Page 107 of Castle of the Cursed
His stare and stance remain stoic as he watches her run out of air before him.
“You are royalty. You should live large, have adventures, be worthy of your title. Drink all the human blood you want on Earth, and come back without anyone knowing…”
Antonela sounds like air leaving a balloon, and her words come out in a final burst: “Why obey like… lowliest Bleeder… when you… are…?”
She falls forward, into his chest, her skin turning as blue as the mask, which Bastian now shoves back onto her face. Antonela takes in raking gasps of air.
“If I get caught violating my father’s rules again, they will confine me to my coffin,” he says in her ear, his voice low and muffled by her heavy breathing. He probably doesn’t want other Bleeders to hear him. “Do you understand?”
“You will not get in trouble,” says Antonela, cottoning on and speaking in a barely audible whisper. “You will say I hexed you. The ones responsible are your guards for letting in a caster to see you. Once you return, you will say you had to hunt down and kill me to break the spell so you could make it back to your throne. You will be hailed a hero. They will add defeating a caster to your list of accolades.”
Bastian scrutinizes my sister like he’s considering her offer. “What are you getting out of this?”
“I need a ride, and Bleeders are among the rare beings with bodies strong enough to cross the barrier into Earth’s dimension and survive. I am your one-time ticket to this blood-rich world that is nearly impossible to access because I alone can get us through the gateway—and you are my only transport. So, if your answer is no, you might as well kill me now.”
The prince looks like he has no idea what to make of Antonela. “What about your classmate?” He gestures with his chin at the cage. “Why save them?”
“We need them to lead us to the gateway back to Brálaga’s castle, as I was in a coffin when we crossed over. After that,” she adds with a shrug, “I figured you might want a snack.”
My mouth goes dry. I underestimated her again.
The prince sits back down on his throne, and there’s less hunger and more curiosity in his gaze when he looks at Antonela. Like he’s more interested in her brain than her blood.
“We must go now,” she insists, “or we will miss our chance.” She holds up her wrist to show him. “The last moon is already gone.”
“What does that mean?”
“That the door is open,” she says, her voice as low as his. “We have to go through before it closes.”
He looks like he is on the brink of a decision.
“Forget your crown,” she says. “Forget you are Prince Bastian. Allow yourself this breath of freedom before the kingship and war consume your existence. Unburden yourself. While you are away, you can even change your name. You can simply be… Bast.”
Their eyes connect in a way that tells me she’s hooked him. “I’ve never had a meal nickname me before,” he says, but he sounds more flirty than threatening.
“You will not know your full power until you have sacrificed it all.” She sounds like Brálaga. “What do you say, Bast?”
I can’t believe Antonela just went from a lifetime of being beaten and bullied to owning her bullies and allying herself with the prince of the Bleeders. Bastian seems to be thinking the same thing, and I don’t like the admiring way he’s looking at her.
“I say you are fearless.” His mouth curls up on one side.
“I know.” Antonela steps toward him, and right now she’s the coolest, most intimidating person I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe we’re twins.
“The question is,” she says, sliding onto his lap, “are you?”
CHAPTER 25
“ESTELA? ESTELA, SAY SOMETHING!”
It’s Beatríz’s voice.
I pry my eyes open, and Antonela’s blurry face swims before me. No, not Antonela’s—mine.
I’m standing in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection. I look dazed.
“What did you see?” urges my uncle over my left shoulder.
“Are you okay?” asks my aunt on my right, her features drawn with worry.
