Page 10 of On Wings of Blood

They were pathetic, I decided, staring at me. What did I have that they so badly wanted, anyhow? Why had the prince brought me here? Was it simply my hair?

Then I thought of Barnabas and my heart sank. Not hair.

Blood.

We reached the raised platform a few steps behind Lucius. The small man dropped to his knees on the red velvet carpet that spread out around the dais and began to rapidly intone, his voice carrying easily across the vast hall.

“Lords and ladies of the Blessed Blood, allow me to present one who is familiar to us all–the Scarlet Warden of the Red Keep, High Prince of Sangratha, Bloodlord of the Pure...”

The titles kept coming. On and on.

For a moment, the prince stood by my side, his teeth gritted. Then, abruptly, he leaned forward and delivered a swift kick to Lucius’s ankle.

There was a yelp.

The secretary continued at a much quicker pace than before, “With absolutely no further adieu, I present Prince Blake Drakharrow, my lords and ladies.”

A brief pause. “And by his side, stands a... female... most unusual for a blightborn.”

I suppressed a snort.

“An unpolished treasure found amidst the muck and mire.” Lucius seemed to be refinding his flow. “Saved by the Black Prince from the edge of death and despair.”

I coughed loudly, and cast a pointed look at the prince who was still staring straight ahead like a statue. It was true that this man, Blake Drakharrow, had shot one of his own men to save me. But after chaining me like a beast, I wasn’t planning to offer him a thank you anytime soon.

“You all see this creature’s rare qualities,” Lucius declared pompously to the crowd, gesturing to me. “Here she is, to be presented to the court, by my high and honorable lord, Prince Blake Drakharrow...”

“Yes, you’ve said that part once already,” Blake interrupted. “That’s quite enough, Lucius.”

Lucius scurried off to one side before he could be kicked again.

For a moment, I felt sorry for him. Until I remembered he was also a vampire.

Blake’s hand gripped my wrist, pulling me abruptly forward. He raised his voice so it carried throughout the hall.

“We found this woman in the burned out village just outside of Veilmar.” Not for the first time, I wondered what had happenedto that village. At first, I had assumed its devastation had been Blake’s doing. Now I wondered if that was the case. “There should have been no one left alive, but somehow there she was. You can see for yourself her strange traits.” He lifted a hand laconically to gesture at me, then dropped it with a shrug, as if he were already bored of looking at me. “I thought it best to bring her before you and the Council.”

Oh, he did, did he? And just who is this Council? So very hastily assembled. The hall is full. All here for you, my pretty.

I jumped, my wrist suddenly twisting in Blake’s grasp.

It was a woman’s voice. Low and melodic. And inside my own head.

Who are you? Who said that?I demanded.

You should never have allowed yourself to be taken. Really, girl, have you no pride?the woman’s voice chided.

Pride? I have plenty of pride. Pride didn’t arm me. Pride didn’t give me a blade with which to slit his throat,I retorted.

Ah, but youwishedto. That is something at least. Good. Hold on to that. Hold on to your rage.

There was something imperious about the woman’s tone, despite her bloodthirsty nature.

Who the hell are you?I demanded again.Get out of my head.

You’re right. We should cease this chatter and listen. You must see what these people want with you.There was a pause and I could almost picture the unseen woman tapping her finger against her well-formed chin.From the look of it, they aren’tcomplete and utter savages. They possess a sense of decorum. And taste.

Taste? Is that what you call it? They drinkblood.I felt hysteria bubbling up in my throat and quickly suppressed it.Decorum? Is that what you’d call it when they chain me up and rip my hair out?

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