Page 95 of Dhampira

The elves couldn’t lie. Which meant I could do something. I had to. I’d been honest when I told Rasimir I didn’t want his throne. I didn’t want to rule Nocta. But I couldn’t stand by and let him terrorize and murder its people. And I wouldn’t. I wasn’t at all certain how I was going to accomplish it, but I was going to end my father’s reign. If that meant taking his throne, so be it. From the hobflies to the centaurs, glomarids, and pixies, Nocta and its people would be free. I was going to make it happen.

Finally, the sickening river ceased. The pixie was a flesh-colored sack on the bed of the wagon, his face folded in half, wings limp, blood stained against the boards. His sister stared at his remains with dull eyes.

Rasimir turned and beckoned to Delphine. When she rushed to his side, he motioned her toward the woman. “Fix the damage.”

“Yes, Majesty.”

“Captain Vander,” Rasimir said, “help Delphine secure our guest.”

Vander sprang forward. Reaching through the bars, he dragged the woman forward. She came alive, hissing and fighting, but he held her easily by the scruff of her shirt.

Delphine stepped beside him and smoothed her thumbs over the cut on the woman’s cheek and the injury on her head. For a few heartbeats, the wounds appeared on Delphine before fading.

“Bitch,” the pixie woman growled when Delphine stepped back. “I wanted to die.”

“You will,” Rasimir said. He swept his gaze over the other prisoners. “Don’t bother with hunger strikes and other nonsense. Delphine will heal any injuries you encounter in the dungeon.” His smile returned. “Most of you possess useless magic, so your time as my guests will be short.”

Delphine had folded her hands again, her beautiful face blank as she stared at a spot on the ground.

Rasimir turned to Lorcan. “See this group to the dungeon.”

“Yes, Majesty.”

My skin prickled. When I looked at the cage, all three witches stared me down.

“Corinthe,” Rasimir said.

I tore my attention from the witches. “Yes, Father?”

He offered his arm. “Come. I wish to speak with you.”

His unspoken alone hovered in the air like a ghost.

Refusal was unthinkable. Not when he held the power to turn bone to liquid. The gods only knew what other powers he possessed. With every eye in the courtyard fastened on me, I went to him and rested my fingertips on his forearm.

“Yes, Father.”

20

“Iapologize for that disturbance,” Rasimir said, guiding me away from the courtyard.

All the usual niceties ran through my head.

Don’t be sorry.

It’s not your fault.

But it was his fault, and he should have been sorry. So I schooled my features in what I hoped was a polite mask and inclined my head.

A moment later, the forest loomed and fear was a hot, spiky presence in my chest. In the Everless, Lorcan warned that Rasimir expected me to learn at least one vor.

Was I walking into a test? My throat tightened. He wouldn’t kill me if I failed. But he could make me wish I was dead. Our shared blood wouldn’t stay his hand.

The trees glimmered and then shifted into the maze. I missed a step, and Rasimir offered me a fond smile as he steadied me.

“Still not used to it?”

“It’s impressive,” I said, my gaze falling on the hedges behind the merman’s fountain. In the aftermath of Vander’s visit to my chamber, I’d forgotten to ask Lorcan about the Drachvi vampires. They must have journeyed through the maze to attend the ball. What else could the hedges do? Could anyone travel through them?