He laughed, and the tension in the room broke for the first time since I’d arrived. “There she is,” he said, his eyes still sparkling with laughter.
“Who?” I halfway expected that another princess had appeared in the room behind me. I turned around to look, but nope. It was still just the two of us.
“The spunky girl I spoke with in the hallway the other day—the one who was brave enough to slip out of her dress in front of the entire vampire court and perform a gymnastics routine in her underwear,” he said, and my cheeks heated at the reminder of what I’d done on the first night in the palace. I hadn’t had a choice, really—it was that or not performing a talent at all. “I want to get to know you, Ana.” He leaned forward, his expression turning serious once more. “But I can’t do that if you refuse to open up to me about who you are or where you come from. With the way you’re holding back, I’m starting to worry that Queen Laila was right, and that the Seventh Kingdom doesn’t exist after all.”
I swallowed, trying to formulate an answer—and trying to push aside the emotions swirling within me from the intense way he was looking at me. “The Seventh Kingdom exists,” I said, the lie feeling heavy as I spoke it. “But you must understand—my kingdom is secretive. Even my coming here was risky. I can’t give you any information about the Seventh Kingdom unless you choose me as your bride.”
“Is that your way of bribing me to choose you?” he asked, but I could tell by the way his lips curved up slightly that he was joking.
“Of course not,” I said quickly. “I would never do that. I guess I was just hoping you would choose me for me, and not because of my kingdom.”
“We’re royalty, Ana,” he reminded me. “We don’t always have the luxury of marrying for love. I’m not at liberty to give you much information, but the Vale is in need of an alliance. I need to make sure that the princess I choose comes from a kingdom that will be an asset to my own. How am I supposed to do that when you’ll reveal nothing of the Seventh Kingdom?”
Panic fluttered through my chest. He was right. I’d come here hoping he’d pick me on my personality alone, but I hadn’t given any consideration to the fact that there was likely more at play.
Jacen wasn’t going to choose me as long as he knew nothing about the Seventh Kingdom. Which meant he wasn’t going to choose me at all.
I needed Geneva to help me kill Laila sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, I needed to stay in the competition long enough for her to figure out the details on how we could do that.
“You look sad,” Jacen observed. “What’s wrong?”
“This is a really tough situation for me,” I said, since it was the truth. “I’ve sworn to keep the secrets of the Seventh Kingdom unless you choose me as your bride. But you won’t choose me as your bride unless you know about the Seventh Kingdom. What am I supposed to do?”
“It is quite the problem,” he agreed. “And we certainly aren’t getting any closer to solving it in here.”
“We definitely aren’t.” I laughed, since this date was clearly a total bust.
“How about we get out of here?” he asked.
“What?” I startled, since that was the last thing I’d expected him to say. “And go where?”
“Somewhere out of the palace,” he said. “These walls can feel like a prison at times. How about we venture outside and take a tour of the town?”
“Okay,” I said. “But under one condition.”
“And what’s that?” he asked.
“That before we leave, I can return to my quarters to change out of these shoes.”
Jacen
I waited outside of Princess Ana’s quarters as she changed out of her heels, relieved that she’d agreed to my idea to get out of the palace. The date had been going horribly, which was disappointing, given that I’d expected more of her.
I’d been looking forward to this date since running into her on her way to the library. Because I’d recognized the book she was holding. It was from a popular series—the only way someone wouldn’t have heard of it was if they were living under a rock—but it was the same book that had been on Annika’s bookshelf when I’d spent time with her in her reading nook in the attic above the Tavern. She’d had a bookmark in it, so I knew she’d been reading it.
I couldn’t help but feel like the fact that Annika and Ana were reading the same book was a sign that I should keep Princess Ana around.
It wasn’t long before she opened the door and stepped back out into the hall, wearing flats instead of heels.
“All right.” She smiled up at me, looking far more relaxed than she had during dinner. “Are you ready?”
“You look beautiful,” I told her, since it was true.
“Thanks.” She glanced down at the floor, blushing. “But I’m wearing the same thing as earlier. All I changed were my shoes.”
“You looked beautiful then, too,” I told her, feeling like an idiot for not telling her so the moment she’d stepped into my quarters.
I’d been so consumed with thinking of ways I could get her to tell me more about the Seventh Kingdom that I hadn’t really looked at her. But that was all about to change. Because she was right. How was she supposed to trust me with such sensitive information when she barely knew me at all?
“This way,” I said, linking my arm in hers and leading her down the hall. “Our chariot awaits.”
The “chariot” was an elegant golf cart, since there were no cars in the Vale. The golf carts were mainly for the witches use, or for when royal vampires wanted to journey to town in a more dignified manner than running.
I also thought Ana would enjoy the golf cart ride—it would give her more of an opportunity to take in the sights of the Vale.
My guard Daniel drove us, and Ana’s guard sat in the passenger seat, so Ana and I took the row behind them. We didn’t say much as we rode, beyond comments about the scenery. I hoped that once we arrived in town and the guards weren’t so nearby, Ana would open up more.
We parked a few streets away from the main square, as I’d requested. If we’d pulled straight up to the square, it would have alerted all the vampires that their prince was in town. They would notice soon—and they would certainly notice Ana, since they’d seen her in the parade—but this would help us blend in for slightly longer than we would have been able to otherwise.
“Would you mind standing as far back as you can?” I requested of Daniel and Ana’s guard, Tess.
“As far away as is safe,” he replied.
“Thank you,” I said, and then I led Ana to the main square.
As always, it was bustling with merchants running their street shops. The square was full of mainly vampires, but a few humans as well, since humans occasionally worked as servants for wealthier vampires. The human blood smelled delicious, but I blocked it out and focused on the scent of the food sold in the shops instead.
Vampires didn’t have to eat food—we could exist on blood alone—but with our heightened senses, food was a luxury that none of us wanted to give up. And this market was known for having the best selection of food in the Vale. Each shop was themed around a different area of the world, and featured the highest quality of food from the region it represented. The selections were superb—the head chef of the palace came here himself to place orders for the royal kitchen.
Ana slowed as we passed one of the booths, and I noticed her eyeing up the selection of French cheeses. She was a woman of my own taste—I could also never resist the call of cheese, even back when I’d been a human.
“We’ll take a taste of each,” I told the vendor, handing him a large bill before Ana could refuse. “Keep the change.”
“That’s not necessary,” she said. “There’s no way I could eat all of that.”
“Who said it was all for you?” I asked with a smile. “It just so happens that cheese is one of my favorite foods, and this is the best cheese you’ll find in the Vale.” I turned back to the merchant, who was
already slicing the cheese and preparing our tasting boards. “Two glasses of wine, as well. The Meursault.”
“One glass of wine,” Ana said. She turned to me and added, “I don’t drink.”
“Okay.” I nodded. I firmly believed that cheese tasted best with wine, but I wouldn’t push someone to drink if they didn’t want to.
The merchant arranged the tasting boards and told us about each cheese as we tried them. People watched us as they passed—it hadn’t taken long for them to notice their prince and one of the princesses I was courting—but they respected our privacy and made no attempts to interrupt our date.
Ana’s eyes lit up as she tried one of the cheeses, and at her excited expression, I was glad we’d come out to town instead of staying in the palace.
“You like it?” I couldn’t help but smile at how happy she looked.
“It’s delicious,” she said once she’d finished chewing. Then she gazed thoughtfully around the market, making no move to continue on to the next cheese.
“Is something wrong?” I asked her.
“I’ve just noticed that only the vampires are buying food—not the humans,” she said. “Do you not allow your humans to eat?”
“They eat,” I told her, since obviously they ate—how else would they stay alive?
At the same time, I realized that this was the perfect time to get Ana’s opinion on the way humans were treated in the Vale. She’d started this topic—not me. And I intended to glean as much information as I possibly could on her opinions regarding the way the humans here were treated.
If she didn’t approve of the way they were treated, she might want to help me bring change to the Vale.
“The food in this market is for vampires only,” I continued. “Humans are only allowed certain foods.”
“Like what?” she asked, her head tilted in curiosity. “Forgive me for saying so, but I imagine it can’t be much, seeing as the humans who live here are quite thin.”
“No need to apologize,” I told her. I wanted to give her my true opinion on what the humans were and weren’t allowed to eat, but vampires with excellent senses surrounded us. I couldn’t risk anyone overhearing.
I would just have to observe her reactions to what I said and take from it what I could.
“The humans are allowed a basic fare—rice, beans, boiled chicken, and the like,” I told her. “They’re given a certain ration each day. It’s enough to keep them functioning so they can do their daily tasks, but nothing more.”
“And how do you feel about that?” she asked, not reaching for another piece of cheese.
I couldn’t be sure, but her pause made it look like she was refusing to eat any more as some kind of stance for the humans.
I leaned closer to her, my lips brushing her cheek, as if giving her a kiss. I could have sworn she shuddered under my touch. “I don’t like it either.” I kept my voice low enough that only she could hear. “But we can’t discuss it here. We will later, in private. I promise.”
She nodded, her eyes locked on mine, and I could tell she was going to hold me to my promise. Her expression was fierce, and her lips parted, making me want to lean close to her again and kiss her. I imagined she would taste sweet, like the cheese she’d just been eating. But I held back, unsure if the move would be welcomed.
When I kissed Princess Ana, it would be when I was sure that she wanted it as much as I did.
For now, I was happy to let the tension between us build. It would make it even sweeter once she finally opened up and let me in.
She stepped back and broke my gaze, glancing around the market. “We should check out some of the other stalls.” Her cheeks flushed as she looked around—it seemed like she was trying to look anywhere but at me. “Do you have any particular favorites?”
Before I could answer, an earsplitting scream sounded from the center of the courtyard, and the market erupted into chaos.
Annika
People were screaming and running out of there. Vampires ran with their enhanced speed, trampling humans in their wake. Everyone’s eyes were wide and panicked.
Our guards were by our sides in seconds.
“Run with Princess Ana back to the palace!” Jacen commanded Tess. “It’ll be faster than taking the golf cart. Daniel and I will meet you there soon.”
Then the prince turned and ran into the chaos, his guard following close behind.
Tess took my arm, but I shook her off, still looking at where Jacen had disappeared. I didn’t know what was happening in the courtyard, but there were humans here—humans I recognized from when I lived in the village. I couldn’t run away without trying to help.
“We have to go back to the palace,” Tess said. “The prince commanded it.”
I ignored my guard and helped up a human girl who had fallen, stopping her from being trampled. The girl’s arm hung at a strange angle—it was clearly broken.
I didn’t recognize her, but she looked around the same age as the youngest girl who worked at the Tavern, Martha. I wished I could give her my blood to help her heal. But I wasn’t actually a vampire. My blood might not help her like actual vampire blood would. If I tried and it failed—which I suspected it would—I would blow my cover.
“Are you okay to run back to the village?” I asked, looking her over. Her face was smudged with dirt, but beyond her broken arm, everything else seemed fine.
She nodded, her eyes wide with terror as she gazed around at the vampires speeding around her.
At once, I understood her worry. If she tried to run, she would be trampled again.
I tossed her over my back and ran her to a narrow street at the edge of the square, easily navigating through the panicked vampires. I knew this street—it led straight back to the village. As predicted, it was empty of vampires, who were rushing back to their homes.
I placed her down, and she bolted into the alley. I only looked away once I saw her turn safely around the corner.
Tess was by my side in an instant, her hand on my arm again. “That was very kind of you,” she told me, glancing at where the girl had disappeared down the alley. “But we need to leave. Now.”
I didn’t budge. “The humans are being trampled to death, and no one cares,” I said, motioning to the chaos behind us. I hoped Tess would have some empathy for the humans, since like all vampires, she’d once been a human as well. “Are you going to help me help them or what?”
She paused, as if sizing me up. “You’re stronger than I originally gave you credit for,” she finally said with a nod.
Then she hurried back toward the market—I assumed to help.
I let out a long breath of relief and followed, and we each found a human amidst the chaos. This time I found an older man who had been pushed into a stall by the vampires. I was helping him up when an animal rushed through the crowd—a wolf.
The wolf pounced on a vampire, threw her to the ground, and ripped her head off with its teeth. The surrounding vampires screamed, running faster. Another wolf followed close behind the first, also jumping on the closest vampire and ripping into his neck. By the time he was done, the first wolf had already moved onto its next victim.
None of the vampires were fighting back. They were just running away, screaming.
Where was Jacen? I glanced around the square, but he was nowhere to been seen. Had he been one of the victims of the wolves? My stomach lurched at the thought, and I swallowed down the urge to be sick.
But then I remembered the way Jacen had fought off the wolves when they’d cornered us in the forest—back when he knew I was Annika and he was pretending to help me escape. He might have been lying about a lot, but he’d handled himself against the wolves.
I had to trust that he was handling himself with them now.
In the meantime, I needed to get this human man to safety. I threw him over my back and ran to the side street, dropping him off as I’d done for the young girl.
“I hope the prince chooses you,” he said with a
bow, and then he turned around, hurrying down the alley.
I looked after him, stunned, before refocusing and hurrying back to the square.
Tess had stopped helping humans and was now fighting one of the wolves. She moved in a blur with her sword, but the wolf also moved quickly, managing to avoid being hit in the heart. But his legs were bleeding, which made me hope he would weaken enough for Tess to get the perfect shot.
The other wolf was continuing to leave a line of beheaded vampires in its wake. I still wanted to help the humans… but that wolf needed to be stopped.
I recalled what I knew of fighting wolves—Mike had killed one using a chair leg, but that wolf had been feeding and unprepared for an attack. When Jacen and I had fought the wolves in the forest, we’d jumped onto a tree and used the branches as weapons. We’d been outnumbered, but vampires could jump higher than wolves, which had given us an advantage.
I didn’t have any branches right now… but there were plenty of chairs in the now-abandoned stalls. I ran for the closest one and broke off the legs, creating four wooden spears.
Before I had time to make a jump for the nearest tall building, the wolf was running in my direction.
I did the only thing I could think of—I threw one of the spears at his heart.
He dodged it easily, and it clattered to the ground behind him.
I threw the next one and the next, praying that one would hit, but the wolf dodged one while picking up a headless vampire corpse and using it as a shield. The spear wedged itself in the dead vampire’s back.
The wolf ran toward me, and I dropped the final spear, reaching into the hidden pocket of my underwear for Geneva’s ring. I didn’t want to reveal that I had the ring, but it was that or be killed. I had to do this.
But before I could touch the ring, the wolf stopped in its tracks. It was only a few feet away, and it stared at me, tilting its head in confusion as it inhaled deeply.
My scent.
I’d learned in the forest that wolves had a stronger sense of smell than vampires. When a human drank the blood of a vampire, they smelled like a vampire to other vampires… but wolves could smell past the deception. The wolves in the forest had known I was a human, even after I’d drank Jacen’s blood.
The Vampire Trick (Dark World: The Vampire Wish Book 3) Page 5