Page 6 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

“Please, call me Thea.”

One of my guards coughs in disapproval behind me at the informality in which I’m speaking with the female, but I ignore it. Social classes have always seemed strange to me, and I have never understood why someone of a lower class is considered less than someone from the higher classes.

“Thank you, Lady Thea.”

I roll my eyes at her reply but fight the twitch of a smile that’s trying to appear. We walk the rest of the way in silence until we reach the suites where my entourage and I will stay. All of my escorts, teachers, and guards stay in adjoining suites, a large central dining room connecting them. It’s safer for us this way, keeping all the vampires in one place and easier to protect.

When I come to the city, I am always attended to by a vampire, specifically one of the changed, and it’s always piqued my curiosity. Are the other brides attended to by one of their own race? Where is the king finding all these vampires to work here?

All races are welcome to call Drathlor City home, and while some vampires decided to settle here, it was predominantly the changed who made the move. Even then, not many decided to leave their homelands. Merfolk is another race that there aren’t many of in the city, mostly for practical reasons, but their faith calls for them to be close to the sea. As Drathlor City is landlocked, that doesn’t make it particularly habitable for anyone from Corallina.

Passing the shared living quarters, I follow my attendant into my suite. Made up of three adjoining rooms, it looks exactly as I left it. A lounge with long, comfortable day beds are placed by large windows, all of which are covered with a screen to stop the sunlight from coming in while still allowing me to enjoy the view. Bookcases line the far wall and is one of the other things I like about my six monthly visits. There is so much information waiting for me between those pages, and I can’t wait to be alone and dive in.

To the right is the archway that leads to my bedchambers. Slowly walking through, I marvel at the huge bed that takes up half the room. I’ve slept on it many times, but I still can’t get over how big it is. I could have three large males in the bed with me and still have space—not that anything like that could happen while I’m here, sharing my quarters with my guards.

Finally, on the other side of the room, is the doorway to my private bathroom. The bath is a beautiful sunken tub surrounded by sparkling tiles, and it’s deep enough that I can fully submerge myself.

“I have everything set out for you,” my attendant says. “Please let me know if you need anything changed, and I’ll be sure to do that for you.”

Pulling my gaze from the obscenely large bed, I turn to take in the young woman. It’s impossible to know how old she really is, but she looks like she was barely out of her teens when she was changed.

“I’ve not seen you here before. Where is my previous maid?”

The vampire who attended me for the last few years on my visits was also one of the changed, and she was so terrified of me that she barely spoke a word. I never even knew her name.

My new attendant looks uncomfortable, shifting her weight from foot to foot. “Unfortunately, my lady, she was found guilty of treason and was put to death. I am your new attendant.”

Treason? The girl could barely look at me without shaking, and they are saying she committed treason? Unless she was an incredible actress, something doesn’t seem right here. I know better than to say anything though. Until I can be sure of my new attendant’s alliances, I have to assume her loyalties are with King Drath.

Due to this, I let her comment slide with a humming noise and quickly change the topic despite my burning curiosity about my previous attendant.

“Well, new attendant, do you have a name?”

Her discomfort quickly dissolves, and a small smile lights up her face. “Yes, my name is Bright. My mother said that my personality reminded her of the sun.”

Bright. Yes, the name suits her. Although her emotions are composed, there is something sunny about her that makes me want to spend more time in her company. It might seem like an odd name for a vampire, but as one of the changed, she will have carried over her old attributes from before she died.

My gaze shifts to the garment lying on the bed, my brows rising in surprise. It seems that Bright has an eye for clothing, and the dress she picked will make me look like a queen.

Chapter Four

Ihave to give it to Bright, she knows how to pick an outfit for the occasion. The dress she managed to magic from somewhere is gorgeous and fits like a dream. It also fits with the style and fashion that the vampires prefer, without making me look out of place in a formal setting.

Vampires are pretty vain and find no shame in their bodies or sharing the forms we were born with. Because of that, it is common to see us wearing form-fitting and revealing clothing, showing off as much of our pale skin as possible. The lighter the hue of our skin, the more beautiful an individual is considered. I’ve been blessed with a creamy complexion that appears both pale and flawless, but a little warmer than the marble-like effect some of the vampires possess.

The top of the dress consists of a strapless corset, the plunging neckline displaying a generous amount of cleavage and the tattoo around the base of my neck that tells all exactly who I am. Delicate silver twists of metal have been shaped and linked together, then fixed onto the bodice in a beautiful design that looks both like a delicate floral pattern and armour. The lavender colour compliments my skin beautifully, the fabric darkening as it travels down my body until the bottom of the skirt is a deep, rich purple.

The skirt, mostly consisting of layers of purple mesh, gives my hips a curved shape. Paired with the long slit up to midthigh, I feel both feminine and fierce.

My silver hair hangs freely down my back, and a silver circlet sits upon my head. I don’t bother to cover my face with powders and potions like some do, wanting my skin to remain as pale and smooth as possible. Instead, I swipe some mascara across my lashes and tint my lips with my favourite blood-red gloss.

I look like a warrior princess. The thought makes me smile.

I’m still looking at myself in the mirror when there’s a knock on the door. Bright excuses herself to speak to the new arrival, only to return moments later, dipping into a curtsy.

“Lady Thea, your attendance has been requested on the patio for tea with the other brides.”

My brow rises, the only outward emotion I allow, demonstrating just how surprised I am by this invitation.

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