My brother is dying right in front of me.
“Agree to our deal, and your brother is healed,” Bran croons.
Carrick takes a single step closer to him. “Hand over the tonics.”
Bran raises one dark eyebrow. And then he drops one of the vials.
I cry out, but it’s too late. The vial shatters against the ground, glass scattering, the tonic nothing more than a violet pool of liquid on the stone.
Useless.
Wasted.
Gone.
“Oops,” Bran says. This time, when he smiles, he reveals fang. I recognize it for the threat it is, and I pull one of my knives. One of mysilverknives.
His eyes flare, but that smile remains on his face. He believes I’m bluffing.
I don’t bluff.
“Drop the last tonic, and I’ll kill you.”
“Your brother will die.”
“But so will you. I have a feeling Evren would like that.”
“So would I,” Gerith says.
Bran holds the tonic higher. “A simple vow.”
Evren slumps in my arms, losing his battle for breath.
This is so much bigger than I’d ever thought. Branneedsme to kill the emperor, or he wouldn’t have gone to this much trouble.
I was outmatched the moment the vampire decided I was going to do his bidding. And if I’d agreed to his deal last night, my brother wouldn’t be close to unconsciousness right now.
I know when my back is against a wall. And I won’t watch my brother die. “Fine.”
Carrick hisses a curse. “Arvelle.”
I ignore him. “Give me the tonic first,” I tell Bran.
He hands it over.
I know the moment I pour it down Evren’s throat that it won’t be enough. But his breathing evens out slightly, and Gerith’s pale face regains a little color as he wraps his arm around his brother’s shoulders.
“Allow me.” Bran bites one of his wrists until blood drips down his arm. When he leans down, pressing it to Evren’s mouth, Carrick retches. Gerith turns green. I ruthlessly pinch Evren’s nose, making him swallow.
He does. Vampire blood won’t cure the disease in his lungs. But it’ll heal the damage this attack has done to his body.
Within a few minutes, Evren’s breathing has evened out, and he’s able to sit up against our front door.
Gerith gets to his feet, bares his teeth, and lunges at the vampire, brandishing a dagger.
One ofmydaggers. He must have snuck into my room again.
Carrick yanks Gerith off his feet, plucks the dagger from his hand, and throws it to me. I catch it as Bran frowns at them both.
