Page 16 of Dhampira

“Why should I trust you?” I asked finally.

“You probably shouldn’t.” My shock must have shown, because amusement lit his eyes, putting tiny creases at the outer corners. “Trust is earned. I can give you my word as a knight that I’ll protect you from harm. But I don’t expect you to believe me.” He shrugged. “Fortunately, I’m almost as stubborn as you, and I’m willing to wait until you realize I never make promises I can’t keep.”

“I’m not stubborn.”

“Which is exactly what a stubborn person would say.”

My exasperation rose higher. But as his smile lingered, an altogether different kind of awareness spread through me. I shoved it away. “What’s my father’s name? Why didn’t he seek me out before now?”

Sir Vander sobered. “That’s his story to tell.”

“He serves King Rasimir?”

“All of Nocta serves the king.”

The trees around the clearing shivered. Their long shadows slanted across the moss. The sun had set while Sir Vander and I talked, the sun-dappled shade giving way to purple twilight.

“I need to make camp,” he said. “If you want me to remove the silver, we should do it now.”

Once again, I knew he was finished answering questions. He’d said he was stubborn. I had to remember it for the warning it was.

“All right,” I said, gathering my hair and pulling it away from my neck.

He drew his sword with a rasp of steel. Wariness crept over me as I eyed the blade. I’d only caught a glimpse of it on the platform. Now, I could see it was no ordinary weapon. Narrower than a standard broadsword, the blade was a deep, rich blue. As Sir Vander placed the tip at the hollow of my throat, the metal appeared to ripple.

“Tip your chin up and don’t move,” he said.

My stomach lurched. “Maybe you should start with my wrists.”

“Aren’t you sick of wearing that collar?”

“Yes, but—”

“Go on, then.” When I hesitated, he gave me a look. “This sword eats silver. You could be collar-free in the next fifteen seconds. No more Cyprio Kormaz hanging around your neck.”

I tipped my head back and held my breath. Above me, stars twinkled through gaps in the forest’s canopy.

“Don’t move.”

“I’m—”

“Don’t talk, either.”

Grimacing, I braced for the bite of the blade. Instead, warmth suffused my neck. It built and built, circling my throat with a band of heat. Hotter and hotter. I struggled to keep still. My heart thumped painfully as the temperature grew uncomfortable. Panic gripped me.

“It burns,” I gasped, the sky going blurry as tears formed in my eyes.

The heat vanished so quickly that I stumbled backward. A strong arm circled my waist, and Sir Vander caught me against him before I could fall.

“Done,” he said softly.

I reached up and touched my neck. The collar was gone. A glance at the ground revealed a bit of fur and a strip of leather. But no silver. The sword had absorbed it. My skin was smooth and uninjured.

Sir Vander stared down at me, a lock of auburn hair spilling over his forehead. The scent of rain and forest teased my nose.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice emerging low and raspy. I cleared my throat. “Sir Vander.”

“Just Vander.” His eyes dipped to my fingers on my neck…then flicked to my mouth. He released me and stepped back, his sword tip pointed toward the ground. The blade glowed a soft blue in the deepening twilight.