Page 27 of Filthy Rich Vampires: For Eternity

“Few know how to kill a Queen,” Sabine said, and something ominous clanged in her words.

She knew how to kill a Queen, I realized. She knew how to kill my mate. And I knew with terrible certainty that if she killed her that there would be no resurrection. There would be no second chance. No miracle.

“How?” I demanded, my voice rough.

“The Queens’ lives are tied to the magic flowing in the water. At court, they are completely protected. We like to think of ourselves as immortal, but vampires can be killed. The Queens are untouchable, thanks to the enchantment that binds them. But there is a counter to every spell. A weapon was forged when the first Queens ascended. The Queen-killer.” Thea wrapped her arms around her shoulders as my mother continued, “My sources say Ginerva died at court, and her death was kept a secret. If she died here, it was from the Queen-killer’s blade.”

“Probably, not a random lover, then,” Thea said in a hollow voice.

“It’s much more likely it was one of the Queens.”

“If we can’t trust them...” I blew out a long stream of air.

“Trust only each other,” my father advised.

“But we need them to protect Thea,” I snapped. “The Council wants to kill her, remember? What if the Council has the weapon? Or she’s taken from the court?” And I wouldn’t put it past her father to come snooping around again.

“I didn’t say to leave the court,” my mother said with a snort. “The Queens have few allies outside these walls.”

“And inside?” Thea rolled her eyes.

“Figure out who your friends are before you leave here. You’ll need them—and that strength of yours.”

Thea inhaled sharply but finally nodded once.

“And you?”

“I need to find out what the Council knows,” she explained, “and if they intend to act on any of it.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know. Mostly because I suspected the Council would act—and soon.

“I think I need to lie down,” Thea finally said.

Everyone stood as she rose. My father even dipped his head a little.

Did he just…bow?

You’ll get used to it. I wasn’t sure that was true, but it didn’t hurt to believe it. I’ll see them out and then come in and help you fall asleep.

A wicked grin twitched on her lips as she paused at the door to the bedchamber. “Thank you.” She sounded sincere despite the heap of bad news she had brought to our door.

My parents were silent as I saw them out. But as my mother stepped out the door, I found one last question boiling inside me.

“Why did you disown me?” I asked, my hand gripping the doorframe. “The truth, please.”

Her lips twitched, but her eyes remained sad. “It will be easier for me to get information if they think I’m on bad terms with you—that I’m upset the throne went to your mate.” She gestured to her blood-stained gown. “I threw a fit to sell the lie. No one would expect me to take such a slight without bloodshed.”

Notwithstanding how fucked that explanation was, it forced me to ask, “Are you angry that Thea took the throne?”

“Not in the least. I’ve known for some time that Thea is unique. If I had known of Ginerva’s death, I would have suspected that’s why Thea was called here.”

“Thea came to Venice to look for her mother,” I reminded her.

“I wouldn’t count that as a coincidence.” She shook her head and reached to stroke my hair like she had when I was a young vampire. “Not with Willem here and the Mordicum. I’ve lived long enough to know when something is too convenient,” she warned me. “Someone went to a lot of trouble to make sure you were both here. Someone who knew about that prophecy and wanted to see it fulfilled.”

“Because they wanted Thea to be Queen,” I guessed.

She nodded, her eyes burning like a flame’s tip. “Now you need to figure out why.”

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