Her tone assured me I would not love this.
The drums’ beat intensified, building to an unknown finale. The crowd buzzed with rabid anticipation. Minutes passed before Ylva re-emerged from the flames like a magnificent demon of the night, accompanied by an entourage of vampiresses. By then, I had finished my second stein, and my eyes struggled to keep pace with their graceful movements and the flashing of tails.
The group danced around the fire, each woman wielding a different instrument while Ylva chanted a violent war ballad that kept me on the edge of my seat. Her raspy voice blended with the pig’s panicked squeals behind her.
Ylva ended the dance with a deft spin, her tail fanning out to the side as her foot hit the snow-covered ground at the moment of the final drumbeat. The crowd erupted in cheers, and I found myself joining in, enamored at the primal beauty of the performance.
She thrust her arms wide. “Tonight, we give our thanks to the gods for keeping our spears sharp, our shield arms sturdy, and oursouls strong.”
She pranced in front of the benches, chest puffed. “And tonight, we honor our guest, the youngest tsar in history—the strongest among us, and we honor strength!”
Ylva moved toward the squealing boar and drew a blade from her thigh. Screams of panic and pain echoed through the clearing, mingling with the savage snarls and shouts of vampires, until silence fell abruptly. Ylva held the beast’s severed head in her talons, a smirk spreading across her sharp features, then she flung it into the flames.
The inferno consumed flesh with a chorus of spits and crackles. Blood poured from the severed neck. Ylva picked up a brush-like tool from beside the corpse, dipping it into the gushing stream until it dripped. Then she spun—an artist with her brush—and splattered blood over the audience. Snarls and yowls of approval erupted from the crowd, now more savage than civilized.
She circled the bonfire until the crowd resembled the aftermath of a brutal, bloody attack. She returned to the altar and filled a bowl to the brim with boar’s blood. Moving around the circle, each vampire drank eagerly from the bowl. Even through the fog clouding my mind, I knew I shouldn’t partake again, but it was part of the ceremony—a highly revered part of their culture. It would be disrespectful of their customs if I didn’t.
Ylva showered the fire with the remaining blood. Smoke billowed from the dying flames. “We thank the gods for our immortal lives, but we do so with the knowledge that those lives will end just like the fire that warms us. We pray our ends will be honorable, and tonight we honor those who have died before us.”
“We also honor our tsar and hope his reign will be fruitful. All hail His Majesty—Roman!”
The cheers rang into the crisp night air like howls to the moon. Ichanted along, though all I could think about was how desperately I wanted to be home. I appreciated the theatrics, but I couldn’t shake the nagging thought of how many of those shouts of approval were actually cries for my downfall.
Chapter 9
ESTRELLA
Every step echoed through the silent castle as I tiptoed toward the spiral staircase, clutching my stuffed bag like a lifeline. The servant door creaked open, and the crisp night air tugged at the wisps of my braid, making my skirts flutter. My hand instinctively brushed the handle of the steak knife strapped to my thigh, and I took a deep breath before stepping onto the gravel outside.
Without allowing myself to dwell on the flaws of my plan, I broke into a sprint. The mist-dampened stones of the bridge glistened like fish scales in the soft moonlight. Freedom lay just beyond, and flames of adrenaline coursed through my veins, my racing heartbeat synchronizing with the pounding of my feet.
I dared not pause to catch my breath, fearing the shadows might snatch me back. My throat burned, and a metallic taste coated the back of my tongue. Low-hanging branches of beech trees clawed at my hair and skirts, fighting me every step of the way.
Terror clutched at my throat and chest, each step taking me away from the castle felt more and more like a mistake. I would be captured, just like every time before. It was too late now though, I had already put this in motion. There was no going back.
Each breath felt like an eternity. I lost track of my footsteps untilthe forest gave way to a ramshackle town. I slowed my steps as I entered the town square, dimly lit with torchlight, and I allowed myself a few steadying breaths. The quaint town I had imagined from Solaris’ books was nothing like this—soft creaks and thuds echoed from every crevice, from what I hoped was the gently blowing wind.
Once my heart had steadied, I moved forward, still clutching my small traveling bag. Towns like this typically had inns. I wasn’t sure of the cost, but perhaps I could convince the owner to offer a few hours of safety in exchange for a few of the silver trinkets I had taken from the castle. I turned down a narrow side street, squinting to read the faded wooden signs.
A bang in the darkness made me freeze. An uncomfortable, slimy sensation gripped me, as if I were being watched. I spun around but saw nothing in the inky blackness. Helplessness constricted my throat, stealing my breath.
I needed to move. My feet churned into motion, and I took off as fast as I could. A crash echoed down the alley, followed by a soul-wrenching snarl. I didn’t dare look back. This was a new kind of terror—the terror of prey just before it’s torn apart. The terror of running for my life.
I threw my bag over my shoulder, hoping to buy a few seconds, but it didn’t help. A body slammed into me with the force of a locomotive. I hit the ground with a sickening crunch, pain shooting through my body as a heavy weight landed on my back. Claws raked down my spine, and the coppery scent of blood filled the air. I screamed, but the beast covered my mouth with a clawed hand.
“Precious little morsel,” his voice rasped over my flesh like nails on a chalkboard, “what are you doing out in the dark? Don’t you know the shadows hide monsters?”
“You smell decadent—like the Kulta family. You’re an acolyte,aren’t you?” Something slimy slid up my neck, making my hair stand on end. “Mmmm… Your flesh tastes as good as you smell. I bet your blood is heaven, morsel.”
I grabbed at the stone until my hands bled in a desperate attempt to free myself. The vampire growled as the first rubies of blood smeared across the ground. Nails dug into my hips, flipping me over. Rabid red eyes stared down at me, dimmed only by glowing white fangs. Death incarnate had come to welcome me.
“Oh, honey, you are a tease.”
He snatched one of my hands and brought it to his lips. I raked my nails down his face with my other hand as his inhuman tongue brushed my flesh. Blood spilled over my fingers—lukewarm, like that of a freshly dead corpse. I fumbled for my blade, but he caught my wrist. “You’ll regret that, morsel. I’m going to drain that delicious little neck, and then you’ll fetch a pretty penny at market.”
A blood-curdling snarl echoed through the alley, shaking the ground beneath me. The vampire froze in terror. A chilling dread gripped my heart. Whatever instilled such fear in this monster was something far worse. Before I could register what was happening, he was tackled into the side of a building, the brick wall collapsing on him and his attacker. A beastly shriek sliced through the darkness, then silence.
Adrenaline numbed my pain, allowing me to scramble to my feet. I forced myself into a sprint event though I knew it wouldn’t be fast enough. The encroaching forest loomed, and I ducked into the trees. Terror drove me forward. Branches whipped my face, tearing my hair and clothes, but I ignored the sharp pain. My fingers fumbled with the edge of my torn skirts, grasping for my weapon. At least I wouldn’t be caught unarmed this time.
