One, two, three, four, five, six...
I grimaced as I curled another finger down, realizing the number of people who would want to kill me now couldn't be counted on one hand. Well, the number of people who could physically get to me to kill me. If I counted everyone else it'd most likely be in the thousands. Thinking of it that way, six wasn't too bad.
And what were the odds that Claude would realize he stole his grandfather's bones from me? Although, he must have had some suspicion, otherwise he wouldn't have stolen my pendant in the first place. How could he know about it? Even in my family, only a few of us knew the truth behind the material of my pendant.
I touched my chest, feeling the phantom weight of it on my neck. I had to get it back before I returned home. I couldn't imagine what my father would do if he knew I'd lost it. It had only come off my neck a handful of times in the past decade and a half. Only to clean the bone and replace the leather cord. My father had insisted that I wear it no matter what and I never went against him. Not after what happened when I'd ripped it off and refused to wear it the time I'd found out what it was made of.
As a sign of triumph, my father had said, wrapping the remains around my tender neck again. And for your protection.
I smiled wryly. More like for my destruction. Claude would replace his grandfather's bones with my own and wear it around his neck.
Maybe I could play it off. Pretend I didn't know the pendant was made of out the old king's bones. That is if Claude questioned me before he killed me. Or maybe I could tell him it was my grandfather's bones. Everyone knew I shot his hand off. I could pretend it was some sort of prize to myself and—
No. That wouldn't work. Rumors betrayed me. Everyone already knew how pathetic I was. Claude would see right through that lie.
I shook off the goosebumps that rose on my arms. I reminded myself there was no use in panicking because I couldn't do anything about it even if I wanted to. Claude had already stolen it. As with everything else, I would start with a plan.
What that plan would be... well.
My phone vibrated on my vanity and I picked it up to see a text from Kaz.
I'll wait for you in the common room.
My stomach flipped. Now the fear of my demise had been replaced with the anxiety of school. Classes started in fifteen minutes. I paced the length of my room, straightening out my bow, and repressing the memories of Claude from the night before. I could do this. I would be fine. So what if I hadn't attended a single day of school before? So what if my entire class would be made of vampires?
I could do this. I wouldn't show fear.
Giving myself a nod in the mirror, I exited the room. My eyes traveled to Claude's double doors. Would it be possible for me to sneak in there and retrieve the pendant? If I could work out what kind of schedule he had, it might be doable. I'd done my fair share of sneaking in and out of my house throughout the years. If I could get by my father, I could get by the guard station at the end of the hall. I'd slink in and steal the pendant and be out within minutes.
Assuming the pendant was out in the open. Which I felt would be a 50-50 percent chance. As a prince, Claude would probably expect that no one would enter his room without permission, so he might leave valuables hanging around. But on the other hand, he had stolen the pendant. It would make sense if he decided to hide it.
I didn't imagine his room was much bigger than mine. I could do a sweep of it within ten minutes. Plenty of time if he were in class.
Afraid the prince in question might pop out of the double doors, I hurried into the common room, my chest feeling a little lighter. I had the basis of a plan. Maybe I could find some secrets about the hidden heir as well.
Kaz waved as I approached him. Today he was wearing an oversized cream-colored V-neck sweater with the school's emblem stitched into it. Underneath he wore a black turtle neck, the fabric pulled over his chin as if he were a turtle retracting into a shell himself. "Morning, Cleo."
"Tan looks good on you," I said in greeting. "I didn't know we had anything in tan."
"Ahh, this?" He plucked at the fabric of his sweatshirt. "I had to buy it from the catalog with my own money. It's worth it, though. I get tired of wearing black all the time, you know?"
I pointedly took in his black turtleneck, black slacks, and black shoes. "Hm."
He grinned, white teeth gleaming, and held out his arm. "Ready for your first day?"
"No," I said, but hooked my arms with his anyway. A smile crept onto my face. I'd been worried it would be awkward between us after yesterday. I wouldn't know what to do without Kaz. He'd already helped me out so much. I needed someone I could rely on.
We descended the stairs together, mingling with the other students rushing out of their dorm rooms. Wide-eyed stares met me in every direction, but since I'd been receiving those looks for days now, they didn't bother me. Stares weren't threatening. I'd rather be gawked at than struck.
A heavy weight crashed into my side and an arm slung itself around my neck, nearly knocking me face-first down the stairs. Kaz managed to keep me upright while I found my balance and turned to frown at the redhead who appeared before me.
"Morning!" San said cheerily.
I gripped his hand and twisted it behind his back, making him squawk in pain. "Morning."
"Ow, ow. Okay. I got it. Don't mess with the human in the morning, sheesh."
"No. Don't mess with the human ever."
San's lips curved into a pout as he removed his arm from around me. "I'm just playing around with you."
"Remember her situation," Kaz said.
"I am! Don't you think me being friendly with her is sitting a good example to the other students?"
"Don't you remember what the last thing you said to me was?" I asked.
"What? About the other students wanting to kill you? That wasn't a threat. I was just warning you," San responded. "In a friendly way. I worry about your safety. I have a soft spot for humans. Kaz, back me up."
Kaz shrugged. "San is right. Some students here want you dead. I'm sure you already knew it though, but it was sweet of him to give you a heads up."
San gave me a you see? expression.
I pressed my lips together. "I see how you two became friends."
"That is a long, complicated story you wouldn't be able to guess half of," Kaz said, suddenly sounding weary.
"Save that for later," San interjected before I could ask more. "Adora is waiting for us outside."
"Adora?" I asked, but San was already taking the rest of the steps three at a time and disappearing out the entrance.
Kaz and I took the stairs one a time like normal people. "Adora is in our first class. She's one of our good friends. I think you'll like her, too. Her mother is the secretary-general of human relations. She'll be a good ally for you."
Curious, I followed Kaz outside, and to where San stood next to a shorter student in the same skirt and blouse as me. I froze in my spot when my eyes landed on her. She was beautiful. Hair the color of midnight flowed down to her waist, shining under the sunlight. Her perfect jawline made me envious as she turned her head up to talk to San, tucking a strand of her long hair behind her ear.
I swallowed. I didn't do well around pretty girls.
She turned to face me as San gestured in my direction and I felt even more self-conscious. Her face was like a doll's, tan and heart-shaped and perfectly symmetrical. But when I got to her eyes, I felt my heart stutter in my chest.
They were the color of blood. Sanguine and bright.
I forced myself to close the gap between us before I made things more awkward. As I reached her, she lifted her arms up and out. "Cleo it's so nice to meet you— oh! Are you okay with hugs?"
"Yes?"
No sooner had the word left my lips, she wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me tight. "I'm so happy you're here! It must be such a relief."
"A relief?"
She pulled back a little, searching my face. "Isn't it? To be away from your family? I've heard about the things they've done to you. How horrific."
A weight settled in my gut. "What?"
Those wine-red eyes grew round and she stepped away from me. "Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't even introduced myself and I'm acting like I know your whole life story. I'm Isadora Flores. I go by Adora."
"Cleo Levant," I said, holding out my hand, my throat feeling dry. What did Adora mean? What was so horrific? How did she even know of me?
She shook my hand and grimaced. "I think I came off a bit presumptuous. Sorry. I've just heard so many stories about your family from my mom because she meets with your father so often. I know it's weird to worry about a complete stranger, but I've always wanted to contact you. So, when I heard you were selected to come study here, I was so excited."
I glanced at San and Kaz, who both looked as confused as I felt. What kind of things was her mom telling her about me? What had my father said? I knew he sometimes had to meet with the secretary-general about treaties and terms, but why would he bother having any other conversation with a vampire? Especially about me? It didn't make sense. "I'm fine," I said slowly.
"That's a relief."
I studied her. She looked like she meant it. Her face relaxed and she smiled brightly. What had she been told that caused her to be so concerned with me? I wracked my memories for any time I was in danger, but none came up. I rarely left our estates. What had caused her concern?
Feeling unnerved by her blood-red gaze, I averted my eyes. I'd ask her later.
A hand clasped my shoulder and I startled. "Okay, don't scare her off, Adora," San said, pushing me in the direction of the academic building. "Now that you're acquainted, let's go or we'll be late."
Grateful for San's interruption, I followed his lead.
"And I thought you were over wearing those creepy contacts."
"Nah. When you're barely over five feet you need to find other ways to make yourself look intimidating."
Contacts? I peered at Adora again. That made sense. I'd assumed vampires just had stronger pigment hues, like how the royalty had gold eyes.
I paused. Vampires wearing contacts. It was such a human thing, I hadn't even considered it. How easy would hiding your identity be if you could change the one thing that made you stand out? It would not be hard for the hidden heir to wear contacts in public. No one would know any better.
Clenching my jaw, I criticized my obliviousness. What if San hadn't brought that up? Would I have solely searched for golden eyes? Of course, they would be disguised. Either way, my search had become much harder. I couldn't depend solely on characteristics. Hopefully, the library held some clues. I'd finally be able to get in this week at some point.
"Feeling nervous?" Kaz asked as we entered the arched doors of the academic building.
"Yeah, a little."
"No one will strike you down in the middle of class," San offered.
"San, that is not helping," Adora said.
"I'm not nervous about that." I couldn't imagine anyone would be willing to be the reason war broke out. No, no matter how much they hated me, I wouldn't die today. "I've never actually attended school before."
Kaz and San blinked at me. "Never?"
"No. My mother homeschooled my sister and me. She has a hard time trusting other people around us after..." I trailed off. They knew the rest. After my great grandparents caused the last Blood War. After a target was placed on our family's back. After my father brutally slayed the vampire king. The reasons never ended.
I didn't blame my mother, either. I couldn't imagine losing her. She was the only one who was on my side no matter what.
"I'm glad you've come. I hope this can lead to peace now," Adora said. "Like there once was long ago. I believe vampires and vampire hunters can coexist again. We can't just do away with each other. Humans need to be able to protect themselves from us. There will always be vampires who decide they're above the law and kill humans. And we need humans, too, otherwise we can't live."
Even though I knew she had good intentions, her words still made me shudder. Like humans were cattle, waiting to be feasted upon. The only difference is we didn't need to be slaughtered. Blood could be extracted from us with no lasting injury. And it was.
Whether the human knew it was going to vampires or not was a different story.
"That's a good point," San agreed. "I'm actually writing my history paper about that. If we wiped out mortals, we would have to survive on animals. Could you imagine that?" He feigned a gag.
"There's also the fact that humans outnumber us by almost quadruple," Kaz pointed out. "They may have lost thousands in the Great Blood War, but we did too. Even average humans could become hunters. Would physical prowess give us that much of an upper hand if we're outnumbered?"
"Depends. If we decided to attack, it would be highly unlikely normal humans would have any time to learn how to fight. They would probably still be in disbelief as we set upon them."
"Uhh, maybe we shouldn't be discussing this right now," Adora cut in.
San instantly snapped his jaw shut, giving me a wild look. "Oops."
I pretended to unaffected. I knew coming here I would be hearing history from their side. I knew I'd be hearing their honest feelings about humans. I couldn't be offended by it. I'd heard much worse my whole life from my father about them.
Still, it was a little unnerving. I wouldn't lie.
We entered the high-ceilinged classroom and I gaped. Tall, mosaic glass windows let natural light flood into the room. Row after row of long oak tables climbed toward the back of the room, raising a few inches with each tier. I blindly followed the trio as we made our way up, taking in the expanse of the area. Were all classrooms this grand? Chandeliers hung in the back where the window light didn't quite reach. I nearly walked into Kaz as he came to a stop, too distracted by the low beams stretching across the ceiling.
"What's up, your majesty?"
This made my attention shoot back to the front. San had hoisted himself over the wooden table and landed in a spot next to a familiar raven-haired man.
I nearly choked on my quick inhale. Claude reclined in his seat, neck resting along the back of his upholstered chair, eyes closed. His feet were propped up, expensive leather loafers gleaming as if just polished.
He was in this class? I had half the nerve to hide behind Kaz, but before I could, he pushed me in front of him. "Cleo, why don't you have a seat next to his highness?"
Claude's eyes snapped open. I didn't move. Flashbacks of last night entered my mind. The pendant. He knew. Would he kill me right here? In front of everyone? Kaz had said royalty could get away with anything.
I realized I'd forgot to fasten my dagger to my thigh this morning.
Claude's flaxen eyes roamed over my face, the corner of his lip twitching up. "Hello, Cleo. Come sit."
Hearing my name come from his lips caused goosebumps to cross my skin. And not in a good way. It sounded like ridicule. I wouldn't sit beside him. I didn't trust him.
"Sit," he repeated.
The air seemed to ripple. In an instant, a massive force bore over me. The others too, judging by the way they all jerked violently before recovering. I grit my teeth, struggling to remain upright. The Sway.
Kaz guided me to the other side of the table, fingers tight on my shoulders. He pushed me down in the seat beside Claude. I went down harder than he'd meant, affected by the Sway. My ass hit the wood painfully. Kaz mouthed an apology as he took the seat to my left.
"There," Claude said softly, turning in his chair to fully face me. "There's no need to be afraid of me."
"I'm not afraid of you," I said before I could stop myself.
"Is that so?"
I heard the masked provocation. For now, he'd left out. I faced forward, hyper-aware of his proximity to me. What was he planning?
His hand appeared in my field of vision and he took the tail end of my ribbon and slid it between his fingers. "I see you took my advice about your bow," he said lowly, his already deep voice filling with resonance.
I wanted to fling his hand away but held myself back. I could see he was instigating me. But for what reason? Did he know the truth behind my pendant? If he did, would he be sitting here beside me so calmly? Aside from his obvious intimidation attempts, his attitude toward me was a lot less hostile. Was it because we were in front of the others?
"Claude, you better not be bothering her," Adora warned.
I held my breath. Neither San nor Kaz had addressed him by his name, yet she called it so easily.
Claude leaned back, folding his hands behind his head. "Certainly not."
He didn't get upset. I turned to see Adora shaking her head at the prince and dropping a pile of books on the table. She moved with ease, unhindered. Did the Sway not affect her? Or was she just more used to it from being around him, like Kaz? I could feet sweat beading at my forehead as I tried to ignore it and not hunch my shoulders.
"And lay off your Sway. Cleo must be suffocating."
The weight disappeared. I could breathe easier. Adora winked at me when she caught my eye. How could she command him like that with no retaliation? Even San, stretching his limbs out, didn't think twice about resting his arm along Claude's back. Claude didn't mind, lifting his head instead so San could move his arm for him to use as a pillow.
Was this the same Claude who'd wrapped his hand around my neck the night before? I wanted to ask so many questions but wanted to save them for when Claude wasn't around. Perhaps his guard was down when he was beside his classmates, but for all I knew it was a ploy, and I wouldn't fall into a false sense of ease. I kept my head angled toward the desk, following the pattern of the grain in the oak surface.
The teacher came in a moment later. A tall fellow who wore an ankle-length tan jacket, black slacks, and button-down, and had his blonde hair tied up in a bun at the top of his head. Younger than I thought a teacher would be, judging by the soft, unwrinkled lines of his diamond-shaped face. He frowned as his eyes scanned the room. It was then I realized no one else was in it. Only the teacher, and us five.
"Again?" he sighed.
"Sorry, Lietz," San said, tipping his chair back so it stood on two legs. "They must have realized his highness would be in attendance again today."
The teacher—Lietz— ran a hand over his forehead and pursed his lips. "What? Do they just peek in the door and run? We already have a small class as is."
"Think of it this way. We get way more one on one interaction like this. I know I don't mind."
"As much as I know you love to monopolize everyone's attention, San, I still have strict results expected by the board. If my students don't show up half the time, how will they score well on tests? I'll have to talk to Evander about this."
Claude didn't show any sign of listening or being affected by the fact the students were avoiding him. Not unusual, then. But it surprised me. Why wouldn't they be fawning all over him?
Well, his personality wasn't amazing. Perhaps his domineering demeanor wasn't reserved for me alone.
"I think it'll only be worse from now on," Adora said. "If having the vampire prince around intimidated them enough to skip class, I can't imagine how they will handle having a renowned vampire hunter here as well."
"But there's an essay due..."
"Post-pone it. I still have to finish my one for Ms. Maharaj. You don't wanna overwork us, right? Ugh, my wrist hurts." San shook out his wrist as he spoke, feigning pain.
Lietz fixed San with a flat look. "Fine, you can have an extension. But I'm adding five hundred words."
"What!"
"Ms. Levant, I know you're coming in the middle of the semester, but I expect you to keep up with classwork, too."
I sat up straighter as he directed his attention to me. "Oh, yeah. I will."
"We can work out a time to meet up so I can help you get caught up. I'm assuming you studied English in your homeschooling?"
"Yes." I'd already finished it all last year, but I wouldn't say that. Best to keep low expectations in English so higher grades would come easier.
He clapped his hands together. "Great. We are currently in our grammar unit. I'm aware that you don't have the materials yet, so Kaz, if you would kindly share your book. Today we will be focusing on perfect progressive tenses."
Before Kaz could slide his book over, Claude produced his own, placing it in front of me. He slid his chair closer to me as well, the legs squeaking as they were dragged across the floor. Our shoulders touched now and I tensed.
"Here," he said, so close his breath brushed against my cheek.
I jerked to the side, bumping against Kaz as I put distance between myself and Claude. Kaz pushed me back and I threw him a look over my shoulder.
Claude reached his arm out in front of me to open the book, encroaching in my personal space. "What are you doing?" I whispered.
He regarded me coolly. "I'm playing my part."
"Huh?"
"You're not the only one bound by this treaty." He leaned in, so close I could see the shadows of his long lashes on his cheek. "But don't be fooled. This is only for appearances. I won't hesitate to make you disappear when I figure out your plans."
"Your hostility only makes me more inclined to believe you yourself are hiding something."
His eyes widened a fraction of an inch. The blood rushed in my veins.
I curved my lip into a smirk, even though my heart threatened to jump out of my chest. Two could play at manipulation tactics. "So, it's true."
A mask of calm fell over his face, every hint of emotion erased besides the golden glow of his pupils. They flashed fiercely. "How fearless of you to speak to me like that."
"You can't hurt me."
"You refer to the treaty, but you forget I'm the prince. I can do whatever I wish." A finger went to my throat, skin barely brushing skin. "Missing something, aren't you?"
I refused to react. "I'm not sure what you're talking about."
His nostrils flared. "I will—"
"Ahem." Lietz cleared his throat. "As much as it pleases me to see you two getting along already, please pay attention to my lecture."
Claude lingered as I put distance between us, latching onto the distraction. I shoved Claude's book back to him and scooted closer to Kaz. Kaz smiled as he pushed his book closer to me. "We're here," he said, pointing to a paragraph at the top of the page.
I swear I could feel Claude's irritation radiating through my back.
No matter. Now I knew my father's theory was true. Claude's responses ascertained that. There was a hidden heir.
I only needed to find him.
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Hello, everyone! I am back after skipping a week because Word had a fit and deleted three days worth of work on me last week. I've taught myself to save after every sentence so I have no idea how that happened. I literally went through all five stages of grief about it and then resigned myself to the fact I had to rewrite it... but it wasn't very fun. I forgot a lot of what I wrote. I hope this chapter came out as good as it was the first time I wrote it.
I've also been super distracted by Ateez's comeback. Omg it's so good.
On the bright side, I got more art of Claude and Cleo! I absolutely love it. This is by marielveve on Instagram and she is so sweet. I love her art. You should check her out!
Hope everyone is staying safe! Thanks for reading!