in the commotion. The revelation of Garin’s identity was probably near irreconcilable with her meek request for mercy upon Renald, and the familiarity of his response.
Still there was no time to explain.
“The only way we’re going to get out of here is if I take care of him,” Garin hissed.
But he loosened his death grip on Renald, grabbing instead the material of the guard’s hood before kicking the halberd far out of his reach. The vampire shifted so that his own body barricaded the door.
“Why must you kill him?” Lilac said hurriedly, glancing back at the trembling couple. Sable and Jeanare clutched each other against the hallway wall.
“Are you insane? Even if we release him, he’ll report our whereabouts to your parents—shut up,” he growled at Jeanare, who had let out a loud sob as his wife helplessly held him. “Move from that spot, and I’ll start with you two instead.”
“So, you’re afraid of witnesses?” Lilac pressed, trying to buy them all time. This was the side of him she feared, but she was even more afraid of what his answer would be. Garin, who was very by-the-book in an unconventional way, would not spare the life of any witness, including the gracious couple who had hosted them overnight. She might buy them time, but ultimately the decision would be his.
“Can you entrance them to forget?” she offered.
Garin groaned. “You know it doesn’t work that way, it’s why I never entranced them in the first place, remember? I’m weak without blood. I can’t even heal right, especially not from sunlight.” He jabbed a finger toward his face and grimaced.
“But—”
“Say I do as you ask me. Are you really willing to risk the enchantment failing, and their memories resurfacing within the next few hours? They’ll report us, and it’ll still leave a trail. If we’re caught, whether by your father’s men or Sinclair’s, we won’t make it to Ophelia or the castle in time.”
She swallowed hard through the palpitations. He was right. She needed vampire speed, and it’s not like Renald’s sentries would allow Garin to deliver her just because he was faster. She couldn’t spare the lives of Renald, Sable, and Jeanare and ensure an unrushed, discreet visit to Ophelia. It was impossible without Garin’s stamina, power—whatever it was he got from blood.
Unless...
She wasn’t absolutely sure, but couldn’t hers replenish him enough to properly entrance three humans? Even if the blood did not come directly from the vein… Did it work that way? Draining Sinclair’s guards had certainly energized him.
“Use mine.” The words escaped from her mouth before she had fully processed the notion, but once spoken, there was no turning back. She stood tall and proffered her wrist. “You can have mine.”
Garin’s sardonic grin morphed into a frown. Then, his frigid eyes narrowed in on her.
“Your Highness.” Renald’s timid interruption brought Lilac out of Garin’s eyes. The guard’s voice shook with bewilderment. “What is the meaning of this? H-how can you reason with him?” His gaze drifted to his captor beside him, then back to the princess. “He cannot be trusted.”
“I know he can’t, but—"
“You know, do you?” The vampire raised an eyebrow, while Renald frowned at the exchange between the two.
Lilac shot a look at Garin, then returned her pleading eyes toward the guard. He’d known her parents since she was a child. If she could convince him everything was fine, then maybe he would cover for her—especially since he was her father’s friend.
She drew in a deep breath, hoping the vampire had it in him to keep his mouth shut for once; Garin’s silenced glare would only last as long as it would take him to find something cutting to say.
“I’m fine, Ren. It’s fine. He won’t harm you.” She continued, encouraged by the redness in Renald’s face fading to a slight pink. “I’ve requested his aide, and he’s protected me through Brocéliande. Isn’t that right?”
She knew she shouldn’t have given him the space to reply as soon as he opened his mouth.
Garin wasn’t interested in sharp remarks, or in playing nice. Instead, he dragged Renald by the neck toward her. “Absolutely, Your Highness. You’re clearly the authority here. You choose. I kill the witnesses, problem solved. Or, I try to entrance them, and you risk giving up everything for their trivial lives. Your call. Taking your blood isn’t an option.”
“Garin, please—" She broke off at Renald’s snarl.
The guard’s mouth had pulled into a hard line, face twisted with disgust. He’d known her since birth. He could