Page 41 of Dark Reign

I didn’t know what to say. Didn’t know what to think, or what to do. It seemed the sentinels were just as confused.

Levi’s lips parted as if to speak, or object maybe, but then fell silent following a stern glare from Julian.

“Sir?” Bryson spoke up, and his brow knitted together as he sought clarity.

With Julian’s back now to the others, they were blind to the fierce expression he wore, the one that told of how this action contradicted his nature. I, on the other hand, had a ringside seat.

“I think we must have misheard, Your Highness,” Embry chimed in, passing a look toward his comrade right after.

Goosebumps prickled my skin, spreading down my arms and legs. I didn’t know what to make of this, wasn’t certain I hadn’t become the butt of some cruel joke. After all, Ihadjust boldly deceived an emperor’s son. It wouldn’t have been farfetched to think he’d want revenge, would want to teach me a lesson.

Julian turned, facing the men.

“Enlighten me, Sentinel Bryson. Earlier, you spoke of protocol. Is it protocol to damage the official property of a monarch?”

Officialproperty…

My stomach flipped hearing myself described in that way, even if allowing it was the only reason Imightnot die tonight.

Was he trying to … save me?

Itseemedthat way, although I hadn’t yet figured out why he’d do such a thing—why he’d put his neck on the line for me, considering what I’d done, considering we only met tonight.

“Her things, please,” Julian demanded, extending his hand as that fierce expression hid that me being his property was a lie on top of more lies.

The reluctance behind Embry’s gaze wasn’t lost on me. He offered a shallow bow when Julian accepted my purse, showing no signs of intending to return it to me.

“Our … apologies, Your Highness,” Embry stammered, clearly questioning so much in the few seconds that had passed. “With how she raced toward the wall as though she meant to escape—”

“And with her being unmarked, carrying a weapon,” Bryson interjected as he pointed toward the empty holster on my thigh. “Youmustunderstand why we reached such a conclusion, sir.”

Julian’s posture turned rigid and he didn’t have a response ready.

But …Silasapparently did.

I peered up as he stepped closer now, his staggering height matching Julian’s.

“Wewere the ones who instructed Prince Julian to arm her,” Silas interjected, pointing toward Levi and Roman as he spoke. “She was purchased from Madam Amelia, and with the woman’s reputation for offering the most high-quality, well-trained Dolls the East has to offer, you can imagine she cost him a pretty penny. With him not being ready to publicize his latest purchase, he chose to hide her in plain sight, but it would have been foolish not to provide her a means of defending herself,” he stated, sizing up the two sentinels. “Considering …”

The two uniformed men stammered, but Silas cut them off before they were able to conjure an excuse.

“You assaulted her,” he seethed, “and then proceeded to tear what I imagine to be averyexpensive dress, before wrangling her to the ground like some animal.” His gaze shifted to my wrist. “And to top it all off, you’ve injured her.”

I was … speechless. Not only hadoneprince come to my rescue.Twoof them had now gotten tangled in this lie.

The red stain on my glove had grown considerably. With a slow reach, as if to make it clear he meant no harm, my hand was taken into Silas’ for a closer look. He gently eased the satin material that stretched to my elbow down to reveal a gash still oozing blood.

Freshblood.

Among vampires.

I hadn’t relaxed in the least, but I certainly felt my pulse quicken as I waited for a reaction to the red liquid seeping from the gash. I prepared myself for the worst as Silas stared at the wound, prepared to have my throat ripped out with his teeth like the Doll who sparked this whole thing. I’d seen enough Ianites in their true form to visualize it clearly.

Fangs that protruded from perfect sets of teeth.

Enviable cheekbones and chiseled jawlines that shifted and contorted to reveal the beasts they truly were.

Razorlike claws that rapidly elongated as the whites of their eyes filled with darkness, turning completely black against their red centers. Or, for the princes, theirsilvercenters.

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