Page 71 of Dhampira

Dragons were telepaths, Vander’s deep voice said in my memory.

Lorcan’s snarl followed swiftly on its heels. I cut the beast’s beating heart from its chest, split it open, and plucked the jewel from the bloody, steaming meat.

I touched one throbbing red stone, disgust replacing my awe. Like everything else in Nocta, the dragonstones were beauty spoiled by horror.

Lorcan would probably claim that Rasimir had ordered him to kill a dragon. He’d say he carried out such a heinous act to secure a place at the king’s side. Vander would undoubtedly back him up. They didn’t hate each other. Quite the opposite.

But could I really trust them? Gripping the railing, I stared over the trees. Vander was two hundred years old. Lorcan hadn’t shared his age, but he carried time in his eyes the same as Rasimir. During centuries of service, neither Vander nor Lorcan had managed to unseat my father.

On the contrary, they’d had plenty of opportunities to kill for him. Both men had lied to me. And they weren’t the only ones.

A lump rose in my throat. How could Mama have kept something so important from me? And for what purpose? A breeze stirred, sending my skirts whispering around my legs. Had my mother stood as I did now, the dragonstone dress against her skin and an assassin’s pledge in her heart? My whole life, she’d warned me to stay away from the monsters who dwelled across the Feyline. She’d neglected to tell me I was one of them.

But that wasn’t entirely true. She’d done her best to help me control the thirst—and all the other traits that marked me as a vampire. So why not be honest about her own blood?

The shadowed temple appeared in my mind, the throne in the center rising from the stone.

Are you a tool or a blade?

Maybe I’d been foolish to keep the dream to myself. Or had it been a vision? If the woman in the temple was Marrigan, maybe she’d found a way to invade my dreams. Vander and Lorcan could have told me more about her…and Mama. I needed to know more about my witch blood, and the knight and the prince were my only sources of knowledge. But for some reason, I’d held my tongue. The men had their secrets. For now, the woman in the temple was mine.

The breeze strengthened, ruffling the hair that lay over my shoulder. Leaves tumbled across the courtyard. I squeezed the railing, my pulse picking up. Something was happening…

Energy built, filling the air like clouds gathering before a storm.

The forest shimmered, and the maze took its place. My gasp was loud in my ears as I stared at the vast sea of hedges. The merman’s trident thrust toward the sky. Moonlight sparkled in the water that arced from his mouth and splashed into the fountain below.

My mind supplied me with visions of Vander and Lorcan arguing in front of it—of Vander attempting to leave, only for Lorcan to haul him back. Their roles had reversed today.

But their passion hadn’t dulled. And it was passion. In my head, Vander rolled his hips, one big hand clutching Lorcan’s coat. Lorcan spread his thighs in invitation. In…surrender.

And yet, Vander had kissed me…

“Lovely, isn’t it?”

I fumbled at the railing as Rasimir stepped beside me. He was regal in black, his coat descending halfway down his thighs. Crimson serpents were stitched down each sleeve. He’d swapped his golden circlet for a black crown studded with rubies. His hair was loose, the black waves falling just past his shoulders.

A fond smile curved his lips as he stared at the hedges. “The forest is useful, but I prefer the maze. Such rich symbolism. It’s a place to lose ourselves. Life throws so many twists and turns at us. We think we crave a straight and easy path. But do we, really?” He chuckled, the rumbling sound rich and deep. “No one has ever built a straightforward hedge maze. That’s telling.” He looked at me. “Don’t you think?”

I willed my features into neutrality. “Yes.”

Rasimir’s smile turned skeptical. “You’re my heir, Corinthe. With time, you could become an adviser. Kings don’t need advisers who tell them what they want to hear.”

With one word, I’d stumbled into danger. Now I knew why Vander and Lorcan spoke as little as possible. If I kept my mouth shut, maybe I’d stay out of trouble.

One hand on the railing, Rasimir swung his attention back to the maze. “You remind me of her. Lilawen. She thought me cruel, too.” The rubies in his crown glinted as his tone turned thoughtful. “The elves love to claim I pushed them from Nocta.” He turned to me again, a strange light in his eyes. “Did your witch of a mother ever tell you that?”

The danger swelled, the world narrowing to the balcony and Rasimir’s green stare. I was trapped. Maybe he’d come in Lorcan’s place for a reason. He knew about the Everless, and now he was here to kill me.

I swallowed. “A lot of people in Ghedda tell that story.”

“Well, trust me, the witches played their part.” Rasimir’s mouth twisted as he faced the maze. “The spellcasters aren’t so different from the elves they descend from. But the family tree took a sharp turn after it split. Rot set in. When I was a young man, the coven leaders didn’t hesitate to kill those who disagreed with them. I may have cut the heads off those snakes, but I assure you, more have sprung up. They prefer stealth now.” He looked at me, his eyes glittering in the darkness. “These days, they send assassins instead of armies.”

I held my breath, my fingers locked around the balcony’s railing. The breeze played with my hair as if it sought to mock my dread. That word—assassin—rattled around my head. Had Lorcan and Vander delivered a report about our day? How much had they shared, and how much was I supposed to know? The questions chased one another in my mind, every loop adding more complexity. More danger.

“The Crau Setra will kill you if they get the chance,” Rasimir continued, confirming my thoughts. “Lilawen’s blood in your veins won’t spare their hand. On the contrary, it’s another reason for them to hate you. Marrigan’s perfect protégée failed to follow orders. That was an unforgivable sin.” His rings caught the moonlight as he captured a strand of my hair loosed by the wind. He tucked it behind my ear. “And you, my child, are the product of that sin.”

My lungs burned, my body starved for air. But I didn’t dare move—not even to draw a breath. A predator had me in his sights. No matter how badly I wanted to run, it was better to stay still.