The King's War

30. Burned Bridges

AVERY

The excitement of the cure and the crushing despair of its possible destruction made it hard to sleep that night. I'd waited for hours for Daphne to return after her morbid trip, but she never did. Eventually, I had to concede and get some rest, but not before hiding the jars of corrupted blood in the guest house's mini fridge. I couldn't risk Chase knowing about them for fear he'd destroy them as well.

My sleep was fitful, and eventually I gave up on trying to rest and went back inside the main house for breakfast. My eyes never left the window overlooking the yard as I made my instant oatmeal, for fear that someone would come to investigate why I'd spent the night there in the guest house. I prayed Chase simply thought I was avoiding him and left it at that.

I sat down at the counter, hoping for a peaceful breakfast. Naturally, Chase chose that as the time to barge in in search of a meal. He opened the fridge without acknowledging me and took out the leftover shrimp po' boy I'd been saving for dinner.

My fingers clenched around my fork in irritation as I watched him take the sandwich out of the foil and place it in the microwave. Chase knew that sandwich was supposed to be mine, yet he was helping himself to it without asking. And I couldn't even protest because he was a trigger-happy maniac, and the thing had been purchased by his girlfriend who was technically still my captor...

It's just a sandwich, I assured myself. My lack of sleep was probably making me more irritable than usual. But that damn sandwich was a representation of everything wrong with Chase Colter. Shoot first and take what isn't yours. I scowled down at my oatmeal, too sickened to eat.

When I looked back up, Daphne was leaning against the kitchen door. She was back to her usual self — young and wrinkle-free.

"Care to explain why there's now a body in the crawlspace?" she asked calmly.

"I'm sure you can guess why," Chase retorted as if sassing an immortal, all-powerful witch who'd threatened to sacrifice him the night before was no big deal.

The microwave dinged. Chase took the plate with the sandwich out carefully, then gasped in pain as he lost his grip. The plate fell and shattered against the linoleum, the sandwich's contents scattering around the wreckage. Chase's lips tightened in displeasure.

Daphne slowly walked into the room. "Need I remind you that your stay here is a courtesy? I could easily send you back through the portal, where you'll have to fend for yourself while having a bounty on your head for treason."

Chase's frown deepened as he chose his next words. "Why are you trying to cure them? With all the power you have, you should be offing every vampire king like you did Sheridan. Why help redeem them? They're not worth it."

"You know my family history. You know I could have been the one to be turned instead of my brother, had things gone differently for both of us. It's not the vampire's nature I resent, but the power they've come to wield," Daphne replied calmly. "The pursuit of that power tore my family apart. It tore the world apart. If my efforts help undo that, then it's worth it." She raised her chin, gazing at Chase as if he were beneath her. "But there's no room for such an idea in your black and white world, is there?"

She waved her hand over the spilled sandwich and broken plate. Everything flew up off the ground and fused itself back together, like a video played in reverse. Daphne grabbed the sandwich and took a bite. "Thanks for breakfast."

She sauntered out of the room, leaving Chase hungry and more than a bit ticked. His fists clenched at his sides as he waited for her to go out of earshot, then he stormed out of the room.