I woke encircled by Paris’s arms. The suns had risen, though very little of their light made it into the forest. Still, it was enough to burn off some of the mist. Arachne had been true to her word, allowing us to sleep through the night in safety.

I gazed up past Paris’s jawline to his eyes. His golden lashes rested against his cheeks as he slept. He was beautiful at peace, the dangers of the night no longer troubling him. He had faint laugh lines around his eyes, and I found myself hoping that I could exercise them a bit more. Happiness was so fleeting, so precious.

He began to stir, perhaps sensing my gaze on him. His eyes opened. I was still amazed by the blue of his irises.

Clutching me to him, he sat up and peered around at the trees and still-swirling mist.

“It’s clear. I already checked.” I rested my head in the hollow of his neck. Even if I hadn’t believed his tale about our past, I was too drawn to him in the present to bother hiding it. He rested his chin on my head and just held me, letting me breathe and clear the shadows of the previous evening from my mind. My back was healed, no doubt thanks to his efforts to clean my wounds.

“You better take good care of me,” I murmured.

“And why is that?”

“If you don’t, you’ll be spider food.” I tried to keep my face serious but couldn’t stop the grin that overtook me.

He threw his head back and laughed. I wanted to nibble up his neck and taste his mouth. Instead, I sighed and rose from his grasp. His gaze was glued to my breasts as they jutted against my T-shirt.

“Gods, you will drive me mad, woman.” He pushed his erection down in his pants before he stood and stretched. I watched, unable to take my eyes from the hard length straining against his zipper.

“Changing your mind?” he asked.

For a second, I wanted to, wanted to enjoy him this once before we continued our dangerous trek into enemy territory. But I forced myself to look away, to focus on the mission at hand. Besides, I’d never been with a male—at least not that I remembered. My head was clear now, not in the haze of passion I’d been caught in at his house.

He grumbled his disappointment and began packing the tent. I stuck to my resolve, even though I kept stealing glances at him as he worked.

I dug through Daphne’s bag and found some snacks and skins of water. I sat and ate as Paris worked. We had wandered from the road, but it wasn’t far. The mist was thinner now in the morning light, and the road shone in the suns, the only place where the rays could fully break through the canopy. Our way was lit in tones of silver and white.

I leaned back against the tree as Paris finished clearing the campsite. A gasp ripped from me when I saw the mass of webs in the canopy above us. The spiders were there, black eyes peering out from spherical nests hung far above the forest floor.

A few smaller spiders—babies, no doubt—were scrambling around on the webs, as if they were playing. They were actually almost cute, in a way. But when a larger spider darted out, scooped them onto its back, and hissed at me, I gulped. Needle teeth? Not cute.

“They slept above us all night, you know. I could hear them.” Paris admired the mass of twisting webs and hanging spheres. “It’s kind of beautiful.”

“Sure, but the sooner we’re out of here the better.” Needle. Teeth.

“If Arachne was telling the truth”—he spared another glance to the network of white above their heads—“then we’re leaving our only sanctuary in the Darkwood.”

Of course, he was right. We needed to stay cautious. Far better the spider creature you knew than the one you didn’t.

When I finished my brief meal, I realized Paris had to be hungry, but he couldn’t eat what Daphne packed. A pleasant tingle went up my spine at the idea of him drinking from me. I batted the inappropriate thought away. I was a warrior, not a snack. “Paris, do you, um, do you need to eat something?”

He knelt down next to me, his eyes twinkling. “Are you offering?”

A rush of heat blasted through me at the too-real thought of his fangs at my neck. “We both need to stay strong.” My voice was breathy, though I tried to control it.

He smiled, his fangs lengthening slightly. “As much as I would love to take you up on the offer”—he leaned in, so close to my neck that I held my breath—“I can go several days without blood. Besides, I can smell blood in one of Daphne’s skins. She packed for me. Like you said, she’s smart.”

He reached around me, his arm grazing my breast, and grabbed one of the skins. When he sat back on his haunches, I tried not to sigh. The corners of his lips twitched up before he took a big swig, drinking his fill. He watched me as he drank, as if imagining he was tasting me, and I felt a tingle at my neck where he had been. Gods.

I stood and lifted my pack. He followed my movements, his eyes focused on my body. Ignoring the warmth that coursed through my blood, I started toward the road.

Paris stowed his breakfast and followed me, matching my pace. The visibility was increasing as the suns rose higher and fought back the mists that otherwise ruled these woods.

We picked our way over the roots and around bubbling pits of black muck to follow the road deeper and deeper into the wood. Soon, there were no more webs above us, only the dark tree limbs and rare patches of sunlight. We stopped to rest at midday, sitting with our backs to a great tree. The trunk was so wide I doubted if five of my sisters could join hands around it.

“How much farther do you think it is until the keep?” I munched on some delicious fruit I’d found packed away. It had a bitter green rind, but the inside was sweet and velvety. I’d need to plant a tree that bore this fruit near the maidens’ village in the Forgotten Forest.

“We have another day of travel at least. Maybe two.” He tilted his head back against the bark. “And I still haven’t heard your grand plan to get inside the gates of the Bloodkeep.”

I didn’t want to inform him that I hadn’t thought of one yet. I needed to get the lay of the land first. Surely, there was an entrance, some way to get into the keep other than parading through the front gate. And then I’d figure out a way to exploit its weaknesses and bring it to heel.

“We have to go through the front gates,” Paris said. “There’s no other way in.”

I coughed, almost spewing fruit. “How do you know? I thought you’d never been there.”

“I haven’t, but there’s a reason Desmerada has lasted this long when there are plenty of other pretenders to the throne out there. Security. No one gets near her unless she can use them and abuse them at her pleasure. They have to be weak or useful, preferably both.”

A shadowy plan began to form in my mind, but I needed more information before making any decisions. “We’ll get in.”

“How?”

There was always a way to get to an enemy, even if it meant playing by their rules for a short while. “Let’s just keep walking for now. I need to concentrate on the game.”

He bounced his head against the tree. “That’s the thing, Elena, it isn’t a game. If she finds me, I’m done. I won’t be able to protect you.”

I rose and dusted off my leathers. “Yeah, but look at the bright side. If that happens, at least Arachne won’t eat you, right?”

He shook his head and stood before pulling me into his chest. I was beginning to get used to his affection. Leaning against him, I enjoyed the feel of his arms around me. He nuzzled my hair, his mouth so close to my ear it sent shivers down my back. “Can you at least tell me what you’re cooking up in that brilliant mind of yours? I know you have something.”

“Nothing solid.”

He kissed my hair and released me. “Well, I guess the game is afoot.”

“What do you mean?” I brushed my hair from my face and continued along our path.

“You’ve never heard ‘the game is afoot’?” He steadied me as my ankle turned on a protruding root.

“Why would the game be a foot? A game you play with your feet?” Puzzling.

He laughed. The sound bounced off the trees and echoed back to them. “Never mind. It’s an earth thing.”

That explained it. Artemis’s maidens never took much interest in earth. I certainly never did. Only my sister Iphi would sit and stare at the viewing pools in the Forgotten Forest, watching for hours. They were a window to earth, showing Olympus who kept to the old ways and still worshipped the gods. But Iphi was interested in far more. She was always curious about what the humans were up to, what they were destroying, and what they were watching on their mind-numbing televisions.

A wave of homesickness washed over me. I could have used my sisters’ help in this fight. As it was, Paris and I were on our own.

“—ahead.”

“Huh?” I’d been lost in thoughts of my sisters.

Paris shushed me. His fangs had lengthened, and his gaze was pinned to the mist ahead of us. Before I had a chance to stop and listen, I threw myself against Paris, and we collapsed to the ground as a bolt of dark magic shot over our heads. We scrambled to our feet and chose two separate trees for cover.

The air around me was abuzz with power, and my palms lit in response. Shouts cut through the air, and hexes whizzed past. It took a moment, but it soon became clear we weren’t the targets. We had walked into someone else’s fight. We were spectators. Paris nodded toward some trees closer to the sounds. We approached, sneaking from tree to tree until the mist dissipated enough to show a battlefield in a clearing. An enormous, ruined watchtower spiraled into the air above us, the top blasted open long ago. Large lichen-covered stones littered the ground.

I peeked from my hiding place, trying to discern the warring factions. Mages had taken the high ground inside the watchtower and threw dark magics at approaching vampires. The vampires, armed with swords and shields bearing a circular, swirling symbol, stormed the tower. Mage bodies littered the ground, their twisted and ruined visages revealing they were dark magic users. They weren’t born with magic, like me. They’d sacrificed innocents and performed dark rites to gain a taste of power. Their ways were evil, and they were a scourge in all the worlds.

The battle raged on. I tore my eyes away from the bloodshed and stole a glance at Paris. He was mesmerized, watching the vampires intently. I tried to get his attention so that we could skirt the battle, but it was no use. He moved ahead to a tree at the very edge of the clearing. I cursed under my breath. We didn’t need another dangerous interlude to keep us from our goal. I crept along with him, easing against a tree a bit farther back.

The sounds of battle died slowly, along with the remaining mages. The vampires had taken the tower. Bodies hit the grass as the vampires threw them from the heights and into a pile, likely for burning.

“Paris,” I hissed.

I motioned him to back away, quietly trying to get his attention without alerting the vampires to my presence.

I failed.

An arm like a vise wrapped around my waist. A vampire hurled me out into the clearing, directly at the feet of the bloody soldiers.

Paris

I was stunned, not believing the vision before me. These were vampire soldiers bearing the crest of Priam—the mark of my father. The swirl pattern of life everlasting glinted from their shields. The same crest I and thousands of soldiers had worn during the Battle of Troy.

Could there still be vampires who were loyal to my line? It was hard to believe. Desmerada ruled with death and terror, never suffering anyone to question or seek a return to the old ways. But here they were, powerful warriors dispatching the blight of dark mages.

They had worked together as one unit, storming the tower and killing the evil that had taken hold, just as Priam had taught the Trojans those many years ago. Always a team, always together, fighting as one. I could hear the shouts going up from the troops in my mind in response to my father’s creed.

I snapped out of my reverie when I saw a blazing orb of fire growing into a maelstrom of destruction. Elena. I dashed toward her, covering the space between us in a moment. She stood before more than a dozen vampires who had formed a semicircle.

“One more step and you all get dusted.” The cruel edge to her voice was new—likely a part of her career as Artemis’s war chieftain.

They did not back away but stood unafraid, prepared to meet their fiery fate.

“Elena.” I eased up behind her, laying a hand on her upper arm.

A murmur went through the soldiers at my appearance. Some of their eyes lit with recognition, though I’d never seen any of them before. They spoke to each other in the ancient vampire language.

“Elena, drop the orb.”

She was ready to destroy them all, to burn them into floating ashes. “Why? Do you know them?”

“No.”

“Then we need to leave. Now.” The heat from her spell was singeing my eyebrows, but I could not turn my back on my people. That symbol was one of hope, and it seemed to glow even brighter with the reflected flames.

“Paris—”

At my name, the vampires dropped to their knees and laid their swords at their feet. Elena turned and looked up at me, a question in her eyes.

I held her gaze. “Drop the orb.”

With a whoosh, the flaming sphere of death disappeared, but the vampires remained on their knees before us.

“Askenith,” the one who seemed to be their leader said. “My king” in the old language.

“Askenith,” the men echoed, their gazes still trained on the ground.

“Shakorah.” I repeated the word I’d heard my father say on so many occasions. The king’s greeting to all loyal subjects. It meant “peace.” And it came off my tongue far too easily. I was no one’s king.

The vampires rose from the ground and sheathed their swords. Elena was still tense, her rigid back pressed against me. “Did I just miss something?”

The leader who had spoken first stepped forward, causing a shimmer of magic to erupt around Elena.

“I mean no harm, and I apologize for my rough actions.” He bowed low, leaving the back of his neck bare. There was no greater compliment or show of trust among the vampires than such an act.

I was at a loss, utterly unsure of what to say to these hardened warriors. They’d likely been fighting for the millennia I’d been avoiding the throne and living it up on earth. The shame at the realization burned me as sure as Elena’s fire. I’d had no idea any vampires loyal to Priam were still alive, but that was no excuse.

Gods, I’m a coward.

Maybe the mortals’ stories about me were true. So many times I’d read about myself, how I was a deserter, no mettle in my bones. How I ran from the battle with Menelaus when I felt I was losing. How I was inconstant and rash. None of it was true. Well, perhaps rash—yes, that was true.

But I’d fought for Troy, fought for Helen. I simply hadn’t won. History was hard on the losers. That’s what I’d always told myself. But now, knowing I’d left my brethren behind to suffer under Desmerada’s reign gnawed at me. The selfishness in such an act overwhelmed me as I looked at their battle-weary faces.

I had to make this right. With Elena at my side, maybe I could.

I squeezed Elena’s upper arm before stepping next to her.

“I am Paris, and this is Elena.”

Rising from his deep bow, the leader replied, “I am Captain Faren Lewin, leader—”

A screeching roar resonated through the wood, and the soldiers hurried into action, as if driven by the sound. One whistled, and a bevy of amaranths, the vampires’ mounts, hurried from the trees on the far side of the clearing. They whinnied, fear in their gentle eyes.

“We must go, my lord, and quickly,” Captain Lewin said.

“What made that sound?” Elena asked, her eyes wide.

“The same thing that destroyed this tower.”

The roar sounded again, louder now.

“We’ve not much time.” The captain jumped astride his mount, patting its neck in calming strokes. The beasts were akin to horses, but furry and with shorter snouts. Another soldier brought an amaranth, this one tall and with curly fur, to me. I hesitated only for a second, but the image of the Trojan symbol emblazoned on the soldiers’ armor and the show of trust from the captain made my decision for me. I lifted Elena astride the beast and jumped up behind her.

As we fell in line with the soldiers leaving the tower, she leaned back and whispered in my ear, “So, this is a good idea? Going with them?”

“They are loyal to my father.”

“That doesn’t mean they are loyal to you,” she hissed.

I tightened my arms around her. “Let’s see where this leads. I know I can always count on you for firepower if anything goes wrong.”

She shook her head, the flowery scent of her hair catching on the breeze. I breathed in deeply, though I didn’t need the air.

“At this rate, you are going to be spider food before sunsdown,” she bit out.

As we left the clearing and began weaving through the trees, a great blast of wind hit us. Then a few thuds, as if more of the large stones were falling from the tower, sounded behind them. Huge, veiny wings hung down and obscured the entire structure from sight. A dragon. Its talons, the tips stained red with some unfortunate creature’s blood, gripped the old stones of the tower as it claimed its perch. It either didn’t sense them or didn’t care, for it made no attempt to give chase.

“Was that a dragon? Are there dragons here?” Elena’s voice was tipped with wonder.

“It would seem so.”

“Only one remains,” the captain said. “That is Farnkelan, the Slayer. He rules the skies over Darkwood. They say he once belonged to your father, Priam, but was corrupted by Desmerada and loosed upon the wood to slay trespassers and enemies alike. Who knows who he serves now? Perhaps only himself. We stay out of his way.” Captain Lewin turned and shouted orders to his men. They increased their pace, following a path I could not see.

Elena reached down and petted the soft fur of the amaranth. It chuffed in response and almost pranced along.

She glanced back toward the tower. “I feel kind of sorry for the dragon.”

“First the queen of spiders and now the dragon?” I shook my head. This woman was mad. Some beasts were never meant to be tamed. “These are dark creatures, Elena, that would kill you as soon as look at you.”

“My lord speaks true,” Captain Lewin said. “No one can gentle any of the beasts of these woods.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.” The fire in Elena’s words silenced any dissent from Captain Lewin. He turned forward and continued on, leading them over a swift stream and up a slope.

Helen lowered her voice so that only I could hear. “Well, the dragon can’t help that he’s powerful. He didn’t ask to be a dragon. And then to be taken against his will, mistreated, and made to do terrible things. Of course he’s destructive…”

I stroked her hair, my thoughts following hers. “You are fierce but not quite a dragon. And the things Menelaus forced you to do—they weren’t your fault. None of it was.”

She leaned back into me, resting her head on my shoulder as she perused the thick branches above. “Things can change. I made a deal with Arachne, the spider queen, for gods’ sakes. She kept us safe all night. Who would have thought that possible?”

It was true that she handled the monster with a mastery I never would have been able to manage. Could she tame a vicious dragon? Perhaps, but I didn’t intend to find out.

The tension left her as she relaxed against me, at least somewhat. She was likely ready to strike should the vampires make any move. Still, she was trusting my judgment, letting me lead for now. Her faith was gratifying, but I was unworthy of it. The warriors ahead of us proved the fact. They had stayed. They had fought. I couldn’t begin to imagine how much they’d lost at the hands of Desmerada. And now they bowed before me? I shook my head.

“What?” Elena asked.

“Nothing.”

She shifted forward on the amaranth as the slope steepened even more. “Worrying about all those little spider mouths on you?”

I couldn’t help my smile. “Well, I have been thinking about one mouth on me, but it doesn’t belong to a spider.”

She laughed under her breath, a sultry sound that drew me from my bad humor.

“We’re here, my lord.” Captain Lewin signaled to a vampire atop a wooden wall ahead of them. It was well disguised—still under the canopy of trees. A gate, marked with the same symbol of Troy, opened, and the soldiers rode inside in single file. Elena and I were last in line. She stiffened as we entered, on guard for any attack. The amaranth whinnied beneath us, the beast sensing Elena’s powers simmering just under the surface.

We arrived in a courtyard surrounded by squat buildings, camouflaged in the dark colors of the forest. A handful of children ran past the well in the center of the cobblestones. Their laughter, though welcome, was incongruous with the darkness of the wood. Several men and women darted from the buildings or dropped their work at the edge of the square to rush to the soldiers. The vampires jumped down from their mounts and embraced them. Returning heroes.

I dismounted and helped Elena down. Her magics quieted as she watched the children run and play.

She put a hand over her heart. “I thought vampires couldn’t have children.”

“They can. When vampires are young, their hearts still beat, and they are alive. Only when natural-born vampires freeze into immortality do their hearts stop. After that, the only way to make another is, well, the way I was made. But vampires can only be born here, in the Underworld. They wouldn’t last long on earth or Olympus. The sun would see to it.”

A child approached slowly, the curiosity in her innocent gaze clearly warring with her fear of strangers. Elena knelt down and accepted a tiny doll from her. The girl’s brown hair fell in braids around her face, cherubic in youth. She could be no more than four years old.

“Are you a fairy?” she asked, staring at Elena’s golden hair in open wonder.

Elena laughed, a sweet sound that had the other vampires stopping to watch her. “No, but I’ve seen fairies. They are beautiful and have wings that move faster than you can see. And they flitter about, putting fairy dust everywhere and making everything sparkle. But fairy dust makes me sneeze.”

“Really?” The child’s brown eyes were as big as saucers.

“Really.” Elena smiled.

“You’re so pretty,” the girl said.

“You are too.”

The girl blushed.

“I like the braids in your hair,” Elena said. “Maybe you could teach me how to do mine?”

“What’s your name?”

“Elena. What’s yours?”

“Keilana.”

“What a beautiful name.”

“Thank you.” The child smiled shyly.

Elena looked up at me, the pure joy on her face giving me heart to continue on this journey. If I could get a woman as precious as her to look at me like that, maybe I wasn’t the coward I feared myself to be.