Page 14 of Trapped By Vengeance

I will not be on this ship come sunset tomorrow. And Konrad won’t be either.

The more feral estries are consumed by their bloodlust. I have no taste for it. But the memories . . .

There is so much more to life than the existence I was confined to within my father’s castle. And until very recently, drinking memories was the only way to catch up on the lifeI missed while trapped in a tower to protect me until I could transform into what I am now.

But I don’t recall ever being as excited to drink memories as I am now.

I pace around the deck while I wait for Konrad to fall into a deep sleep, his breathing mellowing into a steady rhythm.

Kneeling beside him, I feel my teeth quickly synchronize to the high levels of magic that come from his lycanthropy. Then I puncture his neck.

Finally, I taste something besides the ashes estries are cursed to taste if we deviate from our diet. Something sweet with a twang . . .

The first taste of copper is the last connection I have of the physical world that has already rejected me. Then I am drawn into another reality, one from the past that belongs to someone else. But now it’smypresent . . .

Thunder claps, and all I see are paws. Wolf paws—and only a pup’s at that. They are running quickly, splashing in mud, until they charge into what appears to be stables.

Horses I cannot see from this vantage neigh loudly. The wolf curls into itself and backs away. Then it hurries behind a hay bale. A moment later, wolf paws are replaced by human hands.

“Something is spooking the horses.”

The little boy Konrad lifts his head over the hay bale to see an elf man striding into the room. His pointed ears and shorter stature speak to his heritage, and his silver hair proclaims he must be at least a century old. But he is still strong and hale as they often are at that age.

Konrad ducks behind the hay bale, but his movement knocks into the hay bale behind him, sending it toppling.

The elf male is upon him in a moment, a pitchfork in his hand. But when he stares down at Konrad, the wrinkles between his brows smooth and he sets the pitchfork down. Then he reaches outhis hand. “There is nothing to be afeared for, boy. You’re welcome here.”

I draw myself out before I drink too much of Konrad’s blood and he notices.

My spirit buzzes with power like it always does after I’ve fed. Life flows in the blood, both memories and magic. Kinfolk are better to feed upon than mere mortals, as they all have intrinsic magic. For a short time after feeding, I can experience a fraction of those powers. Mortals born with magic are always more powerful than kinfolk, so they are even more optimal victims.

But nothing I’ve ever tasted compares to this. Werwölves truly are the most optimal prey for an estrie, their power the closest thing to rivaling ours except for Heritage Magic itself.

I cannot wait to return to my body and explore the new strengths I have borrowed. Unfortunately, I will need to feed on Konrad tomorrow to continue exploring them the day after.

Though there is another method to ensure I have the strengths of a werwölfe forever . . .

No, there is too much else to think of right now, like the reality that a werwölfe has abducted me onto a ship against my will. I need to focus on that and not think of Konrad as a scared little pup who didn’t have a father to lock him away in a castle until he was able to defend himself.

Chapter Seven

Konrad

“Pup, I appreciate your generosity, but we are not giving the captive the biggest pastry.”

Eloise glances down to where she’s setting up the rations Cook gave her for Valda, her, and me. “Says the one who exchanged silver for flowers!”

Which was a foolish trade, considering how much I’m struggling to provide for Eloise until this job pays off. But that flower girl couldn’t have been any older than my pup, and I hated the thought of her going hungry.

Sighing, Eloise holds up her pastry. “You were right to give that girl a denarius. Just like I’m right to give Lady Valda my pastry. Hospitality is one of the seven Tenants of the kinfolk way, after all. And I feel bad after helping trick her . . .”

I scowl as I scratch my neck. I’m not sure why it feels so itchy this morning. “Don’t feel bad— that’smyjob. Also, Lady Valda fed her dinner to the birds.”

“What?!” Eloise’s jaw drops, and she quickly swaps the doughy pastry on Valda’s platter, giving her the smallest one.

I grab my portion and eat it before I can be tempted to be generous again.

“Well, I’m going back to the crow’s nest.” Eloise slips her own breakfast into her tunic pocket. “Bye!”

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