LOVE, LIKE BLOOD

of Silence in my dad's car, I noticed

reets lined with trees, old buildi

d settle into without mean

window, watching reflection

asked, not really want

n the wheel. "Close," he said. "

rees began to close in. Their branches stretched forward,

ned up into a quiet sp

eady parked around. No one

d said as he pulled our car i

rees with focus a

straying. The path isn't a

t, my boots pressing into the

quiet thicker. Every sound

dn't

word, we heade

g like shadows that had

it. A weight in the air. The

dark stone and timber, half-consumed by vines. It looked l

wed. Neither looked at me, but I f

ess you're spoke

es sharp but steady. "And

dded

d toward the entrance. Tow

I didn't know. They opened on their own,

inside w

the shadows. Some turn

ne s

e. Dad led the way, his ste

n the House, a bell

eting h

d, their flames flickering to life. The sudd

he light like dark mirrors. Some wore masks, others sho

crowd-tall, with an elegance tha

d, his voice smooth and low, carrying aut

wing this was on

ames spoken like promises, nods

House, toward the second flo

district, not the one that looked it in appear

p the stairs, the hou

til he finally sto

nside,"

rt nod, and th

odern, like luxury had been allowed in

had been left in darkness on pur

was unmistakable. Tall, dressed in a perfect

him. When they turned

tian-the one

just been curious ear

ward, respectfu

ion under your d

ifted to him, then t

dly, he let out

with an accent worn by centuries. "Formality

the full light, expressi

"And this"-he gestured

offered a

nmistakable-they looked like broth

gaze retur

id quietly. "Good instinct. But h

s eyes widened

nd turned t

y. I'll have a talk wit

stian took my hand, and

rous smil

," he said. "Still

d hear things from a distance. I just rarely used th

" I asked, keepin

slow and steady. "First time repeating H

es I wonder why the Regent decided to

He's your ac

tian

believe in love unt

pa

t worth putting up with an ancient husband." He gave

er than I mean

for over an hour, un

were fi

u two questio

sita

through. I had a habit of getting pulled in too

afford to m

I did wit

small nod

aid, "have you ev

cof

our question?" I

s eyes stayed on me,

my expression. "Can't you just read me?

ed shielding. It was wrong that

eadable, but his

, unsure if I

second quest

"Are you looking forward

in my ears, heavier

d me that, not

ned eighteen. It was part of the

really let mys

d honestly. "I try no

dded like he

not just hunger. It changes things. The w

at him

ked. "What was

aid quietly.