Page 8 of Princess of Thorns and Ruin

A gruesome table of contents outlines the main sections of the binder, and I skim the first few pages. “It’s a roadmap to survive the night.”

Duties of a first-blood. Court decorum. Anatomy of human veins and arteries. Without meaning to, I punch a hole in the wall. In a few hours, I’ll be a slave to a demon I abhor. A part of me wishes for a swift release.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t survive the night.

Mum sighs as though she read my thoughts. “Leave us, Jorge. I need to speak with my son in private. Don’t worry, he’ll report to you on time. Callas’ don’t run from duty.” She turns her sun-battered face to the sea. “Even when they should.”

Chapter 4

First-Blood

ARIELLE

The orange sphere burns over the deep blue sea, and red and pink hues fan across the glassy surface of the water. My black, freshly-painted nails click on the rails of the balcony as I breathe in the salty air.

It’s my last sundown as a human. Energy surges and expands along my spine. Before the night is over, I’ll be stronger, faster, and more resilient to pain.

All my life, I’ve been stuck in a waiting room. After my mother died, the Elders took over my education. I was told how to speak, how to act, and how to dress. I didn’t belong anywhere. I couldn’t form friendships with humans my age and was held apart from most of the other bloodlings because of my rank. I was told to just wait, all in the hope that after my Nightfall, I’d stop being just potential and become more than an obedient bloodling. I can’t count the times I’ve been told: “When you're older.” “When you're older, you’ll understand.” “When you’re older, I’ll answer your questions.”

When you're older, your opinion will matter…

Tonight, I’ll finally become what I was always meant to be.

“The transformation has already started.” Genevieve sticks one last pin in my hair. “They say that, as a vampire, you’ll be able to hear the ants scavenging for food in the gardens and count the craters on the moon.”

Elbows bent, I lean on the white banister. “I expect a lot of that is flowery language. I’ve seen my brothers look at the moon, and their eyes are certainly not telescopes. Our race is slow to change and slower to update the reference books.”

Genevieve chuckles. “There is a lot of poetic nonsense to work through in the old texts.”

In the last two centuries, humanity has leaped into a new age. Technology revolutionized the world, and we adapted along with it, but in many aspects, we’re still living in feudal medieval times. Knights and horses still garnish our court. Corsets and capes embellish our bodies. Not always, but often enough that it feels like my world is stuck in the past.

The sun finally drops below the horizon, and I stretch my arms above my head, trying to reign in the jitters.

Genevieve adjusts the train of my dress. The glorious design is my own, and I feel like an edgy, fairytale princess. The traditional red velvet and puffy sleeves can remain in the attic’s dusty chests. I don’t want to start my new life dressed as an old, stuffy maiden.

The off-shoulder neckline dips between my breasts, and black silk covers them all the way down to my stomach where the top meets the long, luscious chiffon skirt. The stitching in the silk is made to resemble black feathers because I’m an ugly duckling about to hatch. It’s the first time I’m allowed to wear such a revealing gown.

Tonight, I stop being a bloodling.

Footsteps glide across the stone hall, and I look over my shoulder. Lucas slows down as he draws near, and Genevieve retreats to the hallway.

My best friend’s throat bobs, and his gaze roams over me and lingers on the black fabric licking my breasts. “You look…”

My chest warms.

Lucas stares deep into my eyes like he’s committing them to memory. “When you emerge, you’ll be different.”

I lift my chin. “I’ll still be me.”

He grazes one of the silver ribbons entangled in my crown of braids. “I’ll miss those blue eyes.”

“I might keep them.”

“So few of us do.” He pauses, and his gaze dips to my lips. “There’s something I’ve got to do, Ari, and I need to do it now because I won’t ever get the chance again.”

I suck in a heavy breath, and my breasts stretch the fabric of my dress. Despite his vague words, there’s no doubt he means to kiss me.

I angle my face to him, so ready to finally cross that line. “Alright.”

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