvenient time for vampires to be in an environment like this."

✦ ✦ ✦

The night didn't fall soon enough. We had all moved from the house in the city to the house in the forest once it got dark. We determined that in the heat of the summer, the neighbors weren't very likely to try and break in. At least the forest house had the small stream bubbling through the clearing. I lay in the grass next to Edeline, relishing the coolness of the night breeze. Clarity, Storm, and Cameren were close by, talking in lowered voices.

We didn't have to wait more than a couple of hours before Lynden returned. I quickly sat up, opening my mouth to speak, but Storm beat me to it. "Well?" he asked expectantly. "How's it looking?"

"Most of the townsfolk don't seem to care about whether Chloe-Jane is setting the slaves free or not," Lynden informed us as he lowered the hood of his cloak. "It doesn't affect them, so why should they care in the first place? The ones benefiting from the slave labor the most are those who are already very wealthy. And that isn't a whole lot of people. Apparently the overseers are furious, though. I think they've been enjoying their job a little too much," he concluded in disgust. "They're refusing to give it up."

Edeline sat up and picked bits of grass out of my hair. "It looks like we'll have to go in there and clean things up in the name of the queen. It's a good thing we have a plan just in case something like this happens."

Lynden scoffed. "We all knew this would happen. The overseers aren't going to give up that easily."

I stood up and brushed grass from my skirts. "Let's all get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow we'll pack what we need and make our way down to the farms."

✦ ✦ ✦

As our good fortune had it, the heatwave had completely passed when I woke up in the morning. Once we had packed everything we needed-most of which was food and weapons-Storm helped us rent horses from the stables, and we were on our way. Clarity had come along with us to the forest because if any of us happened to get injured, she'd be close by to help out with what she had learned from her medical books.

We arrived at our target a few days later, and soon it was time to act.

Dressed completely in black so as to blend in with the night, Edeline, Lynden, Storm, Cameren, and I snuck out of the forest with our blades rustling softly at our sides. The sky was cloudy, and the moon was completely hidden-which would work in our favor.

We zigzagged past the overseers on the night watch and made our way further into the first farm. None of us could say for sure how long it would take to trap all of the overseers in the storage room we had chosen, but if it went quickly, we'd move on to the second farm and take out the overseers there too. If things went slowly, though, we'd have to stick with one farm per night.

"Alright," I whispered when we stopped outside the residence of the master overseer. "I'm still hoping we'll be able to talk things out." Standing there in the silence of the night, I looked to Storm.

Storm nodded, then pulled out a torch and quickly lit it. The flame blossomed quickly, and its fiery light cut through the night as it illuminated our faces. "Hey!" Storm yelled, waving his torch above his head. "Open up in the name of the queen!"

It didn't take long for a ring of overseers to circle around us. All of them had their swords drawn.

"Where's your head overseer?" Storm demanded as he looked around the circle. "We're here to tell him that he needs to let all of the slaves here go. Or else!"

The overseers circling us looked at each other before bursting out in a fit of guffaws.

"Or else what?" one of the overseers laughed unpleasantly. "You'll attack us?"

"So this is who that good-for-nothing queen sends," a deep voice sounded. We all turned to watch as the front doors of the master's house were pushed open. A man stood in the doorway, but he made no move to walk down the stairs and join us. He was smiling a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes as he stared down at us. "A couple of girls, a pair of teenagers, and a kid. Oh yes, I'm very afraid."

"I think there must be something wrong with your eyesight," Storm called up the steps. "What you're looking at here are five very capable people. So, are you going to let the slaves go?"

The head overseer burst into laughter. "Me? Let the slaves go? Ridiculous! Ever since the new king took over, I thought he would make things even better than before! He seemed to have plans for the slaves, but I lost all faith in that boy once he decided to take that slave girl as his bride. And now look what happened! Now they want to set the slaves free!"

"So?" Storm asked impatiently. "Are you going to do it or not?"

The head overseer's smile was more of a sneer at this point as he turned to make his way back inside. "Men, capture these idiots for me, will you? We can't have them running around, spewing their nonsense to the slaves."

As the circle of overseers drew tighter around us, one of them suddenly rushed forward with his arms extended, trying to grab Edeline. In a flash of movement, Edeline sidestepped him, sending him staggering backward into his companions.

At the commotion, the head overseer whirled around with shock painted over his features. "You-" he sputtered, pointing wildly at Edeline. "You dare fight back? Capture them! Capture all of them now! I want them alive!"

The overseers rushed in with a loud cry. I tightened my grip on my daggers. They were still in their sheaths as I raised them in front of me. All of us were going to be using sheathed weapons, especially Edeline and Lynden. We just needed to knock the overseers out. If we ended up killing or seriously injuring any of them, it would reflect badly on Chloe-Jane.

There was a crash of metal against metal as I threw my arms up to meet the first overseer's sword. In a swift movement, I kicked out at him with my wooden leg. As he stumbled backward, I leaped forward to strike him hard over the head with the hilt of my dagger, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Storm, Cameren, and I were doing a decent job fending off the overseers as they continued to make desperate grabs for us. Edeline and Lynden, on the other hand, were on a completely different level-the two of them were a whirlwind of darkness and metal as they knocked out overseers left, right, and center.

Soon there was a pile of overseers lying around our feet. All of them either unconscious or grumbling angrily under their breath as they clutched at their heads.

"You-" the head overseer stammered as he watched in horror from the top of the stairs. "Just who exactly are you people?"

In another flash, Edeline had leaped up to land behind the head overseer. "Don't move," Edeline warned him quietly as his hand hovered on the hilt of his sword. "You're about to join your friends in a moment."

The head overseer stared at Edeline. "You're a witch, aren't you!"

"Oh?" Edeline smiled wryly. "Incorrect. I'm no witch-I'm a vampire."

Even in the dark, I could see the color drain from the head overseer's face. Edeline just gave a glinting, fanged smile, then slammed her fist into the man's head.

"I'll go look for any other overseers hanging around the area," Lynden said before vanishing into the night in a rush of wind.

I frowned slightly as I glanced around at the bodies lying at our feet. "There's got to be at least forty of them here. The rest of them should be scattered around the farm, and Lynden should easily be able to pick them off one by one. And now . . . well, it looks like we'll have to take all of these bodies into the storage room ourselves."

I gingerly knelt down and grabbed the arms of one of the unconscious overseers. But with the weight of all his armor, all I could do was slowly drag him across the ground inch by inch. I dropped the man and staggered back, panting-this was not going to work.

"Here," Edeline said softly as she appeared at my side. She hosted up the overseer's body with ease. "Let me do this."

Meanwhile I could hear Storm and Cameren try their best to carry one of the bodies between the two of them. "One, two, three, lift!"

"The storage room is at least a ten-minute walk from here," I remarked as I rolled up my sleeves. "I think I got ahead of myself. I didn't account for how long we'd be dragging bodies around."

"What are you doing?" a voice asked mildly.

I turned to find that a group of slaves had appeared, lurking just outside the lights pouring from the windows of the overseers' residences. They were all watching us curiously as they surveyed the scene in front of them.

"We heard fighting," another slave spoke up quietly. "Is it true that the queen wants to set us free?"

"It's true," I said. "We're here in the name of the queen to make sure you get the freedom you deserve."

The slave eyed the unconscious overseers. "Are they dead?"

I shook my head. "They're just knocked out. We're going to transport them to the storage room and lock them in there until they decide to listen to Her Majesty's orders."

"That's a lot of bodies for four people to move. Would you care for some help?"

"Help?" I broke into a smile. "That would be wonderful."

With their help, it didn't take more than an hour to transport all of the overseers to the storage room. Before we put them inside, we confiscated all of their weapons, armor, and anything else they could potentially use to force their way out.

"Couldn't we have found a better place to lock them up?" Storm huffed as he helped me toss the last of the bodies into the large building. "They won't suffer a bit here! They've got food too!"

"What?" I gave him a sideways look. "Did you think we were going to cram them all into a cupboard? We're trying to keep them alive, remember?"

"Sunrise isn't too far off," Lynden informed us as we all backed out of the storage room. "We'll have to wait until tomorrow night to tackle the next farm."

I turned to the slaves. "You're free now. The queen has issued a proclamation, and if the overseers say otherwise, they're defying the queen herself. Right now in the forest, there's a number of former slaves like yourself hiding out. They'll happily welcome all of you if you want to join them. You're free now. You can do anything you want-go anywhere you please. I will say, though, that you might want to avoid the capital city, at least for now. The people there tend not to be very welcoming."

"Thank you." The freed slaves nodded in unison, and I smiled softly as I watched the hope rekindle in their eyes.

✦ ✦ ✦

The following night was just about the same as the first. We snuck into the residential area of the farm, and Storm used his torch to draw the attention of the overseers. I could have sworn that the head overseer on this farm was the same as the one from the night before from how he first laughed us off and then panicked when he realized we were serious. We made quick work of knocking out all of the overseers and then spent the rest of the night dragging them to the storage room.

The next day was upon us in no time, and I clutched my daggers tightly as we snuck into the third and final farm. This was the place I had been born in, suffered in, and finally escaped from. Now I was back to grant those who had suffered beside me a chance at a proper life.

We had to be especially careful this time; the overseers here probably knew what had happened to their neighboring farms by now and planned accordingly.

The residential area of the farm was eerily quiet as we crept up to the house of the head overseer. I shivered slightly as I passed one familiar location after another. None of these places incited good memories.

When we reached the house of the head overseer, Storm lifted his torch again. "Open the door!" Storm said loudly. "It's time for us to beat you up!"

The five of us continued to wait outside the house. We waited, and waited, and waited, but no one came out. None of the overseers had made an appearance either.

"Edeline," I said softly. "Do you sense anyone around?"

Edeline shook her head, frowning. "I can sense people around-hundreds of people. But with so many human presences, I can't distinguish between the slaves and overseers."

I felt my heart sink. "Hostages," I breathed.

"What?" Storm whirled to face me.

"Hostages," I repeated. "The overseers know what we've been doing. They're using the slaves against us."

"That's right," a sneering voice called from the shadows. I spun around and spotted an overseer standing between the buildings. His sword was pressed against the neck of an elderly man. The elderly man's eyes were wide and frightened, but the overseer had a smile on his face.

"What's the meaning of this?" Storm demanded angrily, even though panic had flashed across his face.

The overseer smirked. "So it's true. I heard that a group of strange people working for the queen would show up and try to take away our workers. How could I let that happen? It's a good thing we came up with a plan."

A line of overseers stepped out of the shadows behind the first, and all of them held either an elder or a child at blade point.

I just stared at them. The sinking feeling in my chest was so painful that it was difficult to breathe. But before I could think of anything to do, the night suddenly became alive with the sound of footsteps, and the bellowing of voices filled the air as a crowd of armored overseers charged out of the shadows behind us. The hostages had just been a distraction.

I quickly exchanged a glance with Edeline. Can you get them away from the overseers safely?

Edeline's nod was the slightest dip of her head before she sprung into the air.

I whirled around to face the mad rush of overseers, daggers in hand. The overseers were upon us instantly, swinging their swords wildly. As I dodged and ducked, my heart began to race.

There were so many of them. Metal crashed against metal, and my arms shook as I blocked a swipe at my head from one of the overseer's blades. Storm, Lynden, Cameren, and Edeline had vanished from sight, surrounded by a mass of overseers. As I kicked at another charging overseer, all I could do was hope that they were okay.

While I was trying my best not to fatally injure any of my attackers, the overseers had the intention to kill. I needed to draw my daggers from their sheaths. But now even if I wanted to, there was no opportunity to do so. My ears were ringing, and my veins were flowing with adrenaline. I was a whirlwind of steel. I was moving fast, but not fast enough.

I didn't see the blade coming at me before it was too late.

Just as the sword scraped my neck, a slender hand closed around my arm and pulled me into the sky. "Thank you," I managed to gasp out, "Ede-" But I broke off as I looked at my savior.

My eyes widened as her ginger hair blazed like fire in the flickering light of the surrounding torches. My savior wasn't Edeline. It was Phina.

Chapter Thirty-Two

I stared in horror at the scene playing out in front of me. Corinna was surrounded by a throng of overseers, and her movements were becoming slower and slower each time one of the overseers managed to nick her with his blade.

I was too far away, fighting off my own hoard of overseers. I had managed to force them to release their hostages, but as they ran at me all at once, I knew with rising panic that I wouldn't be able to reach Corinna in time.

Just as I opened my mouth with the words watch out on the tip of my tongue, a rush of flame flashed through the air and swept Corinna away. I blinked in shock as I watched the ginger-haired figure land outside the ring of fighting and set Corinna carefully on the ground.

Phina had returned.

I was sure that Corinna's expression was an exact mirror of my own as she stared at Phina. The ginger-haired vampire's face was impassive, and her eyes were blank as she turned back to the overseers. Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing as Phina sprung into the fray. She whirled among the overseers and tore into them with her bare hands.

"Monster!" the overseers shrieked when they realized what was happening to their companions. "It's a monster! Run!" The overseers standing around me shoved their hostages to the ground, dropped their swords in their panic, and scrambled away as fast as they could.

But Phina was too fast, and before the overseers could even make it past the buildings, they fell over one by one before they even had time to scream.

Storm, Lynden, and Cameren had frozen, with their mouths open in shock. Snapping out of my own frozen state, I hurried over to Corinna. "Are you okay?"

Corinna nodded in a daze as she clung to my arm. "I'm fine." She absently reached up to touch her neck where the overseer's sword had scraped her throat. Even though it was bleeding, it wasn't anything serious. "Phina . . . Phina saved me."

I turned back to watch the ginger-haired vampire flash through the fleeing overseers, spraying blood in her wake. "Phina!"

"Phina!" Lynden's alarmed voice cut through the night. "Stop! You're scaring them."

Phina halted, and her blood-red irises glowed through the darkness as she slowly turned to look at us over her shoulder. She was holding an overseer by the neck, who was whimpering feebly in her iron grasp. "Who?" she asked. Her voice was quiet.

"Them." Lynden gestured to the slaves, who were staring at Phina in horror. Some of them had their hands pressed over their mouths as they backed away from her. "Us," Lynden added quietly. "You're scaring us."

Storm had dropped to his knees, and his face was pale as he stared out over the sea of dead overseers, all of whom were splattered with and lying in pools of their own blood. Cameren knelt down to put a reassuring hand on the dark-haired boy's shoulder.

Corinna had gone pallid as well. I took her hand and twined my fingers through hers before looking over at Phina. "We said we weren't going to kill them. Now how do we explain this?"

"You didn't kill them," Phina said shortly. She tossed aside the overseer she was holding, and the overseer crawled away from the ginger-haired vampire, gasping for air. "I'm the one who killed them."

"Phina." Storm looked up at Phina as if he still couldn't believe who was standing in front of us. "You're back."

"I've been with you these last couple of weeks," Phina said softly. "No matter where I went, I'd always come back to you in the end. I planned to protect all of you from afar, but that changed when I had to make an appearance tonight."

Storm continued to stare at Phina. "If you've been watching us, didn't you know that we would have welcomed you back with open arms?"

"I did." Phina's hair was caked with blood as it waved in the cool night breeze. "I knew all of you would let me back in. But it was me who wasn't ready to face you. I know. What a pathetic queen of the vampires I am. Just pretend you never saw me here-"

"Wait!" Storm jumped to his feet. "Don't leave!"

Cameren's hand tightened on Storm's shoulder, but Storm shook him off as he sprinted toward Phina.

"What are you doing?" Phina took a panicked step back before throwing out a hand in a gesture signaling him to halt. Her eyes widened as she saw her hand and the blood that dripped off of it.

Storm reached Phina in seconds and threw his arms around her in a hug. Storm held Phina tightly. "Please come back with us. We miss you. None of us care if you're the queen of the vampires. You're our friend."

Phina had frozen; her eyes were large as she looked out at us from over Storm's shoulder. Her hands moved ever so slightly as she made to return the embrace, but she stopped when she seemed to remember that they were caked in blood. She let them fall limply to her sides instead. Phina smiled weakly. "Okay."

Storm finally drew away with an elated smile on his face. "The sun will rise soon. We should finish up here quickly."

I looked back at the bodies of the overseers as we made our way toward the forest. "I assume you don't just want to leave them here," I said to Corinna.

She nodded. "Tomorrow night I'll do my best to move them and bury them properly."

I gave her hand a squeeze. "I'll help you."

Corinna turned to address the slaves hiding in the shadows. "All of you are free now. Things weren't supposed to go this way, but now that they did, you have no more masters. We've got an entire camp set up in the forest, and all of you are welcome to stay there until you decide you want to find another safe place to go." Corinna exchanged a glance with me. "I'll show you the way."

After I watched Corinna walk over to the group and lead them in the direction of the forest, I made my way over to Phina and Storm. Lynden and Cameren had come over as well, and the former walked over to stand next to Phina.

"Come on," Lynden said quietly. "We should get you cleaned up."

"Oh." Phina looked down at her bloody clothes and splattered skin. "Right."

✦ ✦ ✦

Corinna, Cameren, and Storm slept for the entire day. It seemed like their exhaustion had finally caught up to them.

Lynden and I helped out around the campsite wherever we could while Phina, on the other hand, isolated herself somewhere far from the others. After the events of the previous night, she had determined that it would probably be best for her to stay out of sight.

Clarity seemed to be the least fazed out of all of us upon hearing the news of Phina's return. She just shrugged and said something along the lines of "since she wanted to come back, I guess she's back."

When night fell, Corinna found me, and we made our way back onto the farm to clean up the bodies.

"I didn't mean for any of them to die," Corinna said quietly as she dragged one of the bodies over to the grave we had dug. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel. Should I be glad that the overseers got what was coming to them? Or sad that we've just contributed to all the pain and death in this world?"

"Which one do you feel?" I asked as I laid another body in the grave.

"Both," Corinna answered softly.

"It isn't wrong to feel the way you do," a voice said. There was a flash of orange flame against the night as Phina appeared. "It's what it means to feel human. They wouldn't think twice about killing you. And yet you still mourn for them."

Corinna sighed as she turned to meet Phina's gaze. "No one should hold that much hatred in their heart. All I can do is be the better person. Once we stoop to their level, we're no better than they are."

Phina's voice was soft as she bent down to help carry another body into the grave. "You're a good person, Corinna."

I looked over at Phina. "Do you regret killing them?"

"No." Phina let out a humorless laugh. "Unlike the two of you, I'm not a good person. I'll admit it. Once, I fought on a bloodstained battlefield and lost everything there. Now that I finally have people I care about again-people I want to protect-I will do whatever it takes to make sure that no harm ever comes to them."

"I think you are a good person, Phina-" Corinna started, but Phina cut her off.

"Could we just leave it here for tonight, please?"

"Alright. If you don't want to talk, we won't pressure you."

"Thank you," Phina said quietly. "I know I owe you all an explanation, and I'll try my best to deliver one eventually. I just . . . can't. At least not right now."

"You don't need to tell us anything if you don't want to," I said as I wiped the dirt from my hands onto my trousers. "We're just really glad you're back."

"On the way back to the house in the capital city . . ." Phina dropped her gaze. "On the way back to the house, you should all keep an eye on me. If you don't, I think I might run away."

Corinna dragged another body over. "Okay, we'll keep an eye on you. But if you really want to leave, we won't stop you either."

Phina nodded, and the three of us transported the rest of the bodies in silence.

✦ ✦ ✦

A few weeks later, we all returned to the city house.

Even though we all tried our best to act as if nothing had changed, Phina was distant and quiet. The moment we returned to the house, Phina went straight to the cellar and had yet to come out. We left the ginger-haired vampire there in the hopes that she'd come out when she was ready to talk to us, but when she didn't emerge from the cellar after a week, we all started to worry.

"I think we should go check on her," Storm said uneasily as we all sat around the dining room table. "I get the feeling that she's just punishing herself by staying down there."

"Maybe she just wants some time alone," Clarity said shortly.

"Edeline," Storm said quietly. "You should go talk to her."

I blinked. "Me?"

Corinna put a hand on my arm. "Let's all go talk to her. Come on." Corinna led me to the trap door. Once everyone gathered around it, she crouched down to gently knock on the wood. "Phina, we're coming in."

Even though I could see inside with my enhanced vision, it was clear that the cellar was pitch black to the human eye; Corinna, Clarity, and Storm strained to see anything as they climbed down the ladder. Cameren had decided to stay in the dining room so we could talk things out between ourselves.

Phina was lying in the corner of the room. Her ginger hair spilled over the stones, but something about its usual flame was missing.

"Phina," Lynden said. His tone was uncharacteristically gentle.

Phina's voice was no louder than a whisper. "Don't come over here. I don't want to hurt any of you."

"You won't hurt us," Storm said confidently, still trying to pinpoint Phina's exact location in the cellar.

"Are you sure about that?" Phina slowly raised herself up into a sitting position. Her eyes were lifeless. "Have you forgotten who you're looking at? This is Karmen, the queen of the vampires."

"But what about Phina?" Corinna asked.

"There is no Phina." Phina stared blankly at the ground in front of her. "Phina is just a fragment of my imagination. She's the person I wished I could have been. Phina and Karmen-both of them are me . . . but at the same time, neither of them is who I truly am. I've lived for so many years that I no longer know who I am. I've long forgotten my name and everything I had once been."

I took a step forward. "Phina-"

"Don't come over here!" Phina repeated. A hint of panic crept into her voice as she backed up against the wall. "You should stay away from me. All of you. It's-it's for your own good."

Clarity looked down at Phina. "There's one thing I don't understand. You've been killing vampires. Why?"

"Vampires started out as a curse," Phina whispered. "The first progenitor started out as a human. He was vain, self-absorbed, and clever. A little bit too clever. He began experimenting with ancient, forgotten magic. He figured out a way to live forever, to survive off the blood of others while hiding in the shadows of the night. In his desperate craze to live forever-to stay eternally young and youthful-the first progenitor didn't hesitate to curse himself. He cursed his very blood. It didn't take him long to figure out that whoever drank his blood would be possessed with the same curse. At the time, what the first progenitor wanted was a group of beautiful girls to accompany him. And I was unfortunate enough to be one of those girls he had his sights set on.

"The night I killed the first progenitor was the night I truly opened my eyes to the world around me. What a wretched world we live in. Vampires and humans are one of the same kinds of cruel monsters-the only kind of creatures that hurts their own kin. The vampires needed to die first. Then the humans. I thought they both needed to die. Just a couple of weeks ago, I tracked down the last of the vampires and killed them." Phina slowly raised her gaze to Lynden and me. "We're the only ones left."

"You-you," Storm started, his face pale. "You wanted to wipe out the entire human population?"

Phina drew her knees to her chest. "I once had that thought. And I'm not proud of it. But I realized what it meant to hope for a better world, and how even though the steps one has to take to get there seem small, each one slowly makes it a better place, if only a little bit.

"At first, when I heard about the prophecy of the four queens, I thought it was foolish. Four queens would rise up to make the world a better place? Even though I couldn't bring myself to fully believe in the prophecy, it gave me a spark of hope. Maybe there really was a way the world could change for the better. I knew that Queen Edeline was hiding out in the forest, and when you began making your way toward the capital city, I decided to follow you. Maybe there really were four queens after all.

"When I found out that Chloe-Jane had become the queen of the kingdom, I knew for sure that the prophecy really was true after all and that my death would come about soon. I didn't care about dying-why would I want to continue living in this world? But I realized that if I wanted to change things, I'd have to do it fast."

"Have you really done all of the things that people have said you've done?" Storm asked wearily. "People have made you out to be either completely insane or a selfish and power-hungry monster."

"Who said I wasn't either of those things?" Phina let out a humorless laugh, and her shoulders shook a little too violently. "They call me a scheming, wicked old hag. A little girl unfit for being queen. They call me emotional. They say that I'm apathetic. They call me a coward who continues to run from death. Whatever I do, they'll take it and twist it! But it's true!" She was really laughing now, and it was a broken sound. "All of it!" Phina buried her head in her arms. "For a while there I just thought that I could try and fix this world before I died-that I could rid it of humans once and for all."

"What about all of those innocent people?" Storm asked. "Were you going to kill them too?"

Phina absently tugged on a strand of her hair before dropping her hands to wring them in her lap. "I thought that the innocents would be lucky to die before they could see how dark and ugly the world truly was. But my way of thinking was wrong. People don't deserve to die. They deserve a chance at life."

"What about us?" Lynden inclined his head in my direction. "What about me? Were you going to kill us too?"

"No," Phina whispered as she lifted her head. "I'm ashamed to admit that the thought crossed my mind, but all of you are my friends. I won't hurt you. You know what? Kill me now. I've done all I could. This world doesn't need any more vampires, especially not someone like me. All the ways I managed to kill aren't anything to be proud of."

"Phina," Corinna said softly, "when will you understand that we don't want to kill you? We just want to be here to support you. To help you."

Phina slowly raised her head further, and her blood-red irises glowed from behind her limp hair. "You really will just let me back like that even after knowing what I've done?"

Corinna extended a hand to the ginger-haired vampire. "Let's go upstairs. The wine cellar is a little dreary, don't you think?"

She stared at Corinna's hand before slowly reaching out. She let Corinna help her to her feet, and Corinna smiled as she led her toward the ladder. Phina quietly hissed at the faint light streaming down from the living room, but Corinna gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

I took Phina's other hand in my own. Her pale fingers were stiff and lifeless. "Together," I said quietly. "We're all in this together."

"Edeline." Phina's eyes were sad as she turned to look at me. "I'm the one who did this to you. You don't hate me for it?"

I let out a sigh. "I used to. I was always just so confused about what made the queen of the vampires choose to save me. But after I met Corinna, I found that I didn't care anymore. If anything, I should be thanking you for giving me the opportunity for the two of us to meet."

"What about you, Lynden?" Phina's voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you hate me? If you do, I wouldn't blame you in the slightest. From the time the two of us began traveling together, the thought of killing you eventually was always at the back of my mind. But I didn't want to. Just thinking about it would make me miserable. I'm so sorry, I-"

"If that's really what you wanted to do," Lynden said as he held Phina's gaze, "I wouldn't have minded. After all, you were the one who gave me this second chance at life. If you wanted to take it back, I would let you. If anything, I could have helped you, Phina. At the time, with my own resentment for the world, I wouldn't have given it a second thought."

Phina rapidly shook her head. "I couldn't let you do that. You were better than that. I'm sorry, Lynden. I'm sorry for everything."

"This entire time you were with us"-Clarity gestured to everyone in the cellar-"was everything you said and did just an act? Or were these your true feelings and emotions?"

Phina averted her gaze. "I've told you before. My friendship was genuine. It is genuine. I had so much fun with everyone, and that made me happy. That made me really happy."

Corinna and I wrapped our arms around Phina at the same time to pull her into a tight hug.

"You're our friend," Corinna said determinedly. "We're not changing our minds either."

Phina let out a weak laugh. "If only I deserved you all."

I smiled softly. "I think you do. No one deserves to navigate through life alone. And right now, you've got us."

"Thank you," Phina said again, this time with a little more confidence. "Thank you for restoring my faith that people can be kind. All of you."

✦ ✦ ✦

The next couple of days were considerably light and cheery. Even though the summer weather was stifling to the point where we all had to stay inside, none of it seemed to matter. Phina was back-granted, she was a little quieter than before, but that was fine. As long as she was smiling and having fun, I couldn't have asked for anything more.

It was sunset, and Storm, Phina, and Cameren were sitting outside on the back porch, laughing at a joke Corinna's brother had made.

Corinna walked up behind me as she observed the three outside. "It's nice to see everyone smiling again."

"It is, isn't it?" I smiled as Corinna rested her head on my shoulder.

"We're almost there, Edeline. Once Chloe-Jane has successfully gained the support of the public, then we'll have all the time in the world to travel someplace far away."

"Speaking of your sister, I think it's starting to get a little concerning how we've lost all contact with her."

A frown tugged at the corners of Corinna's lips. "As the head of the knights, Cameren has gone to the castle to check on her a couple of times, but Chloe sent him away each time. Clarity sent her a number of letters, too, to ask how she was doing, but Chloe hasn't replied to any of them either. Something tells me that even though she hasn't replied, she's read all of them. You know what? I'm going to write her a letter." Corinna walked over to the dining room table and pulled up a sheet of parchment and a quill. "She must know that everything went well with liberating the slaves from the farms. What's her next move going to be? As her sister, I hope she'd tell me."

I took a seat next to Corinna, watching her carefully write each letter. The ink soaked into the parchment in neat lines. "Lynden and Storm are heading out to the marketplace tomorrow. You could ask them to try and deliver it to the castle for you."

"Wonderful." Corinna kept her eyes glued to the page as she concentrated on the lines. "I'll do that."

When Corinna finished the letter, the two of us made our way outside to join Storm, Phina, and Cameren. Lynden had also gone outside at some point and was sitting a little distance away from the other three. Clarity was nowhere in sight, but I could sense her presence upstairs in her room. Knowing her, she was probably silently worrying about Chloe-Jane as well.

"Look!" Phina said excitedly as she waved Corinna and me over. "We can see the stars tonight!"

I looked up and watched the tiny lights peeking out from behind the clouds.

"It's been a while since I've seen the stars," Phina said as she hopped to her feet and clasped her hands behind her back. "Sometimes I'll be so focused on what's in front of me that I forget to appreciate the small things in life. Look-is that a shooting star?"

"Where, where?" Storm jumped up eagerly and pulled Cameren along with him.

Cameren laughed. "The stars look much brighter when we all look at them together."

Corinna smiled. "They really do."

✦ ✦ ✦

All of us stayed at the house in the city for the night, and the following morning, Lynden and Storm took off for the marketplace. Cameren had gone out as well, and it was only Corinna, Phina, Clarity, and me in the house.

We were sitting on the living room couch, playing a game of cards when suddenly Phina and I froze. The two of us looked at each other. People. There were people outside-a lot of them.

"What is it?" Corinna asked, her smile fading as she took note of our worried expressions.

Phina slowly set her cards down. "There's a lot of people coming this way. Should we go out and check what's happening?"

"I'll go." Corinna tightened her grip on the dagger at her side as she rose to her feet. "If it's the neighbors and they've found out that Clarity is still here, we might have a problem."

"I should check instead." I rose to my feet as well. "If it really is the neighbors, they won't take your presence well either."

"You can't go outside," Corinna said worriedly. "It's the middle of the day. A hot summer day, at that."

Phina looked back and forth between us. "Maybe we should just stay inside-maybe they aren't even coming to our house." But just as the words left her mouth, there was a knock on the door.

"Open the door," a familiar voice called.

Corinna's eyes widened in surprise. Chloe-Jane? she mouthed.

"Did she decide to come back?" Phina blinked. "But then who did she bring with her? Does she really need that many guards to protect her from the townspeople?"

"I'll get the door." Corinna made to walk over, but I caught her hand.

"Something's wrong," I whispered.

Corinna froze as she seemed to notice what I had. The sound of footsteps had surrounded our house.

Clarity swiftly made her way to answer the door, but Corinna called out in panic. "Clarity! Wait!"

Clarity blinked in surprise, and her hand stilled on the doorknob as she turned back to us. She opened her mouth, but just before the words could escape her lips, there was an explosion of wood as the door was blasted apart.

Chapter Thirty-Three

I instinctively threw out my arms to shield my face from the splinters of wood flying in every direction. Everything happened so fast, and it took me a moment to realize that Phina had leaped to the other side of the room. She had pushed Clarity out of the way a split second before the explosion and was now shielding her with her body.

I slowly lowered my arms and blinked at the sudden light flooding into the house from the street outside. Chloe-Jane stood in the doorway. She wore an elegant dress, and her hair was pulled back from her face.

"That's her." Chloe-Jane pointed at Phina, who was lying on the ground next to Clarity, with bits of dust and wood caught in her ginger hair. "That's Queen Karmen."

"Chloe," I said as confusion and panic filled my voice, "what are you doing?"

Chloe-Jane turned to look at me as a number of knights charged into the house through the broken doorway. "I need to do this for the kingdom, Corinna."

The knights yanked the curtains from the windows. The living room was flooded with light, and Phina hissed as her skin immediately started to flake. After pushing Clarity away from her, Phina staggered to her feet, temporarily blinded by the intensity of the light.

"There's another one!" one of the knights yelled as his gaze fell on Edeline. "Capture her!"

"Wait!" I stepped in front of Edeline and held her hands tightly behind me. "Stop! What's going on?"

The knights had surrounded us in an instant and roughly dragged me away from Edeline. I slammed the sheath of my dagger into a knight's stomach. He staggered backward, winded from the blow, but two others lunged forward to take his place. They made a grab for me, and I ducked under their outstretched arms.

"Corinna!" Edeline cried out as she stepped forward with her blade in hand. But suddenly, there was a clatter as the dagger fell from her hands and hit the floor. I whirled around, and my eyes widened to find that a number of the knights had pulled out torches. They were now brandishing the flames at Edeline. Edeline instinctively threw her hands up. Her skin began to flake as she backed away from the flames only to be caught by the knights behind her.

"Edeline!" I lunged forward as the knights snapped chains onto Edeline's wrists. But before I could reach her, two sets of hands pulled me back. Just as I raised my dagger, I felt the cool metal of a blade press against my throat. I froze.

"Drop your weapon," the knight commanded. "We have explosives. Fighting is futile."

I slowly raised my hands in surrender and let my dagger drop onto the floor.

"Everyone freeze," Chloe-Jane called out.

"Did you know these two were vampires?" the knight holding me demanded. My eyes were glued to his blade, and my heart pounded away in my chest.

"Yes," I choked out.

"No," Chloe-Jane interrupted. "They did not know that they were sheltering vampires. Queen Karmen is dangerous. How many people has she tricked and deceived in the past? Getting a couple of humans to believe her lies would be easy. Besides, she killed the king with her own two hands."

"Chloe-Jane!" Clarity had shakily risen to her feet, and now her eyes blazed. "What do you think you're doing?"

Chloe-Jane turned to face her. "If I'm not mistaken, aren't there supposed to be more of you here?"

"No," Clarity said shortly. "We're the only ones here."

Chloe-Jane just frowned before turning back to address Phina and Edeline. "Vampires, the two of you are coming back to the castle with me. Your crimes can only be compensated with your life."

"Chloe, you're going to kill them?" My voice broke as I looked at my sister in betrayal. "Edeline didn't-"

"Silence," Chloe-Jane said. "You can't escape, vampires. We've got the entire house surrounded by knights with torches. And if either of you even thinks of fighting your way out, we'll hurt the girl first."

I was so shocked I had almost forgotten about the knight behind me with his sword against my neck.

"Stop it!" Edeline called in a panic. "We'll go with you! Just leave them alone! Please!"

Chloe-Jane turned on her heel. "The execution of Queen Karmen and the other vampire will be held in public in two weeks' time. I hope all of you will be there to witness it."

"Chloe!" Clarity had thrown herself at my sister's feet. "Let them go, I'm begging you!"

Chloe-Jane stared down at Clarity for a long moment before ignoring her words and continuing out the door.

I was stunned into silence as the knights forcefully dragged Edeline and Phina outside. Before I knew what was happening, I was released, and the knight who held me turned to follow the others out the door. My head spun as I dropped to my knees. Chloe-Jane . . . Why? The pain deep inside of me was unbearable-it was like my very heart was fracturing, and if I didn't do anything quickly to stop it, it would shatter. I still wasn't sure which was tearing at me more: the fact that Edeline and Phina were going to be publicly executed or that Chloe-Jane was the one who ordered it.

"Are you alright?" Clarity was at my side in an instant.

I lifted a shaky hand to my neck, and my own blood warmed my fingers. "We've got to go after them-"

"We can't!" Clarity grabbed my arm as I tried to rise to my feet. "Did you see how many knights there were? We should wait for Cameren and the others to return first."

"Cameren and the others," I said suddenly. "We need to get out of here! Chloe-Jane knows of Lynden's existence. If she has knights stay here and watch the house, they'll try to capture him as well!"

"We can't go to the house in the forest," Clarity interjected quickly. "Chloe-Jane's been there before."

"Where can we go?" I grasped my sister's hands in my own. Hopelessness was beginning to sink in. "Edeline and Phina have been taken to the castle! They're-they're going to kill them, Clarity!" Clarity gently patted my hands, and suddenly I realized that my nails were digging into her skin. I hastily released her and stared unseeingly at the shattered doorway.

"I never thought Chloe-Jane would resort to something like this." Clarity's expression darkened. "Even though the death of the queen of the vampires is something that would very likely unite the people of the kingdom, it just seems unfair. And why does she have to rope in Edeline too? Did Andreus predict that all of this was going to happen?"

"Andreus!" I jumped to my feet. "Andreus! Clarity, you're brilliant! If there's anyone who can help us right now, it's Andreus!"

"Wait!" Clarity grabbed my hand before I could hurry out the door. "Cameren's still out there. So are Storm and Lynden. How do we tell them to stay away from the house? How do we tell them that we've gone to see Andreus?"

"I'll leave a note at the stable since the two of them will be stopping there first. We've got to hurry, though-we've got a long journey ahead of us. We need to be fast if we want to make it to Andreus's place and back before the execution."

Wasting no time, Clarity threw everything we needed into a single bag while I swiftly dropped off the note and rented us a horse. After regrouping at the house, we were ready to set off.

I grasped the reins tightly in my hands as Clarity hopped up onto the horse behind me. "Hold on!" With a flick of my wrists, I spurred our horse into motion, and we were off.

The wind rushed through my hair, and the sun beat down on my face from high above. Edeline was being taken to the castle right now. Two weeks. I had two weeks to get her out of there.

I wouldn't give up.

Clasping my necklace in one hand and the reins in the other, I goaded our horse into a faster gallop.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Corinna, we've got to stop for the night."

My eyes were glued to the road in front of us. "We can't stop now."

Day had slowly melted into night, and the stars glittered in the summer sky above us. We had long left the capital city. Grassy fields rolled out in all directions, and the houses and buildings of the passing villages were mere specs against the horizon. But even at this rate, we had days to go before we arrived at our destination.

"Corinna!" Clarity said again, raising her voice over the rushing of the wind. "We need to stop! What's going to happen if we wear our horse out? If we lose the horse, there's no way we'll make it in either direction in time!"

She was right.

Clenching the reins in my hands, I brought our horse to a stop. "We'll walk, then."

Clarity let out a tired sigh. "It doesn't seem like the knights followed us out of the capital city. We should be okay keeping to the main road for now."

"I'm sorry." My voice dropped to a whisper as I slid off the horse and gently patted its neck. "I don't think I'm thinking straight right now."

The horse stared at me with its big eyes.

I began my walk along the dirt path. "Come on, we've still got a long way to go."

We walked in silence while dancing fireflies illuminated the silver-stained fields.

I finally spoke up. "Is Edeline really going to die?" My mind was a mess of scattered thoughts. "Is Phina really going to die? The prophecy said that the four queens were destined to die before the end of the century. Will their deaths really bring peace and unity to the kingdom? It's not fair-even if Edeline helped break the king out of the castle, she wasn't the one who killed him! What about the fourth queen? Why hasn't she shown up yet? Isn't there something she can do?"

"The fourth queen?" Clarity let out a rare laugh. "That's you, isn't it?"

I was completely caught off guard. "Me?"

"Am I wrong?" Clarity asked lightly.

My eyes widened. "It must be because of that wedding. Oh, that's right! Edeline and I were so caught up in all the planning that it completely slipped our minds to tell anyone. It wasn't very formal either."

"Even if it wasn't formal, it seems like since you married a queen, you have become the fourth queen, Corinna."

I shook my head in disbelief. "The four queens were together all of this time? Did Andreus know this the entire time? Is that why he told everyone about the prophecy?"

Clarity stared up at the sky. "You'll have to ask him when we see him."

"I knew Edeline and I didn't have much time to begin with-the two of us being the way we are-but I was hopeful. I was hopeful that we could make it work. I wanted to make it work."

"You've always been the lucky one, Corinna." Clarity turned to look at me. "I think you still can. When I was back at Andreus's place, Mother, Cameren, and I found some interesting things."

"What do you mean?"

"I wouldn't want to get your hopes up on the pretense of something that might be completely useless. I'll tell you when we get there."

I knew better than to get my hopes up, but if Clarity thought that there might be a way, at least it gave me something to cling to.

Suddenly, the sound of hooves pounding the ground echoed through the otherwise silent night.

"Quick!" I grabbed Clarity by the arm. "We need to find somewhere to hide!"

Clarity squinted into the darkness. "Relax, I doubt whoever's coming is after us."

I slowly let go of Clarity's arm. I really wasn't in my right mind.

As the hoofbeats grew closer, I could count two horses. And over the clopping, someone was yelling something.

"Hey!" a familiar voice was shouting. "Corinna! Clarity!"

"Storm?" I spun around to watch the dark-haired boy hop off the horse he was sharing with Cameren. He ran over to us, waving his hands wildly in the air. Lynden was atop a second horse close behind.

"We caught up with you!" Storm said proudly as he skidded to a stop in front of us. "We got your note!" Then his expression turned serious. "What happened? Where are Phina and Edeline? Why was the city house missing a door?"

"It was Chloe-Jane," Clarity said grimly. "She came to the house with a bunch of knights. They all had torches that they used to threaten Phina and Edeline. Long story short, they've been taken to the castle and will be executed in public in two weeks' time."

Storm's jaw dropped. "What?"

"I know," I said quickly. "We thought they'd go after Lynden next, but it seems like the three of you were careful enough to get out of the capital city safely."

Cameren's eyes were troubled. "When we saw the knights, we knew something had happened. We were careful to sneak past them."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to ward off the headache slowly gnawing at my brain. "There's no way we're breaking into the castle again. I didn't know who to turn to, and then Clarity mentioned Andreus."

"My uncle is the best," Storm said confidently, despite his worried expression. "He must have a way to save them. I know he will. Oh, there's a small village about a couple of miles down the road from here. We can rest there for the night, and you can fill us in on the way."

I nodded, and we all continued on our way. As much as I wanted to run as fast as I could toward the mountains, tiredness was beginning to cloud my mind. Rest was important.

✦ ✦ ✦

The next day, we set off from the village before sunrise, and our horses kicked up puffs of dirt in their wake. My eyes stung as the winds tore into them, but I refused to slow. More and more time was slipping away from us. The sky gradually lightened as it melted from inky midnight to a clear and brilliant blue.

Another day passed. We reached the base of the mountain the following evening, then started the tedious trek up its rocky path. Everything seemed different this time as I looked out at the fields and buildings, which grew smaller and smaller as we ascended. Our last trip up the mountain had been at winter's peak, and at that time, the world was covered in snow and the skies were masked in gray clouds. Now everything was green, and colorful flowers dotted color to the extensive landscape.

As our horses walked in single file along some of the narrower parts of the trail, I found myself gazing out at the capital city in the distance. The castle was outlined against the horizon, with its turrets and towers shooting up from the ground. Edeline and Phina were somewhere in the castle. Chloe-Jane was somewhere there too.

I wasn't sure when exactly I had fallen asleep or how much time had passed, but I awoke to Clarity's voice. "Corinna, we've arrived."

My eyes snapped open, and I nearly tumbled off our horse. I dazedly took in the house on the peak of the mountain. It had taken us five long days, but we made it.

I nearly laughed with joy as my stiff legs hit the ground.

"Come on"-Storm grabbed me by the hand-"let's go see my uncle!"

The two of us sprinted into the house, leaving Clarity, Cameren, and Lynden to take care of the horses.

We ran through the house and down the staircase. I staggered multiple times as my wooden leg impaired my movements. The large cavern beyond was illuminated by hundreds of glowing lanterns, exactly how I remembered it.

"Hello, Corinna, Storm," Andreus said mildly as he looked down at us with his large golden eyes.

"Uncle!" Storm called excitedly. He skidded across the stones before throwing himself at Andreus with open arms.

"Storm." Andreus's chuckle rumbled through the chamber. "You have gotten thinner."

Storm looked up at his uncle. "Phina and Edeline are in trouble-please, Uncle, we need to help them!"

Andreus blinked. "Aren't the two of them still in the capital city? Why did you come all the way to me?"

I dropped to my knees. "I don't know what to do. Chloe-Jane's got them locked up who knows where in the castle. They're going to be publicly executed in eight days."

"If you think that I can break them out of the castle," Andreus started slowly, "I think you are mistaken."

"Are you saying that you can't help them?" Lynden questioned in disbelief as he appeared at the bottom of the stairs with Clarity and Cameren.

"No, no." Andreus shook his head. "I never said that I could not help them, dear boy. I just said that I cannot break them out of the castle."

My head snapped up hopefully. "So you can help them?"

"What is it that you would like me to do?"

"I-" I started, but I realized that I was at a loss for words. What had I thought Andreus could do? "I don't know."

Clarity took a step forward. "What about that book Cameren and I found while we were looking through your collection of items?"

"Book?" Andreus blinked. "Which book? I have many books."

"Wait here," Clarity called to me over her shoulder before sprinting off. "I'll be right back!"

All I could do was nod my head.

"I'm going to go check on Mother," Cameren spoke up. "I think she'll be overjoyed to see that all of you are back." He turned and left a moment later, leaving Storm, Lynden, and I alone with the dragon.

"There's one thing I'm curious about," I said. "Did you know from the start that I was going to be the fourth queen?"

"Did I know you were going to be the fourth queen?" Andreus repeated my question thoughtfully. "No, I did not. I knew that there was a possibility that you could become the fourth queen. But it might not have been you."

Before I could open my mouth to ask a follow-up question, Storm interrupted. "You're a queen? Is it because you married Edeline without telling the rest of us?"

I dipped my head in a nod. "Yes. It slipped our minds. There were more important things to think about at the time, and we didn't want to distract anyone."

Clarity reappeared a moment later, clutching a thick book tightly in her arms. "I found it!"

"Oh," Andreus said lightly as Clarity set it down in front of the dragon. "So this was the book you were talking about."

"This-" Storm's eyes grew large as he hopped over to the book. "Uncle, how did you get your hands on this?"

"What is it?" I asked quickly.

"It's a book about the magic of the ancients-it's a book of forgotten magic."

I stared at the book. My mind was completely empty. It certainly didn't look very special; its cover was battered from age, and its pages were yellow and curling. "I don't get it-how will a book of old magic help us stop Chloe-Jane from executing Edeline and Phina? I don't know a lot about how magic works, but I really doubt we can just magic them to safety."

"Think about it." Clarity pointed at the book for emphasis. "When Phina was talking about how the first progenitor cursed himself with a long-forgotten magic in his craze to stay young and live forever, I suddenly remembered that Andreus himself had a book of ancient magic. If the first progenitor used magic to curse himself, can't we use magic to reverse it? While Phina did kill the king, Edeline doesn't have that same crime on her head. If we can just turn them back into humans, maybe it could buy them both some more time for us to try to reason with Chloe."

My eyes widened. "You're right! But how would we do it?"

"I might know of a way." Andreus gingerly extended a long claw and flipped open the cover of the old book. "Whether it will work, though, is a different question entirely."

"Please"-I bowed my head to the dragon-"if you have any way to save them, I'm willing to do everything I can."

Andreus loomed over us as he flipped through the pages and squinted down at the words. "First of all, we will need a vampire to actually turn back into a human."

Storm, Clarity, and I all turned to Lynden.

"Would you be willing to test it out?" I asked breathlessly. "Would you be willing to turn back into a human?"

Lynden nodded. "It's not like I have anything to lose. If it doesn't work and I end up dying, at least I can accompany Phina."

"You won't die," Storm said confidently. "My uncle is the best. He won't let you die."

Andreus let out a sigh that seemed to echo through the stone chamber. "Alas, I won't be the one performing the magic. Only humans can reverse the curse, as it was created by a human in the first place."

"What?" Storm looked at the dragon, taken aback.

I rose to my feet without hesitation. "I'll do it."

"Me too." Clarity walked over to stand next to me.

"And me," Storm added. "Actually, what exactly is it that we're doing?"

"All you need to do"-Andreus tapped at the ancient book with a claw-"is just repeat after me to say some words from the language of the ancients. I will provide the magic energy needed, and you will shape it."

"Just like that?" I blinked. "It's that simple?"

"Not exactly." Andreus gave us a regretful smile. "Using this kind of magic can take years off of your life."

"What?" Lynden's head snapped up. "If that's the case, don't do it."

I shook my head. "If there's a chance that we can turn you and the others back into humans, I'm willing to take it." Then I turned to Lynden. "Do you want to be human again?"

Lynden was silent for a moment before he said quietly, "I'd rather die a human than a vampire."

I turned back to Andreus. "That settles it, then. What do I have to do?"

Clarity took one of my hands in her own. "We'll do it together."

"Me too." Storm hurried over to join the two of us in front of the book. "If the magic really has to take years off our lives, this way we can distribute those years between us."

Andreus sighed. "As much as I want to talk you out of doing this, it seems like all of you have got your minds set on it. Storm is right, with all of you performing the magic together, it will only take about a year from each of you instead of three from Corinna."

Edeline was going to be okay. In exchange for her life, this was a small price. A generous deal.

"When do we want to start?" Andreus asked lightly.

"Now," I answered.

Chapter Thirty-Four

"I'm so sorry, Edeline," Phina said tearfully. "This is all my fault."

"What are you apologizing for?" I asked softly. "No one could have predicted that Chloe-Jane would barge in with the knights the way she did."

Phina buried her face in her hands, and her hair hid her eyes behind a curtain of flame. "If I had just stayed away, you wouldn't have been brought here with me."

I sighed. "Don't worry about it. I was one of the people who convinced you to come back."

"No." Phina shook her head. "This really is my fault. I sent Chloe-Jane an anonymous letter. I was the one who gave her the idea to unite the kingdom over my death. By eradicating the monster who killed their king, the people would rally behind Chloe-Jane, and she'd finally have enough of their respect to rule the kingdom and change it for the better. I was going to let myself get captured by her too. On my own. But when you and the others asked me to come back . . . I was selfish and went back with you."

I sat with my back pressed against the stone wall of the cell. "At least Lynden was lucky enough not to get captured alongside the two of us."

The room itself was fairly large, with a row of bars cutting through the middle of the space, separating us on either side. The back wall had a barred window, high enough on the wall that I could see the moon hanging in the summer sky. At night our cell was illuminated by the moon, but in the day the sunlight poured through the bars. If I sat directly beneath the window, I could avoid the light. But right now, in the middle of the night, I could sit against the wall opposite the window and watch the stars.

"Did you want to come back with us?" I turned to look at Phina through the bars.

Phina hugged her knees to her chest. "I did. When you all asked me to come back, there was nothing more I wanted in the world than to do just that. All I wanted to do was return-to be Phina again. But it seems like in the end, I can't escape my fate. I can't escape from myself. Queen Karmen was a creation of my own. It's about time the queen died. But you, Edeline . . . I didn't mean to drag you into any of this. I didn't mean to drag any of you into this."

"Can I ask you something?" I asked quietly.

Phina raised her head and looked at me with wide eyes. "Of course."

I leaned my head against the wall, and my inky hair spilled over the floor around me. "Why did you turn me into a vampire?"

"Your mother was actually one of the queens I had my eye on for some time." Phina's eyes met mine. "The reason I found you so easily was because I was already watching the castle. Your mother was a brilliant woman, Edeline. I really thought she was going to be one of the four. But then . . ." she trailed off, closing her eyes as if the memories were coming back to her all at once. "I turned you because what happened that night was horrible. By the time I arrived at the castle, it was too late, and all I could do was offer you a chance to avenge your parents. It didn't occur to me until you disappeared that you were a queen as well."

"What about Lynden?" I asked mildly.

"I think I saw myself in you," Phina said softly. "Lynden too. I wanted to give the two of you a second chance at living-a chance at taking your revenge. Believe it or not, the two of you were the only people I ever turned into vampires."

"You aren't the only vampire the first progenitor turned, is that right? It's said that you killed the others."

"It's true-I did kill them. But it was out of pity. All of us were traumatized by what we were forced to go through. I remember it, Edeline. I remember all of it. How could I ever forget? You see, the first progenitor wanted us to become vampires so we could accompany him for eternity. He tricked the girls at the manor into drinking his blood. A number of the girls died from the agony of the transformation. Their bodies couldn't take it-their minds couldn't take it. The blood killed them. You know as well as I do that a vampire's blood will cause tremendous suffering during the transformation. If one doesn't have the will to fight the pain, death is certain."

"So you fought through the transformation to kill him?"

Phina turned to look out at the night sky. "You could say that. He took me away to his manor on the day I was supposed to get married. He murdered the young man I was going to wed. At first, I wanted to die and join my lover in death. But the first progenitor wouldn't let me. He threatened me with the lives of my family. Being the first progenitor, he wasn't just someone I could easily kill. I don't think he even thought that any of us were even capable of killing him. But he underestimated us. He underestimated me.

"After his death, we were finally free. All of the remaining girls went their separate ways. It didn't take them long to start going crazy, though, as they slowly began to realize what the curse of their immortality truly meant. Some of them came to me, begging for death. But after they all died, I was now the most powerful vampire alive. With that power, I decided I would use it to ensure that the vampires now roaming the northern continent would never do the same thing the first progenitor did.

"It was many years later when I heard about the prophecy of the four queens for the first time. It sounded too good to be true, but I started to look for these four queens anyway. Now that all four queens have finally appeared, everything is finally coming to a close. I just didn't think things would end this way. I'm sorry, Edeline."

I blinked. "All four queens? Besides Chloe-Jane, you, and me, who else have we met?"

Phina's smile was soft. "It's Corinna, isn't it?"

I stared at her as it suddenly dawned on me.

Phina's eyes were wistful as she clasped her hands together behind her back. "You and Corinna are very lucky to have each other. Sometimes I wish someone would look at me again the same way you look at Corinna. That I could look at someone that way again. It's been so many years now."

"What about Lynden?"

"What about him?" Phina's eyes grew sad. "He was my friend for so many years, and yet I continued hiding my identity from him. With my lack of honesty, I'll be lucky if he ever finds it in his heart to trust me again. He loved me once, you know. I don't know about now. All I did was lie to him. But now I can't even see him one last time to say goodbye."

The two of us fell silent.

"So what happens now?" Phina's voice was no more than a whisper. "I'm willing to stay here and accept my fate, but for you to die alongside me . . . it isn't fair."

"I'm just worried about Corinna." I reached up to touch my necklace and feel the smooth crystals between my fingers. "Knowing her, she's probably got some plan to sneak in and break the two of us out of here. But going anywhere near the castle is dangerous. This time, she's up against her own sister. And her sister knows her a lot better than the previous king. I-I want to see her again. I knew the two of us wouldn't have much time together from the start, but I still chose to stay. We both did. I don't blame Chloe-Jane, though. After all, she just wants to help this kingdom and its people."

A voice sounded from behind the closed door of the cell. "I hear that you're talking about me."

I glanced up as Chloe-Jane stepped inside. I had sensed her coming and was sure that Phina had as well.

I sighed. "Hello, Chloe-Jane. What are you doing visiting us at this time of night?"

"Where are your guards?" Phina asked, scanning the hallway behind the young queen.

"They're outside," Chloe-Jane said stiffly. Her skirts swished around her legs as she took another step forward.

"Are you sure you really want to get this close?" I questioned. "Neither Phina nor I am chained up. You aren't worried that we'll attack you?"

"You've left the door open too," Phina pointed out. "You don't think we'll try and escape?"

"You won't try to escape." Chloe-Jane looked back and forth between Phina and me. "If you wanted to escape, you would have done so already. I don't want you to die," Chloe-Jane said quietly as her gaze lingered on me. "If you die, Corinna will be sad. But I need to do this for her. She can't be with a vampire."

"She can't?" I rested my chin on my hand as I looked up at Chloe-Jane. "Isn't she already?"

"Vampires and humans can't be together forever." Chloe-Jane's voice was sad. "When the vampire outlives the human, what happens then? Humans can't stay young and youthful forever like the vampires. I know my sister wants to stay with you. And as her sister, I can't let her become a vampire."

I blinked. "Who said she was going to become a vampire?"

"Isn't that the only way the two of you can stay together?" Chloe-Jane asked hopelessly.

I shook my head, and the faintest trace of a smile tugged on my lips. "I was ready to die alongside her when the time came."

"I need to rid the world of vampires." Chloe-Jane stared at Phina and me as if she were fighting some kind of internal battle. "Everyone in the kingdom now knows that King Volin was killed by Karmen, the queen of the vampires. They've come to believe that the king was trying to change this kingdom for the better. They're angry at Queen Karmen and want to see her dead. The only way I can get the people to truly respect me is if I hold a public execution for the queen."

Phina rose to her feet, walked to the bars of her cell, and wrapped her slender fingers around them. "If my death is what this kingdom needs to unify its people under you, I'm willing to die. I don't care about my death. Who will be there to mourn me? But please, Chloe, I'm begging you. Spare Edeline for Corinna's sake."

Chloe-Jane shook her head vigorously. "I-I don't have a choice! You two are the only known vampires left. I have to show the people that I'm taking this chance to purge the world of evil once and for all. This kingdom doesn't need vampires; its people need safety, and this is how I can begin giving it to them. Once the kingdom is united behind me, I can start fixing the mess that all the previous kings have left it in."

"Chloe-Jane," I said quietly, looking up at her in a disheartened sort of way. "Why? Why does it have to be this way?"

"Why?" Chloe-Jane's expression was torn. "Why did my sister have to fall in love with you?"

"What happens after I'm gone? Will you make sure your sister lives her life to the fullest? Will you make sure she continues to live?"

Chloe-Jane dipped her head. "I will do my best."

We all fell silent.

"That's all," Chloe-Jane finally said. "I'll take my leave. The two of you will be burned in front of the castle for all to see on our set date."

"Corinna always believed that you would be a good queen," I said softly. "And I do too. I think you will be a wonderful queen. I have a feeling that the people of this kingdom will rally around you with the proper incentive. I just wish things didn't have to be this way."

Chloe-Jane's voice was quiet as she turned and made her way out of the cell. "Me too."

✦ ✦ ✦

I wasn't sure how much time had passed before we heard the metallic scraping sound of a knight unlocking the door to our cell. Even with a clear day and night cycle, everything had started to blur together.

"You're supposed to change into these," he said quickly as he tossed a bundle of white cloth at my feet. "Both of you."

"What's this?" I asked as I picked at the fabric. But the knight had scurried away, and the cell door slammed shut. I sighed before I carefully unfolded the bundle of fabric to find two plain dresses. "It looks like we're supposed to wear these on the day we're to be executed." I passed one of the dresses to Phina through the bars.

Phina just took the garment silently and absently ran her fingers over the fabric. "I'm worried," the ginger-haired vampire whispered. "I'm worried about Corinna and Lynden and Clarity and Storm and the others. I don't want them to try and do anything crazy in an attempt to rescue us. I'm half expecting them to show up at our cell any moment."

I made quick work of changing into the white dress. "It's better if they don't show up. The last thing I want is for any of them to witness us getting burned at the stake. It would be too painful for them to watch." The feeling in my chest was a painful emptiness. There were still so many places I wanted to visit with Corinna. We still had yet to journey to the southern continent to see the land where her parents had been born. We still had yet to journey to the far east, to the eastern kingdoms and where my home had once been.

Phina hugged the white dress to her chest. "You're right. It is better this way. At least the last time we were all together-Lynden, Storm, Corinna, and the others-we were happy."

I brushed back my length of inky black hair-a stark contrast to the white dress. "Happiness is fleeting. Sometimes I find myself wishing it could last forever, but nothing's forever in this world."

Phina gazed up at the night sky outside the barred window. "It's sad, isn't it? Life feels so short once you're at the end of it."

"Life is short. And that's what makes it precious. We've just been lucky enough-or cursed enough-to have lived multiple lifetimes."

Phina looked at her hands. "It's just a shame that when you finally meet the person you wanted to spend it with, everything has to come to an end."

I smiled softly. "Even if my time with Corinna was short, it's better than not having met her at all."

"If you knew things were going to end this way, would you do it again?"

"Yes." I didn't even have to think about my answer. "Yes, I would."

Chapter Thirty-Five

Clarity, Storm, and I sat on the stone floor of the chamber in a circle. The three of us tightly grasped each other's hands. As we recited after Andreus, I began to feel my skin prickle as if something other than blood was flowing through my veins.

My blood was slowly heating, and I gritted my teeth as the stabbing sensation started. Andreus's words came rushing back to me as I felt Clarity's and Storm's grip tighten-they were in just as much pain as I was. Magic may seem like an easy solution-an easy way out, Andreus's words of caution echoed through my memory. But in reality, it is quite the opposite. Magic will continue to take and take and take. It will continue to consume the wielder until there is nothing left. If you are not careful, that might well be your fate.

But I trusted Andreus. I trusted Clarity and Storm. If only I could get Edeline out of the castle-if only we could spend one more day together-it would be enough. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of light, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

My entire body was on fire. The pain was never-ending. Would I be stuck this way for eternity? Forever burning, forever blinded by the light. But just then, I felt Clarity's nails dig into my hand from a different time, a different place. I wasn't alone.

When the light finally cleared, a tiny orb of light no bigger than my thumbnail sat on top of Andreus's ancient book. Storm, Clarity, and I slowly let go of each other's hands, completely shaken. If this had just been reversing the curse, I wondered what kind of magic the first progenitor had used to curse himself in the first place. How had he not died before becoming an immortal? How many years of his own life had he consumed?

Cameren had returned to the chamber with Mother at some point, and the two of them had the same wide-eyed expression on their faces. Mother rushed over to my side, dumbstruck as she looked at Clarity and me. I shook my head tiredly. My skin was still prickling.

We all watched silently as Andreus gingerly tapped the tiny orb with his claw and it split in half. The dragon tapped it again and the pieces split for a second time.

"Here." Andreus held out his hand and offered one of the four shards to Lynden. "I think you are supposed to ingest it."

Lynden gingerly took one of the glowing pieces. "Well, I guess I shouldn't waste any time." And with that said, he swallowed the bit of light.

"Well?" Andreus asked mildly. "How do you feel?"

"How do I feel?" Lynden blinked as he furrowed his brow. "Fine-" But before he could finish his sentence, he suddenly froze. His eyes rolled in their sockets, and he collapsed to the floor.

"Lynden!" Clarity, Storm, and I cried in unison as we hurried over to him.

Lynden had stilled completely except for the wild movement of his eyes behind their closed lids.

"Was this supposed to happen?" Mother asked faintly. The blood had drained from her face as she looked up at Andreus.

Andreus curiously looked down at Lynden. "Maybe. I have never turned a vampire into a human before. All I can do is try."

"He'll wake up, right?" Storm asked in a panic as he stared up at Andreus as well.

"Whether he wakes up or not is entirely up to him." Andreus lowered his magnificent head, and the gold flecking his green scales glowed in the light from the hundreds of hanging cavern lanterns. "How about all of you take him upstairs? It might be many days until he wakes, and I doubt the lot of you would want to wait here in my little cave."

"Days?" I blinked hopelessly. "That long?"

Andreus sighed as he offered me a soft smile. "Magic is an interesting thing. It has a mind of its own, and all we can do is be patient with it."

✦ ✦ ✦

Clarity, Storm, and I sat next to each other as we silently watched Lynden's unconscious figure. We had moved the brown-haired vampire to one of the bedrooms in the upper story and had barely left his side since.

Mother and Cameren came in about every hour or so to check on us. When they would come in, I'd quietly talk with Mother while Cameren would pull Storm off to the side of the room and try his best to lighten the mood with a game of cards. Clarity would remain silent, preferring to gaze absently at the wall than engage with the rest of us. At first Mother and Cameren were completely shocked to hear that Storm, Clarity, and I had used magic. But after I did my best to explain the situation, they calmed down a bit.

At least a day had passed already, and the stars glittered in the night sky outside the opened window. The warm summer breeze floated through the room, sending dust spiraling through the air.

"He'll wake up, right?" Storm asked worriedly for probably the hundredth time. "I don't think he's breathing."

"You're worrying too much," Clarity said. Even though her tone maintained its usual sharpness, there was now a tiredness mixed in with it. "He wasn't breathing to begin with, remember?"

I stared down at Lynden's unconscious figure. The vampire looked peaceful despite the whirling of his eyes behind their lids. "Was it a mistake to come here?"

"It's not a mistake to try." Clarity rose from her seat and made her way over to the window. "Even if things don't work out, I think it's better this way."

I looked at the back of my sister's head. "What do you mean?"

Clarity continued to stare out at the night sky. "What I mean is that this way, we won't have to witness Edeline and Phina's execution."

"Stop it." Storm's voice shook. "Edeline and Phina aren't going to die. I believe in my uncle. Lynden will wake up soon. We just have to wait a little longer." At this point, I wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more: himself or us. Either way, I took a deep breath to calm myself-breaking down now wouldn't help anything.

The three of us stayed awake the entire night, and by noon the next day, I could feel the tiredness beginning to creep up on me. Both Cameren and Mother had tried to convince us to rest, but the three of us were far too anxious to rest even if we wanted to.

"Hey!" Storm's voice cut through the clouds in my head. "Lynden's eyes stopped moving!"

The fog instantly cleared from my mind as I focused on Lynden's face. Storm was right; his eyes had finally stopped whirling, and he had gone completely still.

Clarity quickly took one of Lynden's hands in her own and flipped his palm up so she could check for a pulse. Her eyes widened, and Storm and I looked at her expectantly.

"Well?" I asked breathlessly.

"He has a heartbeat." Clarity shook her head in disbelief. "It's very faint, but it's there."

"It really worked," I breathed.

Clarity nodded. But then her eyes widened, and her expression turned worried.

"What is it now?"

Clarity frowned. "It's fading-we need to wake him up now!"

All I could do was watch with a sinking feeling as Clarity grabbed Lynden's shoulders in an attempt to shake him awake. Lynden's head just lolled back and forth like that of a ragdoll.

"Wake up!" Storm shouted desperately.

"Idiot," Clarity snapped, the blood draining from her face. "If our voices could wake him up, he would have awoken days ago!"

"I have an idea!" Storm jumped to his feet and sprinted out the door. He returned a moment later with a bucket of water. "Here!" he said, then dumped the water onto Lynden's head.

Clarity and I looked on, dumbfounded as Lynden coughed and sat bolt upright. "What?" he sputtered. He gasped for air as he brushed his soaking hair out of his eyes. "What was that?"

The first thing I noticed was that Lynden's iris had changed from blood red to a warm brown. His fangs had vanished as if they had never been there in the first place.

"It worked!" Storm dropped the empty bucket onto the bedroom floor in relief. "It actually worked! My uncle was right! He always told me the first thing to do if you needed to wake someone up was yell at them, and if that didn't work, then the second thing is to try dumping a bucket of ice water on their head. Well, we don't have ice right now since it's summer, but it seems like regular water works just as well! But if that doesn't work-"

"And what's the third thing your uncle told you to do?" Lynden coughed again. "Breath fire in their face? Actually, don't tell me. I'd rather not know."

I stared at Lynden. "How do you feel?"

"Terrible," Lynden admitted as he shook his head. "The entire process of reverting back to a human was very unpleasant, to say the least. Now it feels like all of my senses have been numbed. I haven't felt this weak in a very long time. But this is what it's like to be human."

"What did I tell you?" Storm grinned from ear to ear. "My uncle is the best!"

"Yes, yes." Clarity clapped Storm on the back, but there was relief in her eyes too. "How could we forget? You've told us many times."

Lynden shivered. "I can feel the cold. Everything feels so cold."

"Cold?" Storm blinked. "I think we should probably get you a change of clothes."

Lynden gave Storm an exasperated look but nodded all the same.

Clarity and I made our way downstairs first to tell the others the good news. We hurried down the stone staircase into the heart of the mountain, and our footsteps echoed as we emerged into Andreus's chamber.

"It worked!" I panted as I skidded to a stop in front of the dragon. "Did you know we could do it this entire time?"

Andreus smiled. "I do not know anything for sure. Just because I am both old and a dragon does not by any means mean that I am all-knowing. And alas, as predictable as the results are, at the end of the day, they are still predictions. It was the strong will of the three of you that resulted in your success."

"Will I be able to turn Edeline and Phina back into humans as well?"

Andreus tilted his head thoughtfully. "You have just about four days left until their execution, correct? If you leave now, you might be able to make it."

"Corinna!" Clarity grabbed my arm as I made to dash back up the stairs. "Even if you make it to the capital city in time, how are you going to get inside the castle? Sneaking in through the servant's entrance like you did last time will take too long, and you'll get caught long before you even find where Phina and Edeline are being held!"

"I'll think of another way, then," I said quickly as I tried to shake off my sister.

"Oh, wait a moment." Andreus looked at me. His golden eyes were like glass as they reflected the lantern light. "I think you are forgetting something."

The dragon extended a clawed hand to me, from which hung a little pouch. "Right!" I carefully took the pouch from Andreus and glanced inside at its contents. "I need the remaining shards."

"Good luck, Corinna." Andreus gave me a soft smile. "I wish you safe travels."

I clutched the pouch of light close to my chest as I bowed to the dragon. "Thank you. Thank you for everything!"

And with that, Clarity and I turned and sprinted back up the stone steps. When we emerged through the doorway to the mountain house, I was surprised to find that Lynden was sitting alone at the dining room table. Mother and Cameren were standing off to the side, preparing supplies for our trip back to the capital.

Lynden was gazing out the open window, staring dazedly at the blue sky outside. I could only imagine what it would be like to finally see the sky for the first time in years.

"Where's Storm?" Clarity asked as she surveyed the room. Her question was answered a moment later as Storm shot out of the kitchen with a bowl of porridge in his hands. The dark-haired boy placed it in front of Lynden before pulling up a chair beside him.

"You need energy," Storm told Lynden. "You haven't eaten solid food in decades. No wonder why you're so weak."

Lynden just sighed as he picked up the wooden spoon and took a bite. A moment later, he clapped a hand over his mouth as if he were about to be sick.

"What?" Storm sprung to his feet in a panic. "Is it really that bad? I'm sorry! I-"

"No." Lynden swallowed. "It's because I haven't eaten anything solid in at least a decade that my body isn't used to it."

"So it's alright, then?" Storm asked timidly.

To all our surprise, Lynden smiled. "It's the best thing I've ever tasted."

✦ ✦ ✦

After we finished packing for the journey, we immediately set off down the mountain. Since we only had three horses, Storm had opted to stay behind to help Mother monitor Lynden's recovery. As much as Lynden wanted to join us on our ride back to the capital city, he was in no such state to do so. Clarity and Cameren accompanied me back to the capital instead.

With the wind in my hair and the sun in my face, I squinted against the light of the horizon. We were running out of time. I urged my horse to run faster as I gazed out at the land expanding before me. Villages and towns dotted the grassy plains, and the capital city rose up in the distance. It looked so small from up here-the castle, the buildings, the forests, everything. In fact, it was small enough for me to hold in the palms of my hands. But when I reached out to take hold of them, the only thing my fingers grasped was air.

For the next few days, we kept moving. When we weren't riding our horses, the three of us were walking. Sleep-if any-was brief.

We were going to make it.

I wouldn't accept the alternative.

✦ ✦ ✦

After what felt like years of flying down the road, we finally reached the entrance of the capital city. The townsfolk we passed on the way to the castle seemed very alarmed by three youths charging down the streets on horseback, but I couldn't bring myself to dwell on it.

The sky was dark by the time we reached the castle gates and the moon shone brightly in the inky sky.

I dismounted my horse and nearly stumbled as my stiff legs refused to support my weight. The world swayed, and I blinked rapidly as the castle in front of me drifted in and out of focus. Clarity and Cameren were instantly at my side to steady me.

The three of us sprinted over to the gates, waving wildly to attract the attention of the guards. The knights on guard spotted us quickly and exchanged a look. "What are you doing at the castle?" one of them inquired. His voice was muffled by his helmet.

"I'm here to see my sister, Queen Chloe-Jane," I announced. My voice was much stronger than I felt. All I could do now was hope that Chloe-Jane would let me see Edeline.

"Are you Corinna?" the second knight spoke up. Even though he was wearing a helmet, I could feel his gaze go to my wooden leg.

"I am."

"The queen's been expecting you." The knight pushed open the gates. "Please follow us."

After exchanging a glance with Clarity and Cameren, I took a step through the castle's gates and into the garden beyond.

Just as my siblings made to follow me inside, the knights stepped forward and blocked them with their swords. "The two of you can wait outside," the first knight said.

"We're Chloe-Jane's family too!" Clarity said angrily as she eyed the silvery light glinting off the blades.

"The queen made it very clear that only her sister Corinna is allowed inside," the second knight explained tiredly. "Please don't cause us any trouble and wait outside the gates."

I sighed, turning back to Clarity and Cameren as the former opened her mouth. "It's okay-I can take it from here."

Clarity and Cameren looked at each other but conceded.

"This way." The guards waved me in, and with one final glance over my shoulder, I followed them into the castle.

Even though I had been in this garden before, things were so eerily different during the night. It was almost peaceful-but maybe that was just because I wasn't being chased this time.

The guards led me through the front doors and through the silent halls. I followed after them, with my wooden leg clunking quietly over the polished marble floors. I took a deep breath to calm myself. My head felt foggy and my body was lethargic. I hadn't slept properly in days and it was beginning to take a toll on me. But I couldn't stop now. Not when I was so close.

"Corinna," a voice said. My vision blurred as I squinted through the dimly lit halls.

My eyes finally focused on my sister. "Chloe-Jane."

"I'll take you to see them." Chloe-Jane's voice was quiet. "I knew you'd come."

"Please." My voice broke; my throat was hoarse. "I want to see Edeline."

Chloe-Jane turned away from me. "I'll take you to her on one condition. You can see her just as long as you don't try and break her out of the cell."

"I understand." I nodded, and my heart rate steadily increased as my fingers tightened around the small pouch under the fabric of my cloak. "I don't think I'd be able to break them out even if I tried."

"Follow me." Chloe-Jane started down the hall. "You'll have until sunrise. At sunrise, both of the vampires will be taken to the town square to be burned."

"Sunrise?" I echoed as my head snapped up to the windows. The sky was already slowly beginning to lighten. "Please, Chloe, could we go faster?"

Chloe-Jane nodded once, and the two of us took off at a sprint.

I followed my sister down a flight of stairs and into a section of the castle I had never visited before. It seemed to be another type of cell block, but unlike the one Edeline and I had been locked in, this one was lined with large, barred windows. The sky continued to brighten outside them, and the stars slowly but steadily faded from the inky backdrop.

"Here." Chloe-Jane stopped in front of a metal door and quickly unlocked it with a silver key. "You'll have to be fast."

I rushed into the stone room beyond. The room was fairly large, with a barred window that took up most of the upper part of the back wall. Metal bars separated the room in half, and I looked down to find Edeline sitting on the floor. Her head already snapped to me the moment I stumbled into the cell.

"Corinna!"

Chapter Thirty-Six

"Edeline!"

I sprung to my feet as Corinna called my name. The two of us rushed toward each other and met halfway in a tight embrace. I buried my face in her shoulder, not trusting myself to speak.

Corinna held me tightly as she twined her fingers through my hair. "I'm here."

"The knights will be here soon," Chloe-Jane said from the doorway. "You have until then to say your goodbyes." With that said, she quietly closed the cell door, leaving her sister alone inside with Phina and me.

"Corinna, I-"

"I don't have much time to explain." Corinna lowered her voice as she glanced over at Phina, who was still sitting on her side of the room, separated from us by a wall of bars. The ginger-haired vampire was watching us with wide eyes, but she slowly rose to her feet and made her way over to the bars to listen to what Corinna had to say. "We went to see Andreus. That's why I took so long."

Andreus? Phina mouthed.

"He knows how to turn vampires back into humans. Here-" Corinna hastily pulled out a pouch from under her cloak before shaking off the heavy garment completely. "If you take these, you'll revert back into your human state!" She took out two shards of light from the pouch and pressed one in my hand, then held out the second one to Phina. "If you turn back into humans, maybe we'll be able to convince Chloe-Jane not to take your lives!"

"Does it really work?" Phina whispered as she stared at the little bit of light in Corinna's outstretched hand. Ever so carefully, she reached through the bars and took the shard from her. She raised it up to the light and examined it as she held it between her thumb and forefinger.

"It does," Corinna said breathlessly. "Lynden took one, and he successfully transformed back into a human."

"Does that mean"-I whirled to face Corinna with large eyes-"we could be humans together? Live together as humans until we grow old?"

"Yes!" Corinna laughed as she grasped my hands in her own. "We could spend the rest of our lives together. We could travel the world and grow old."

Would the little shard of light in my hand really bring me back to life? It sounded too good to be true.

"Quick"-Corinna turned back to Phina-"you should take them quickly. Sunrise is almost upon us, and the knights will be here any moment to take you both away!"

"Wait." Phina held out the shard of light to Corinna. "You should have this back."

Corinna blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I have no reason to turn back into a human." Phina let out a humorless laugh as she turned to look up at the rapidly lightening sky. "I'm about to die anyway. There's a crowd out there waiting for me. I can't just disappoint them like this, can I?"

"You're really willing to die when you have the means to keep living in your very hands?" I asked softly.

Phina dropped her gaze. "I've lived for too long already. Besides, without the death of Queen Karmen, the people won't feel satisfied. They'll call Chloe-Jane a liar, and she'll lose all of the trust and respect that she managed to build up. This is the only way the people will unite together under her. They'll have avenged their dead king, and the last of the vampires will be gone from this world for good. It will be easy to say that you were wrongly accused of being a vampire, Edeline. They can brush that part off as a simple mistake, but not for Karmen. I've dreamed of a better world, and with Chloe-Jane in complete power, she can make it happen."

"Are you sure?" Corinna held back her tears. "Please think about it carefully. You could live out the rest of your years as a human."

Phina just smiled sadly as she reached back through the bars and pressed her little shard of light into Corinna's hands. "Where's Lynden and Storm? You don't know how happy I am to hear that Lynden has become a human again."

Corinna stared at the shard Phina had returned to her. "The two of them are still at Andreus's place. After his transformation, Lynden wasn't in any state to make the journey back to the capital city."

"What about Clarity and the rest of your family?" Phina asked softly. Her dress and hair waved gently in the breeze from the window.

"Clarity and Cameren came with me to the castle," Corinna said as she held onto Phina's hand through the bars. "The guards wouldn't let them in, though."

"So they're all safe," Phina said in relief, even though the sadness in her eyes deepened. "That's all I could have ever wished for." Suddenly, she froze. "The knights are coming."

"Quick!" Corinna turned to me with panic clear on her face. "Take the pill quickly! Here"-she took Phina's shard and a third from her pouch and pressed them into my hands as well. "Lynden's transformation wasn't instantaneous-it took a few days for him to fully turn back into a human. I don't know what will happen after you take it."

As the sky continued to lighten, I dropped to my knees to hide from the sunlight slowly spilling into the room. Corinna dropped to the ground in front of me as I popped all three of the shards of light into my mouth and swallowed. Nothing happened.

"Well?" she asked, and the desperation in her voice increased. The sound of armored footsteps grew louder and louder outside as the knights flooded into the cell block outside.

Instead of answering, I took Corinna's face in my hands and leaned forward to gently brush my lips against hers. It was a thank you. And a goodbye. "I love you," I breathed.

Even if the shards of light could really turn me back into a human, with its delayed reaction, by the time I fully reverted back into a human, it would be too late. We were both too late. This is where it ends.

A single tear spilled down the side of Corinna's face as the cell door was thrown open with a bang. I could hear the knights' voices, but they were muffled as if I was somewhere deep underwater.

Suddenly Corinna stilled, and her eyes fluttered close as she collapsed to the stone floor. She was unconscious.

"Corinna!" I cried as I knelt beside her, clasping her hand tightly in my own. "Corinna!" But before I could wrap my head around what had just happened, a strange burning sensation flooded through me, and I froze.

"Edeline!" I could hear Phina calling my name from somewhere far away as the world turned sideways. My head hit the stones with a thud, and everything went black.

✦ ✦ ✦

"Edeline."

I blinked as the world slowly came into focus around me, and the stars glittered above as a soft wind kissed my face. I winced as I sat up, and my head spun as I climbed to my feet.

It didn't take me long to realize that I was standing on the balcony of the castle I had grown up in. I remembered this night clearly. But when I looked around for my parents' bodies, I only found empty space. There wasn't a single drop of blood to be seen on the stones of the balcony.

It took me a few moments to realize that I wasn't wearing the dress I had worn that night either. I was still dressed in white-the color of absence and mourning and death.

What happened? Am I dead?

"Edeline," the voice said again. I slowly turned around, and my eyes widened as I saw the figure standing in front of the railings.

"Mother!" I dropped to my knees as my strength failed me. "What are you doing here?"

Father appeared too, seemingly out of thin air. "We're here for you, Edeline," he said, smiling softly. "Is it time for us to be together again? We've all been waiting for you."

"You've been waiting for me," I echoed, and my vision blurred with tears. I had been waiting too. I had waited so long for the day I'd finally be reunited with my family.

"Everyone's here." Mother smiled at me, and the long fabric of her gown fluttered in the breeze. "Your uncle, the young knights, everyone."

"I-" I looked up at Mother and Father. The light from the moon gave them an ethereal glow.

A voice sounded from behind me. "Edeline."

I turned to find Corinna standing there. She was smiling as she extended a hand to me, and her eyes sparkled warmly.

Corinna, I mouthed.

Behind her, a hooded figure materialized. I knew this person-knew the blood-red eyes shining from the shadows of her hood. It was Karmen, the queen of the vampires. But just as I tensed, the figure lifted her delicate hands and removed her hood.

"Phina." I looked up at the ginger-haired vampire. Phina just smiled. But there was something wistful behind her eyes as her own white dress glowed silver.

"Don't forget about us!" another voice echoed as Storm appeared next to Phina, with Lynden, Clarity, and Cameren in tow. "We're here too!"

I let out a laugh. It was a sound choked with tears, but I was smiling.

"Edeline," Corinna said again. Her hand was still outstretched.

I looked back over my shoulder at my parents, who were smiling softly. "The choice is yours to make." Mother's voice drifted to me on the wind. "We'll continue to wait for you."

"Thank you," I whispered. I took a deep breath and turned back to my friends. I looked up at all of their smiling faces, and slowly but surely, I reached out a shaky hand. My fingers closed around Corinna's. As she pulled me to my feet, the world turned sideways, and I squeezed my eyes shut as everything vanished in a blinding flash of light.

My eyes flew open a moment later.

Breathing. I was breathing.

I slowly sat up as I surveyed my surroundings. I was lying on a large bed in an unfamiliar room. A large window made up most of the back wall of the room. Sunlight poured in through the glass, and the blue sky outside was streaked with clouds. Judging from the fact that I couldn't see the ground outside from the bed, this room must have been very high up.

But the day . . . it was day, and I could finally see the sky in all of its brilliance.

I just stared for a while as my heart beat steadily in my chest. It took me a few minutes to realize that something like a pillow had been pressed over all of my senses. My sense of smell had dulled, and my hearing and eyesight were significantly less sharp. But I found that I didn't care a single bit. I was alive again. I was human.

Suddenly, there was movement, and I looked down to find Corinna lying on the blankets next to me with her eyes closed.

"Corinna." I gently shook her shoulders. "Corinna."

"Edeline!" Corinna's eyes fluttered open as she looked up at me, then she slowly sat up and clutched her head. "What happened?" She looked around the room with the same confusion that I had previously felt. "Where are we?"

"It worked, Corinna!" My vision blurred with tears of joy as I threw my arms around her. "The magic-it worked!"

Corinna let out a breath of relief as she hugged me tightly. "I almost can't believe it," she whispered, overwhelmed with emotion. When she finally drew away, she put her hands on my shoulders to look at me properly. "Your eyes are no longer red! They're brown! And your ears-they're human ears now too!" Then she frowned slightly as if she had just remembered something. "The last thing I remember was passing out in the cell. What happened after that?"

"I'm not sure myself-I passed out shortly after you did. I wonder how long we've been out. And what happened to-"

"Phina!" Corinna and I said in unison as we stared at each other.

"I see that the two of you are finally awake." The door to our room swung open as Clarity swept inside. Her white skirts swished around her legs.

"Clarity!" Corinna jumped to her feet and wobbled on her wooden leg. "How long have we been unconscious? What happened to Phina? Are we in the castle? Where's Chloe-Jane and Cameren?"

"Which question would you like me to answer first?" Clarity sighed. Her voice lacked the usual sharpness.

Corinna and I exchanged a glance.

"Is Phina . . . ?" I trailed off.

Clarity just shook her head, and I fell silent. "The two of you have been unconscious for about three days," Clarity said shortly. "According to Chloe-Jane, when she entered the cell, the two of you were both lying on the floor. I think she thought the both of you had decided to commit suicide and panicked. Chloe-Jane ran out to the castle gates herself to find Cameren and me. The three of us are in the castle right now, and Cameren is currently comforting Chloe in one of the other rooms. We suspect that Lynden and Storm will show up any day now with Mother as well."

"You should go talk to Chloe-Jane," I said softly as I looked at Corinna. "I can only imagine how worried she is. I think she'll be overjoyed to see that you're awake."

Corinna nodded. "Let's go together."

I made to stand up, but the moment my feet touched the floor, I found that they were unable to support my weight. I fell to my knees. All of my strength had vanished, and it would certainly take some time to get used to.

"Edeline!" Corinna dropped down instantly to help me to my feet.

"I really am a regular human now." I laughed as Corinna guided me to the door, then we followed Clarity down the long halls of the castle. "Tell me"-my voice grew serious-"what did it take to create the pill that transformed me back into a human?"

Corinna exhaled. "Clarity, Storm, and I did it together. Andreus claimed that the cost of the magic was a few years off our lives." I opened my mouth, but Corinna cut me off. "Before you say that I shouldn't have done it, I want you to know that I don't regret it. I know I can't speak for Clarity and Storm, but I don't think they have any regrets either."

I looked at Clarity in surprise. "You did it too?"

Corinna's sister just nodded her head without turning around. A moment later, she stopped in front of a door. She pushed it open and stood aside to let us pass.

Chloe-Jane was sitting in a chair, with her hair undone and her face hidden in her hands. Cameren was kneeling next to her as he gently patted her on the back. Both of them turned as Corinna and I entered the room.

"Corinna!" Chloe-Jane shrieked. She jumped to her feet and ran at her sister before throwing her arms around her in a tight hug.

"Chloe-Jane!" Corinna exclaimed in surprise. She wrapped her arms around her sister, returning the embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Corinna." Chloe-Jane's eyes were red and swollen as she sobbed. "I just wanted to do the right thing," she gushed out. "I didn't think you would-I-"

"Slow down, slow down." Corinna smiled faintly as she stroked her sister's hair. "I'm alive and well now, aren't I? I thought Clarity and Cameren explained what happened to me."

Chloe-Jane just squeezed her sister tighter. "They did, but the moment I saw you and Edeline lying there on the floor of the cell side by side . . . I suddenly realized if there really was no magic, you'd be dead. I use to take the Immortal One's words as the only truth, but I don't care about any of that anymore. I stopped caring when I thought that my sister had died because of me. I'm so sorry Corinna. I'm just so happy that you're alive!"

Corinna smiled. "Well, Edeline is no longer a vampire. Does that mean you'll finally approve of the two of us?"

"If it means you'll keep on living"-Chloe-Jane nodded her head vigorously-"I will."

"Thank you, Chloe."

"Thank you," I echoed quietly as I looked at the young queen. "I mean it."

Chloe-Jane finally drew away and wiped her eyes with a sleeve. "So what happens now?"

"A lot of things happen now." Corinna looked around at all of us. "You're the queen of the kingdom, and the former kings left you quite a big mess to clean up."

Chloe-Jane let out a weak laugh. "You're right. I've got my work cut out for me."

As the two of them talked, I walked over to the large windows lining the room and pressed a hand to the glass. I glanced out at the front of the castle, and if I looked carefully, I could still see the dark scorch marks on the stones. And if I looked even closer, I could have sworn that there was still ash drifting through the air, spiraling lazily on the summer breeze.

The feeling I got from the ash wasn't one of sadness, though. Instead I felt peace. A sad smile tugged at my lips as I dropped my gaze from the window and made my way back over to Corinna.

"We should definitely start with helping the newly freed slaves settle down and find places to live," Corinna continued with a knowing smile. "They need jobs with good pay. Oh, speaking of jobs, you've got quite a few jobless overseers to take care of. But don't worry too much-we're all here to help you."

"We do have a lot of work to do." Chloe-Jane was smiling now too.

Corinna and I exchanged a glance, and we smiled. The worst was over. Now we had a new challenge ahead of us. But this one we'd all face together. All of us.

"When do we start?" Chloe-Jane looked around at everyone in the room.

Corinna's eyes sparkled. "Now."

Epilogue

The ocean was a wondrous thing-shimmering water in all directions with nothing but the clear blue sky above us.

I closed my eyes as I rested my arms against the wooden railing of the ship. I relished the salt-tinged breeze as it kissed my face and sent my hair flying. Two years-or maybe it was three years now-we had been away from our kingdom, and now it was about time to return home.

"Corinna!" There was laughter in Edeline's voice as she came up beside me and joined me at the railing. Her smile was as radiant as ever, and I quickly found myself smiling as well. "I can see land!"

"Land? Already?"

Edeline's inky hair swished around her collarbone, and her necklace glittered in the sunlight as she handed me a spyglass. "Here-if you look that way, you'll see the port town in the distance."

I held the spyglass up to my eye and followed Edeline's finger. She was right: there were buildings in the distance. Buildings and ships and land.

"It feels like just yesterday and yet also an entire lifetime ago since we left the capital city." I shook my head in awe as I passed the spyglass back to Edeline. "I'm curious to see how everyone's doing. That's right-Storm's an adult now, isn't he? Chloe-Jane's almost one too!"

With Chloe-Jane in power, the northern continent's relations and overall views of the southern continent had improved drastically. Mother, Cameren, and Clarity now lived in the castle with Chloe-Jane. Cameren had found someone to take over the position of captain of the guards and was now an ordinary castle knight. Clarity was always at Chloe-Jane's side as the young queen's advisor. When my older sister wasn't advising the young queen, she would spend her time studying medicine. But ever since Phina's passing, something about Clarity had changed: my sister's sharpness had vanished and was replaced with a sad wistfulness.

"We should be there by nightfall," Edeline said as she wrapped an arm around me. "How do we want to make our entrance this time?"

I leaned into her embrace. "Since we've got some unfinished business to take care of in the port town, we probably shouldn't do things the flashy way."

Edeline laughed, and her deep brown eyes sparked. Suddenly, there was a chirping sound, followed by the flapping of wings as a colorful bird dove down from the sky. Edeline held out an arm, and the bird landed on top of it before ruffling its feathered wings.

Edeline extended her arm to me. I carefully slipped off the note tied to the bird's foot, then read the letter. "Everything's ready. All we need to do is show up."

We needed to make one stop before the castle. But we'd see everyone very soon.

✦ ✦ ✦

The sky was flecked with stars by the time we pulled up at the docks. Edeline and I hopped off of our ship, and our daggers jingled softly beneath our coats. The two of us set off through the port town. And to my surprise, it was not nearly as unpleasant as it was the last time we had visited. Even though the buildings were still relatively rundown, all of the filth that I remembered had vanished.

Finally, Edeline and I came upon a tavern in the middle of the town, and we exchanged a glance before pushing the door open. This was the place.

The tavern was almost completely empty save for a man with wild brown hair in the corner of the room. He was sitting across a table from a teenage girl. I locked eyes with the elderly bartender across the room and silently motioned for him to leave. The bartender didn't need to question me before he scurried from the tavern.

"Is this him?" I called across the room.

The medicine girl turned to look at me as she slowly nodded her head. "It's been a few months, but I finally found him as you instructed."

"Found me?" the man demanded as he narrowed his deep blue eyes suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"You are a wanted man," Edeline said silkily. "You're coming with us."

"I'm not going anywhere!" The man sprung to his feet and squinted at the two of us through the dim light. As he seemed to get a better look at Edeline and me, his face paled. "Pirates!"

I almost laughed at that. "Pirates?"

"You-you-" The man slowly took a step backward as his eyes fell on my wooden leg. "You're Corinna!"

"I wouldn't call myself a pirate." I kept my voice cool. "But I am Corinna."

"Then you-" The man turned to Edeline, pointing a shaking finger at her. "You're Edeline! So what do I owe the honor of meeting the two most feared and respected pirates of the seas?"

Edeline rolled her eyes. "We're not pirates. We're the ones who defend the seas from pirates."

"You've met us before." I smiled at the man, and he flinched backward. "And at that time, you hoped that we would die after you sold us out. If we were dead, we wouldn't be able to come and find you like we are now."

"I met you?" The man was in a full-out panic now. "I don't remember ever meeting either of you pirates!"

Edeline casually weighed one of her daggers in a hand. "It was some years back. The two of us came to you with our friend Storm the Dragonhearted, asking you for information."

"You were the knights that good-for-nothing boy brought with him?" The information dealer's eyes widened in remembrance. "Spare me!" he shrieked and dropped to the floor as I pulled out one of my daggers. "I wouldn't have offended the two of you if I knew who you were back then! I didn't-"

"You didn't what?" Edeline knelt down in front of the cowering man. The information dealer lifted his chin slightly to look up at her, and when he saw the glinting dagger in her hand, he rapidly bowed his head to the floor. "You're to blame for the captain's wooden leg. If you hadn't tipped off the king, we wouldn't have had to flee for our lives the way we did."

"It's your fault for breaking into the castle in the first place!"

"Oh?" Edeline's eyes flashed. "So this is our fault now?"

"No!" the man said quickly, and his voice was high from fright. "It's all my fault! My fault!"

"What happened to you?" Edeline scoffed as she stood back up. "The last time we saw you, you were quite intimidating. Now, you either come with us yourself, or we do this the hard way."

"I'll follow you," the man said as he shakily rose to his feet. "I'll follow you."

But just as he staggered over to me, there was a flash of metal as he drew his sword and lunged toward me with an angry cry.

I dodged the swinging sword with ease before kicking the man's sword hand with my wooden leg. The blade clattered to the floor, and the man hissed, clutching his hand in pain.

I kicked his sword aside. "I'll ask you again. Shall we do this the easy way, or the hard way? You've done a lot of illegal things. The queen has put out a warrant for your arrest, and we're just here to claim the reward money."

The information dealer just glared as Edeline tied his hands behind his back with a length of rope. "You're lucky your queen is kind," she remarked as she dragged the man toward the door. "Be happy that all you're getting is a long sentence in the dungeons."

When the man was fully apprehended, the medicine girl walked over to me. "It's been a while, Captain," she said.

I smiled down at her. "How's everything in the capital city?"

"I've been having the time of my life." She brushed invisible specks of dirt from her skirts. "Luring him here was too easy."

"Thank you for doing this," I said gratefully. "How can I ever repay you?"

"You've repaid me enough already, sister. This is the least I can do." Then the medicine girl paused as if she had just remembered something. "Is it true that you're going to stay here in the capital city for a while? You're not going to go back to sea?"

I clasped my hands behind my back and watched the lanterns lining the tavern walls flicker softly. "Edeline and I will be back on the sea eventually. The world is waiting for us. But it's been a while since I've seen my friends and family back home."

"Oh," the medicine girl said, then rummaged through the pockets of her skirts. She produced an envelope and held it out to me. "I'm supposed to deliver this to you."

"What's this?" I asked, carefully taking the envelope from her and turning it over in my hand.

"Once you've finished everything you need to do in the capital city, you should read the letter inside. Safe travels, Captain." The medicine girl saluted me. "I'll come visit you when I'm in town."

I smiled as I pocketed the envelope. "I'll be waiting for you."

✦ ✦ ✦

When we arrived at the castle gates early the next morning, the knights standing guard dipped their heads in our direction. We heard footfalls over the grass as Mother came into view.

"Mother!" I cried excitedly as I hurried to her with outstretched arms.

"Corinna!" Mother laughed as she scooped me up in her arms the same way she had done when I was younger. "My little girl has returned! No"-Mother corrected herself as she looked me up and down-"you're not a little girl anymore. You've grown into quite the young woman. Even though we've been oceans apart for the past couple of years, all of us here in the capital city have heard the stories of the wanderers that patrol the seas, keeping them free of illegal activity and crime."

"Do you know if Lynden and Storm are in town?" Edeline asked after she handed off the sulking information dealer to the knights.

"When they heard that the two of you would be returning to the capital city, they made sure to show up and stick around until you did," Mother said with a warm smile. "They're talking with Cameren in the castle right now."

I grinned. "What are we waiting for? Lead the way."

Mother laughed as she led us through the gates and onto the castle grounds beyond.

We arrived at the throne room, and the moment we entered, we were greeted with the sound of cheering.

"Corinna! Edeline!" Storm was the first to reach us, and his eyes were bright as he grinned. "Or wait, should I be calling you 'Capitan Corinna' now?"

I laughed. "Calling me Corinna is fine. You've gotten taller since the last time I've seen you."

"Corinna, Edeline." Clarity made her way over to us with the faintest trace of a smile on her face. "It's been a while." Then she turned to Edeline. "I see you've cut your hair too. It suits you."

"You're back!" Chloe-Jane hurried over to join us, with Cameren and Lynden following close behind. My younger sister threw herself at me first and hugged me tightly. Then to my surprise, she hugged Edeline next. "Did you find him?"

"The information dealer has been apprehended." Edeline nodded as Chloe-Jane finally released her. "The knights are taking him to the dungeons as we speak."

"Good," Lynden said. "It's about time that crook was captured."

Storm nodded in agreement. "I would have gone looking for him myself, but my uncle wanted me to run some errands."

"How is Andreus?" I asked.

"Andreus is doing fine," Lynden answered. "Storm and I recently started helping him sort through his centuries-old collections. He claims he wants to make room for new stuff, but I think he just enjoys the company."

I smiled at that. "That's good to hear-I'll have to pay Andreus a visit soon."

"Tell me about your adventures traveling the oceans!" Chloe-Jane tugged on my sleeve. "I want to hear all about it!"

"I can tell this is going to be a good story," Cameren added with a smile. "Don't leave anything out."

I laughed. "I'll do my best. Where should I start? Well, I guess the beginning would be a good place. If I get any of the details wrong, I'm sure Edeline can correct me."

✦ ✦ ✦

After spending a week at the castle, Edeline and I bid our farewells to everyone before setting off on horseback toward the eastern part of the city. We still had one place to visit before we began our journey up the mountain to meet up with Storm, Lynden, and Andreus.

"It almost feels strange," I said aloud as we made our way through the streets and around the buildings of the city. "I can actually travel around the capital city in the day without people staring or giving me weird looks."

Edeline looked around at the city. The sky above was painted in the pinks and oranges and golds of the sunset. "It just comes to show how effective Chloe-Jane has been on the throne." Then her voice softened. "I think this is the world Phina would have liked to see."

I nodded silently.

"There's the city house." Edeline pointed to our right. "We're almost there. We're almost home." The two of us checked our horses in at the stable and continued the rest of our way on foot.

It was night by the time we reached the forest, and the trees were exactly as I remembered them. Before long, we emerged into the clearing. I felt Edeline's fingers twine through mine, and I gave her hand a squeeze. "We're home."

Inside the house, Edeline and I sat together in the living room, bathed in the warm glow of the lamp in front of us. The two of us had changed into simple dresses and were getting ready to go to bed after our long day.

Edeline rose to her feet and made to turn off the lamp, but then she paused. "Do you still have that letter?" she asked as she looked at me expectantly.

I blinked. "Letter?" After all the excitement at the castle, I had completely forgotten about the letter the medicine girl gave me. I quickly stood up and hurried over to my coat hanging by the door. I rummaged around in the pockets until my hands closed on the envelope.

When I returned to my seat next to Edeline, I gingerly unfolded the letter. Then resting my head on Edeline's shoulder, I held the letter out for her to see. "What does it say? I think I'm too tired to keep my eyes open for much longer."

Edeline's eyes widened in surprise as she read the letter. She clasped my hands in her own, and I stared at her in bewilderment as I waited for her to share the news. "Corinna!" she said excitedly. "It's your father! He's been searching for you!"