Page 71 of The Princess's Pet

My mind went to the secret greenhouse full of medicinal plants, but all medicine was poison depending on the dose. And I pictured a plant with dark sweet berries and my heart thundered in my chest. Fever, slow heart, and breaths. No. I didn’t want to check. But I had to.

My hands shakily moved to the Princess’s face and as careful as I could, I lifted her eyelids. I felt bile rise up my throat when I saw purple lines bleeding into the corners of the whites of her unfocused eyes. As if not believing and needing more proof, my fingers moved and pulled down her bottom lip, to inspect pink gums, which too were infected with dark purple lines creeping up towards her teeth.

It wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be possible. I hadn’t seen her eat anything for hours before bed.

Except for the bloodbag.

I rushed from the bed towards the small waste bin under the vanity. I reached in, pulling out the bloodbag that contained only remnants. I didn’t know what blood tasted like to a vampire, but I knew that Hades Delight was sickly sweet, I’d tasted it before.

My stomach revolted at the thought of what I was about to do, but I had to know if my suspicions were correct. I ripped open the bloodbag and ran my finger across the insides, gathering now sticky congealed black blood and with a shudder of disgust popped it into my mouth. The taste of putrid metal was at once overpowering but behind it was a strong and unique sweetness.

Hades’ Delight. Undoubtedly.

Certain death. Certain death for a pureblood vampire.

No.

I wouldn’t let it happen.

I had to do something. Had to think. There had to be a way to save her.

I remembered my mother’s handwritten books on plants and magic. There had to be something in them, and I had read the pages enough I could recite them word for word.

But there my mind could not find a solution. The movie we watched sprung unhelpfully to my mind. A children’s story. What use was a children’s story to me? Until I remembered another story. A part of my mother’s own book. Pages I didn’t pay as much attention to. Because stories weren’t real. But even children’s stories held truth to them. That’s why we told them.

My mother’s book had a chapter on anecdotes, myths, and legends she had known of.

One legend was preposterous. A cruel trick meant to lure the desperate and stupid to their death.

But it was all I had. My only hope.

Even children’s stories told a truth.

I needed help. Help to find what I needed and help to make sure it got to the Princess.

I went back to the Princess’s side, brushing her damp hair from her face.

“If you can hear me, I have to leave to get what I need to save you. I’ll be quick. Please don’t die. Be strong,” I whispered my voice wavering.

I paused only to press a kiss to her brow.

The servant corridors were ghostly, but I could hear pots clattering from the closed kitchen doors as I passed. Others were up, and I had to do my best not to draw attention to myself. The Princess was alone and someone was trying to kill her.

I made it to the courtyard keeping my head down as I passed a few servants heading towards the castle. The fact that I wore only shorts, a string tank top, and had left without even shoes became apparent to me when I heard the whispers of the passing servants. Following the same path towards the servant quarters I had taken with Edward, I made it to the manor. The doors were still wedged open and I made my way carefully towards the stairs.

Edwards had told me he stayed on the 2ndfloor. I had to find him. I trusted he would help me. The Princess had trusted him to spy for her. I would trust him to help me save her.

Loki stood at the top of the stairs like a shadow guard in the darkness.

“Hi Loki,” I whispered as I approached him, reaching out with my hand.

The giant cat pressed his head into my hand. I breathed a sigh of relief as he let me pass.

Not knowing which room was Edward’s, I took a chance and knocked on the closest door to the stairs.

After a moment I heard shuffling and cursing behind the door. Definitely not Edward.

“What do you want?” A young woman answered, her eyes squinting into the dark hall.

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