บททั้งหมดของ The Luna's Vampire Prince: บทที่ 131 - บทที่ 140

*Ainslee*I remember riding this way not so long ago to see my family and demolish the Blacks. It would have been a happy time, except for the fact I’d been engaged to Axel Brodcraz.Now I’m unhappy again, because I am leaving the man I love forever and possibly my son as well. No, unhappy doesn’t cover it. I’m crushed. Shattered.And angry.I don’t see the landscape. I don’t touch my dinner at the inn where we stay overnight. I don’t sleep, either. I am just numb as we travel all the way to the middle of Longclaw territory.The carriage stops before a new structure that is clearly still being built. Its bones look something like Alpha King Karl’s house in Warfang, but it’s smaller, and there are no intricate carvings.My father comes out of the building when the carriage stops, well-dressed and smiling. “Ainslee! My baby girl! I haven’t seen you since you were a tiny child in your mother’s arms.”I get down out of the carriage, hesitating only a moment before taking the hand he offer

*Ainslee*I watch as Longclaw forces assemble then march in two directions, one section to the north to fight Rallegrad, the larger section to the south to fight the Tormentians and protect Shadowmanor castle.My father stands to one side of me waving to the troops as they pass the house. Marcus, his Beta, stands on my other side, also waving.I force a smile and raise a hand to the troops. I am still surprised at how quickly they’d assembled. People in all the towns and villages worked their fingers to the bone quickly making uniforms with fabric and accents provided by Warfang. Warriors fell all over themselves volunteering to protect Shadowglade.What Lucia said must be right. The feeling seems to be that Shadowglade is an ally and should be protected.Lucia herself stands behind us, her eyes on Marcus. I know it’s killing her that my father keeps trying to throw Marcus and me together. For my part, I have absolutely no intention of taking a husband ever again, no matter what happe

*Geoffrey*Smoke carries the smell of burning bodies.I hear a terrible silence where there had been the screaming of children. Everything is so awfully, terribly silent.More smoke rises from the crops in the field, and the last of the women and children who had run in there to hide shriek in agony before there is, again, terrible silence.I want to throw up, but can’t. I am the leader of the Rallegrad army, after all. It would show terrible weakness if I lost my lunch, especially a second time.“Is this really necessary?” I ask the man King Maximus calls my steward. He seems to be more in charge of things than I am.“Oh, yes,” Boris replies. “We must make them fear us. We do this now so we don’t have to later.”“That doesn’t make any sense to me,” I tell him.He sighs, clearly despairing of me ever being a king worthy of waging war. “What we’re trying to do is to scare the Shadowglade forces into submission. That’s why this is necessary. We must do something to scare them. That way,

*Ainslee*I lie in bed because it hurts too much to do anything else. That, and I don’t want my father setting me up with Marcus. Not only is he not my mate, but he’s the mate of one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. I’m not going to snatch him out from under her, no matter how much pressure my father puts on me.“His Majesty wants to know if you will come down to dinner tonight,” Lucia asks me, popping her head in my room as another day wanes into evening.“No.” I shake my head on the pillow. “I’m still not feeling well.”She lets herself in and sits on the edge of my bed. “If it’s about Marcus, I’m not worried. I know enough about you to know you won’t marry him.”“That’s part of it,” I admit reluctantly. “But I really do feel truly awful.”“I should get you some tea,” she says, her brow pinched with worry. “Something that will settle your stomach.”I laugh bitterly. “I know you are looking forward to the lasting happiness that comes with being completed by a mate. But they don’t

*Ainslee*“Ainslee! Ainslee!” Lucia bounds into my room while I’m staring at my canopy, resting my hand on my throbbing chest. “Rallegrad’s being pushed back to the northwest! Reports are coming in that Longclaw, Shadowglade, Warfang, and some half-breed forces are winning now!”I raise my head and smile weakly. “That’s wonderful news.”She plops down beside me on the bed, taking my hand. “It’s only a matter of time now.”“Yes. Shadowglade will win the war. Or wars, I suppose. Tormentia never did breach the border, did they?” I chuckle.“Not one man. It’s incredible!” She laughs. “It’s wonderful and incredible, and when the Longclaw troops are back, you can go home.”I shake my head. “Not unless I can convince my father, Lucia. Remember, I promised.”“But you’re dying!” she says, exasperated. “I mean, I know this is the high road and all, but you need to think of Rafe and your children.”“I am,” I insist. “If I go back on my word, Longclaw might declare war on Shadowglade, and we’ll