Having to explain to the other Houses that the only reason Thalia was the cure was because her mother had dabbled in dark magic and created the creature in the first place wasn’t something that she, or the prince’s former council, was keen to experience. Especially with the tentative peace between the humans of Agripa and Vaccarium still on unsure footing.
As if Cassius knew where her mind had wandered, he asked, “You still haven’t heard from them?”
Thalia chewed the inside of her cheek. “I sent a letter. To both Reina and Marcus. But there’s been nothing.”
Cassius shifted. “Have they tried to stir up anything in Agripa?”
Thalia shook her head. Before the queen had gone to Chaménos to try to stop Thalia and the Vampyrs, she’d spun a web of lies about Thalia murdering her adviser and attempting to take the crown by force. But the queen was gone—dead. Buried in Chaménos along with the creature.
The remaining members of the queen’s council didn’t really know what had happened when Cassius and Thalia went to the castle three months prior. Only Reina and Marcus knew the true extent of what had gone down in the queen’s sitting room. Yet the lies that Thalia’s mother had spread went deep.
And even though by birthright, Thalia was the next ruler of Agripa, that didn’t mean she could waltz back to Agripa and take the throne. Agripa was being ruled by the remaining members of her mother’s council, but Thalia continued to send ore. Continued to keep up the treaty her mother had signed when she bound her daughter to the prince of Vaccarium.
“I thought that Marcus would be more inclined to listen to my side of things.” Thalia pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know what sort of lies my mother told Reina for her to … act the way she did.”
Her mind flashed back to that day, to the way Reina stood protecting her mother against her. The memory made her sick.
Cassius gently grabbed her hand, pulling it away from her face. “They can’t ignore you forever.”
“It feels like they will,” she muttered.
Cassius made a face. “Once all of this is over, we’ll go back. Explain ourselves.”
“And if they don’t accept me as ruler?” Thalia flicked her gaze to his.
Cassius threaded his fingers through hers. “At least they’ll know the truth. At least they’ll know that Vaccarium has no desire to further the war between our peoples. Agripa can rest easy knowing that the Vampyrs will continue to send ore and leave them be.”
Thalia sighed. Yes, she supposed Cassius was right. But one problem at a time. “Are the rooms set up for everyone who will be arriving?”
Cassius nodded, squeezing her hand. “Yes. Keegan and Lord Damien have it all sorted. Don’t worry about that. The Houses are spread out throughout the castle to avoid … any future disagreements.”
Thalia snorted. House Lorenzia had been rebuilt in a short few months in the aftermath of Lord Adrian’s attack. She supposed the magic the Mages wielded was good for one thing: speeding up construction so that she and the prince’s former council didn’t need to stay in Perden with the rest of the Mages and shifters.
But it would be the first time in months that all the Houses saw House Lorenzia. Saw that the prince and his home had not died within the fires set by Lord Adrian but had risen from its ashes.
Thalia had her work cut out for her.
“I suppose I should see what else needs to be done,” Thalia grumbled, preparing to stand. There’d be a whole week of feasting and dining before the coronation, which would happen during the full moon. She was still confused on all the customs that would go into a Vampyr coronation, but she figured she should find Camilla so they could review it all … again.
“Or we could do something … else,” Cassius said.
Thalia raised a brow. “We don’t have time for somethingelse.”
Cassius smirked, the sharp point of his fang setting a fire in her belly. “I’m not referring tothat. Although, glad to know where your priorities lie, Princess.”
She huffed out a breath. “Then what are you referring to?”
“The courts won’t be here until tomorrow. But there’s something I think we should do first. The rest of the council agree.”
Thalia made a face. “What is it?”
Cassius held out a scarred hand. “Let me show you.”
Thalia wasn’t sure how long she sat in the carriage as it rumbled away from the castle of Irenbis, but all of a sudden it rolled to a stop and Cassius pushed the door open, hopping out before he offered her a hand.
Thalia sucked in a sharp breath. “Why are we here?”
Chaménos stretched before her, its silver trunks and crimson leaves twining together to create a wall of impenetrable forest.
