Darkness Embraced Part 8

"The chal enges? No. The chal engers? Yes."

Vasco was suddenly beside me. "That is not legal," he said. "A vampire that does such a thing forfeits their life."

"It is easy to forfeit that which you do not care about."

He opened his mouth, then closed it, opened it again. "You would let them slay Epiphany?"

"No," she said and touched my hair. "My punishment for such a crime would be swift, but I may not punish someone if I am unable to prove just cause."

"Are you saying they could make it look like an accident?"

"Of sorts, yes. There are fates far worse than death."

"Tel her," he said. "She needs to know. You need to prepare her. If there's one thing I've learned with Epiphany, it is that keeping her ignorant wil not protect her, Renata."

She gave Vasco an unfriendly look. I shuddered where her hand had stopped in my hair. "Lucrezia wil be among the Elders chal enging you."

A knot of fear wrapped itself within my throat. I swal owed past it. "She wil try to kil me?"

"After what I have seen of Vasco's memory," she said, "I would not put it past her."

"I thought you were going to kil her?" I asked.

She wound a piece of my hair around her fingers. "You wil find with your power that what a person thinks and what they do are two different and often contradictory things. A thought in a moment of pa.s.sion is blinded by emotion. I cannot slay her without a reason," she said. "If I were to slay her before you face your chal enges, then the Elders wil believe that I am going out of my way to protect you."

"So?"

"So there has been talk."

"Of what?" I asked.

Her look sank into my bones. "My death, Epiphany."

"That is what you would not tel me?"

She gave the slightest of nods.

My heart gave a fierce thump against my ribcage. I would not stand idle if they tried to hurt her. Despite being cast out and despite whatever reasons she had, I could not find it in my heart to sit back and watch her be a.s.sa.s.sinated.

"Oh, Epiphany," she murmured, shaking her head. "You cannot protect me."

"No," I said determinedly, "but I would die trying."

She touched my cheek again.

"Now it is I that does not understand you. Earlier, you seethed with hatred of me. Now, you are wil ing to lay down your life to protect mine? Is it that you accept my reasoning at long last, or that you have forgiven me so soon?"

When she said it like that...I didn't understand it myself.

"I do not know," I said. "I only know what I feel."

"Emotions are misleading," she said. "They are not a thing to die for."

"Love," Vasco said, "love is a n.o.ble thing to die for."

"The days of poets and knights are long gone, my Silver Prince," she said matter-of-factly.

"Look at the woman before you and tel me you believe that."

She did and what she thought in that moment, I could not say.

Chapter Five.

I was sitting on the edge of Renata's great bed pul ing my leggings back on. I didn't know exactly how I felt about Vasco implying that I was anything like a poet or a knight. Renata had left us with instructions. She'd given Vasco permission to tel me about the chal enges.

"The chal enges wil take place over the course of seven nights," he said leaning against the bedpost. He watched me slip my naked foot into the first boot.

Thanks to Renata, I didn't have any stockings. It unnerved me that I couldn't remember hearing the thin material rip. I didn't have time to go back to my room to find another pair.

"What's tonight?" I asked.

"Physical," he said. "You won't face the more metaphysical chal enges until the end of your trials. It wil be the metaphysical trials you need to prove yourself impressive in."

"What about Lucrezia?" I tied the boot with a sharp jerk.

He rested his head against the bedpost. "That is something I have been giving some thought to. She is powerful." He paused and stood straight. "Did you taste her power when she..." He motioned at my back.

I shook my head. "No. She used brute force."

"She is a creature of fear," he said cryptical y. "I presume she wil be one of the metaphysical trials."

"Do you think she wil try to find a way to kil me and make it look like an accident?"

"What do you want?" he asked.

I gave him a perplexed look.

"Truth, or would you like me to, as the Americans say, sugar coat it?"

"Truth," I said. "I need truth. I'm sick of cowering like some wounded puppy dog."

I tied the other boot off and stood, smoothing my skirts over the leggings.

"I agree with our Queen. I would not put it past her to try."

"And what happens if she tries to kil me and I kil her instead?"

To that, al he had to offer was a shrug.

I walked past him to the door that led back out into the hal way. He barred the way with his arm. "Colombina, you need to remember everything, absolutely everything I have taught you in the past. Tonight, you wil have to duel with Gaspare. He is quick and light on his feet. Do not underestimate him or overestimate yourself. Be aware. The Elders are a tricky lot. If we can tiptoe around something, we'l do it."

"It is strange to hear you count yourself as one of them," I said.

"I am an Elder, Epiphany. You need to remember that now more than ever."

I touched the silver tinsel in his long black hair. "You are one worthy of the t.i.tle," I said. "I always remember it."

"Good." He grabbed the back of my head and pul ed me to him. I had a moment of panic before I felt his lips press against my forehead. "Show them what you're made of," he whispered, "show them the thorns hidden amongst your beautiful petals, bel ezza."

We stood there for several moments. I was about to pul away when he held my face in his feminine hands.

I stared into those eyes and it was like gazing out over an azure ocean. Vas...o...b..nt his head, but not like he was trying to steal a kiss. He opened his mouth and breathed his power on me like some great dragon. I felt his power curling around my face like invisible smoke. I inhaled that power, drew it into my lungs, pul ing its metaphysical essence up into my mind until it felt as if I would burst with it.

I saw sunlight glinting on metal. The sounds of steel against steel rang like some heavenly song in my head. I was light on my feet, quick and agile. I was fast. G.o.ds, so quick! My father was a great warrior and king, and few in his realm could catch me. I knew when to push forward, when to fal back. I knew how to twist my blade and how to spot the weaknesses in my opponent's defense. It was why they cal ed me the Silver Prince, the Sword King's son.

When I opened my eyes, Vasco's grin loomed in my vision.

I licked my lips, as if I could taste the knowledge and power lingering there.

"What did you do?" I asked, but this time I was quite aware of myself.

"A gift," he said. "Tel Gaspare I send my regards."

He turned and offered me his arm. I slipped my hand in the crook of his elbow. "I get this feeling he's not going to be happy."

He patted my hand. "He won't be. Gaspare never could best me in a fight," he said.

I laughed. "I could get used to this empathy thing."

"S," he said, "it beats the hel out of spending years trying to train you."

I nodded and hoped. No, I prayed. I prayed that the power Vasco had given me was enough. That I would not falter.

I had to beat Gaspare. I had to beat the others.

How was I supposed to defeat the others when they were al so much more powerful than me? I couldn't absorb everyone's power.

I had to stand on my own two feet.

I forced myself to focus on beating Gaspare one step at a time. If I worried about the others, especial y Lucrezia and whatever mind tricks she'd pul out of her hat, I would only discourage myself.

Thorns.

It felt pretty much like a handful of petals to me.

"The Silver Prince?" I broke the long silence, c.o.c.king a brow in his direction as we walked arm in arm.

"Ah," he said, grinning. "That was a long time ago."

"Promise me something, Vasco. One day, if I survive these chal enges, you wil tel me your story and how you came to the Rosso. In al the time that I have known you, you've yet to share such things with me."

"You wil live through this, colombina, and one day, if you wish, I wil tel you a very boring story."

I laughed. "With a t.i.tle such as the Silver Prince, I highly doubt it's boring, Vasco. It sounds a little peculiar, but somewhat adventurous."

"Then you've something to look forward to."

I smiled despite myself. "So it seems."

Chapter Six.

I dug my nails lightly into the bend of Vasco's elbow. Two guards standing like ma.s.sive statues opened the mahogany double doors as we made our approach. The torchlight flickered in the s.p.a.cious room beyond. There was enough light to completely il uminate the room, but even so, the shadows danced in corners like eerie specters.

At the northern wal was a row of smal thrones reserved for the twelve elders. The eleventh and twelfth chairs were empty. One, I knew was Vasco's place. The other must've belonged to Gaspare.

Renata sat in a throne made out of some type of ebony wood. It was placed higher than the others, the back was high, and the arms were intricately carved and curling. Behind the fal of her skirts she was long enough of leg that her heeled feet touched the floor.

Vasco led me dumbly before her. He went to his knees and I fol owed.

"Padrona," he said in his court voice, a voice that was at once charming and untouchably cold. "I bring forth your scion, Epiphany."

"Vasco, rise and take your place," Renata said smoothly.

Vasco rose and only then did I take my hand from his arm. I forced myself to stare at the stone floor. If I looked at him I knew my expression would betray how I felt. I was afraid. I was nervous. I hated court politics, but if there was one thing I knew to be true, it was that you did not show weakness to those that would delight in exploiting it.

I sensed Vasco take his seat. It left me feeling suddenly and undeniably very alone. I raised my head enough to look at Renata.

A woman laughed and every hair on my arms stood on end. I didn't want to look at her, didn't want to see the face that went with that unmistakable laugh.

I turned and met Lucrezia's wild eyes, eyes that were the color of fresh spring gra.s.s. The bodice that cinched at her waist was a few shades darker.

She smiled with lips that were as red as her flaming locks. "Greetings, Epiphany."

I forced myself to go completely stil . I would not give her the benefit of a reaction.

"No hel o?" Her red brows arched high. The look she gave me was predatory and amused.