“She may be misguided, but you must know?—”
“About your family?” he asked with a raised brow. “How your bloodline spans almost as far back as Aurelia’s? How your mother and father were from two of the most famous royal families in existence and you simply… left?”
My eyes shot to Atlas. Her long black hair fell around her hardened face. Her everyday attire suggested royalty, usually with gold embroidery or even jewels sewn into the fabric. But what I thought was just a show of wealth and status had just taken on a whole new meaning.
Who is she, really?
I didn’t know anything other than her enormous clan spread out far and wide. I never questioned why people would want to be under her in the first place. If I were still in the clan, I could sneak into the archives and try to pull something about her. But I hadn’t had the foresight.
“It seems like this marriage would be mostly for your benefit,” he continued pointedly. “I heard the families were getting antsy with someone of your bloodline still unmarried. And with such a large clan? You should know best what happens when vampires get scared.”
Even without vampire hearing, I could make out the unmistakable sound of Atlas’s teeth grinding.
“And if I convince her to marry me?”
He let out a scoff.
“Good luck with that. While she may have the choice, you forget I am the Castle family head now. And like I said, which you so rudelyignored,you weren’t here to show your loyalty to me.”
His dismissal was obvious, and Atlas let out a growl. I could feel the tension rising in her. A darkness spread out from her, and she was practically vibrating with fury.
The sensible part of me knew I should probably do or say something to calm her down before she went ahead and ruined this for us. I wouldn’t be surprised if she just lunged forward and went after the so-called king.
The other part of me wanted her to. Wanted her to show the fury that I wouldn’t allow myself to. I wanted to tear the wholeplace down.Burn it.The palace, the crown, and everything it stood for.
The only thing stopping me was that Aurelia leftto come here. I trusted her. I wanted to, at least. But I truly didn’t understand what she was doing.
“I apologize on behalf of Atlas for not being able to make it,” I said, bowing my head. I hated submitting to him, but unlike Atlas, I was willing to for Aurelia. “She got tangled up in clan affairs. As she mentioned, many clans have been vying for her hand. It takes days sometimes to quell them.”
He gave me a long look, then let out a huff.
“You let the witch speak for you?”
I hated how dismissively he sounded. Like, just because I was a witch, I was beneath him. But there was a reason why vampires and witches had always fought. Why both parties were desperately trying to stop a war between us.
We were just as powerful as them, if not more, since there were more of us.
“She is right,” Atlas offered, her tone obviously annoyed.
“We will do anything to prove our loyalty to you,” I continued. “Name your price.”
I could feel Atlas’s disapproval. I was taking this too far, but I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
“And if I ask for your life?” Adrian asked. “Better yet, what about your magic? I could drain it all and put it in a bottle for me to use whenever I please.”
Fear gripped my heart. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had truly thought of it before. While it wasn’t that common anymore, there had been cases of vampires trying to steal our magic and use it for themselves.
I met his eyes.
“If that is what you require. But I am sure you do not want a war with the witches. You know just howtouchythey are when it comes to stealing another’s magic.”
“Is it stealing if you give it to me willingly?” he countered.
“The council wouldn’t?—”
“The council doesn’t have power here,” Adrian said, interrupting Atlas again. “Tell me, witch. How far would you go for my sister?”
I let my magic out, feeling the area around him, and unexpectedly, I could feel something. A sort of power surrounding him that hadn’t been there before.
