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her and Braith. Her father seemed to want to believe that she really did love Braith, and that Braith did in fact return that love. However, she worried that a part of him still believed that the bond they had forged was only due to her time spent as Braith's blood slave.

She may be almost eighteen, but her father had still been wary of letting her go with Ashby and Braith, had absolutely refused to let it happen until Braith had finally relented and agreed to let William come along with them. Even then, her father was still hesitant to let them go. However, this mission was necessary to try and gain some much needed vampire support for a war against the king, and there was absolutely no way that Braith was going to leave without her.

The whole situation nearly turned into a debacle that had threatened to unravel the tentative plans they had formed to overthrow Braith's father. Cooler heads had finally prevailed, mainly Jack's and surprisingly, William's. Her father had wanted Jack with them on this journey, he trusted Jack, but so did many of her father's followers in the rebellion. If any of the people in the rebellion were going to believe that the vampires were willing to ally themselves with humans, then her father would require Jack's help to convince them. Jack would also be essential to help convince the young vampire girl's village, and other vampire villages, to possibly aid them in their quest.

Her brother Daniel, as their father's second in command, had also been needed to help gather human forces. And Max, poor Max, well he hadn't been able to get away from her fast enough. Tears clogged her eyes and throat. Max had sacrificed himself to try and save her when she had been taken as a blood slave, and now he hated her. So much, in fact, that Aria was terrified he would never forgive her. That he would despise her and everything she was, for the rest of her life.

She loved Max and this whole situation broke her heart. He had been her first crush, her first kiss, her best friend and confidante when she'd been so alone and broken by the revelation of Braith's engagement to another vampire. Max had understood what she had endured as a blood slave, even if it was nowhere near as hideous as the torture and abuse he had suffered. And now he didn't understand or even tolerate her existence at all. He saw her love for Braith as a betrayal, one that she didn't think he'd ever forgive.

Braith's sister, and Ashby's bloodlink Melinda, had reluctantly agreed to return to the palace to be their inner eyes and ears. Aria had understood Melinda's pain as she and Ashby embraced and touched and cried with each other. She knew how they felt; she couldn't bear the thought of being apart from Braith for so long, even if it was for a good cause. Ashby had agreed to come with them knowing that if they succeeded in their goal, he and Melinda would never have to be separated again, or risk their lives in order to see one another. Ashby was almost as determined as Braith to overthrow the regime.

That was if their plan succeeded. If they could somehow convince these possibly half crazed, half starved aristocratic vamps to aide them in their quest. She hoped they weren't crazed, hoped that a hundred years in this land of sweltering heat hadn't fried their brains. More so, she hoped like hell that the four of them weren't walking right into a death trap.

She didn't mean to do it, but without thinking her head rose slowly to Braith. She needed to see him, needed the reassurance of his presence. Even though his eyes were shaded by his dark glasses, she knew the moment when they latched onto hers. Her heart lurched; she could barely breathe beneath the weight of that stare. He was magnificent, and he was hers.

She knew he wanted to tell her to look away, to look down. She saw it in the tight pinch of his mouth, in the muscle that jumped in his cheek. He remained silent though, his eyes locked onto hers and for a single moment it was just the two of them. His hand stroked her arm as he pulled her a step closer.

"We're almost there," he murmured so quietly that she barely heard him. "Please Aria, look down."

Ashby quirked an eyebrow