Chapter 79

I sit on the bed, waiting for Lucy to wake up, but it seems as though she is in a really deep sleep. Not that i mind. She is giving me her blood, the least i can do is let her rest for a while before she goes back to her duties. It doesn’t make a difference to me how long she stays here, but i know that it helps her. And if i can help her in any way that i can, then i will.

What she said about getting me out however, that is playing on my mind, would i ever be able to make it out of the city? I highly doubt it. Mortem will know the moment that i am gone. He's sense it through the sire bond. I may not know much about being a vampire. But i know that.

I know that he would tear this city apart to find me, and he would kill whoever helped me. No matter their age. I just couldn’t take the risk. I didn’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me.

No one else needs to die, i just need to learn to accept my new life, and maybe then things will be ok. Maybe life will become somewhat normal again. Or as normal as it can be.

The men on Mortem’s council believe that i should never have been turned, they mentioned something about the need for blood would be worse for me because of my age. But i don’t think that is true. Not for me. I've managed to stop each time i have fed on Lucy, and it is only my second day. I'd say that is great progress.

There is a knock at the main door to my chamber, and i take one last look at the sleeping girl before i open the door, Maric stood on the other side, staring at me with a softness in his eyes i never thought I'd see.

“How are you feeling, princess?” he asks, pushing his way inside.

He notices Lucy sleeping on the bed, but doesn’t question it, not after he realises, she is alive, not dead, just asleep.

“I feel fine.” i tell him, keeping my voice soft, I gesture towards the girl, “And i ate, just as i was commanded to.”

He nods, “Good.” he says, “the king will be pleased.” he turns back to me, “You are not feeling any pain, or fire in your throat and stomach?”

I shake my head, “I did a little bit before i fed from her, but not anymore.” i think for a moment, “I was mostly able to control it, i didn’t attack her, she gave it willingly.”

Maric nods again, gently taking my hand, “I didn’t agree with him changing you, but you were dying and there was no other choice. His blood wouldn’t have healed you.” he sighs, “It will take time for you to adjust to this life, but i have every faith that you will be strong, nothing can hurt you now. Not the way people did whilst you were mortal.”

Why is he telling me this?

Maric has never been nice, never openly cruel, but not nice either. He was placed as my guardian when i came here, his job is to make sure that i behave myself when the king isn’t around. That is all. To keep me out of trouble, and to keep me safe. That's his job.

He doesn’t need to be nice to me.

All it does is confuse my mind, and i have to remind myself that he is the enemy, he is not my friend. He never will be my friend. He reports back to the king.

When i say nothing, Maric sighs, releasing my hand, “you don’t trust me, that’s ok, trust is earned, not given.” his voice is harder now, colder. “We must go, the king has summoned you.”

I nod, my voice small, weak. “Ok.”

A part of me always shudders with fear whenever i am summoned to meet the king, Mortem, isn’t a nice man, he is barely a man at all. He is more of a beast than anyone i have ever met before in my life, and he will do anything to get what he wants.

I should know, he chased me across the land until he finally caught me and brought me back here. He killed anyone, and everyone who helped me hide. But the one that hurts the most is the family on the farm. They didn’t deserve to die.

I should have never knocked on their door, the moment i did, i sentenced them all to death. Even the small children.

It was my fault, not theirs, i should have surrendered to Mortem, but i was too afraid. I was a coward.

I follow Maric from the room and down the winding halls of the castle, the castle that i grew up in. But it never felt like home, it felt more like a prison, just as it does now. It has always been that way.

I have never known what freedom feels like, first because i was a princess, and i had to remain safe inside the walls, and second, because Mortem made this place a living hell. Everywhere vampires roam, they have taken over the palace, and i hate it. I hate them all, even if i am one of them.

“What does the king want?” i ask, growing more and more nervous with each step that i take.

Maric glances down at me, his eyes flashing red, “I didn’t ask.” he says, “It isn’t my place to ask.”

It isn’t my place to ask either, i am nothing but a prisoner, i shouldn’t ask questions.

Maric leads me to the war room, the same one where i saw my father for the last time, preparing for a battle. Is that what Mortem is doing now? Is he preparing for war?

War means death, and i have seen enough death to last me a lifetime.

Mortem is leant over the map of the kingdom, moving pieces across the wooden board and placing them in various areas, just as my father used to when he was trying to come up with a plan.

It confirms my suspicions, there is a war coming, one that i will be expected to fight in.

But is it a war against people, or against vampires?

I suppose it doesn’t matter, either way, many will die.