My father’s words hit me like a physical blow. Live among vampires? Tonight? The room tilted sideways as panic clawed its way up my throat, tears burning behind my eyes before spilling over. I tried to breathe, but each inhale felt like swallowing glass. My legs, no longer under my command, carried me backward until I collapsed onto the edge of my bed. I clutched my elbows, a futile attempt to hold myself together as my world shattered around me. The polished floor shimmered through a veil of tears, each drop a stinging betrayal.

  I couldn’t bear to look at him – this man, a stranger disguised in my father’s face. The man who had taught me to ride, who had sheltered me during storms, who had vowed to always be my protector… now bartered me away like a prize mare. The realization cut deep, another wound in my already aching heart.

  There has to be a reason, I thought desperately. Father never does anything without purpose. But whatever his grand plan was, he clearly had no intention of sharing it with me. His only offering of comfort was a simple handkerchief, as if a scrap of cloth could dry an ocean of tears.

  I forced myself to stop crying, suddenly aware of how useless my breakdown was. If tears wouldn’t move him, perhaps logic would. But before I could marshal my thoughts into any kind of coherent argument, his voice cut through my planning.

  “I don’t expect you to grasp the intricacies of why this union must endure, but your duty compels you to comply.” His words sliced me like a sword. “It’s time you cease your self-absorption and consider the needs of your kingdom.”

  What could I say to that? My whispered “Okay” felt like surrender.

  His words were not yet done. Kneeling, his face a mask of urgent pleading, he clasped my hands. “Do not allow yourself to develop feelings for him. And never sleep with him. Your child would inherit the terrible curse.” A sigh escaped him, despite his plea. “They will, however, expect the marriage to be consummated. Leave the details of that deception to me.” His eyes suddenly blazed with a fierce intensity. “Your purpose in Ustoria is singular: secure the throne for peace.”

  Disgust shot through me as I wore a sour face. “The thought of sharing a bed with such a creature, let alone developing any sort of affection, is utterly repugnant.” My voice trembled, betraying the fear I desperately fought to contain. “So, you are truly set on sending me away?” A far more terrifying question burned in my mind, one I couldn’t force myself to voice: How could I possibly avoid the consummation on my wedding night? Unless he had a plan to prevent it.

  His nostrils flared – a warning sign I knew too well. “If I call off this marriage, we lose an important ally. War is coming to Agarta, Loretta, and we need Ustoria on our side.”

  “So I’m just collateral to you… to them!”

  “Vampires don’t make alliances based on promises, Loretta. To ensure peace, unity, and their support in the upcoming war, I had to—”

  “Sacrifice your own daughter.” The realization still left me broken.

  My father’s heavy sigh felt like judgment as he took my hands in his. The warmth of his grip only made the coldness of his words more painful. “One day, you will understand that all I do is for you and the greater good of our country.” He released me and stood, his shadow falling over me like winters breeze. “This marriage is happening and you will be out of the castle by moonrise. If you try to run away, your scent is easy to follow. Don’t let me down, Loretta.”

  The door clicked shut behind him with the finality of a tomb. I collapsed backward onto my bed, staring up at the familiar ceiling I’d gazed at since childhood. How many times had I traced those patterns with my eyes, dreaming of adventure and romance? Now those same patterns seemed to mock me, swirling into vampire faces and unknown terrors.

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  My mind wandered to Ustoria, and the images that formed sent ice through my veins. I’d heard stories, of course – who hadn’t? But now those tales painted themselves across my imagination in vivid detail. I saw a land drained of color and life, where even the trees stood like skeletons against a perpetually dark sky. In my mind’s eye, the ground was littered with brittle leaves that crackled beneath the feet of prowling monsters. And towering over it all, their castle – a looming fortress of black stone and sharp angles, waiting to swallow me whole.

  The creak of my door interrupted my spiral into darkness. Naomi rushed in, her familiar presence bringing a small measure of comfort. Before I could speak, she wrapped me in a fierce hug, her own tears falling freely. I found myself holding her just as tightly, touched by her genuine grief for my situation.

  “I’ll start packing your things,” she managed between sniffles. I reached for my duvet, gently wiping her tears away. The surprise on her face almost made me smile – she’d always been the one comforting me, but now, facing the unknown, I felt strangely stronger. Perhaps it was the shock, or maybe just resignation.

  “Don’t cry for me,” I whispered, though my heart ached. “I suppose I deserve my fate.”

  “Don’t say that,” Naomi protested. “If you don’t desire it, you don’t deserve it.”

  My throat tightened. “Will you be coming with me?” I hated how small my voice sounded, how desperate.

  “I have important matters to tend to,” Naomi’s voice wavered slightly, the words questionable, “but I will join you in Ustoria as soon as I can.”

  Another cruel twist of the knife. “I understand.” The words tasted bitter on my tongue.

  “For now, you will be set up with new maids who understand vampire customs.”

  “What?” Fresh panic surged through me. Even my servants would be strangers.

  “I’m sure they’ll take good care of you until I join you.”

  I couldn’t hold back my bitterness any longer. “But I am not excited about this. Father never fails to ruin my life.”

  “You’ll find that everything your father does is for your protection,” Naomi said softly.

  “How is sending me with flesh-eating beasts supposed to protect me?” The question hung in the air between us, unanswered.

  When moonrise came, the harsh knock at my door made me flinch. Naomi had finished packing and gone, leaving me alone to face my fate. I stood before my mirror, studying my reflection in the blue satin gown she’d chosen for me. The sheer fabric poufed elegantly at the waistline, and delicate glazed stones traced flower patterns across the bodice. Such a beautiful gown for such a terrible purpose, I thought bitterly, my eyes rolling at the idea of trying to impress my vampire fiancé.

  “Princess, the carriage is waiting.” The soldier’s voice grated on my nerves, his impatience evident in every syllable. I watched him struggle with my luggage in the mirror’s reflection, noting how his nostrils flared with unspoken complaints. “Your father urged we be on time.”

  Something in me snapped. Here I was, about to leave everything I’d ever known, and this man dared to rush me? I spun around, my dress swishing angrily around my legs. “How dare you rush me?” The words came out sharp as daggers, and I felt a small satisfaction seeing him flinch.

  “I do apologize.” His attempt at diplomacy only irritated me more. “It’s just, Prince Neltavio’s men will be waiting at the border for us. You shouldn’t want to make a bad first impression, do you?”

  First impression? As if I cared what blood-drinking monsters thought of me. “Who do you think you are, giving advice when I did not ask for it?” I lifted my chin, channeling every ounce of royal authority I possessed. “Take my things and I’ll come when I’m ready!”

  “As you wish, princess.” He couldn’t quite hide his relief as he escaped with my luggage.

  Alone again, I sank onto my bed, letting my fingers trail across the familiar softness of my duvet. Memories flooded back – Dom’s touch, his warmth, the way he’d look at me as if I were the most precious thing in his world. My throat tightened as I realized this would be the last time I’d sit here, surrounded by the echoes of our stolen moments together.

  He was my first. My only. We never put it into words – what we were to each other – but I knew I loved him. The thought of never seeing him again, never feeling his arms around me… A tear escaped, tracing a warm path down my cheek. I could run away with him – the thought had crossed my mind more times than I could count. But I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. The weight of my duty, my father’s warnings about the Valmorin, and the fate of our people pressed down on me like physical chains.

  Rising to my feet, I faced my reflection one final time. The girl who stared back at me looked like a stranger – beautiful, yes, but trapped. Goodbye, free girl, I thought, watching as another tear fell. Time to become the vampire’s bride.

  I squared my shoulders, lifted my chin, and turned toward the door. If I had to walk into hell, at least I’d do it with my head held high. Let the vampires see that a minx princess doesn’t break easily – even if she’s breaking inside.