A Violet Fire (Vampires in Avignon #1) - Kelsey Quick Page 0,36

wanted to teach her a lesson, I’m sure,” Gemini says from behind the woman.

He sports a grin. “Though, he went a bit easy if you ask me.”

Narref stands wide-eyed off to the side. Why is he here?

They both stand in the doorway of what I have concluded to be the human infirmary.

“You...,” I direct my confusion to Gemini with disgust, although my mind is still swimming.

He responds with a politely sarcastic smile. “Hello, Dimwit, how have you been? You’re looking a little pale… Ah, you thought you were going to turn into one of the once-humans, didn’t you?”

My face falls to a glower.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He turns his attention back to the nurse. “Nightingale is still teaching outdated information to their students, I’m afraid,” he proclaims, sitting down on the side of another cot and throwing his hand out in reference to me. ”That fine dimwit over there is still under the impression that Lord Zein’s bite can turn her into a fallen beast. Which is why she looks so ghastly... Well, that might just be her face.”

I ignore his jab only because of my intrigue.

“How is that possible?” I ask. “There’s no cure for the fallen, I thought?”

“Ah, right! No cure. However, there is a newly discovered vaccine for vampires that eliminates that pesky side effect. A rather peculiar substance of modern science, really. They call—”

I stop listening as I process his words. I’m still alive and I’m still myself.

Slightly enthused by the fact that I won’t be turning into a blood-lusting corpse anytime soon, I lift a grateful, yet shaky hand to my neck. My fingertips lightly trace over the swollen punctures that are covered by an arument bandage. The relief dissipates when I realize how pathetic I must have sounded last night.

I told him to kill me. Really, Wavorly? There goes your big-shot act.

Realizing that Gemini is still talking, I reluctantly tune back in.

“—although, they are extreeeemely expensive. And currently only awarded to elite vampires who own humans. They are trying to make it more available to further curb our losses, but they-”

“Quit rambling,” Narref snaps at Gemini as he pushes past his outstretched legs.

“Oh, well do excuse me, your highness!” Gemini snaps back.

Before I can blink, Narref has closed the distance, kneeling down to analyze me.

“Lord Zein requests her status. No abnormalities? Hints of disease or underlying conditions?” he says to the nurse while mulling over my neck.

What the hell?

She replies with a sigh, “Nothin’ out of the ord’nary, your grace. In need of food is all.”

Narref nods and stands, still staring down at me with an odd expression. The waiting game is awkward for a moment or two. I nearly bring up the Selection Hall when he reaches into the sleeve of his robe and pulls out five steel tags with gold-embossed characters reading “1R.”

“Here,” he murmurs, holding them out for me to take. “Since you haven’t had the chance to work yet, you will be needing these for your rations tonight. Make sure you work enough to eat well while you are here.”

I raise a brow and take the tickets cautiously. “Why are you here? Are you not a Selection Hall attendant?”

“First, you must know your place. You will refer to me as ‘your grace’ from here on out.” Narref says, raising a finger.

Gemini and I both roll our eyes. Narref seems to ignore it, indulging my question. “I take great pleasure in commencing the Distribution ceremonies once every year. However, every other day of it, I take pride in myself as the ambassador for Zein’s Province of Sabbanth.”

“He’s also Lord Zein’s ceremonial brother.” Gemini chimes in. “I would know, because he never stops reminding me of it.”

The comment receives a menacing side-glance from Narref, and a little chuckle from the nurse.

“Really?” I ask.

Given Narref’s questionable comments to me in the Selection Hall, I would never have guessed that he was an attendant to Zein, much less related to him.

“Yes. On behalf of the Great Elders, I swear my allegiance to my younger brother. But don’t worry, I would much rather serve him than be in his position.”

Strange to think that he would rather serve than be served. I can’t help but admire it, although I also can’t sympathize with his view of Zein—who is the least deserving of any sort of devotion.

Narref grants me a curt dip of the head, signaling his departure. He turns on his heel to stride gracefully out of the room, glaring at Gemini in the