Page 71 of Darkest Heart

She tilted her head. “Do you think she’s here?”

I pressed my fingers over my forehead, smoothing out the wrinkles forming. “It doesn’t matter. But hypothetically, if she were to return here, did you find anything that could explain that?”

“Like the prophecy?”

My eyes widened. What book was that in? I glared at the stack I’d brought her after. These were the oldest books I’d collected, a few I’d stolen from Azia’s library. If she could find Seraphina’s prophecy, then anyone could. Not that many in the castle read their history. This place wasn’t exactly filled with scholars. “What prophecy?” I baited.

“The one about the blood queen bringing death to all vampires,” she said slowly, as if she was delivering some new truth. “I mean, it is a prophecy, so it probably doesn’t mean that at all. Although, it wouldn’t be the worst thing.”

I licked my lips. “You think it can mean something else?”

She shrugged. “They usually do. I mean, a lot gets lost in translation. Especially when psychics or whoever made this one, is involved. Visions are often misleading.”

“Why would Salenia care about the prophecy?”

“She probably knows something you don’t,” she said simply. Sometimes it was worth getting an outsider’s outlook. “Either way, from what I saw, there was a small note on the margin of this…hold on.” She grabbed a book from the pile. “This book.” I had to admire her organizational skill when she opened the book. She’d created a system with torn up paper, sticking them to areas that were relevant. She ran her finger around the ink, so not to smudge the fading writing. “Here, it says Anastasia was made mortal and killed, sent away from the underworld. That’s Vener’s soulmate.”

The girl really had done her research.

She continued. “A little later on, someone wrote on a page about summoning demons that Vener knew about the prophecy, and it would destroy Seraphina. I don’t think all the demons are on her side.” She ran her fingers across several more pages. “See, there are some who obey Vener. You should talk to who wrote this.”

I tipped the book, looking at the cover. “He’s dead,” I said, recognizing the scholar’s name. “He was a sorcerer.”

She pursed her lips. “Well, he had unique tastes.” Her nose scrunched. I didn’t want to ask what she’d learned about him. “So if Anastasia was destroyed, gone, or whatever, then Vener would have ammunition to go against Salenia, right?”

They could battle it in the underworld for eternity. There wasn’t much he could do to her down there. “Maybe we’re looking at the wrong person’s intentions. What would Vener’s be? Hurting Salenia and getting his soulmate back.”

“If she’s gone, then there’s nothing he could do to get her back. I mean, the only way they could reunite would be if Vener died mortal, which wouldn’t happen. Salenia can only do that, and she will not gift it to him if she did to Anastasia.”

I admired her dedication. She really had kept them apart. I almost felt bad for the guy. “Unless he destroys the underworld.” I added.

“Is that possible?”

“If no one has done it yet, then there probably isn’t a way. So Vener, you said he cared about vampires?”

“From what I read, though, he was a manipulative bastard. I’m not sure why Salenia cared. Although, she probably grew tired of him and now she’s in an eternal prison. Sucks to be her.”

“I imagine she enjoys it. She’s a master of her own realm.” I recalled the stories about her and the other gods. “She never cared much for her siblings, nor did they her. That’s why Sanmorte exists. The gods gave us a place to exist.”

“Some gods,” she said with a huff. “They must not care about mortals.”

“They thought it unfair to wipe out an entire race. We were cursed by no fault of our own. Well, I don’t see it as a curse, but many did. Still do,” I added, thinking about Sebastian.

“Saving your kind was a mistake. You’re all monsters.”

I laughed in disbelief. “You didn’t think that when your legs were wrapped around my head.”

“I still thought you were a monster,” she said, her cheeks and chest flushing red. “I made a mistake.”

“I’m helping you!”

“Only because I’m giving you something in return. Don’t pretend this is nothing more than a selfish transaction.”

“That’s not true. I would have got you out, anyway.” The words left my mouth before I could take them back. Her lips parted, and I wished I’d not let my defensiveness get the better of me.

“One righteous act doesn’t make up for a lifetime of being an asshole.”

I balled my fists, leaning away from her. “You know nothing about me.”

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