Page 2 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

I’ve never fed from Felix, and while I’d be lying if I said I’ve never fantasised about it before, it’s not something I ever expected to happen. For him to offer now, just as I’m about to leave my home for the next six months, there has to be a meaning behind it, right? My fangs ache in my mouth, saliva pooling at the very thought of biting into his strong neck. Hunger rises within me, my every thought narrowing down to feeding from him. I bet his blood tastes amazing.

He flashes me a cheeky grin, cutting through my internal ramblings. “You are always welcome to feed from me, Thea. However, I was going to suggest calling for one of the volunteers.”

Of course he was. There is always a steady supply of blood in the form of human volunteers—gone are the days when we had to hunt for our next meal. I want the earth to open up and swallow me whole. It was stupid of me to think that he was suggesting anything else, and my embarrassment is enough to make my pale skin flush.

Laughing in a way that I hope doesn’t sound forced, I attempt to play off my comment. “Oh, I know, I was just joking with you.”

His expression tells me that he doesn’t believe me for a second, so I plough on before he can comment and call me out. “Anyway, I fed last night, so I’ll be fine for the journey.”

Something about Felix has always made me feel comfortable around him in a way I’ve never felt with anyone else. I’ve known my duty since I was a child, and the weight that responsibility carries makes it difficult to make friends. There is a certain way I am expected to behave and carry myself, something that is as easy as breathing to me, yet Felix manages to break my composure with a twitch of his lips. One of the reasons we’ve been friends for so many years is because he can see the true me beneath the mask of responsibility.

Not giving him the chance to comment, I roll my shoulders back and brush my hands down the front of my riding jacket, the garment fitting like a second skin. Combined with my leather trousers, the deep red colour of the jacket with black trim makes me look like the lady I’m supposed to be. Walking towards my waiting escorts, I reach up and pull my hair into a simple braid.

“Thea, wait a second. I have something I need to tell you,” Felix calls out from behind me. Not slowing my pace, I turn and look at him over my shoulder, taking in his expression. Whatever he was going to say is quickly wiped away, his face hardening as his eyes shift to something beyond me.

Frowning, I face forward and discover one of my escorts closing the distance between us. It’s Geoff, my stern but fair attendant. He looks exactly the same today as he did the first time I was thrust into his arms as a child.

I’ve spent more time with him than my own father, and I can’t help but view him with affection despite the fact that he’s perpetually wearing a frown and his presence indicates that I’m leaving once again. He might pretend otherwise, but I know he feels fondness for me, not that he would ever admit it aloud. His frame is slim, and the lines on his face show his age, but he isn’t frail. No, I’ve seen him take out threats faster than I can blink. For a born vampire to show signs of age, they must have lived for centuries, and while I’ve never dared to ask Geoff how old he is, I suspect he’s lived for hundreds of years.

Felix appears at my side, and I raise a brow at his tight expression. The two males have never been friendly, but I’m surprised by Felix’s obvious display of dislike towards the older vampire. Geoff believes in the hierarchy that states the changed are below us, so unless he needs my friend’s services, he won’t acknowledge him. Felix, on the other hand, thinks Geoff is a pompous ass.

“Miss Anthea,” Geoff greets, dipping his head. His hair is silver, like mine, and tied at the nape of his neck with a black cord. His vivid blue eyes scan me from head to toe, assessing my choice of outfit for the journey ahead. “Are you ready to depart?”

A small smile graces my lips as I tilt my head to one side. “Geoff, after all these years, are you still insisting on calling me Anthea?”

He raises one silver brow. “That is your name, is it not?”

A flicker of amusement rises within me, but I’m very aware of the other escorts waiting for us. They may be several meters back with the horses, but their enhanced hearing will pick up every word we whisper. Holding back the instinct to smile, I mimic his actions and raise my own brow.

“Only the king and my father call me Anthea. Thea is my preferred name, you know this.” If it had been just the two of us, I might have said this teasingly. However, that is not the case, and I need to shift my behaviour back to what is expected. This isn’t usually so difficult, but I suspect that the circumstances of my latest journey are making it harder.

Something changes in his eyes, as though he can see right into my mind and sense my turmoil. “If no one followed the rules, we would live in chaos, Miss Anthea.” His tone is sharper than usual and holds a bite I wasn’t expecting.

This isn’t about my name, but the situation we all find ourselves in. He’s not speaking this way to be cruel, he’s simply reminding me of my responsibilities—as though I need the reminder, because that’s all I’ve been able to think about this last month since I received my summons.

He seems to realise he snapped, and his expression softens. Had the rest of the riding party been standing with us, he wouldn’t allow this moment of weakness. It’s only there for a second, but I see it, acknowledging it with a dip of my head. My heart clenches tightly in my chest, and I take a deep breath as I work on building walls around myself.

Geoff takes a step to the side and gestures to the horses. “If you are ready, we should leave.”

I look over my riding party and see all of the usual people who accompany me on these journeys. Four guards stand next to their horses, and a stable hand waits with Geoff’s horse and Shadow. That’s when I notice a spare horse, a beautiful grey mare with dark dappling on her back legs. She’s fully saddled and waiting patiently with the others, not needing anyone to hold her in place.

I slowly walk over to the beautiful horse, holding my hand flat for her to scent me before I stroke the soft velvet of her nose. “Who is this horse for?”

Others will join me throughout my stay, such as ladies-in-waiting, assistants, maids, and my weapons trainer, but they travel separately in carriages, not arriving until several days after me. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense that someone would be joining us now.

Shadow whinnies behind me, jealous of the attention I’m paying to the grey mare. I turn to roll my eyes at her and almost crash directly into Felix’s chest.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you,” he comments quietly, his soft eyes exploring my face for my reaction. “I’m coming with you this time.”

My heart hammers, and a pulsing ache forms in my temples as I process this news. Felix has come with me on my trips several times over the years, and honestly, it helped me get through the rough, lonely months away from my home. He’s been my rock and a glimmer of light in the darkness, so the fact that he’s coming with me should bring me joy, but this time, everything is different.

This time, I’m finally going to see my mate—the male whom I’m going to marry in a matter of months.

Chapter Two

The ride through Trador gave me a much-needed reprieve by helping me avoid any more awkward conversations and forget the twisting unease in my stomach.

Tradorian horses are different from the ones the humans like to breed. Their legs are longer and more powerful, making them one of the fastest creatures on land. Their features are sharper, and a row of spikes protrudes from their spine, rising above their mane and stopping by their shoulder blades. Due to these differences, it takes care and enhanced reflexes to ride one without being thrown off or impaled. Shadow would never allow me to fall, but her speed makes all other thoughts fly from my mind. Riding her has always made me feel free, and it’s the only time when I can forget who I am. Today, it feels different, and I’m unable to enjoy the ride across the mostly flat, barren land that makes up Trador.

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