Page 14 of Princess of Thorns and Ruin

“Yes, mate. Welcome to the rest of your life. We’re always on the clock.” Quentin guides me to the back of the big house, where the servants live.

The sun is hidden behind the clouds, and the alluring smell of bread and yeast sparks gurgles in my belly. In the interior courtyard, we cross paths with a trio of women carrying groceries, and they stare at me like I’m a fucking movie star.

I hide my hands in my pockets and drag my feet along the paved stones. “Why are they staring?”

“You almost didn’t make it, mate. She almost killed you. That would have been—” he mimes an explosion at his temples.

The queasiness in my belly doubles, and I swallow a ball of saliva. “Vampires kill people all the time.”

“Not on this island, and certainly not their first-blood.”

“She’ll have another go at it soon enough. Keeping my fingers crossed.”

A chuckle escapes him. “You’re funny.”

We emerge into an office tucked at the bottom of the exterior staircase where Jorge called out my name after brunch, and sweat gathers on my forehead. What am I doing here? I should be dead.

“Leo, this is Jean, first-blood to Jason Delacroix,” Quentin says.

A desk stands between us, but the frail man doesn’t extend his hand. Instead, he glares at me above the round, tiny glasses that rest on the tip of his aquiline nose.

After a few long seconds, Jean motions for me to sit, but I shake my head.

“I have to go over the rules of the household with you.” He opens the highest cupboard behind his desk. “You will present yourself to the princess every day at sunset, and any other time she wishes. You’ll take care of her day-to-day needs, and oversee her staff. The details of the schedule and an all-around summary of your duties are in your new phone.” He passes me a sleek black smartphone. “Quentin will show you the kitchens.”

I glide the phone into my pocket, baffled by their nonchalant behavior. “Anything else?”

Quentin and Jean act as though they’re training me for a new job and showing me the ropes. They don’t look somber at all, and maybe it’s a good sign, but I mostly think they’ve been brainwashed.

Jean plucks a bottle from the shelf, along with a wide, oval-shaped tube. “You will eat well, drink at most one glass of wine a day, and exercise four times a week so your blood, body, and mind remain strong and fresh.” The bottle rattles, full of pills, as he hands it over. “You’ll take these supplements once a day before going to bed.”

“What are they?” I eye the pills suspiciously. Is everyone here drugged? Is that why they’re so docile?

“Iron, vitamins, a magical booster to regenerate your red blood cells, and something to help your circadian cycle adjust to living at night. Take them, or one of these days you’ll faint, and they’ll give you injections instead.” He passes along the tube, too. “The ointment is for your wounds. Apply a thin coat on each bite mark, and they’ll heal in mere hours. Royals prefer a flawless skin.”

Dread and a hint of mind-numbing sarcasm builds in my chest. “Why shouldn’t they want their meat fresh?”

Quentin heads for the door, but not before I see him shiver. “I have stuff to do. Meet me in the kitchens when you’re done.”

Jean closes the door to his office behind Quentin as he leaves. “Watch your attitude, boy. If you don’t, your family will suffer the consequences.”

The threat slaps me back to reality, and I give Jean a grave nod.

He snatches a white, old-fashioned tissue from his front pocket and cleans his glasses. “You’ll be fed by the same staff as the princess. Please inform them of any allergies for tonight’s dinner, but don’t get too comfortable. The princess leaves for court tomorrow. Things work pretty much the same at the castle, except for the amount of decorum. Things are relaxed here. At court, you’ll have to know how to address the lords and ladies correctly. You might even cross the dark king’s path.”

“Alright.”

He rests both hands on the desk. “There are a few books you should read. I’ll make a list. What you do from seven in the morning to sundown is your business. Get enough sleep, though. You may engage in sexual intercourse with any willing human.”

I raise my hands in alarm. “That won’t be necessary.”

The old man’s eyes soften. “Believe me, boy. A lifetime of abstinence isn’t as honorable as it sounds. As the princess’ first-blood, and given your looks, you’ll be somewhat of a catch. Nyx’s children are completely off-limits. And don’t make the mistake of falling in love. You must follow the princess wherever she goes, and you can’t afford to form attachments. The blue pills in the bottle will ensure that you can’t accidentally father an offspring—”

“Condoms don’t cut it for vampires?”

He observes me with a frosty pout. “If a woman became pregnant with your child, she’d be executed.”

I rub my face down. “Shit—okay, I got it.”

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