Page 55 of Ashvale: The Vampire's Kiss

Rath sat down in the wooden chair, the legs protesting at the treatment. “I did what he asked. I gave the gem to Adrian and told him what had happened.”

“And?"

“He told me he'd take care of it. I assumed he would unseal the room once they had calmed down, but...”

So had Adrian tried to unseal it and failed? Had he just left the family sealed away to starve, if the early version of the drug hadn't already killed them?

“He didn't seem surprised,” Rath said finally, shaking his head. “When I came to him and told him what had happened, it was like he'd already known.”

“Why didn’t you tell anyone what Adrian had done?” I frowned, looking over the planes of Rath’s face in the hopes of seeing the truth.

“I couldn’t. A mage and a vampire… They would have killed me. Or, at least, give it a good try. I’d lose all standing at court and I needed to stay here, to try and free James.”

Cal shook his head. “I know the spell James must have used. Without the gem, there’s no way we can unseal the chambers.”

“And until the fate of the monarchs is clear, Hayes’ doesn’t have their authority,” I finished and Cal nodded.

“So what,” Novalie chipped in, frowning. “Do we think Adrian and Elowen planned it together?”

“Or they had a plan and she screwed him over by testing out her drug.” I shrugged, it seemed like the kind of duplicitous thing my mother would do. “Maybe he didn't care how they were gone, as long as they were. He wanted absolute control and, as far as he knew, the entire family was sealed inside their chambers. Of course, he didn’t count on Cal stowing away with Hayes.”

“What did he do with the gem?” Hayes' blue eyes were like chips of ice, but there was no grief in the bond, only acceptance. Maybe some vampires could survive without blood for a while, but eventually they would decay and no amount of gorging would restore them. At best, they would become mindless zombies of their former selves, a slave to the hunger of bloodlust. Either way, his parents were gone. At least he knew the truth now, there was some closure to be had in that.

“I don't know.”

“Can you describe it to us?” Cal's words were clipped, like he knew he needed to get the words out but they were a struggle. Hayes had lost his family, and Cal had lost his brother. All thanks to one woman—and Adrian, too.

Rath nodded slowly and Cal moved closer. “It was a ruby, I think. Or, at least, it was red and shiny. About the size of a pound coin by today's standards.”

“Fuck.” Hayes spun away and his shadow morphed, elongating as he struggled to contain his wolf. “Something that small could be anywhere.”

“At least we know what we're looking for now,” I soothed, following him as the bond became a muted tunnel between us. He was shutting me out, trying not to drown me in his emotions. I appreciated it, but I also wanted to help him. “Don't shut me out. I can take it.”

He held my gaze before nodding slightly and his frustration, the rage, came pouring back in between us. “We'll make them pay,” I murmured. “Both of them.”

“And when you do,” Rath said, standing once more and tilting his head in a show of subservience that surprised me, “I'd like to be there. For James.”

Hayes nodded and the room felt suddenly heavier, as if the ghosts of the past were there, watching us. “For my family.”

I gripped his hand in mine and silently echoed his vow.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Leonora

“I've heard they're taking a vote soon.”

“A vote?" Emerson looked up, surprised at Novalie's words and I echoed her confusion.

“Heard from where?”

“I have other friends, you know.” Novalie rolled her eyes and then admitted in a quieter voice, “I overheard some women gossiping in the hall.”

I snorted. “What are they voting on? And who even is they?”

“I'm surprised the council hasn't said anything yet,” she replied. “They're voting on whether to give Hayes a council seat seeing as he can’t technically be the ruling monarch until his parents are confirmed dead.”

“He's not going to like that,” I mused and kicked my feet up onto the armchair of the lounge we'd commandeered. There had been other people in here earlier, but slowly, the crowd had dissipated until we were the only ones left inside. “But it might be funny to see them try and stop him if he decides he wants it.”

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