SEBASTIAN
“We’re Tethered,” Luna repeated, her eyes sweeping over mine.
“Yes.” I had no other words. Not right now. The shadows were urging me to release them, but I kept them tamped down.
Luna’s brows furrowed, and her mouth moved soundlessly as she stepped back from me. She turned, pacing around the room, before stopping with her hands on her hips.
“Sebastian, I don’t know what that means. I don’t know what any of this means!” She huffed. “You might not know what it’s like to feel completely helpless—”
A laugh burst out of me. I knew exactly what it felt like to be helpless. Athena was dead because I couldn’t save her.
Luna ignored me. “That’s how I feel right now. I am tired of not knowing what is going on. Something was done to me, and I deserve to know what exactly has happened!”
How was I supposed to explain that while a Binding connected a vampire to their Source, providing them both with the long lives of my kind, a Tethering was a more complete connection? This bond was so archaic, the information I knew about it was little more than rumor.
How was I supposed to explain something I didn’t even understand?
Exhaustion smacked into me. My eyes grew heavy and my limbs weary as I blew out a long breath.
Luna was still staring at me, waiting for an answer. “Well?”
“I will tell you, I just need a moment.” Shadowing over to the door, I wrenched it open.
Half a dozen soldiers wearing Mother’s livery stood on the other side.
Tristan stepped forward. “Is everything all right, Your Highness?”
A choked laugh escaped me, and the guards looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe I was. Insanity would be better thanthis.
“Sir?” Tristan asked.
“No.” I shook my head. “It really isn’t.”
They all stared at me.
Groaning, I ran my hands through my hair. “You know what? Never mind. Arthur and Francesco, find Phyrra and tell her I need to see her.”
Hopefully, my spymaster could help.
Turning to Tristan, I raised a brow. “The priest who married us. Do you know him?”
Tristan frowned. “Ciro?”
I nodded. “Find him. Bring him to me when you do. This is of the utmost importance.”
The vampire dipped into a bow. “Of course, Your Highness.”
He disappeared in a blur, and I glared at the rest of the guards. “Stay here. No one is to approach my rooms without my express approval. Is that clear?”
They murmured their agreement, and I shadowed back into the room.
Luna was nowhere to be found. My heart sped up in my chest, but then the sound of running water came from the bathing room. A piece of paper fluttered on the bed, and I picked it up.
Taking a shower. Water helps me think.
You’re not off the hook. I still need to know what being Bound and Tethered means.
I dropped the note on the bed, trying very hard to ignore the splashes coming from the room next door.