Page 87 of Ravenous

A scholar vampire? Arctos was as far from her dreams as could be imagined. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

She continued, “It’s the land of outcasts, and guess what I am.” She unsteadily waved at herself. “An outcast from at least two territories. And those are only the ones I’ve been to! More outcasting may arise.”

He couldn’t argue with that.

“As much as you deserve to see your nymph,” she added quietly, “when everyone watches you rebuke your ‘wife,’ they’ll never accept me. I’m not blaming you. I’m just…saying.”

Heat stung his wind-chapped face. She wasn’t wrong. He poured himself a measure and downed it.

She lifted her glass as well, already looking affected.

He wanted answers. He poured. “I can’t give you everything you want,” he said. “But I could give you some freedom—if you make me believe you mean us no harm.”

She finished her glass and set it on the bench. “I told you what my father planned. I wanted to escape that fate.”

“You told me a story.” He kept his tone even. “The more I see your courage, the less that story fits. Why not resist in Bloodreach? Why not rally others to your side?”

Questions that could be hurled at him about Yrsa. That same heat bit him.

Emilia dropped her head in her hands. “There was no support. Never would be.” He scarcely heard her over the crackling flames.

“I don’t believe you had no one. Not a friend. Not a noble. Not a sibling ally.”

From behind the delicate veil of her fingers, she said, “No one but Nadje.” Emilia raised her head with a swallow. “We don’t have to do this. You’ll never believe me, and I don’t blame you.”

Frustration burgeoned. “You can’t get out of this so easily! I know you keep secrets. Reveal them. After tonight, I’veearnedsome trust from you!” He’d nearly gone over the falls for a fucking vampire. Maybe he was as crazy as this one! Anger toward her flared. And anger toward his queen for keeping him mortal. “Make me believe you!”

Pink tears brightened her eyes. “I can’t!”

“Anything, Emilia.Anything.”

When she noticed his clenched fists, she warily stood, tottering on her feet. Her pupils were huge from the vodka and the events of the night.

He forced his fists to uncurl. “Why not stay in Bloodreach and fight?”

“There was no time! I was days away from the crypt and would’ve died down there.”

“Your parents consider you a treasure. A day walker. They didn’t decree your death.” He grated, “Try again.”

“They didn’t but another did,” she finally said. “He told me the crypt could fail. That it had weaknesses.”

“Who?”

She didn’t seem to hear him, lost in memory. “I told you that the sun firsthit me after a storm. This was true. I can’t lie.” Her throat worked. “But I did leave out something.”

Arctos hardened himself against some new disclosure.

“I ran for the sun,” she said, voice gone thread thin. “Headlong. Because I believed it would kill me.”

Chapter 35Lia

“What would make you do that?” Arctos asked evenly—as if they hadn’t just cheated death, as if they weren’t divided by animosities and secrets. “Explain why you would choose to end your life.”

Lia almost retreated from the confession. Would he look down on her for the actions of another?Creepy. Wrong. Family.

Then she caught the flash of turmoil in his eyes and forced herself forward.

“Because I was prey,” she said softly. “And prey runs where the hunter can’t follow. I was so tired, and that ray of light promised many things in my mind.”