Two Vampyrs found them in the inner courtyard, but they didn’t stand a chance as Cassius swung his sword, lopping off the head of one as his free hand plunged into the chest of the other. Keegan appeared on a horse, Feryena prancing at his side.
“Cassius!” Keegan yelled.
Cassius nodded to Thalia. “Go!”
Thalia ran, scrambling onto her horse just as Cassius pulled the heart out of the second Vampyr. He let it fall to the ground in a splatter.
“Cassius!” A voice bellowed behind them, and the three turned to find Lord Adrian, his face set in a snarl.
Cassius ignored him, running up to Feryena. He swung himself up behind Thalia, and Keegan spurred his beast towards the castle gates.
“You can run and hide,” Lord Adrian shouted, the castle crackling and burning behind him. “But your prince won’t save you. Not this time.”
They didn’t wait to hear the rest of the words as they broke into the forest, the castle of House Lorenzia crumbling in their wake.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
They rode hard through the forest, skirting the edge of Irenbis. Even in the night-covered sky, Thalia could have sworn she saw the smoke coming from the castle—saw the light from the fires as they cracked the infrastructure of the palace.
Their horses didn’t slow until they’d put enough distance between themselves and the castle that both Keegan and Cassius relaxed.
“Why the fuck would they do that?” Thalia asked. Her words came out in a sharp whisper. They were deep in another part of the forest, the leaves thick and droopy. She didn’t want to think about what sorts of creatures stalked through the night or if any more creatures had somehow spawned.
“I knew Lord Adrian was already angry, but the council meeting must have pushed him over the edge,” Cassius said behind her. Despite the blood covering his hands, they were a comfort she allowed a small part of herself to indulge in as they wrapped around the reins.
“He’s a fool,” Keegan said ahead of him. “Burning the castle will only anger the prince. It’s a grievance that won’t go unnoticed.”
“What’s going to happen?” Thalia pushed. Keegan looked at Cassius, and while she couldn’t see his face, she had a feeling he clenched his jaw.
“There’s only been one other uprising before,” Cassius finally said. “When Vampyrs pitted themselves against each other.”
“When was this?”
“Long ago. It was an uprising between the pure-blooded and half-blooded. But the courts reformed themselves to ensure no Vampyr could take control,” Keegan supplied.
“The courts have been rocky since the creature emerged,” Cassius rumbled, his chest brushing against her back. “Lord Adrian has been unhappy. It was his men who were sent out the most into the forest to search for a cure outside of House Lorenzia.” Thalia swallowed, and Cassius squeezed one of her hands. “House Lorenzia is all but gone. With the prince’s absence, I don’t know how long the other courts will be content to sit by and watch.”
“I’d say considering tonight, that time has come,” Keegan said dryly.
“Aren’t the courts supposed to support House Lorenzia?” Thalia turned in her seat.
Cassius focused on the path, but he glanced down to meet her gaze. “Yes, the courts are all pledged to the prince. But with any rule, there are always usurpers.”
“Surely there must be some courts who are aligned with House Lorenzia still?”
“House Olvectus,” Keegan said, twisting in his saddle. “They’ve always supported the prince. No matter what.”
“What of House Avanerius?” Thalia asked, thinking of Lord Damien. “Camilla said they have always been aligned with House Lorenzia.”
Cassius shook his head. “They have been. But I fear if the courts start turning on House Lorenzia, they would side with House Gallinus only so they wouldn’t find themselves pitted against them all. While the pure-bloods have always been more apathetic when it comes to matters of state and have served the prince, Lord Adrian’s influence has spread deep.”
“Even though Lord Damien is on the prince’s council?” Thalia said.
“Even then,” Cassius admitted. “Regardless, House Lorenzia was beginning to crack. We’d hoped that the treaty with Agripa would staunch some of the grumblings, that it would show the people thatwe are trying to find a cure. We’d hope the rivers replenishing the springs would be taken as that.”
“Fear breeds distrust,” Thalia murmured.
Cassius cursed. “I should have thought of this sooner. I should have known that Lord Adrian would try to force a coup.”
