After failing as a vampire hunter, 17-year-old Cleo is sent to an academy full of vampires as a false peace treaty. Her true objective is supposed to be finding the hidden heir to the dark world while befriending the current one, but the current hei...
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I wrapped my arms around my knees, staring out across the scenic campus. Each day that passed caused the trees to shed more leaves, for the reds to turn to browns. For the air to become more biting. I couldn't believe I'd only been at the academy for only a week. So much had happened so fast.
A blanket fell across my shoulder and I looked up to see Adora offering me a half-smile. "Don't want you to catch a cold on top of everything else."
"Thanks, Adora."
She dragged the other metal chair across the balcony and settled down next to me. "I talked to Kaz. He convinced Claude it wasn't you."
"Claude believed that?"
"Apparently. Kaz said something about the way you held your dagger helped your case."
I turned to her. "What do you mean?"
"Claude said the person who attacked him used their left hand. They were behind him when they attacked, but he remembers them using their left hand. You picked your dagger up with your right hand."
"What if I'd picked it up wrong to mess with him? That doesn't seem like a good enough reason for him to believe me."
"Did you do that?"
"No."
Adora shrugged.
I rested my chin on my hands. "So much for innocent until proven guilty. What if I'd died?"
"I don't think Claude would have killed you..."
"You sound so confident."
She winced. "Well. I'm pretty sure Claude doesn't want to start a war either."
"I wish he would believe me when I said I want the same. Our interests seem to align, don't they?"
"I'm not saying this to excuse Claude, but there's no such thing as a crown without blood. He has to sleep with one eye open. Imagine living your life with the threat of regicide over your head? And now imagine if the daughter of the person who killed and hurt your family members attacks you? I wouldn't act rationally. Would you?"
Would I? I didn't want to kill anyone. But what if they tried to kill me? Beyond what Rehan had tried to do. What if it was life or death? I remembered reaching for the blade to stab Claude, just to break the Sway. What would I do?
Then I registered the rest of what Adora said. "Wait. Family members? Who died?"
Adora's eyebrows creased. "What do you mean?"
"I know about his grandfather." I nearly slapped myself. "Like, I know he died. Not how." Now I really wanted to hit myself. Sound more obvious.
