I say nothing. Just nod.
Dimitri glances at me, noting the silence. “You shouldsleep. You will be of no use to her half dead.”
I don’t respond. I’ll rest, but I won’t sleep. Not when there is a chance she will be gone when I wake.I just sit down beside her, closer than before, and fold my arms over my knees.
None of us sleeps. The fire dwindles to a low flicker, casting long shadows across the cracked stone floor. I sit with my back to the wall, watching the slow rise and fall of Serenya’s chest. Every breath gives me permission to keep breathing.
Lioran and Asbel take turns watching the doorway. Neither speaks unless necessary. Even Dimitri, ever calm and sharp-eyed, remains silent, checking Serenya’s bandages with an eerie gentleness. When he isn’t tending to her, he sits motionless—more statuethan man. It’s unsettling.
When the soft light of morning creeps through the broken temple windows, Dimitri rises to his feet.
“I’ll be back,” he says quietly. “I need to scout the area. Do some hunting.”
I tense, looking up. “Hunting?”
He meets my eyes. “Yes, I need blood if I’m going to have the strength to get her out of here safely. Unless one of you wants to volunteer to give me some?” He arches a brow.
My jaw clenches. “Just...don’t take too long.”
Dimitri gives the faintest smirk. Then he’s gone, his cloak brushing the floor as he lifts his hood, disappearing up the stairs and into the gray light.
The silence he leaves behind is immediate and heavy.
Lioran breaks it first. “You want to explain what’s going on? Why she,” he says as he nods toward Serenya, “is unconscious and wrapped in bandages...and being carriedaround by a fuckingvampire?”
Asbel crosses his arms. “And why you’re lettinghim touch her like that?”
I don’t move from my place beside her. My voice is low and steady when I say, “Because, like he said, he saved her life.”
Lioran blinks, incredulous. “Right, and we are supposed to believe that some bloodsucker just happened to have a change of heart and risk his life for a fae girl?”
I don’t rise to the bait. “She knows him.”
“Knows him?” Asbel asks. “How?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know.” Now that I think about it, I know nothing of their relationship. The only thing I actually know is that he is Noctheron’s king. But I don’t tell them that. I’m not sure how they’d react to that information.
Lioran just eyes me, like he knows there is more I’m not saying. Does he know who Dimitri is? No. There’s no way he would have seen him before. But he’s looking at me like he does know and is daring me to say it. I stay quiet.
Finally, I turn toward them fully with quiet fire in my eyes. “You can’t tell anyone about her being here. Or him.”
They exchange a look.
“You want us to lie?” Asbel asks. “To the council? To the queen?”
“I want you to protect her,” I snap. “If word gets out that she left the palace during the trials and they find out a vampire was involved, we don’t know what they will do.”
Lioran frowns. “But why was she here?”
I hesitate. Then look down at Serenya’s still form.
“She came to help us. She said she didn’t want any of usto die. That’s all I can say.”
There was silence for a moment. Lioran sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “Damn it.”
Asbel nods. “Fine. We won’t say anything. For her.”
“Thank you.”
