The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

become a vampry when Casteel Ascended me. Of course, I
didn’t want to, but I looked at Casteel. His eyes briefly met
mine, and then he looked at his father. “That is asking a lot,
Father.”
“I know, but just like you will do anything for your wife, I
will do anything to protect mine.”
“What does she have to be protected from?” Casteel
asked.
“A history that has haunted us for centuries,” his father
answered, and I shivered. He stood slowly. “So, you can
push this, but I won’t speak about any of it until Eloana is
present. You can summon her now if you want, but I figure
you have other pressing matters to deal with.”
Alastir.
“And I also think you want me to talk to your mother
before she finds out that you’ve held me here,” his father
continued, a wry sense of humor creeping into his tone.
“Plus, it gives you time to rest—both of you. You’ve been
traveling nonstop and dealing with a lot. But it’s up to you.”
Casteel’s stare met mine, and it took a lot for me to nod.
“You sure?” he asked, his voice low.
“I am,” I confirmed, even as I wanted to shout in
frustration.
His father’s chest rose. “Thank you. I think we all need
this extra time,” he said, and tiny balls of unease took root.
Alastir had said that Casteel’s parents weren’t involved, but
there was a reason he wanted to delay this conversation—
why he wanted his wife present. “I believe it would be
extremely wise for us to keep this from anyone not present
at the ruins,” he advised. In other words, no one needed to
know that Casteel had Ascended me. “And that all who were
there, be sworn to secrecy.”
“Agreed,” Casteel stated.
“But you sense something different about me, right?” I
looked between the two. “Wouldn’t any who can sense that
know?”