I sat on the edge of my bed with a stiff posture, my hands folded neatly against the dark blue silk of my gown. If I stood, I would pace and Sanguinese dresses were made for elegance, not walking. I was going to die. In less than a week, there would be no more me and I accepted this fate with all the grace and dignity fitting my station. But telling Maxwell? I dreaded the conversation to come. He would likely become—emotional. Part of me couldn’t blame him, as a protector with one charge missing and the other to soon be executed, he had a dismal record, but it wasn’t his fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.

A knock on the door made me jolt and I quickly fought to gain my composure. “Come in.”

My Maxwell, handsome and rugged as ever, came in glistening in sweat. His leathers covered in dust from a day and night of riding. He hadn’t even washed before coming directly to me. I would miss his scent. “Claudia, I’ve searched from one end of the kingdom to the other, every corner. Julian is nowhere to be found.”

He thought this was about Julian. Of course he did, how many disasters could he possibly foresee? I walked over to him and caressed his cheek, the start of a beard prickling my palm. “My brother is in mourning. When he is ready to return, he will. Don’t worry. He’s smart. He’ll be fine on his own.”

I pressed against him hoping my closeness would ease his pain. “There is something I need to discuss with you, however. But first you must promise me you will try to remain calm.”

He nodded, his dark eyes narrowing with worry. He had zero chance of keeping his promise, but I could remind him of it after he flew into a rage.

I sighed, the words refusing to pass my lips. “The Deabru king has sent word in regards to his sister.”

Max’s shoulders slumped. “So the truce is over? If ever people needed their king, it’s now. What was Julian thinking?!”

I shook my head. Tears welled in my eyes. I hadn’t even said it yet and I was already starting to crumble. I dug my nails into my palms in attempt to distract myself. I needed to remain strong, for Maxwell, for my people. I couldn’t be remembered as weak and simpering in the face of my fate.

“No...” I said, my words soft against the stale air of the room. “The truce will remain intact as long as I hand myself over to the Deabru.”

He took a step back, his eyes wild with shock and fear. “No. Lucius agreed to this? I need to go talk with him—”

“It’s already been decided.” I said sternly, my voice echoing off the walls to ensure he had heard me. He turned back to me, seemingly hurt and confused. “We can’t survive another war. If we have any chance at peace then this has to happen. My uncle knows and accepts the reality of the situation. Try to understand. Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

My fist was so tight that my nails finally broke the skin. Max’s gaze fell to the spot where my blood began to pool on the marble flooring. There went my dignified exit.

“No. No!” All of the nervous energy I felt was reflected in his stance. The outline of every muscle was visible through his leathers. Rage would lead him to shift at any moment, but he had nothing to battle. There was no beast he could slay to save me. “I won’t let you. Even if I have to kill every damn Deabru with my bare hands, I won’t let you!”

I never thought Max and I would last. We were so young when we became lovers. Yet, for almost a hundred years, he’d never even looked at another woman the way he looked at me. I had always expected him to reach a phase where he decided he needed to try new things, to venture beyond me, and I had prepared myself to let him go when it came to that. But that moment never came. Maxwell would be faithful and loving until the day I died, which was why what I had to do was so hard. “As your liege, I command you not to follow me to Deabru territory. You will not try to stop me, save me or avenge my death. Do you understand me?”

His hand shifted, hairs sprouting out around long black claws as he tossed my nightstand into the bed, shattering the crystal candlestick that had been sitting atop of it. “No! I do not understand! I don’t understand any of this!”

As he tore apart my room, I waited patiently at the center of the tempest. There was a peace to be had as I watched him tear apart things I’d never need again. He was a surrogate for the rage I couldn’t express. Once he exhausted himself he fell to his knees and wept. In all the years I had known him, I’d never seen him cry before. Those tears were for me and the life we could never have.

I knelt down next to him and placed my hand on his trembling shoulder.

“I have to die. I can’t let my kingdom fall just to save myself. My life isn’t worth my kingdom.”

He blinked up at me as if I had made some sort of serious miscalculation. “Your life is worth everything.”

In that moment my heart shattered, every part of me wanted to hold him and let him fight but my better judgment won. There was nothing anyone could do. The Deabru king wanted my life in exchange for allowing his sister to kill herself. He had to know we couldn’t sustain another war. For a demon, the trade was almost…merciful.

I needed to hold my ground, find my composure and tie up my affairs. Clearing my throat I pushed myself to my feet, strode to the heap that used to resemble a desk and found a piece of parchment. I wanted to make sure everything would be taken care of whether I was around or not. If my Maxwell was this tortured, I feared what my blood slaves might do when they heard the news.

No other being could understand the unique connection a vampire had with the people that nourished them. We often pretending they meant little to us for appearance sake, but we were insanely protective of them. Even the idea of other vampires feeding on my slaves pricked me. But I wouldn’t let my feelings cost them the long life and good health that came with being owned.

I offered Max the parchment. “Maxwell, I need you to look after my slaves.” I could feel his eyes on me but I refused to look. If I did, I might break. “They will need to be placed with new owners. I need you to do this for me.” A lump formed in my throat.

“They will need new homes, good homes. I don’t want them anywhere near the southern border. I would prefer them to stay at court if at all possible, but if they must leave I want them as far from danger as possible.”

“I took the liberty of writing down my preferences for them and each one’s personal needs to better assist you.”

I mustered up every ounce of courage I had and looked into his eyes. “I need you to do this for me, Maxwell. Just this one last order.”

His eyes searched mine for any hint of my resolve crumbling, but he would find none. My mind had been made up, the decision was final.

Defeat blanketed his sweet features and his tear-filled eyes fell from mine as he nodded in compliance before slowly taking the note.

The mask I wore had grown far too heavy. Max’s pain was a mere fraction of my own. Biting back the urge to scream, I rushed from the room, the silk train of my dress fluttering behind me.