Page 29 of Break Her Heart
I stared down at the brittle pages. “You know, I’ve been thinking about how the… transfer works. Does Carrow have witches hidden somewhere in this castle to use?”
“No, of course not.”
“Well unless vampires can perform magic and you haven’t told me, something has to hold the magic to use on the Blood Moon. A celestial event could be the activator but a magical object would need to be used. Something my ancestor would have created to use every time it’s needed.”
“So a blade like this says?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe.”
August glanced up at me and I noticed how his eyes shifted to my lips before he cleared his throat.
“Get ready. You have a dress fitting soon.”
He stood abruptly, the chair scraping against the stone as he pushed away from the desk. Without another word, he strode across the room and disappeared through the door, slamming it shut behind him.
I rolled my eyes and exhaled sharply. The tension still clung to the air like smoke.
Alone now, I wandered the room, taking in the heavy furnishings and dim candlelight. One of the wardrobes caught my attention. It was tall, carved with roses and twisted vines. I opened it cautiously.
Clothes. All his. The scent hit me immediately—sharp, smoky, and unmistakably August. My breath caught before I could stop it. I slammed the door shut.
Another armoire stood to the side. I stepped to it, pulled it open, and found a collection of gowns. Each one was as stunning as the one I wore last night and clearly chosen with care. Silks and velvets in shades of midnight, blood, and gold shimmered in the low light.
I ran my fingers along the fabrics when the door creaked open behind me.
My heart leapt into my throat. I froze, already picturing August catching me snooping. No—I wasn’t snooping. I was doing exactly what he told me to: finding something to wear. The only reason he’d think otherwise was if I looked guilty.
I took a steadying breath and crossed my arms. “That wasn’t nearly enough time to get dressed, August. Trying to catch a glimpse of me naked?”
But when I turned, it wasn’t him.
Corwin leaned casually against the doorframe, his eyes glinting with quiet interest.
“Can I help you?”
His eyes raked over me. “I’ve barely slept since meeting you yesterday.”
I arched a brow. “Yeah, well, I have that effect on men.”
He chuckled once, low and soft. “No, I mean it. I can’t stop thinking about it. Aboutyou. Why you’re here. Whyhebrought you here.”
I said nothing, but my spine straightened.
Corwin took a step into the room. “He’s damning you to a fate worse than death—and yet, his scent is all over you. His eyes never leave you.Gods, he even worried about you eating.”
“It’s to keep my strength up,” I said flatly. “So he can feed on me.”
“And yet… there isn’t a mark on you,” he murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Not one. Just that scar. That’s not what feeding looks like. You should be a bloody mess with bruises and bite marks all over you.”
“He likes to bite me where you can’t see.” I shrugged, even as my pulse quickened.
I was only in a night slip—thin, nearly translucent. There wasn’t much it hid, and I knew exactly what he saw. Perfect, untouched skin.
Corwin’s expression didn’t change. He didn’t look convinced. If anything, he looked more curious than before, like he knew I was lying and wanted to know why.
I blinked and he was suddenly in front of me, so close I could feel the air shift.
“He doesn’t care about me,” I snapped, more to convince myself than him.
