Page 44 of Only Flames Remain

Her feet were bare.

Had he genuinely sent for an escort? When she pushed her hair over her shoulder to expose the column of her throat, I realized with startling clarity exactly who she was.

A feeder.

He hadn’t sent for a courtesan…he had sent for a meal. My stomach flipped at the thought of the human before me beneath him, his teeth sinking into the flesh at her neck. I did my best to reel in my expression and compose myself.

“I know what you’re thinking…” she spoke, her gaze falling on me.

“I’m sorry?” It was all I could muster.

She narrowed her eyes on me as silence descended between us. I moved toward the door she had left ajar. I was finished with my tasks for the night now that his appointment had arrived.

“You are human, too.” It was a statement, not a question.

I nodded.

“I enjoy my job. I take pride in it. I came from nothing. But now…it is my blood that sings through the prince’s veins. Providing the royal Vireth with energy and sustenance…it is an honor.”

“I…I understand,” I stuttered, moving toward Voirel who was waiting for me beyond the open doorway.

I didn’t truly, but I also didn’t want to offend her. Being a blood feeder usually came with the offering of…other body parts as well. I cast my gaze back once more toward the feeder. She was sprawled against the fresh sheets, hiking her dress up around her waist. I quickly turned from the room, shutting the doors behind me with more enthusiasm than I intended.

I turned to Voirel, Quinnick held loftily in her arms. Her expression was not scandalized as I had expected it to be. She simply shrugged.

“It’s a part of life as Vireth. We eat human food too, but we need blood to survive. I’ll walk you back to your rooms in the dormitory wing, Lady Aveline.”

“I’m not a lady—” I started, but Voirel was already walking off down the corridor.

She navigated to my room on the other side of the castle seamlessly, as if it weren’t the first time she had to do so. Maybe she watched over the previous housemaids, too.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, a genuine smile across her lips, her cheeks flushed pink.

She set Quinnick down and he reluctantly returned to my side. Quinnick thought himself to be a royal, too. He expected to be treated as such, and was enjoying the luxuries of the prince’s private chambers all too much. He and Voirel were sure to be quick friends.

“See you tomorrow, Voirel. It was lovely meeting you,” I replied.

“You as well, Aveline. I’ll meet you bright and early. Sorin usually takes his breakfast at six.”

I groaned. I enjoyed sleeping in. Loved it, in fact. I could kiss that goodbye.

I shut the door between us and Quinnick begrudgingly joined me atop the hard cot, a spring jabbing into my back. He huffed loudly as if to make a point, and I eyed him with a look that told him he better get used to it.

I was exhausted from cleaning the prince’s chambers. Whoever the maidservant was before me hadn’t done a thorough job. That, or it had been a long time since she had been…dealt with.

I changed into fresh clothes to sleep in. As I was about to blow out the flickering flame in the single lantern atop the nightstand, a knock sounded at the door.

“Gods…this better not be the queen again,” I muttered, dragging my feet as I crossed the small space and reached for the handle.

It took me a moment to recognize the familiar face that greeted me behind the door in my exhausted state. I hadn’t seen her since before the indenture market, and so much had transpired since then.

“Enora!” I threw myself into her arms and she cradled me against her, that familiar velvet laugh of hers soft in my ear. “I have never missed anyone so much,” I told her as I pulled her into the room.

“I was hoping you would tell me your accommodations were better than my own, but I see I am sorely mistaken. At least we have individual quarters.” She huffed, falling onto the bed and crinkling her face when that same spring victimized her, too. “Yikes.”

“Tell me about it.”

I threw myself down onto the slender cot beside her. Quinnick narrowed his eyes, letting us know that the three of us atop this cot was entirely too many for his liking.