I woke with a headache. My heavy drinking the night before came crashing down, landing right on my temples. But those memories were far overshadowed by the pleasures I’d shared with Elena. I smiled like an idiot at the memories—her voice in my ear, her mouth, her delicious blood. Not even the vicious headache could blot out those flashes of bliss.

Faren had drunk far more than me yet was perky and up and about as soon as the suns dawned. Thankfully, he left for an hour or two while I slept off my hangover. I rubbed my temples to stave off the throbbing ache. One look at my half-empty cup from the previous night turned my stomach.

“Up and at ’em, my lord.” Faren burst in the front door and handed me a fresh cup of what I hoped was water. It was.

“Your queen has been up for hours, talking to my men and Shildreth. You may want to keep an eye on that one.”

I was about to correct him about the “queen” part but thought better of it. I rather liked the sound of her as my queen, even though I had no kingdom as of yet and may never have one.

“What has she been talking about?”

Faren laughed, the sound a bit off, as though he didn’t think a thing was funny. “Like I said, keep an eye on that one.”

Now my curiosity was well and truly piqued. I dressed and headed out into the daylight. Elena was ahead of me. She, Shildreth, and several soldiers were gathered around a diagram of what appeared to be the Bloodkeep. Elena motioned, showing plans of attack, no doubt, and the men followed her hands.

“The sooner the better,” she said. “Surprise, understand?”

As I approached, Shildreth cleared her throat. Elena stopped speaking and rolled up the map. The soldiers played it casual, as if they just happened to be standing around an in-depth battle plan review led by a lethal warrior maiden of the gods.

I ran a hand through my hair, attempting to smooth down the bed head. “What’s going on?”

“We were just going over the best ways in and out of Bloodkeep.” She was dressed in another set of Daphne’s leather pants. They clung to her hips and flat stomach. Her shirt was likewise fitted, the fabric molding to the curves of her breasts. The Olympian sword glinted at her side. I noticed some of the soldiers staring at her, their greedy gazes traveling up and down her body. If they’d been any others, I’d have spilled their blood. As it was, they were my kinsmen, so I forced the anger down.

I took point next to her. “Do we have a plan?”

“We do,” Elena chirped, a bit too quickly.

“We do.” Faren stepped up to the table. “But first, we need to do a scouting mission. Reconnaissance around the keep. See what patrols they’ve changed, how many guard the walls. We’ll need to know their movements before we can sufficiently plan our attack.”

“So, it’s going to be an open offensive?” I was surprised Elena would take such a direct tack, but if she thought this was the way to win, then I had no problem with it.

“Right, but first, like I said, recon. I suggest you and Elena here gather up your weapons for our little tour, just in case.” Faren turned toward the soldiers. “Scout team, with me. The rest of you stay here and make yourselves ready.”

A dozen vampires stepped forward, most the same from yesterday’s group. Faren spoke to them in the vampire language. I could only make out a few words here and there— “protect” and “plan” and “hold steady.” The rest was lost to me.

Shildreth pulled me aside. She leaned on me as we walked away from the crush of the soldiers.

“My king, we have chosen a bloody path to the keep. But”—she stopped and pierced me with her gaze—“we will stay the course. We will see it through until you reign over these lands.” Her tone softened. “But you must trust her. Do you understand? Trust is the only way we will prevail.”

I sensed Shildreth was sending me a veiled message, but I couldn’t see through to its heart. “I already do trust her. With my life.”

She patted my arm. “If that is true, then we have nothing to fear and everything to gain.”

“Is there something I should know?”

“My king, it’s time,” Faren said.

Faren and Shildreth shared a look that was a mix of passion and determination. I stepped back so they could say their good-byes, but there were no words exchanged between them. Faren ran a hand down her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. I turned my back, feeling as though I’d watched a stolen moment.

The boy who had led us to our quarters last night came into the crowd, leading the amaranths behind him. He bowed low and handed a set of reins to me. He did the same with Elena but then continued down the line as normal, assigning each vampire a beast. I would have preferred that Elena ride with me, but I didn’t protest. She was more than capable of handling herself. We mounted up and headed for the entrance to the village. As we cantered down the cobblestone street, the villagers bowed and said, “Askenith.”

I nodded to each of them, acknowledging the vampires who put so much faith in me. Still, their reverence was disconcerting, given the fact that I knew none of them. How did they know I was worthy of any sort of deference? Surely they’d heard the tales about me at Troy, the rumors about my cowardice. Though false, they persisted. Perhaps they’d even heard of my debauchery in the centuries since. Was I capable of rewarding their blind faith with action, with victory?

I looked back at Elena, who smiled easily at the vampires. She seemed born to be royalty. I, on the other hand, would have to work at it. When we were almost to the wooden gate, the little girl with the braids ran up to Elena and handed her a necklace made of dark flowers.

Elena reached down and took it, placing it around her neck with an exaggerated show of pride. The girl, beaming at Elena, ran back to her mother and hid in her skirts, now shy after her big moment. I caught Elena’s eye as I turned, and she gave me a smile in return.

We entered the forest, and the gates receded behind us. The woods were quiet—too quiet.

Foreboding took hold in me. Something wasn’t right. I turned to Elena, but Faren rode beside her down the slope, the two of them deep in hushed conversation. Her confidence hadn’t wavered, her shoulders back and a sense of purpose in every movement. I re-settled in my saddle. Perhaps my misgivings were nothing more than nerves.

One of the scouts passed me and led the front of the column away from the village, farther still into the Darkwood.

“How far is the keep?” I asked the soldier.

“It’s a three-hour ride. Should be there at noon or shortly after.” The scout turned back ahead and guided the amaranths through the trees. I settled in for the long plod, unease accompanying me on the trip.

We didn’t stop until the suns were high overhead and tipping into their downhill journey toward night. The trees had been thinning for the past hour, sunlight filtering down to the ground.

We dismounted in a thicket and tethered the amaranths to a fallen trunk. Trees still blocked the view, but I could sense the immensity of the keep wall not far ahead.

Faren gave orders to his soldiers in the old language. Half dispersed into the woods and underbrush while the rest stayed.

Elena petted her amaranth and looped her flower necklace around its crown before turning to join me. She took a deep breath as if to steady herself. I’d wanted to speak with her on the trip, but she spent most of the ride talking with Faren. I didn’t appreciate that I wasn’t included, but continued along, watching through the trees for any trouble. She could chat, but I would be on guard and keep her safe.

“Everything all right?” I knew my tone verged on jealous, and I hated myself for it, but damned if I knew why Elena didn’t talk to me on the way here. I glanced at Faren, envious of the time they’d spent together.

“Everything is fine.” She ran her hand down my arm, smoothing my ruffled feathers.

“Well, stay close to me. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” We were accompanied by fierce vampire warriors, but she was mine to protect, to watch over, not theirs.

“Don’t worry. There won’t be any spider bites in your future.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Elena—”

She cut off my words with a kiss. It was desperate and long—the taste of her lips was honey on my tongue. I drew her closer to me, crushing her against me. Her mouth was proof of the link between us, binding our fates together.

She broke our kiss and whispered, “Trust me,” before striking out ahead. I matched her pace, and the soldiers hurried after us.

I wanted to ask questions, to find out what was going on, to learn what she’d discussed with the soldiers that morning, but couldn’t risk it this close to the wall. Desmerada’s spies were everywhere. Faren had spoken of how her soldiers perched along the wall at intervals, always watching the Darkwood for any sign of enemy forces.

We crept through the thinning trees until the wall became visible. It was at least forty stories high and smooth. Impenetrable. Threads of gold laced the stone, glinting in the sunlight. The whole side was a roving mural that must have continued along the length of the entire structure. Through the trees, I could make out the scene of a wolf gnashing its teeth at a vampire lord. I wasn’t familiar with the tale wrought upon the wall, but I was amazed at its sheer magnitude.

Elena couldn’t possibly think their band of vampire soldiers, even if they numbered in the thousands, stood a chance at breaching the expanse of stone and metal. Whatever she’d cooked up this morning would need to be adjusted, maybe even abandoned.

We continued on, the wall becoming more foreboding with each step. No way in. Up ahead the forest road was bathed in light. It was open, no more swirling mists and encroaching gloom. The road ended at the wall, cut off by the imposing gate of a sally port. We knelt in the high grass and watched the gate. Soldiers dressed in Desmerada’s signature crimson armor stalked from the opening and set off along a well-worn footpath around the base of the wall.

We were so close I could make out the detail of their helmets. It didn’t make sense for us to have come this near to a guard entrance. Reckless. What were we doing here?

I caught a flash from the corner of my eye as Elena sprinted across the distance to the gate. Gods, no!

I jumped from my hiding spot and took off after her. What was she doing? A party of vampires sprang from the woods across the road, just ahead of Elena.

She barreled ahead, slowing only to draw her sword and engage the vampires.

She swung her blade out in an arc, cutting only air. One of them pierced her shoulder with his sword. She cried out and fell to her knees as another slashed at her back, ripping through to her skin. It was a deep cut, and the scent of her blood permeated the air.

Rage obliterated any hint of thought. I had to get to her.

Why was she not using her magic? And why weren’t Faren and his soldiers coming to her aid?

I glanced behind me. Faren and his men were gone. The horrible truth struck me—they had led me to the enemy and fled. Traitors. I roared and flew at the attacking vampires, but they had retreated into the woods as quickly as they’d come. They’d been Faren’s men all along. Cowards.

Desmerada’s crimson soldiers poured through the gate, drawn to the sounds of battle. They advanced on Elena and me, their weapons drawn.

I reached down to pick her up and run, but Elena blasted me off my feet with a powerful hex. I flew back and crashed into the wall. The sharp crack of my skull breaking was the last thing I heard.