All Chapters of Bound by blood and moonlight : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Elara's POVThe carriage slowed and I forced myself upright despite the lingering effects of whatever they had drugged me with.My bonds had been removed at some point while I slept though I had no memory of it happening. I rubbed my wrists where rope burns marked the skin and tried to steady myself. How long had we been traveling? Hours? Days?The curtains blocking the windows made it impossible to tell.Heavy footsteps approached outside and then the door opened. Cold air rushed in along with light that made me squint. A vampire guard looked in at me with eyes the color of old wine."We have arrived. You will exit the carriage now."Not a request. Of course.I climbed out on shaking legs and nearly fell when my feet hit cobblestones. The guard caught my arm with surprising gentleness."Steady. The sedative takes time to clear your system."I pulled away from his grip and looked around. My breath caught.Nocturna was nothing like Lupira.Where the wolf kingdom was all stone and fire

Elara's POVMira woke me before dawn with a tray of food I had no appetite for and a dress even more elaborate than yesterday's. Deep burgundy silk with black lace and silver threading that caught the light when I moved."Her Majesty prefers formal dress at court," Mira explained as she helped me into it. "First impressions matter greatly to the Queen Mother."My hands shook as she fastened the buttons. I had faced Kaelen's rage and survived the Blood Hunt and fought in the Pit but something about meeting Seraphine terrified me in a different way. Kaelen's violence was direct and honest. Whatever waited in that throne room would be subtle and infinitely more dangerous.Lucien met me outside my chambers wearing robes of midnight blue that made his violet eyes even more striking. He studied me for a moment then nodded."You look appropriate. Remember what I said. Be respectful but not servile. My mother respects strength even in her prey.""I am not a prey.""To her everyone is prey. Th

Elara's POVI went back to that book a few days later.The tingling in my hands spread up my arms like fire through dry wood.I tried to speak but my tongue felt thick and useless. The library tilted sideways and Lucien's face blurred at the edges. I heard him call my name from very far away as darkness rushed in.When I woke my head pounded and my mouth tasted like copper, the bright light made me squint. First thing I noticed was the white walls and the sharp scent of antiseptic. I spotted medical equipment I did not recognize lined shelves along one wall."Easy." Lucien's voice came from my right. "Do not try to sit up yet. The reaction was more intense than I anticipated."I turned my head slowly. He sat in a chair beside the narrow bed I occupied. His usual perfect composure looked slightly frayed. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he had not slept."What happened?""You fainted in the library. Your body reacted to the magical text with more force than it could handle this t

Elara's POVLucien found me in the library three weeks after I left the medical wing. I had spent most of the day reading about Fae history while practicing small bursts of magic under his instruction. My head ached and exhaustion made my eyes heavy."Come with me." He stood in the doorway wearing dark clothes I had not seen before. It was less formal than his usual robes. "There is something I wish to show you."That's odd.I followed him through corridors I did not recognize. We descended stairs that spiraled down and down until I lost count of the levels. The air grew cooler and damper. Finally we reached a door carved with thorned vines.Lucien pressed his palm against the wood and it swung open silently.The garden beyond stole my breath.It should not exist this far underground but somehow it did. A courtyard open to the night sky above where stars glittered like scattered diamonds. Black roses grew everywhere climbing walls and spilling from their stone planters. Their petals a

Elara's POVThe new chambers connected to Lucien's through a shared sitting room. He had moved me there immediately after the assassination attempt but I still could not sleep.Every shadow looked like an attacker. Every sound became footsteps approaching. I lay in the oversized bed staring at the ceiling until my eyes burned.Three nights passed this way. On the fourth I finally dozed off near dawn.The window shattering woke me instantly.A figure crouched on the sill. Male this time dressed in dark leather with a mask covering the lower half of his face. He dropped into the room with barely a sound and I saw the silver blade in his hand.Silver. It was deadly to most supernatural creatures. Painful even to humans if it cut deep enough.I scrambled backward but the bed frame trapped me. He moved with inhuman speed closing the distance before I could scream.The blade came down.Something inside me exploded.Silver light burst from my hands without me think. It was just pure instinc