Page 45 of Of Spindles and Nightfall
“That is a simple barrier spell. You can cross it if you have the right person with you.”
“Like you.”
She pressed her lips and nodded. “That won’t do you any good with the alcove, though. Or accessing the scepter, which I can’t help you with.”
“I understand. What about leaving? If I were already inside, can I cross the alcove barrier?”
“Like the room, it is only entering that is guarded against. Once you are through you are fine to leave whenever.”
He nodded. “Anything else?”
“The guards stand watch outside. Two of them, day and night.”
“Is that all?”
She lifted an eyebrow.Is that all?Even though it was easy to leave, getting in was near impossible. The room was so locked down nobody had entered it, besides uncle, for years.“I believe so.”
Zarathos stepped away, a flash of cold satisfaction in his eyes, before he faced her. “Now, show me the fastest route out of the castle.”
She huffed a laugh of disbelief. “If I come in here, and you don’t have a way to undo the spell protecting the scepter—”
“Don’t worry about it, Aryana. And you won’t be alone. I fully intend to accompany you. I may not be able to shadow jump into the castle, but once I am inside, moving between shadows shouldn’t be a problem. Hence the tour.”
“But the alcove—”
“The way out, Vampress,” he said, his voice sharp.
They glared at each other for a long moment. Few demons could move seamlessly through the shadows as he did. The ability was rare, though she couldn’t recall which species possessed it.
“Fine,” she said, giving in first.
She stepped into the office and froze. Her father sat at the outline of the desk. His broad smile shone across his face. His crimson stare bored into hers.
“Aryana, my precious, how are you this evening?” he said.
Her whole body trembled. The entire room came into glaringly accurate detail.
Her father’s gaze shifted. “And I see you’ve brought a friend. Or perhaps more than a friend?”
A flush crept through her cheeks. And words moved past her unmoving lips. “Vallin.”
A vampire man that very much wasn’t Zarathos stepped forward on her left-hand side. He was tall and broad and had waves of brown hair and sharp red eyes.
He knelt before her father, casting Aryana one last adoring glance.
“My king,” he said. “Though it should break tradition, I beg your indulgence. I wish to take Aryana as my Bloodbound.”
Aryana’s body shook. When this moment had initially happened, she’d been overwhelmed with joy. She'd been utterly elated.
This wasn’t Raydin. It wasn’t even Terrance. This was Vallin, her first love.
A second son of a noble house, his father served as one of her father’s advisors. Circumstances had repeatedly brought them together, and she had fallen. Hard. She’d given all of herself to him.
Her heart hammered as the memory unfolded before her.No. Stop. Please stop.
Her father’s grin grew brighter. “Although what you say breaks tradition, I think I can make an exception for you, my boy.” He looked up at Aryana and winked, sending waves of horrified trepidation coursing through her veins.No, Father, don’t do that. Keep your eyes on Vallin.
“You can’t imagine how happy you’ve made me,” Vallin said, his gaze lingering on Aryana. Then, turning to the king, he added softly, “At last, I get to give her what she truly deserves.”
