keep a populace under control. Perhaps that had included the Albian king.
At that point, I was struck by the terrible realization that the seduction might have weakened me instead of him.
I rubbed my eyes. Whatever the case, I needed to sleep. I’d have a fresher head tomorrow.
I couldn’t tell if I’d been beguiled, or simply learned new things. Even if I’d only been here two days, I felt trapped between two worlds, the world of Dovren and the mortals who lived on the streets—the ordinary people who fought to survive, who went hungry and saved up pennies for hot food or drinks at the music hall. And this comfortable, luxurious castle where I didn’t belong.
I rolled over, trying to make my muscles relax. Somehow, things had got muddled, and I was starting to feel like a traitor to both sides.
I desperately wanted to see Finn and Zahra again. I wanted a reminder of who I really was. When I thought of them at the music hall, at last I started to relax. My breathing and my heartbeat slowed. And finally, I drifted off into sleep.
But my dreams were not peaceful. No, my dreams were full of erotic, tormenting visions of Samael.
And when I woke, sunlight was streaming in through the stained-glass windows. I sat up, still naked, and pulled the sheets up around me, blinking in the light.
Morning had arrived and I was still completely alone. Samael had just never returned.
So I dressed myself in a simple gray dress, and I found breakfast left outside the door—sweet bread with chocolate, and a pot of hot coffee with milk. God, I would miss this place when I left.
When I’d filled up my stomach, I crossed through the library and out into the hall. Two soldiers stood outside the door, and as I started down the hallway, they followed behind me. Silently, watching me, following me down the stairs.
When I got to the lower level, I turned to look at them, folding my arms. “Am I allowed to go outside for some sun?”
They looked at each other, then nodded.
I pushed through the door and strode outside. The castle stood on top of a gently sloping hill, and the fields around me were dappled with brightly colored wildflowers.
I turned back to see both soldiers standing before the castle door. “I’m just going to walk around the courtyard. I don’t need you breathing down my neck. It’s not like I can escape.”
I gestured at the towering walls that surrounded us.
When the two soldiers stayed silent, I took that as permission to walk on my own. What I was actually hoping to do was to find a nice quiet spot where I could call for Ludd.
So when they left me to my own devices, I crossed to one of the archways in the inner stone wall. Shielded from view, I stood inside to call for the messenger crow. Quietly cooing, clicking, I waited for Ludd to arrive.
In the warm sunlight, I felt peaceful, bathed in gold. And when I saw Ludd flying toward me, my pulse started to race a little bit. He was carrying a larger note than usual.
I knelt down as he landed on the stones by my feet, and he dropped the little curled up note. I picked it up and unfurled it.
I stared with horror at the sepia photograph. Around me, the light seemed to dim; the world fell silent. Time slowed down, and I stopped breathing.
In my hands was a photograph of Alice, or at least what was left of her. Samael was holding her severed head in his hand, and her body lay crumpled on the ground. His lips were curled in a sinister smile.
Even though it wasn’t in color, even though she was dead, I would recognize her features anywhere. Her striking beauty was unmistakable—the dark eyebrows and platinum hair, the little nose.
Blood was dripping from her severed head. My hands were shaking so hard, I could hardly hold the picture. I dropped it on the ground and fell to my knees.
It didn't take long for me to bring up my breakfast onto the stones. Grief and revulsion had overtaken me.
Had I actually touched that monster last night, the man who killed my sister? I must have been out of my mind to doubt that he was a monster.
The photograph had completely renewed my rage, my fury.
Samael was the Angel of Death, of divine wrath. And now he would feel mortal wrath.