Page 92 of A Bond in Blood

“And your grandmother? Is she half or full fae?”

“She is half,” I replied.

“Explain that to me,” Ulrich steered the conversation. “That makes your father half-fae as well.”

“There is always half-fae blood within my bloodline. My father married a mortal making me still half, but I was expected to marry a full-fae man to continue the half-fae tradition.”

“That did not work out.”

My stomach dropped and I stared in both rage and shock. “I am aware.”

“You wouldn’t have outlived him.”

“Are you intent on reminding me of my mortality and ticking lifespan, your grace?” I snapped.

Ulrich leaned against the wall. “No. You were the one questioning ages.”

“I only wanted to understand how long you’ve been terrorizing our world, your grace.”

“Your world,” he winked and shoved away from the wall.

Leaving me to catch up behind him with my tools clanging together as though I were nothing more than a mare saddled with provisions.

“Why do you have no magic?” he asked, staring down at me.

My brow crumpled. “What?”

“Your father has abilities.”

“I—” My head shook. “Yes, the water calls to him.”

“Not you?” Ulrich stopped his steps.

“No, yourgrace. Nothing. I’m as close to a mere mortal. As defenseless as one as well,” I snapped.

“That’s unlikely,” he replied.

I scowled. “Will you stop your questioning and resume showing me whatever it was you were intent on showing me?”

His grin was wide and he turned back on his heel, continuing his trek down the hall. His hand ran down the stone walls. “When you leave my kitchens, you walk a while before any entrances appear to the rest of the palace.”

My hand began to move while he walked, scribbling and noting his words. We stopped every so often while Ulrichallowed me to roughly sketch the long hall. Making sure I was recording the passage as accurately as I could.

We rounded a corner, and I let out a gasp.

We were standing in what appeared to be a foyer with entrances to candle-lit hallways surrounding us.

I stepped to the middle of the room, spinning in place, realizing it was circular.

“This is magnificent,” I whispered in amazement.

“I know,” Ulrich replied.

I didn’t turn to meet his eyes. Not with the beauty before me. It was a labyrinth and a puzzle all at the same time. I counted each passageway, stopping when I’d completed my observation.

“Twelve?” I questioned. “Like…”

“A clock,” Ulrich interrupted. “Running a palace is like clockwork. Something you’ll learn when you take over from your father.”

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