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Maybe the wolf could turn his head and give us both peace.

Yet I didn’t want peace from Paris Raine anytime soon. Never, in fact.

Because you’re love’s fool.

I told Medusa where they were.

“How can you know that?” she asked, her expression unchanging.

“When I admitted my love for him to myself, it happened,” I answered.

“I’ll get him shortly. He needs to be back at the glade.”

“Declan will keep him safe,” I said, not believing in my own words. Not because of the wolf, but because of the dangers the elf would face every single minute of this day.

Once Medusa took him there, I would make sure he stayed there. He had a job to do, and I had my own fight, my thralls to feed, and my vampires to care for. This sudden distance summoned an epiphany greater than I’d ever felt before. My duty was as a king, not as his lover.

My infatuation had already caused too much damage. It was time to leave it behind and focus. There was a weapon inside me, the means to cleanse the filth Aidan infected people with. I needed to use it more, to fight back harder.

My one true love.

I lifted my head. “I must feed on mortal blood. Layla liked to always keep a supply here.”

Medusa nodded. “Did you know the caretakers still come here every morning to clean this place?”

“I didn’t.”

“They’re so loyal.”

I headed for the white-and-chrome kitchen with grief on my back, opening the coffin-like refrigerator and finding four bags of mortal blood. These refrigerators were created by vampiric engineering—a skill we lent to the mortals to help the world rebuild better and stronger after the war. The technology inside kept the blood fresh for six months.

My vampires were truly amazing creatures.

Taking a bag, I popped the top and consumed the entire thing. Despite the storage temperature, it immediately warmed as it oozed down my throat. Rich with iron, packed with mortal essence, it nourished me from head to toe, chasing away the skull infection and restoring my energy levels.

Whatever Aidan had planned on doing with my head, it was now over. At least until he fired magic at me again.

Bloodthirst quenched, I returned to Medusa, who was still staring ahead in the same position.

“Do you want to talk?” I asked her. “Or do you want more silence?”

“Silence. For a bit longer.”

I respected her request, leaving her alone and returning to the guest bedroom.

My frustrations were raw, exposed nerves beginning to test my patience. But if I didn’t rest properly, I would be no good to anyone.

I spread out on the bed and closed my eyes, thinking about Paris.

“The elf is fine,” Selene responded to my thoughts.

“Pardon?” I returned.

“He is sheltering,” she added.

“I know. But how do you know that?”

“I may be inside you, but I can stretch my arms across the world to look at things.”