Cassius’s thumb swirled along her wrist. “Sometimes, right after a Vampyr feeds, our saliva seems to retain some of the healing properties of blood.” At Thalia’s wide-eyed gaze, he continued, “Don’t ask me how or why. It just happens.”
Thalia stared at her arm. Cassius hadn’t moved, just kept running his thumb against her skin.
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
That each moment with him felt as though her world were beginning to rip at the seams. That who he was now, a creature with such power—it didn’t scare her. Not like she’d thought it would. And a small, terrified part of her wondered what it would be like to feel as he did. To drink from someone and taste their very essence—taste their soul.
“I’m thinking that now I know I can come to you if I ever get a cut,” Thalia said, removing her arm.
She turned her back, only so she didn’t have to see the disappointment etching itself across Cassius’s handsome face.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Her home seemed drabber than she remembered, the crenellations worn and chipped like old porcelain. It felt less welcoming than the castle at Irenbis. At least there she could count on the comfort of her and Cassius’s room, the deep wallpaper and crimson drapes that bled with color. At least, despite all that had transpired, the castle in Irenbis felt as though it had some sort of life. The soldiers standing watch bowed as she hurried into the palace, the steady fall of rain working its way down the back of her cloak.
As soon as Thalia stepped inside, she let out a deep breath.
She wasn’t sure why it surprised her that her mother hadn’t come to greet her.
Reina waited, her armor glinting despite the darkness. Her hand rested on the pommel of her sword, her gaze wary.
She inclined her head at Thalia’s approach. “Princess, we’ve been expecting you.”
“Where’s the queen?” Thalia asked, taking stock of the empty halls, the quiet that bled like a tomb.
Reina’s dark gaze slid to Cassius, then to the sword strapped to his own hip. “She had to attend to something outside the castle, but she’s called for a ball this evening.”
Thalia nodded, and they moved through the halls. The banners of Agripa lining the walls all seemed dusty and stained. Had theyalways looked like that? Was she just seeing it now with different eyes?
She and Reina didn’t say anything, Cassius merely a shadow behind them as they reached her old room.
“Is Marcus here?” Thalia turned to her before entering her suite.
Reina’s eyes flicked to Cassius. “Yes. Although the queen has kept him busy.”
“Doing what?”
Reina shook her head, her cropped hair hardly moving. “I can’t tell you.”
“Reina—”
Reina straightened, eyes going hard. “Is there anything else I can help you with, Princess?”
Why the hell is she acting like this?Thalia’s annoyance spiked, but she pushed it aside. “Tell Marcus to meet me in the library in an hour.”
Reina stiffly nodded, then walked away, her boots clipping across the cold floor.
Thalia turned to her room, shoving open the door, and tried to keep her anger from making her do something foolish. Like run down the hall and demand that Reina stop acting so weird.
A quick glance around her room showed that at least her mother hadn’t changed anything.
“What do you think the queen is doing?” Thalia asked, sinking to the edge of her bed. She didn’t want to admit that she’d missed her mattress.
Cassius looked around the room, his attention lingering on the stained rug before meeting her gaze. “I don’t know.”
“Was more ore sent to us?”
Cassius leaned against the door. “Yes.”
