Page 34 of Princess Avenged

“Your Highnesses,” a voice drifts into my fog.

“What is it?” Selina asks. “Can’t you see we’re having a private conversation?”

“Many apologies, Highness,” the voice says, “but Princess Anastasia has an incoming video call. A young vampire named Ember. She says it’s extremely urgent that she speak to Her Highness.”

I turn my head to face the vampire standing at the alcove entrance. She’s nervous, and I feel bad about that. “Ember?” I manage to get a word out.

“Yes, Your Highness.” The messenger shifts, her hands clasped behind her back.

Flame and Blade appear behind the messenger.

Selina turns toward them. “Apparently someone named Ember is calling. Does that name mean anything to you two?”

“Ana,” Blade says softly. “If you won’t talk to us, will you at least talk to Ember?”

Drawing a long breath, I steel myself and rise. My grief can wait.

Ember wouldn’t call, claiming it’s urgent, without reason. My stomach flips. She’s in the city where Phil died. Perhaps she knows something. Perhaps she wants guidance on dealing with his remains.

“Do you want me to come with you?” Selina asks.

I shake my head, realizing it is likely about Phil’s remains. DEFTA would be responsible for Phil’s body after Crusher left him to rot. And I’m still not ready for her to know about my loss. I turn to Selina. “I’ll join you later for dinner.”

Selina offers a supportive smile, and I walk stiffly toward the hallway. The messenger steps to the side to let me exit the alcove, and then leads me away. Blade and Flame follow behind us, but I lack the will to object. They can trail me like puppies if they so choose. That doesn’t mean I’ll let them in the room while I talk to Ember. And it certainly doesn’t mean I’ll fully forgive their deceit.

Chapter

Sixteen

Ana

Iblindly walk through familiar hallways I’ve known for a hundred years, focussing only on the vampire ahead of me, reminding myself, over and over, to concentrate, to pull it together, to prepare myself for this call with Ember.

I like Ember. We met during that fiasco with Octavia. She was a good friend to me then, but if she doesn’t already know about Phil, I’m not certain I can tell her, either.

The messenger pushes open the door leading to the archives.

Registering where the messenger led me, I stop. “Why the archives? There are many video stations in the palace capable of accepting incoming calls.”

“I’m…I’m not certain why the call was answered in here.” The messenger stares at the inlaid marble floor. “Shall I request to have the call transferred elsewhere?” She glances behind her.

“No, this will be fine.” I continue forward, even though my gut says there’s something fishy about taking the call in the same area where Blade’s spent most of his time at the palace. The same place where he discovered whatever it is he wants to tell me. This is starting to feel like a trick.

I walk past a long table covered in old books, three of them open, and my attention’s captured by a horrific illustration. I gasp. The elaborate panel, in colored ink, depicts horrific acts of torture and mayhem so disgusting it makes my already upset stomach churn. If that’s the kind of thing Blade has been looking at, I’m not surprised he’s become paranoid.

I shake my head. When I was studying at The Academy, I saw similar illustrations in my Vampire Mythology class. None of those myths were based on reality, only hatred and fear of the unknown. This illustration also comes from an illustrator’s imagination, based on some myth about demons, intended to frighten people, or to encourage them to follow a particular religion.

Horrible as the drawing is, it’s not real.

Stepping into a conference room, I’m immediately drawn toward Ember’s image on the screen at its end.

“Ana!” Ember leans toward the camera and smiles. “How are you? It seems like ages since we talked, and so much has happened.” She glances to the side, and her mate, Zuben steps into view.

“Princess.” He bows, sharply.

I take a seat on a sofa in front of the screen, and the camera automatically adjusts its angle to keep me in its field of view.

My body tenses. Someone else is in this room. I turn to see Blade and Flame at the doorway. I didn’t realize they’d followed me in.

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