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Her grin deepened; dimples bloomed as crimson rose in her caramel cheeks, and that scent of hers cooled my spine. “I do believe you’re right,” she said, easing the door mostly shut, still behind it.

I caught the edge and nudged it back, just enough. I was a gentleman, but she also did something to me. Her room was quietly feminine. Where mine wore rustic greens, hers shimmered in soft gold; cream trim grounded the warmth in hush.

Stepping back, I left the doorway open between us. “They never said anything about the hallway,” I tempted, nodding to a bench under a tealight. “I’ve got a couple of history questions. If you’re willing, of course.” I lifted a brow, half-amused, half serious.

Valentina glanced at the wooden seat behind us, then back at me with a smirk. “My little student. What’s stirred your interest?” Her voice was light, teasing.

A warm sensation crept into my chest at how soft she was being. Was it the way I secured our safety that had her beaming? Or did she want to see me as I wanted to see her? I bit my bottom lip before I answered, choosing to behave. “Quite a lot, actually. I just wanted to wrap my head around a few things before bed.”

Easing the door closed as she passed me, her knuckles skimmed the back of my hand. Like moth to flame, I followed across the small room to the bench. Not wanting any distance, I sat close to her seat. The soft chiffon of her dress was the only barrier between us. Our thighs nearly touched, arms brushing as we settled. Heat radiated off her, dizzying, primal, but I forced myself to focus.

Above us, a dim glow pooled over her frame, casting a golden halo that caught every delicate angle. The light kissed her so effortlessly she hardly looked real. Her eyes met mine, deep, warm, steady. There was pause before she asked, “So, what’s your question?”

Breaking our gaze, my eyes fell to the guards before finding her again. I had to be careful with what I asked; the last thing I wanted was a report to either ruler. With ears that large, they’d hear me from a mile away. Dipping my voice to a whisper. “Were you able to hear the conversation between the Delatrus and me?”

Snow-white spirals shook around her face as she leaned closer, her warm breath tickling my ear. “No,” she whispered. “Their home must be enchanted. There must be barriers woven into the stone, or into the sound itself. What did he say?”

“Interesting…” I murmured, pulling back just enough to glance at the two sentries by the stairwell. Maybe it would have been better to have this conversation in the room. I drew a quiet breath. “He said his generation was the last to be born. Is that true? Did people really stop having children? Or was it just the elves?” It weighed on me from the moment the words left his rose-colored lips. Was he mistaken…or was this bigger than I understood?

Her mouth pressed thin, “It was true. For everyone… except the royals. I was part of the last generation of vampires born. No new children have been conceived in our kingdom. It's been almost eighteen years now.” She sighed, her voice drifting somewhere between memory and regret.

Her confirmation dropped my heart straight to the floor. I’d already felt guilty when Hamish forced the knowledge on me, but hearing her soft validation of the curse wrecked me. I had only just wondered if it was connected to me being gone, but to know it was? My brows knitted in sorrow; a lump rose in my throat, thick and heavy, as she went on.

She placed a hand on my knee, trying to soothe the agony that was on my face. “As the war worsened, people grew afraid. Afraid to bring a child into a world like this. They said they’d wait. It would be better to see how it played out. And since we’re immortal, well… they had time to wait, didn’t they?”

It made sense that they’d stop. I wouldn’t want my children to be born freezing. But even a “blip” of nearly two decades would grind down anyone who wanted a family. If the Queen’s rage burned that hot, choosing abstinence over risking a child’s life was smart. It was just a sacrifice no one should have to make.

Valentina glanced up at me, lashes hiding something heavier. “It was bloody. I don’t remember it. I was a babe. My father was connected so closely to them that it was such a strange place to be. Even so, all of us born back then grew up afraid we’d be taken from our families. Just stolen out of pure spite.”

Metal rattled to my right; one sentry shifted, helm ticking against the wall. He gave the barest nod in agreement. I had almost forgotten their presence with how quiet they were. It just proved what she had meant; it touched everyone. Not just the kingdom, but Velarune. Wearily, I looked back at her.

Val met my gaze, her tone turning fragile. “She changed when she had daughters. Your sisters. I told you about them. After your mother… after she massacred the leaders of Elashia and Siren Cove, those nations stopped having children too. They now rule those regions. Sixteen and seventeen, I believe. Married already, perhaps children will come again soon.”

Child brides. Apparently, that was what this world had to offer? They were younger than me and already burdened with adult choices. Was this my fault, too? Did my being kidnapped doom them to marriage before they could even explore who they were? Every little answer I had gotten seemed to point to the fact that I was the reason everything broke. It wasn’t a good feeling to learn my life had torn open so many people’s lives.

“Did the King and Queen make them stop?” The words came out strangled with unresolved emotion.

Valentina shook her head. “When I asked my father, he said it was a silent truce among the people. First, to avoid angering the Queen. Second… they feared their children would die. They’d be claimed by the snow that’s cursed this land.” Her voice softened; her eyes took on a glassy sheen.

The grief of one mother had infected an entire world. It had spread like a sickness. All those women who longed to be mothers had simply… waited. The men that wanted to be fathers were just as stunted. Everything was based on one hoped. They froze their futures for the possibility of spring. And in nineteen years… nothing had thawed.

I couldn’t bring myself to speak at first. It was heavy on my mind, my heart, my spirit. Was this all my fault? Could this have been preventable? They weren’t fair questions to me, but were they for the greater good? After a long moment, I finally spoke. “Well… that added a layer I didn’t see coming.” My voice cracked slightly. Forcing a smile, I tried to shake off the weight of it all. “I think that’s enough history for one night.”

Valentina reached a hand to my cheek, brushing a thumb along my jaw. With a soft voice, she said, “I agree. We should get some sleep.” Sorrow swam in her eyes as she looked at me. “Don’t dwell, Alex. Nothing can change the past. We are the future.” Pulling her hand away, she stood with a stretch. Turning toward her door, she glided to its entrance. Just before stepping inside, she looked back over her shoulder and smiled. “Good night, Alex.”

I lifted a hand, too late. The latch clicked, and the hall felt colder.

Before returning to my chamber, I crossed the aisle to my mother’s door. All this talk of families doomed made me want to cling to the one I found. My biological mother hadn’t had the chance to love me the way she wanted, but Martha had given me more than I could ask for.

No, she hadn’t burned a world for me, but I knew she’d try if someone tried to take me.

Approaching my mother’s door, I knocked. Four taps, with a pause between the second and third. It had been our knock since I was a pre-teen. She invented it after catching me on a truly questionable website. The memory almost brought a chuckle to my throat.

There wasn’t even a moment of pause before the bolt clicked. Martha appeared out of her room with hair in a halo of chaos and dark circles under her eyes. We both still been on earth’s time, so I knew she was tired. Especially after the day we had.

Leaning against the open frame of the entrance, I mustered, “Hey, Mom. I wanted to check in before bed. You okay in here?” I kept my voice soft; I really didn’t want to wake her from her rest. I just wanted to see her face. “Sorry if I caught you sleeping.”

Shaking her head, she stretched her shoulders. “No. No. You’re fine. I’m glad you came to say goodnight,” she yawned, rubbing her eyes with a fist. “I didn’t know we were even allowed to come out, would have escaped twenty minutes ago to do the same if I did.”