Every time Eric screamed, I flinched. I wish I could do something, but anything I did would prolong the torture for him and get me punished as well.

Out of habit, I reached up and rubbed the gem in my necklace. Its familiarity and warmth made me relax a little bit.

Trusting Sundancer to follow them, I pulled my mother’s journal out of my saddlebag and read it again, for what was probably the thousandth time. My mom died defending my sister and me from soldiers in green and black uniforms. I didn’t remember much about that day, because it was traumatic, and I spent most of it getting my sister out.

What I did remember was sparse, fleeting moments. It had been really warm and sunny that day, and not very humid. I was practicing swordplay with my mom, having finally moved from sharpened sticks to my mom’s swords. They were both thin, but strong. I had watched her fight in tournaments, and she used the double sword technique, and she bested her opponent every time.

There was a point in the swordplay when Mom heard the rolling thunder of hooves, and told me to run inside and hide. The next thing I remember, Mom was lying in a pool of blood while I ran with my little sister, Mom’s journal, my necklace, the sword, and Mom’s ring.

Violet, my little sister, took the ring. She insisted that I keep the rest, said I needed it more. Then she was taken away.

My favorite entry was when Mom met our father, who died when I was two and when Violet was a month old.

It read:

July 30th, Year of Love

Today was the most wonderful day of my life. In the stables, while I was tending the horses, a man named Kieran came in. He wasn’t handsome at first glance, at least not in the conventional way. He wasn’t pretty, with smooth features like a baby, or built like the knights I fought in the tournaments. But there was something about him that drew my eyes. I listened in on the conversation between him and the stable-master, and found out he was the second son of some lord or duke in the area, and was looking for someone to teach him how to ride so he could participate in his older brother’s wedding parade. And I thought to myself, “Interesting.” How could he be as old as he was, the son of a lord, and not know how to ride?

Of course, the stable-master brought him to me. I was unquestionably the best rider in the stables, because of my “unnatural connection” to the horses. If only they knew!

The first words Kieran said to me were “You have gray eyes?” I thought for a moment that he was going to make fun of them, but his face softened and he said, “They’re beautiful.”

I fell in love that instant, and I’ll be damned if I won’t try to woo him.

The entry made me smile every time. My mother was so lucky. She could protect herself and got to make love with the man she loved. My only experiences with men are not ones I want to remember. And that wasn’t conducive to any sort of good relationship.

I had read several books in my tenure at the Flower Palace, as a way to escape. Romantic books I consumed with a passion. I guess I just wanted what they had. But I found it hard to believe. Was it really possible for someone to love your soul like that? And who would love damaged goods?

It took a couple of seconds before I realized that I hadn’t heard any screaming in awhile. I eyed the carriage and brought my focus to it. There wasn’t any sound coming from the compartment.

“We’re here!” a scout yelled out, riding towards us from the path ahead. I shifted my focus but kept an eye on the carriage.

Lord Ash got out, but Eric didn’t, which immediately made me worry.

“M’lord,” I called out, catching Lord Ash’s attention.

“Yes, lady?” he responded, looking at the driver and then the carriage.

“Is Eric okay? Has he become motion sick?” I asked, staying on the horse, but itching to do anything.

“He’s fine.” Lord Ash said. “Get off the horse.”

“Why?” I replied, looking around. There was nothing but woods for miles, and what looked to be a castle in a clearing ahead.

“Just get down,” he said, putting his hand threateningly on his sword.

I dismounted, confused. Two of the soldiers grabbed me and I froze. Here it was.

They were going to use me.

“Tie her up,” Lord Ash commanded, while I urged my body to somehow respond.

“What’s happening?” I asked, trembling, but my muscles still refused to move as they tied a coarse rope around me, binding my arms to my sides.

“Sorry, darling. You’re going to be dinner for the monster,” he replied, waving at the soldiers to bring me along. They pushed me, and I started walking forward, towards the castle.

“What monster?” I scoffed, but my nerve just wasn’t there.

“The vampire that lives here. It drinks blood and kills innocent maidens. And we’re going to kill it. You’re the bait. While it’s feeding, we’ll move in,” he explained, sneering at me.

I glanced over my shoulder at the soldiers behind me, and I caught sight of the driver and a soldier lugging a...body? A dead body?

Eric.

My trembling increased, and for once I felt anger.