Page 13 of Queen of Darkness
“Well, of course. It is called aBloodLetter for a reason.” The Broker grinned.
“That makes an annoying amount of sense,” I hissed through clenched teeth.
He nodded. “The spirit—” He paused to cringe at the idea. “Thespiritof the letter is that it must be paid via death, or the body of the person named.”
“But that’s not the only way, is it?” I asked eagerly, leaning forward.
At last, some positive news!
“No,” Duke Hamelin agreed. “One may also pay by offering the required amount of their own blood. They must, of course, survive having that much blood drawn. They also must deliver it in person to the Guild less than twenty-four hours after the first drop is drawn. If they can do this, then the Guild will consider the letter canceled.”
I burned that information into my mind. There was a way out. A way for me to get past the letter.
“Of course,” the Duke continued, “Elenia will still want you dead. She will not stop just because you thwarted that one attempt on your life. I would expect her to increase her attempts to kill you after that. Assuming you survive.”
“I know,” I said. “But now I won’t have to worry about anyotherunknowns appearing and trying to knock me dead.”
“Your first worry should be surviving,” he said ominously. “Everything else will be moot if you die during the attempt.”
I eyed him warily. “Just how much blood are we talking here?”
“It varies by creature.”
“And for someone like me?”
“A human is forty percent. A shifter is forty-five. There is no amount for one such as you, but I would go with fifty, just to be certain.”
I goggled at him. Fifty percent of my blood?
“Over two liters,” he confirmed to my wordless stare. “It will kill you.”
“Unless,” I said slowly, staring at the top of his desk and the drawers beyond, “you have a way to survive something like that. A way to bring yourself back to health.”
My eyes were looking past the solid wood desktop to the contents of the drawer. Where the Rings of Kline, and their healing powers, now rested in the Broker’s possession.
“Such a way would be beneficial indeed,” he agreed, never once following my gaze or reaching for the drawer.
He knew what he’d done. Yet again, I was confronted by the fact that the Broker wasnoton my side. He was neutral. But that didn’t mean he was oblivious. His demand had been on purpose.
“You tricked me,” I accused, though I was angrier at myself for being so easily duped than anything else. I should have seen something like that coming.
The Duke of Hamelin stood abruptly, his black eyes hammering into me with the weight of all his power. I staggered backward a step before catching myself.
“I donottrick anyone,” he said, his voice hard. “The bargain was made fair and square. Youchoseto accept it, and that is your prerogative. I did not force you to do anything.”
I stood perfectly still. Never had I seen the Broker so pissed. I’d offended him with my comment.
“However,” he said, leaning forward, “given your …extenuatingcircumstances and, perhaps, my own personal desire to see you succeed, I will overlook it.”
If you wanted me to succeed, why did you demand the rings as payment? You could have asked for anything else.
I had to remind myself that him wanting me to succeed didn’t mean he would let himself be taken advantage of. The equality of the bargain.
“That being said,” he continued, “this is the last of the hospitality I will extend you, especially after your previous visit to my place of business. It is time for you to leave, Miss Alustria.”
I grimaced, but what choice did I have?
“Always a pleasure doing business with you,” I said, nodding my head before showing myself out.
