Page 93 of A Bond in Blood

I dropped my head, unwilling to hear those words when I wasn’t sure I would claim my own birthright.

“The building of the palace started here,” Ulrich muttered, and I looked up, watching him run his hand around the walls, waving his hand through each open hallway as he passed them. “I had to have a place to access every point of my home if need be. While also having a place to retreat to if a threat came upon it and my people.”

My hand stopped noting his words and I lifted a brow.

“There’s nothing in our world more dangerous than you.”

Ulrich’s hand dropped. “I am not the most dangerous being in your world, Brenna. I would advise you not to forget that.”

“Impossible,” I objected. “No one else in the world terrorizes as you do. I have never in my life seen so much violence and death since arriving here.”

“The most dangerous monsters are the ones who lurk in plain sight, undetected, trusted, and knowing,” Ulrich replied coldly.

My body shivered at the cold now layering over the circular room. The koal in my hands trembled and I stepped back. Ulrich was tense where he stood, his shoulders heaving and fear coursed through me in response.

Had I awoken that monster that had appeared on the beach once more? Had I unintentionally sparked his hidden rage?

He stood, running his hand through his hair before shaking his head.

“We’ll start at twelve,” he said as though nothing had happened.

“Twelve?” I questioned.

“On the clock?” his hand rose pointing across the room. “I told you the room is mimicking clockwork. I will take you down this hallway first.”

I nodded nervously, adjusting the easel on my neck and quickly marking the room before following behind him.

The hallway was like the other, with candles lining the walls, only there was no skylight. Ulrich followed the winding path, stopping at the first door.

He pushed it open, allowing me to peek into the room.

“A closet,” he laughed.

I scoffed, thumping him on the chest as I backed out.

His laugh stopped abruptly, and his head snapped down in my direction. My hand went to my chest in response.

“Sorry,” I muttered.

“That was a playful gesture,” he said blankly.

I stepped back. “It won’t happen again.”

His gaze met mine and he blinked then nodded before heading back down the hall. Too stunned to speak, I met his pace, marking the winding turns of the hallway and the lack of additional doors.

We walked for too long, causing me to worry I had truly been a fool to follow him when he stopped, and my face slammed into his back.

The contents of my pouch clattered to the ground and sticks of koal scattered along with the other contents of the pouch.

“Fuck the Gods,” I groaned lowering to gather my supplies.

I reached the koal closest to me when his palm wrapped around mine, pulling my eyes away from the floor.

“It’s just koal,” he said, handing me a handful I hadn’t seen him gather.

I nodded, placing it into the pouch before standing.

“I was startled,” I whispered.

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