bChapter /bb48 /b

He nces quickly at Evanora and pulls me away from her. We hide behind a hut. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.

“Cassian hasn’t been feeding, he’s irritable,” he confesses. “I’m worried he’ll do something stupid out of his bad mood.”

“You talk like he’s a child.”

“He’s not, but he’s not used to being denied anything.” He sighs again. “He doesn’t like being told what to do or being forbid fan, and here we are, with him stuck outside because he’s not allowed in while you, his feeder, are here with the leader of the Diluted ones bunking up your scent.”

“I don’t see why he should care.”

The corners of his eyes wrinkle as he smiles genuinely.

“Poor naive girl.”

“So,” I ignore hisment, “should we leave now that we’re here and close to solving the problem?” I lower my voice. “I know I’m not important to him, my life is nothingpared to his, but since he went to the trouble of bringing me, wouldn’t it be foolish to leave now?”

He purses his lips, thoughtful.

“We’ll wait,” he finally says. “I’ll do what I can to keep Cassian calm.”

He turns around and leaves without bothering to say goodbye to Evanora, though I don’t think she cares in the slightest. I return to her, and she’s waiting with a frown. We say nothing more; I just follow her through the camp while receiving wary nces from the other women.

I offer to help with anything, but Evanora refuses, telling me it’s best I stay out of the way.

When night falls, I make an excuse about fetching water to clear my head after spending the whole day locked up in the cabin. I’m grateful, but it’s suffocating. Now that I know everything that’s out there and that I’ll never get to see, being trapped inside feels like more of a torture than before. Even being in the fresh air now feels like a gift.

“Still around?” Eleazar’s voice startles me.

I drop the bucket I was holding, which doesn’t hit the ground thanks to Eleazar. My mouth hangs open. He’s very fast–inhumanly fast.

“Why? Does it bother you?” I reply, picking up the bucket and resuming my walk to the cabin. “Doesn’t surprise me anymore; it seems no one of your kind likes me.”

tsay it jokingly, but he doesn’t take it that way. He steps in front of me, forcing me to stop. I lift my head to look at him properly.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to act like a jerk.” He nibbles his lower lip, revealing his fangs. “I’m not like him. Last night I was a fool–and apparently today as well.”

“Yeah, truth is, you’re a lot like him.”

I try to sidestep him, but he moves so his shoulder blocks my way again.

“Sorry to hear that.” He wrinkles his nose slightly. “And I probably deserve it, though I hate beingpared to him.”

“Well, I don’t care.” I shrug and walk around him this time sessfully. “Good night.”

I’ve only walked a few meters when he speaks again from behind.

“Can I ask why you’re here?”

I stare a moment too long at the hair brushing his shoulders and debate whether or not to answer. In the end, I decide to keep walking and say nothing. I’m tired of irritable vampires with mood problems. I’m not a punching bag for everyone’s issues.

I enter the cabin and set the water on the table. Evanora is by the fire, smoothing her hair with that silver brush she seems to cherish. I try not to make noise. I slide between the sheets and close my eyes, trying to sleep. I hear her mimic me, lying down on the other cot. Silence reigns, broken only by the sounds outside: howling wolves, hooting owls, the breeze rustling everything.

“Can’t sleep tonight either?”

His voice again, absent all day and present at night.

I sigh.

No.

“But you’re talking to me in your head–you’re not sleeping.”

Leave me alone.

“Come on, give this vampire a bit of fun. I’m bored out here waiting, and trust me, you don’t want me bored.”

And why wouldn’t I want that? I ask mentally, driven by curiosity.

“Because if I get bored enough, I might find a way to get in and reach you and I must warn you: I’m thirsty.”

I’m sure you can sink your teeth into something. A squirrel, maybe. Or better yet, maybe you’ll find a vige where some woman will offer you her neck.

I hear hisugh inside my head, so sensual it makes my stomach clench and my skin break out in goosebumps. Suddenly I wish I were there to see what his face looks like when heughs like that.

“Very funny.”

A long pause. For a moment, I think I’ve managed to cut off our mental link.

“I hope iyou /istill have that same sense of humor when I bite you.”

Hadn’t we already talked about how you don’t bite us? That you hate us, that we disgust you…? Forgotten that? Maybe someone’s suffering memory loss from old age?

“Has leaving the castle turned you into a chatterbox? Because from what I remember, you used to be quite shy.”

He’s right. Maybe I do feel some freedom to speak now that I know he can’t see me, touch me, or do anything to me. Though I may be tempting fate–it’s only a matter of time before we meet again.

“Good night, ra.”

Those words echo iin /imy ears longer than I’d like. I fall asleep and dream again of ces I’ll never visit.

I spend imost /iof the day wandering around the camp with careful steps. I suppose Eleazar is not a threat during the day since sunlight would kill him, but I feel strange walking around here. The banshees throw wary looks at me; I can almost see written on their faces that they me me for bringing the vampires with me, although the truth is quite the opposite. I had no say in any of this.

The hours feel endless, especially in this loneliness. Drystan has not reappeared, and the absence of Cassian’s voice in my head makes me

13:26 Mon, 4 Aug A A

think something is happening outside. Maybe Cassian has lost control and Drystan is trying to calm him down? Is it possible that when I leave this camp, I’ll receive news that an entire vige has been massacred? I wouldn’t rule it out.

Resigned, I return to the cabin and try to do anything to distract myself. I hope Evanora doesn’t mind that I cleaned. The truth is my hands can’t stay still, I suppose nerves about tonight are taking their toll. So when the sky finally darkens and Evanora honors me with her presence atst, I feel my chest dete a little.

“I brought this.” She points to a bucket of water. “I let the moon reflect on it for a while before bringing it. It will be good for the ritual if you bathe with it first.”

She leaves the bucket by the fire and I watch her turn, her small braids swaying. She gives me a bit of privacy, although by r I’ve grown used to being seen naked–rissa and Naida see me all the time. I take off the simple dress I’m wearing and begin to wash myself as best! can with a cloth. There’s not much I can do for my hair. Evanoraes up behind me once I’m dressed again and skillfull

hair into a crown.

“Thank you,” I murmur when she finishes.

“Let’s go. Naja is waiting for us.”

braiding