I Sold My Blood to Pay My Sister's Debt, and the Vampire King Who Bought Me Swore I'd Be His Queen or His Ruin novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: Her Name in the Ledger

I didn't cry in front of them.

I waited until the torches were gone and the river gate was chained and Corin had walked me back up the servants' stair, which he made a point of locking.

Then I sat on the floor of my enormous room with my back against the bed and cried until my face hurt.

Nobody came in.

At one point I heard Corin shift outside the door and clear his throat, and then go quiet again.

I fell asleep on the rug.

When I woke, the sun was low and orange in the window and the whole keep was silent.

Vampires sleep through the day.

I washed my face in cold water.

I pinned my hair up so tight it pulled.

Then I climbed to the tower and knocked on the king's door the minute the sun was down.

He opened it himself.

He was dressed, as if he'd been waiting.

"You told the whole council I'd be your queen," I said.

"I told them you'd be my queen or burn."

"You didn't ask me."

"There wasn't time to ask you. There were twelve swords and a council on horseback."

"There's time now."

He stepped back and let me in.

I didn't sit.

"I came up that hill to sell my blood," I said. "Not my hand. Not the rest of me. I won't be bought twice in one week."

"Nobody's buying you."

"Then what do you call it?"

He looked at me with those rain-grey eyes for a long time.

"A queen is above the Burning Law," he said. "It's the only thing that is. I wrote that too."

"Why?"

"In case I ever needed it." He paused. "I didn't think I would."

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