“Marcus is the head librarian at Agripa, and Reina the captain?”
Thalia nodded, chewing her lip. “It’s just that by using it, by hearing someone other than one of us say it, it solidifies the fact that this is his home now. That he chose this.”
Keegan studied her. “Cass saved my life. In more ways and more times than I can count. I know that it’s only been four years since he turned, but living here, his role as hand, has put us into some very dangerous positions. I wouldn’t be here right now if Cassius hadn’t turned.”
“What do you mean?” Thalia asked, curiosity poking its head out.
Keegan sank back down onto the steps of the chamber, getting comfortable. “It was around a month after he’d turned. I was told to go to the border of House Santorien up the coastline; there was a bad storm rolling in, and they needed all the help they could get. Cassius had just joined the prince’s council and convinced the prince to send him along too. When we got there, the storm came in full force. I was out by the docks, securing boats, when it hit—crept up on us like a thief in the night. The wind was so strong it sent a beam from one of the ships at me, knocking me clean into the water.” Keegan ran a hand through his short hair, almost like he was picturing the impact. “I was too far from shore for anyone to see except Cassius. He knew that I’d been at the docks. When everyone ran to take shelter, he wentinto the storm. I don’t know how he figured it out.” Keegan huffed a laugh. “But he dove into the water to save me and dragged me to shore. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be at the bottom of the sea having to experience a living death over and over.”
Thalia’s throat constricted more and more the longer Keegan talked. She pushed past the tightness, getting out, “Cassius has always wanted to help. He was too young to save his mother from his father’s fists. That’s why he joined the city guard when he came of age, so he could help.”
Keegan looked up in surprise, then his face shifted into something like quiet understanding. “Did he tell you what happened that night?”
Thalia shook her head, too many emotions bubbling up to name. She shut them all down. Closed them one by one until she had them under a thick padlock of iron. “No.”
Keegan nodded in understanding, then said softly, “My mother was human.”
Thalia looked up in shock. “What?”
Keegan offered a sad smile. “My father was from House Lorenzia, a full-blooded Vampyr. My mother was mortal.” That explained his golden eyes. “He forced her to turn.”
Thalia sucked in a sharp breath, anger rearing its head. “What was done about it?”
“Nothing. He died ten years ago, ran his mouth long enough that someone finally tore it out.”
Thalia didn’t flinch at the gruesomeness. “And your mother?”
Keegan’s smile softened. “She’s well. Has a house up north near the border of House Lorenzia.” His smile slipped, meeting Thalia’s gaze. “But she tells me about it, what it was like being a human.”
“Where was she from?”
“Sula. Have you heard of it?” Thalia nodded. “They’ve been in contact with the Vampyrs for quite some time and have a trade route going. Anyway, my father was on one of the boats that went there to trade.”
“He took her?” Thalia didn’t hide her shock.
Keegan shook his head. “No. Not forcefully, at least. My mother came from a situation which wasn’t kind to her either. My father offeredher sanctuary in Vaccarium. Yet when they arrived, he failed to mention that humans didn’t survive in our world. That’s when he turned her.
“But she tells me that even though her situation in Sula was dire, there are pieces of her that don’t fit in here. She was not born a Vampyr. And even though I am half-blooded, my blood is still Vampyric. Her blood was turned—twisted to fit a new mold. She says it’s like walking around with a phantom limb. Even now, decades later, she’ll move too fast or find herself hearing something from a great distance away and realize those aren’t human qualities but Vampyric.”
Thalia met Keegan’s stare. “Are you telling me this so I’ll somehow find myself sympathetic to Cassius?”
Keegan stood, going to the table. He carefully grabbed the head, placing it into a burlap sack, before he finally said, “I am telling you this because even though it’s only been four years, the man you know is still in there. The foundation, that intrinsic imprint of him, is still Cassius.”
He headed for the door, turning to look over his shoulder. “My mother used to tell me that in those initial years, she wished she could turn back time and redo it. But she spent too many years living in the what-ifs, too many years resenting what had happened to her as opposed to taking control of her own life.”
“Is this about me or Cassius?”
Keegan cocked a smile. “A bit of both.”
Cassius was propped on the settee by the time Thalia had bathed and gotten ready for bed. She didn’t even know what time it was, only that the moon remained tucked behind the clouds.
Thalia aimed for the bed, aware that Cassius watched her. But when she glanced at him, he looked away, staring into the dead fireplace.
She climbed under the covers, pulling her knees up to her chin. “How are you feeling?” She broke the silence stretching between them.
Cassius had his profile to her, but he slid his gaze to hers. “Fine.”
She nodded, chewing the inside of her cheek.
