But Saela’s normal has changed. And instead of accepting that, I rejected her new existence. Over and over and over again.
Venna turns back toward our rooms, then looks over her shoulder to see if I’m coming. “I’m always happy to talk, Meryn. But if you want to hear more from your sister, you need to have that conversation with her yourself and be open to her. See her for who she is, not who you want her to be.”
Goddess, I hope I can heal our relationship. That she’ll forgive me and learn to trust me again.
“Understood,” I say.
Venna stops dead in her tracks, and spins back toward me. “Wait, before we’re in front of innocent ears… you and Stark? I know you didn’t cutyourselfout of your dress last night.”
My face heats. I didn’t tell Venna about what happened between Stark and me outside of Grunfall, or everything afterward. It felt like it would betray him to gossip about it, at least until he’d decided one way or another.
Well, his decision is made.
“Yep,” I say. “That’s happening.”
Venna smirks. “Nice one.”
I pat her on the back. “Thanks, that means a lot coming from the Kryptos Killer.”
Venna and Saela both want to come with me to ask Lucien about how to block Saela’s sire bond. It doesn’t surprise me: They’re alike in many ways, including their desire to learn everything they can.
I could probably benefit from being more like them.
Stark is torn between joining us and staying with Noemi, who is still recovering from her adventures of the previous night. I assure him that we’ll be safe without him and that I’ll call him mentally if we sense the slightest bit of trouble.
I’m glad when he acquiesces. Something tells me we’ll get more out of King Lucien without him there.
Saela’s interest turns to full-on excitement when we hear where the king is spending his morning: the Astreonan Royal Library. I smile, watching her light up at the news, but I can’t shake my undercurrent of guilt and sadness, too.
When it comes to Saela, all I’ve done lately is make mistake after mistake. What would it look like to get it right?
Felippe shows us the way to the library and throws open the massive wooden doors with exaggerated pompousness.
My amusement is cut short, though, when I see the room beyond the doors.
Calling this a library seems like an understatement. It’s a damn temple to books. Saela gasps next to me as she leans back to take it in.
There are multiple stories of books and scrolls—connected to one anotherby tall, narrow spiral staircases—all packed into shelves carved right out of the castle’s pale stone. The massive space is ingeniously lit, with high windows above the books. Then lower, where exposure to sun would tarnish the pages, a system of mirrors has been set up to reflect off one another, bouncing light around the space in a way that protects the books but still floods the rooms with sunlight.
Lucien’s earrings glint in that light as he leans over the large, polished wooden table at the center of the room. Old books and scrolls are laid out before him.
“I didn’t take you for the studious type,” I comment as we step close enough for his proximity to start to drain my joy.
His smirk holds strong. “Normally, I’m not. After all, what else is there to learn after a millennium?” He sighs and slides a book toward me. Saela leans in with me to study the sweeping handwriting while Venna just studies him, frowning.
“These are documents about the creation of thrall bracelets. I’ve been attempting to determine why yours works so differently.”
“And?” I ask.
He caresses a page lightly. “The answer still evades me. I suspect it may have something to do with your direwolf bond. These have only ever been tested on humans. Or perhaps he designed it in some way I don’t understand, with the intention of targeting your powers.”
“So thereissomething you don’t know,” Venna says lightly.
“Ha,” he says, shooting her a look before turning his intense gaze back to me and my sister.
I wrap an arm around Saela’s shoulders, pulling her in close. “Speaking of uncomfortable connections with Killian and Alistair, there’s something you need to know. My sister has a sire bond with Killian. He’s the one who turned her.”
Lucien’s upper lip curls, and his fingers tighten around the manuscript. “And you chose to keep this information from me?” There’s thinly veiled wrath in his voice. Venna moves closer to me and Saela, hovering protectively.
