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I turn back to face her, maintaining my distance. “When we reach my kingdom, you’ll understand more.”

Her brows pinch. “And until then?”

“Until then, you’re under my protection. No one on this ship will harm you, just as I have no intention to harm you.”

She’s waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the true price of her and her sister’s safety to be revealed. I can’t blame her. In our world, nothing comes without cost, especially kindness.

“Rest,” I say at last, stepping back toward the door. “I just need to check something, and I’ll return. You are not to leave this room.”

“It’s not as if I have somewhere to go,” she says, gesturing to the windows. “Unless you think I plan to swim back.”

There’s a bite to her words that almost makes me smile again. I slip out of the room, closing the door behind me. Only when the solid wood separates us do I allow myself to exhale fully.

The bond is stronger than I expected, pulling at me even through the door, urging me to return to her side. I resist, forcing myself to move down the corridor instead of lingering outside my cabin like a lovesick fool.

Four days of this. Four days of fighting both her defiance and my instincts.

CHAPTER 20

• Alessia •

WHEN THE DOOR clicks shut behind him, I let out a breath.

I’m on a ship, being taken away from everything I have ever known. I move to the bathroom, find a cloth, and wash my face and neck, double checking I removed all the blood from his bite. I crane my neck to the side, examining it in the mirror. It’s unpleasant to look at, but it doesn’t hurt the way I thought it would, and it’s almost healed already. It certainly wasn’t as bad as last time, though I think the savage way we were blasted apart may have been why that bite took longer to stop bleeding.

All the feeders I’ve met have thick scar tissue visible on both sides of their necks. With how quickly my own bite is healing, how many times must they have been fed from to be left so mangled? Kylian has bitten me twice now, and each time it healed without a scar.

The suite is exactly what I expect from the Vampire King—ornate with dark velvet drapes covering walls and windows. The furniture gleams even in the dim light, the wood so polished, my own distorted reflection shines back at me.

I stand near the bed, fingers tracing the patterns carved into the bedpost. Even this small thing, this wooden decoration, probably costs more than anything I’ve ever touched.

The thought makes my throat tighten. What would Sable think of such finery? The image of her face, pale and frightened, flashes through my mind, and I jerk my hand away from the bedpost as if it burned me.

I tug one of the heavy curtains open and stare out the window at the expanse of sea and mist, endless with its violent waves that rock the ship. I press my palm against the cold, thick glass, watching my breath fog the surface.

Somewhere out there, on this vast expanse of water, is my sister. Is she cold? Afraid? Does she think I’ve abandoned her? My chest constricts painfully at the thought.

Every noise on this ship echoes: footsteps on the deck above, voices calling to each other, the flapping sails. The sounds remind me that I’m trapped, surrounded by strangers who would sooner kill me than help me.

I steady myself against the wall just as the door snaps open unexpectedly. King Kylian enters, and my body tenses, ready to flee, though there’s nowhere to go. He carries a tray, his heavy boots silent on the floor. As he treads toward me, he pauses and nods toward the parted curtain, and I let the material fall back into place.

Steam curls faintly from a covered dish, the scent of bread and something savory filling the stale air. My stomach betrays me, twisting painfully. His mouth quirks slightly, not quite a smile but an acknowledgment of my human weakness. I hate him for hearing it. For knowing I’m hungry. For knowing I need what he offers.

He sets the tray on the low table without a word. The smell intensifies, and my mouth waters shamefully.

“For you,” he says, his voice deep and smooth like dark honey.

I don’t move, even though every instinct screams at me to lunge for the food. I’ve learned to be wary of gifts, especially from men and creatures like him. Nothing comes without a price. What will he expect in return? My blood? My body?

“It’s not poisoned,” he adds, reading my hesitation. “If I wanted you dead, there are far more efficient methods.”

That’s hardly reassuring. I wrap my arms around myself, fingers digging into my sides. “Why are you feeding me?” I ask, trying to figure out what this meal will cost me.

“Because mortals require sustenance to remain functional,” he answers, as if explaining something to a child. He moves away from the table, giving me space to approach. “And you’re of no use to me dead or delirious from hunger.”

Of no use. The words sting more than they should. Is that all I am now? A tool? An object to be used by this king? But then, what else would I be to anyone? I’ve only ever been a tool for another’s use, so to a king, the Vampire King at that, I am worth even less.

I glance back toward the window, thinking of Sable again, wondering if she has reached another shore. The thought of her alone and afraid makes my heart hurt, but I need strength if I’m going to save her.