Page 81 of Clash of Kingdoms

I had been cold to her the moment I’d known her true origins, but I knew I needed to be better after everything Cobra had done for me.

“Did they say how the Ethereal were feeding their immortality?” His tone was low and sharp, packed with unspent rage.

I shook my head, afraid of the answer.

“Human souls. Every person who’s passed since the Ethereal’s rise to power has been spent feeding their immortality.” He watched my face, waiting for my reaction.

It took me a moment to absorb that information and the painful consequences. That meant when Mother died…she never passed on. And that meant when Renee… I couldn’t finish the thought. It was too horrible. So horrible, I nearly fell out of the chair.

My father felt everything I’d just felt and gave a nod. “And your brothers defend it. Insist we need to move on. If they weren’t my sons, I would have killed every single one of them and anyone who supports the Ethereal.”

I was beside myself with loss. Didn’t have a word to say.

“They’re cowards for not telling you.”

I swallowed and looked at the bottle between us. Then I reached for it and drew it close, drinking straight from the top instead of pouring a glass. I hadn’t felt misery like this since Renee had died. It nearly brought me to tears.

My father’s voice softened. “I’m sorry, son. I should have told you at a better time.”

I stared at the table between us.

“Son.”

I finally lifted my chin to look at him.

“There’s nothing you could have done. Nothing anyone could have done. Whether we accept their kind or not…what’s done is done.”

I stared at his face but couldn’t truly grasp his words.

“It’s not your fault.”

“It is my fault. It’s completely and utterly my fault.” She was dead because of me. She didn’t have a soul…because of me.

“I remember Renee,” he said gently. “She wouldn’t want you to feel this way?—”

“Stop.” I didn’t want to talk about her. I never wanted to talk about her. Not now. Not ever.

My father leaned back in his chair and turned quiet.

I took another drink from the bottle then cradled it close. “I’ll see you in the morning.” I left the table, taking the bottle with me.

“Aurelias.”

I walked out of the tent and didn’t stop.

I was awake all night.

I didn’t make myself comfortable in a tent. I leaned against a tree and drank alone, looking at the stars and watching them change position as the night passed. The sky changed colors as we left the darkest part of the night and approached the morning. Dark blue was replaced by pink, purple, and orange.

The camp started to pack up and prepare to depart. My kin readied their horses and the carts. When I looked out to the sea, I saw the fleet of ships, at least a hundred floating away from the shore.

It took a few hours to prepare for departure. My father brought my horse for me, a black mare that had a bad temper but wouldn’t dare disobey me. When I saw her, she immediately dipped her head so my hand could embrace her cheek. “Nice to see you too, girl.” I patted her flank before I climbed into her saddle.

My father approached on his dark horse, a king in his heavy armor, his eyes guarded like the memory of our conversation was still fresh in his mind. But he didn’t speak it out loud, didn’t ask questions I didn’t want to answer. “Lead the way, son.”

We left the shore and rode to HeartHolme, the journey taking the full day on horseback. By the time we arrived, it was sunset, the torches of the city had already been lit to illuminate the oncoming night. The gates were open, as if the survivors of the battle had just entered HeartHolme that afternoon. They remained open as we approached, but no vampire would be allowed entry under my watch.

My father and I brought our horses to a walk near the gates.