Blood King Read online

  “What happened?” she asked.

  Adrius appeared from behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

  Nero removed the empty vial from his pocket and threw it at the stairs. It shattered, scattering shimmering dewdrops of sharp glass across the staircase. “It’s done.”

  The vampire grinned. “Excellent.”

  “Why him?”

  “Ask your sister.” Adrius turned down the hallway and disappeared into one of the rooms.

  Nero looked to Neryssa. “What does he mean by that?”

  “Lord Adrius asked me for a target. I gave him one.” She crossed her arms and pulled at the sleeves of her robe.

  “You chose for me to kill Captain Reiner?” Nero asked. “Why?”

  “It had to be someone we knew. I’d have preferred Lord Ellery, but he wouldn’t let me name any of the royal family. Said they were too important to kill. Apparently, he doesn’t mess with royal politics.” She scoffed. “So, I figured the captain of their guard was the next best thing.”

  “But why him?” Nero asked. “He was kind to us. He saved us.”

  “He didn’t save our parents, did he?”

  “He didn’t have a choice,” Nero said. Though, that wasn’t true, was it? Reiner had been the one to turn them in. He was the reason they were dead.

  Still, Neryssa didn’t know that.

  She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’m glad he’s dead.”

  “At least he did what he could for us after they died. Which is more than we can say for anyone else in this damned city.” Nero started up the steps toward his sister, then stopped to lean on the railing. “This isn’t like you.”

  She looked down her nose at him, her eyes flicking down to meet his. “Maybe it is. How should you know? All this time, you’ve treated me like a child. You didn’t even trust me to know you were stealing to support us. I was given this choice, and I made it.”

  “You chose to force me to murder a good man who didn’t deserve it.”

  “And you’ve made every choice for me since we were orphaned by the very man you choose to defend! Look where your decisions got us. Living under a bridge, hardly able to fend for ourselves. Clearly you can’t be trusted to decide what we do. So now it’s my turn. Pack your things. Lord Adrius has decided we’ll be leaving as soon as the sun leaves the sky.” She spun around and started down the hallway.

  He followed her up the stairs, taking two at a time. “Neryssa, wait—”

  She slammed the door to Adrius’ room in Nero’s face, leaving him alone in the hallway. He rested his head against the wooden frame and let out a shaky breath.

  Perhaps Neryssa was right. He hadn’t done anything to fix their miserable lives. If he’d been stronger, or smarter, maybe they would have been able to move up in the world. Instead, he’d let his sister become so desperate to escape her life of poverty that she was willing to cling to a dangerous monster.

  Pack your things, she’d said. As if he had anything to pack.

  His gaze drifted back down to the front door. With Adrius and Neryssa upstairs, there was no one to stop him from walking right out. He could find the caravan Captain Reiner had mentioned, use the money he still had from selling the watch to pay for passage out of the city.

  But doing that would mean turning his back on Neryssa. It would mean leaving her behind in the clutches of a monster. He didn’t even know where Adrius planned to take her. If he left now, he’d probably never see her again.

  And that was if he could even make it out of Caracta unnoticed when all of the city’s guards would be searching for the captain’s murderer.

  Nero groaned as he slid down the wooden railing and sat on the steps, his pack resting between his legs.

  There was no point in running. Whatever horrors fate would bring him, he had earned them.

  The three of them rode in the back of a carriage, swaying as the wheels rolled over the bumpy cobblestone streets. Adrius sat across from him, Neryssa at his side. Neither of them had said a word to Nero since their departure from the inn. Neryssa was dressed in a clean dress made of fine silk and had a heavy cloak of thick furs wrapped around her shoulders.

  Nero had been offered no such finery. He still wore the same unwashed tunic, cloak, and pants he’d had on for days.

  “Don’t look so miserable,” Adrius said. “You should be proud of what you’ve accomplished today.”

  “I’ve done nothing to be proud of,” Nero said.

  “I do not allow many to join my clan. You proved to me your skill and your resourcefulness. Enough so that not only you, but your sister as well, will be welcomed to join my city. You’re exactly what I’ve been looking for.”

  Nero pushed aside the sheer purple curtain to look out the window behind him. The oil lamps in the city lit their way through the quiet streets. Most of the visitors from out of town had already left, leaving the streets a mess with their discarded garbage. Usually tourists could be found for weeks following the parade, but this year it seemed they’d cleared out early. The chaos at the parade must have frightened them all off.

  “It’s a compliment,” Adrius said, leaning forward. “Don’t ruin the strength you’ve shown with weakness now. Unless you’re not worthy after all? Perhaps I should leave you here to die and bring only your sister.”

  “No,” Neryssa said, almost too quickly. “Please, my lord. My brother is only so shaken because he’s never killed anyone before.”

  Nero glanced up at his sister, though she wouldn’t meet his gaze.

  “Perhaps,” Adrius said thoughtfully. “I’ve been looking for someone I can trust to spy for me. He’s certainly proven himself to be a capable scoundrel, but he has yet to prove his loyalty. I fear he may be more trouble than he’s worth.”

  “He won’t be,” Neryssa said. She looked at Nero, her eyes angry slits that warned him not to object.

  “I suppose we’ll see,” Adrius said, relaxing his posture once again.

  Nero sighed and leaned back against the hard wall. He had no choice now but to trust his sister. It would be hard to do worse than they’d been doing in Caracta.

  He lurched forward as the carriage came to a sudden stop.

  With a scowl, Adrius pushed open the door and stepped out of the carriage. “Why have we stopped?”

  Nero brushed aside the curtain again and peered out the window. They’d stopped in front of the gate, just inside the wall that surrounded the city. A dozen guards, dressed in heavy armor that displayed the city’s sigil, blocked the carriage’s way.

  “No one leaves the city tonight, friend,” one of them called out as he drew his sword. “Lord Ellery’s orders.”

  Adrius walked forward. “Might I ask why?”

  “Between the explosion at the parade yesterday and a murder today, the city’s in chaos. I’m sure you’ve noticed?”

  “Murder?” Adrius repeated, masking his voice with faux concern.

  “Haven’t you heard? The whole city’s been talking about it. The captain of the city guard was killed today. The city is locked down until we locate his murderer. No one in or out.”

  “We’ll have to search your carriage,” the first guard said, still gripping the hilt of his sword.

  “I’m sure your investigation will be quite thorough and will no doubt lead to the killer’s capture. Unfortunately, I don’t have time to wait around in this city until you’re able to do so. I have my own matters to attend to.”

  “Lord Ellery’s orders,” the first guard repeated. “I can’t allow you to leave.”

  “Search my carriage, if you’d like. But you will open this gate.”

  More conversation followed, too quiet for Nero to overhear. The man who seemed to be in charge nodded at the others, and they started toward the carriage.

  Nero cursed under his breath as he looked around the small, enclosed space. He had nothing but his nearly empty pack, and there were no weapons to be found.

  “What’s wrong?” Neryssa asked.
>
  “They’re coming to search the carriage. They can’t find me here.”

  “No one will know it was you,” Neryssa said. “Calm down— don’t give them reason to suspect you.”

  “A waitress saw me. She probably overheard my name.” Nero ran a hand through his hair. “And they’re going to recognize us. They know what we look like.”

  The color drained from Neryssa’s face. “Lord Adrius won’t let them take you.”

  “Adrius doesn’t give a damn about me,” Nero snapped. “And we wouldn’t be in this situation if you—”

  “Don’t give me that shit.” Neryssa pushed Nero away. “You were the one who found Lord Adrius and agreed to work for him. I’m just making the best of it. Don’t be an idiot.”

  The door to the carriage swung open, and Adrius appeared in the opening. “Come, my lady. The guards need to have a look inside our carriage.”

  Neryssa took his hand, and he helped her down from the carriage. Once she was out, Lord Adrius waved for Nero to come out as well.

  “Stay silent and keep your head down,” he whispered in Nero’s ear as he passed.

  Nero nodded his understanding. As he stepped down, Adrius’ boot slammed into the back of his knee. He crumpled to the ground, kneeling on all fours.

  “Who are you traveling with tonight?” the guard asked.

  “This is Lady Riah, my wife. We’ve traveled here from Alenmont, as I said. We come every year for the parade. It’s my wife’s favorite event across all of Nymphera.”

  Neryssa nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes. It’s always so beautiful. This year’s was rather frightening though, I’ll admit.”

  She slipped into formal speech so easily, as though she’d never left the palace to spend years on the streets.

  “Don’t worry, my lady,” the guard said, inclining his head. “We’ll catch those responsible for this. I can assure you the city will be safe for next year’s parade, as it always has been before.”

  “I certainly hope so,” she said, tilting up her chin. “I’d hate to miss the parade next year.”

  The guard looked down at Nero. “And the boy?”

  “Ah,” Adrius said, glancing down at Nero with an expression that resembled pity. “He’s our servant. He’s a simple lad. Mute, I’m afraid. Not a very competent servant, but my Lady is quite fond of him.”

  Nero started to his feet, but another boot to his side knocked him back to the ground. He grunted as he repositioned himself into a crouch, ready to run if necessary. The wall was high, but if he was able to climb the gate fast enough he might be able to swing himself over the top and get away if things went to hell.

  One of the guards climbed into the carriage. He tore off the cushions from the benches, swept aside the curtains, and dumped out the contents of the luggage inside.

  “Do be careful with my belongings,” Adrius said, his voice low as he took a few steps toward the guards’ leader. “I’d hate to have to submit a complaint to Lord Ellery about your treatment of a nobleman from a neighboring city. I really do have important matters to attend to at home, and I can’t extend my stay in Caracta.”

  “You’re not going anywhere tonight,” the guards’ leader said, though now that Adrius was up close, his voice shook with a hint of uncertainty. “As I told you before— no one enters or leaves the city.”

  “So you’ve said.”

  Nero glanced up at Neryssa. Her curls concealed her face, but her fists were clenched at her sides, and her knuckles were white. Nero could feel her rage. She hated them all, and it must have been eating away at her to stay so civil and pleasant.

  “Hey, Jackson. Do you recognize this sketch? It’s signed by Lord Ellery’s royal artist.” He handed a small slip of paper to the leader.

  “That’s mine,” Neryssa snapped, all traces of pleasantry gone from her voice. “Give it back.”

  Jackson’s frown deepened as he looked at the image. He turned his gaze to Neryssa before finally settling on Nero. “These are the Cineris twins. They’re the ones we’re looking for. Shackle them while I go get Lord Ellery from the tower.” He stormed off toward the watchtower beside the gate, the sketch still crumpled in his fist.

  “No!” Neryssa yelled as two of the guards grabbed her arms. “You can’t do this. I’ve done nothing!”

  Two other guards pulled Nero roughly to his feet and shackled his wrists. Nero struggled against his bonds, but the heavy iron was unyielding. Beside him, Neryssa flailed wildly, kicking at the guards until they shoved her to the ground. One sat atop her, pressing her face into the dirt.

  Nero lunged forward, desperate to help his sister. One of the guards punched him, then shoved him to the ground next to her.

  Adrius watched the spectacle unfold. His expression was carefully neutral, revealing nothing. Had this been his plan all along? To hand them over to Lord Ellery for execution?

  He could’ve at least done so without going to all the trouble of making Nero sabotage the parade and murder Captain Reiner. Lord Ellery would’ve been more than happy to take them away even without all of that, especially after Nero attempted to steal from the royal fleet.

  It wasn’t long before Lord Ellery emerged from the watchtower. He quickened his pace when he saw the twins pinned to the ground.

  “How foolish to think I’d let you leave my city alive after everything you’ve done,” Lord Ellery said. There was a glee in his nasally voice that suggested he wasn’t too broken up about the captain’s death.

  No, he wouldn’t care about that. He’d just be happy to have the last of the Cineris family at his mercy.

  Neryssa let out a furious cry.

  “I suppose you paid some poor soul to smuggle you out?” Lord Ellery continued.

  “No,” Adrius said. “And I suggest you release them immediately.”

  Ellery looked up, and his face paled. “You!”

  Adrius raised a brow. “These two belong to me. You will release them.”

  “No! I’ve been waiting years to bring these two in. Out of respect for Captain Reiner, I let them go once before when they were children. But since then, they’ve done nothing but prove that only treachery runs through their veins. They belong to Caracta, and they will die here.”

  “They will not.” Adrius unsheathed his own blade and stepped toward Lord Ellery.

  The guards around them drew their weapons in turn.

  “You know who I am, Ellery. More importantly, you know what I am. And you know I won’t go anywhere without what’s mine.”

  “It was you behind all of this, wasn’t it? The parade. The murder. And this boy— the one you call your servant. You know exactly who he is, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” Adrius said, his lip curling up in a smirk.

  “Their fate is mine to decide,” Lord Ellery snarled. “I should have never let them go all those years ago.”

  “Well, they are both mine now. I won’t be giving them up.”

  “The boy then, at least. He must face justice!” Lord Ellery’s face reddened.

  “I assure you that whatever justice you intend for him pales next to the life I have planned for him.”

  “Give him to me, and you can be on your way.”

  “Lord Ellery, do not waste more of my time. You will regret it.”

  “No.” Lord Ellery nodded to his guards, who pulled the twins roughly to their feet.

  Adrius sighed, as though the guards were nothing but a minor inconvenience. In a blur of black and crimson, he rushed the guard who held Nero. Before any of the others who surrounded them could attack, Adrius had already sliced through the guard’s throat. Nero stumbled away from her guard, who fell to the ground in a growing pool of his own blood.

  The vampire turned his attention next to the one who held Neryssa. With another swift movement from Adrius, the guard screamed. He clutched his wrist to his chest as blood spurted from the place his severed hand had once been.

  Adrius took a cloth from his pocket and wiped the blood off his bl
ade before sheathing it once more.

  Lord Ellery’s pale face reddened. “Get him!”

  The guards surrounding them exchanged nervous glances, but none moved.

  Adrius raised a brow, but said nothing.

  “Very well,” Ellery spat out finally. “Take them. But none of you are welcome to return to my city. If I ever see your faces again, the penalty will be death… regardless of what you are.”

  “Into the carriage,” Adrius said to Nero and Neryssa. “We’ve wasted enough time here.”

  Nero looked over at Neryssa, whose fine dress was now stained red with the guard’s blood. His clothes were in the same shape. Though he was now even more terrified of going anywhere with the vampire, he didn’t have it in him to protest. Not after that display. He hung his head as he stepped inside. Neryssa picked up the illustration of their parents from where it had fallen to the ground, then followed behind Nero.

  This time, Adrius didn’t climb into the back. He locked the door behind them, then made his way to the front to sit with the driver.

  The gate to the city swung open, and through the grimy window of the carriage, Nero took his last look at the city he’d called home his entire life.

  Chapter 8

  After a week on the road, Nero had begun to wonder whether Adrius’ city was real at all. The vampire refused to tell them where they were going, or even which direction they were heading. It wasn’t until the northern mountains came into view, far in the distance, that Nero began to get a sense of where they were. They traveled only at night, stopping at inns to rest during the day. The howling of wolves and the unfamiliar sounds of other nocturnal creatures accompanied their journey. Nero longed for it to be over, but he dreaded what would happen once it was.

  With each passing night, the silhouette of the mountains became larger and more ominous. The capital city of Viridi was just beyond them, though he couldn’t imagine any reason Adrius would take them to the elven city.

  They traveled through a narrow passage between the mountains and emerged into a sprawling forest. In the distance, the shining spires of Viridi poked out above the treetops that surrounded the city. Instead of continuing down the marked path through the forest, the carriage turned a sharp right. They followed another trail that ran parallel to the mountains, heading north.