Twenty-year-old Claire must deceive a vampire prince to infiltrate the monarchy and discover their secrets while resisting her desire for him.
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Nothing in my life has ever been easy. Including the mission my family has sent me on.
My sister and...
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Ensorceler (verb) to enchant; to bewitch
We spent the remainder of the day in the greenhouse, clearing out garden beds.
Despite my lingering anger with him for leaving me alone last night, I enjoyed the peace that came with Bastien's quiet nature. I was accustomed to being alone, and so was he.
From time to time, our eyes would lock, and he'd give me the most beautiful smile.
There was something about seeing him among the vibrant blossoms and lush green leaves that made Bastien seem alive.
When we first met, I thought he was nothing but a snarky vampire. Sure, he had a prickly exterior, but he was showing me there was also a softer side to him.
We waited until the last rays of light disappeared over the snowy peaks surrounding Chateau Rose before I dressed in thick wool and fur for travel and Bastien's shaggy black stallion was brought around.
I approached the beast with no small amount of trepidation.
Truthfully, I'd never ridden a horse before. Not properly. Riding was a warrior's privilege. Granted to the likes of my sister and other true Witches of the Light.
From time to time, when I'd been allowed off my family's land, I'd traveled in the back of a wagon, feeling every bump as we rolled toward the falls or some other important spot for rituals.
Not that I was invited to participate, but couldn't be trusted home alone.
Even though I was no warrior and never would be, things were different now. Tonight, there would be no wagon or coach to pull me along.
I was riding with Bastien.
I should be terrified by that prospect, and if I was being honest, some small part of me was. But if I'd learned anything since becoming his sanguine partner, it was that I could trust Bastien Allard to keep me safe.
The horse's breath was a visible puff in the frigid night air. Bastien patted his neck, whispered a few words in Sanguisi, and then turned his attention on me.
His pale eyes blazed with blue fire, almost like he had just harnessed Diana's magick and cast a spell. For a moment, my breath caught in my chest, mesmerized as I was.
The longer I was in Bastien's presence, the more I believed there was something magickal about him. I wondered if it was the same dark magick that he fancied protecting or if he was something else entirely.
"Don't worry," he reassured me, taking my waist, and making my breath catch all over again. "I've never had any trouble on Lucien."
His closeness had the same effect that it always did, causing heat to fill every corner of my body, but it didn't stave off the frigid night air that had already begun to seep into my bones.
