Alex’s news was tough to digest, but she didn’t have much time to think about it. A crash outside the library and a shout from Tristan drew them both out into the hall.
She rolled and stabbed a stake into the calf of a vampire who had his fangs pointed toward Tristan’s throat.
“Ouch!” The vampire twisted as her stake struck, and he let Tristan go. Alex lassoed the vampire with a rope and pulled the attacker’s arms in tight.
“Thanks,” she said to Alex, still marveling that they were related.
“Look out!” he yelled, and she turned just as a huge vampire, who’d appeared out of nowhere, dove toward her. But before he touched her, his face contorted in pain and he fell to his knees, a stake protruding from his shoulder.
Tristan stood behind the vampire.
“You shouldn’t leave your stake in the body,” she told him with a cheeky grin. “You might need it for another attack.”
“Good advice,” Tristan said as pulled out the stake. Then, before the vampire could recover, he wrapped a rope around the vampire’s arms. “Whoever taught you that lesson must have wanted to make sure you stayed safe.”
She smiled softly, but the sound of splintering wood downstairs pulled her away. She barely had time to talk to either Tristan or Alex for the rest of the night, and for the first time, she felt lucky for the diversion of chasing vampires. They’d come in higher numbers tonight, and they seemed intent on attacking her parents.
Finally, as dawn threatened on the horizon, Lucette bid Alex good morning, so he’d have time to find a safe place to hide for the day. Then she went behind her screen in the library, pulled off her slayer uniform, and slipped into her nightgown.
Walking up to the tower room, Tristan’s hand in hers, she knew she had to tell him what she’d learned tonight. He hadn’t pumped her for information, and she loved that about him. But she wanted to share it all, every one of her mixed and horrible feelings. He’d help her sort them out.
But there wasn’t much time before sunrise. Once they were in the tower, Tristan put his back against the wall and slid down to sit on the floor in what she used to think of as the suitors’ gallery. She slid down the wall next to him, and he put an arm around her shoulders.
“Alex upset you,” Tristan said. “Do you want to talk about it? Or is there any information I should be passing on to your father?”
Tears welled in Lucette’s eyes. “That’s the most horrible part. My parents already know most of what Alex told me. They’ve known it all along, but never said a thing. They lied to me my whole life. At best, they left out some pretty important details.”
Tristan pulled her closer, and she buried her face in his neck, inhaling his spicy scent.
“I don’t know where to start.” Lucette looked into Tristan’s bright blue eyes.
“Start wherever you want. But if you don’t want your dad to know you’ve been out of that glass case, you’d better start now.” The sky was lightening through the window behind the glass wall.
She nodded, then blurted, “Alex is my cousin.”
Tristan opened his eyes wide. “That’s not possible. He’s a vampire.”
“His mother Natasha is my mother’s older sister. When she was still human, she wanted to marry my father. But when he chose my mom instead, Natasha went ballistic. She was so eager to get revenge and to sit on a throne—any throne—that she converted herself into a vampire and seduced Alex’s dad.”
“How would that get her revenge?” Tristan squeezed her hand and Lucette felt warm and safe and loved.
“She figured that as a vampire she could torture my parents—maybe even kill them—and take the throne for herself. My mom hates vampires, and the vampire queen figured that knowing her sister was one would be a form of torture in itself. I guess it was, because my family acts as if she doesn’t exist.
“Alex’s dad,” she continued, “King Vladimir, realized his mistake in his choice of bride. He threatened to divorce her and have her arrested if she didn’t give up on her thirst for human blood. So she killed him.”
Tristan tensed, but soon relaxed, and nodded.“I’d heard rumors that the vampire queen killed her husband.”
“It’s never been proven, but Alex is sure. He’s even spoken to senior members of the Sanguinian army and they’re sure, too. He told me about his father’s murder a while ago. It was one of the reasons I first trusted him. Anyway, that’s not the worst of it. I found out why she cursed me.”
Tears rose, but Lucette blinked to push them back. “All my life, I thought my parents’ arguments were my fault. I was all they ever fought about, and I blamed myself. I guess I knew the curse wasn’t my fault—I was only a baby—but I figured the curse wasn’t their fault, either. But it kind of was.”
“How?”
“My mom didn’t invite her sister to my naming ceremony, and so Natasha cast the curse out of anger and jealousy. She’s so petty and cruel. She destroyed my life because she wasn’t invited to a party.”
“That’s horrible. Lucette, I’m so sorry.” He hugged her tightly.
As comforting as his hug was, anger and hurt rose inside her.“I wonder if my aunt realized her curse would drive a stake into my parents’ marriage, too. Probably. Who would curse their own family?” She drew a deep breath.
Tristan stroked her hair for a few minutes, then whispered into her ear. “If you want to get into that glass case before sunrise, there’s not much time.”
She started to get up, then stopped. “You know what? If it’s okay with you, I think I’d like to fall asleep in your arms this morning.”
“But your father—”
She shook her head. “I think there have been enough lies in my family. It will be better if he knows I’m not staying in there at night.”
He bent down to kiss her cheek and said, “That is absolutely fine with me.”
The next night, Lucette smiled as she watched Alex and Tristan talk. The two young men seemed to have struck a truce. They might not exactly be best friends yet, but they weren’t at each other’s throats, either.
Since the truth had come out, Lucette had grown even more anxious for the curse to end. And she couldn’t figure out why it hadn’t. She loved Tristan with all her heart, and felt sure he loved her, but how in the world was she supposed to prove it?
Those cryptic fairies had claimed she’d know what to do when the time came, but the time was here—and she didn’t know.
Even with Tristan in her life and Alex as such a good friend—and cousin—she couldn’t bear the thought of living the rest of her life in darkness. Plus, if the curse didn’t end, Xandra would eventually fall. From what Tristan had told her, fewer than a quarter of the citizens remained in the kingdom. The rest had crossed through the dangerous werewolf territories to live in refugee camps in faraway Judra, with many seeking to immigrate.
But if Alex was right about his mother’s ambitions, she wouldn’t rest until she ruled every kingdom.
With everyone fleeing, even if her father survived, he’d have no subjects. No real kingdom. It had to be breaking his heart to see Xandra this way.
Breaking away from Alex, Tristan sauntered toward her, a shy look on his face.
“Had enough boy talk?” she teased.
“Definitely.” Tristan traced a hand down Lucette’s arm. “Actually, I was hoping we could talk alone for a few minutes. Somewhere private. Alex says he’ll keep a lookout and shout the alarm if he hears any trouble.”
“Great.” Her insides stirred at the thought of some alone time with Tristan. Glad as she’d been to see Alex’s return, she’d missed the nights she’d had with just the two of them.
He opened the door of the library for her and guided her to a plush upholstered chair. He pulled another over and sat facing her. The formality made her worry about what he wanted to discuss.
Tristan cleared his throat. “Lucette, I love you.”
A huge smile spread on her face. “I love you, too.” She reached out to take his hand.
“Yes, but ...” A blush appeared on his cheeks. “The curse. It hasn’t lifted.”
Her heart dropped. “I know. I’ve been thinking about that, too, and I’m trying to figure it out. The fairies said I’d know what to do, but I don’t.”
“Lucette.” He took both of her hands in his. “You’ve got to stop blaming yourself for everything. It’s not your fault you were cursed. It’s not your fault your parents argued. It’s not your fault the fairies were cryptic—they’re cryptic with everyone. Fairies love riddles.”
“So, what’s the answer?” She tried not to sound as defeated as she felt.
He shifted in his chair, the first time she’d ever seen him nervous. “Well, I’ve been thinking about it and I have an idea—just a theory. It might be wrong. I don’t know.”
“What ?”
He blurted, “I wonder if we’re supposed to get married.”
Lucette’s jaw dropped.
“Or not.” Tristan shook his head. “If you’re not ready... You’re only sixteen, and we’ve got our whole lives ...” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I thought asking you so soon might be a bad idea, but Alex—”
“You talked about this with Alex?” The blush in Lucette’s cheeks rose so ferociously that she wondered if her face might catch on fire.
“I’m sorry.” He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. And I certainly don’t want to be presumptuous. But Alex and I were talking about the curse and it just kind of came up.”
Lucette leaned back in her chair. Her mind raced with so many thoughts, it was hard to pin any of them down. Her mother hadn’t been much older when she married her father, but look how that had turned out. She knew she loved Tristan, but marriage was such a big step—especially at her age. The future of her kingdom depended on her, but in so many ways she still felt like a kid.
On the other hand, she needed to find some way to prove her love so the curse would lift. It was her duty to try everything she could think of, but this ... She wasn’t sure she was ready for this. The fairies said she’d know how to prove her love, but she didn’t feel sure about marriage at all.
She needed to talk to her mother. She shot to her feet, remembering that she’d not read her mother’s letter when she got up last evening, or replied. “I’ve got to go up to the tower. I need to be alone—to think.”
“Lucette.” Tristan stood and pulled her into a hug. “Forget I brought it up. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry.” She pulled away. “Really. I understand why you brought it up, I do, and want to marry you ... someday. Just let me think for a bit.” She dried her palms on her slacks. “Come up to the tower in ten minutes and we’ll talk again, okay?”
He nodded, and she left the room.
When she stepped into the corridor, Alex turned away quickly and leaned against the balcony railing. It made her think he’d been listening, but she was glad he didn’t make eye contact or try to talk to her. Right now, she needed to talk to her mother, and since that was impossible, she’d do the next best thing and read her mother’s latest letter.
Lucette shifted quickly through the letters that had been shoved through the slot in the glass cell. Even though everyone knew she no longer lived in the cell, its slot had become a mailbox. In her recent letters to her mother, she’d been asking for ideas about proving her love. Most of the answers so far had been vague, like “Trust yourself” and “The proof will come with time,” but Lucette hoped that tonight’s letter held more practical advice.
She found the right letter and opened it quickly. But it was no help at all, just more generalities and vague assurances that she should let her love for Tristan develop. Before she fell asleep, she’d write a note to her mother asking her advice about marriage, point-blank. Tristan would have to wait for his answer until tomorrow.
Nerves soured her stomach. She loved Tristan—she did—so why did the idea of marriage make her so nervous? She wanted to be married ... someday ... and to Tristan, but not yet.
Suddenly, Lucette heard a noise on the stairs. Someone was coming. Had it been ten minutes already? Would Tristan officially propose? If so, what would he say if she asked him to wait for her answer? Her palms started to sweat.
But instead of Tristan, six hulking vampires burst into the room. Lucette backed toward the glass wall and reached to her back for a stake... only then remembering that she’d taken off her weapons and dropped them near the door.
Six vampires? Lucette doesn’t have a chance!
To find out what happens next, turn to section 9: At War (page 291).