Page 50 of The Star's Sword

Samael nodded, grabbing my hand.

“Cayne, you can stay here if you want, talk to Simon. I have to get Cleo back to the sanctuary.”

Cayne nodded, and I wondered what had happened while I was gone to change plans.

I heard Simon and Cayne arguing while the door shut behind us, and before I could protest, I was scooped up in Sam’s arms, and he rose up into the air, carrying us toward the sanctuary.

17

“What is it?” I asked, once we’d landed safely in the courtyard.

“I got your scores,” Sam said soberly.

“My what?”

“Your popularity scores,” Sam said, walking tiredly over to the crumbling wall that overlooked the cemetery, as the clouds moved above us, sending down little rays of breaking sunlight.

“I have those?” I was still trying to process what he meant as he sat next to me on the wall.

“Informally. A vamp brought them with the mail, while Cayne and I were picking vegetables. I’m sure Cayne will discuss it with Simon. Or maybe he won’t, given that he may be caught up on why we found Vasara in Simon’s house this morning.”

I flushed, and Samael looked at me curiously.

“What did he want to talk about?”

“Um.” I decided not to talk about the Vasara stuff, because Simon had his reasons. “He wants to feed on me, for one.”

Sam’s brows lowered. “That vampire. I told him it wasn’t happening.”

“Why?” I asked. “Doesn’t it feel good? And build bonds?”

Samael got a dark look. “If there was a vampire who wouldn’t lose control, I would trust Simon to be it. But I don’t think I can trust you to a vampire, Cleo. Once they bite you, they have control. They can choose to turn you or hurt you.” He shook his head.

“But what do you think about Simon being there, you know, with Zadis?”

Sam’s eyes went wide and I decided this wasn’t the time for that topic. I stared over at the willow that covered the grave that used to be Cayne’s, thinking about how far we had come together.

He was right, we couldn’t afford to take any risks.

“Let’s drop it,” I said. “And talk about these scores you saw.”

“More like reports. In the gossip rags, basically,” Sam said, reaching into his pocket and dragging out a folded-up piece of parchment. “And based on this, vampire society hates you.”

I raised a brow. “I donate blood constantly. I’ve been to a ball. I’m friends with Simon. Why would they hate me?”

He handed me a piece of paper. “It looks like Vasara has been busy.”

I ran my eyes over the columns of text, rage rising in me as I read allegation after allegation about me.

I was simply a wolf shifter from the havens, so how could anyone believe any of this?

“While you were fighting and donating, it seems she was busy planting lies about you with all the courtiers.”

“Ah,” I said, feeling lightheaded.

Sam pulled out yet another piece of parchment. “There’s more. Don’t get upset, Cleo. I know all of it is false. But it’s bad that this news is circulating even with the captive human population. That means all vampire society is abuzz with it.”

“But I’m the top donator,” I said, puzzled. “I give blood all the time, and the workers always tell me it’s top quality.”

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