The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

My lip curled as I forced my breathing to remain even.
“Even if you hand me over to them, how will I not be
Atlantia’s problem if you give me back to the people who
plan to use my blood to make more vamprys?”
He lifted his weight from his hand and sat straight. “Is
that what they plan?”
“What else would they plan to do?” I demanded. All of a
sudden, I remembered Duchess Teerman’s words at
Spessa’s End. She had claimed that Queen Ileana would be
thrilled to learn that I had married the Prince. That I would
be able to do what she’d never been able to do—destroy the
kingdom from within. Before I could allow those words to
mix with what Alastir had said about me being a threat, I
shoved them aside. Duchess Teerman had told a lot of lies
before she died, starting with what she’d said about Queen
Ileana, a vampry incapable of bearing children, being my
grandmother. She’d also claimed that Tawny had gone
through the Ascension, using Prince Malik’s blood. I couldn’t
believe that, either.
Alastir eyed me silently for a moment. “Come now,
Penellaphe. Do you really think the Ascended have no idea
that they had the descendant of Nyktos in their grips for
nearly nineteen years? Longer?”
Ian.
My breath caught. He was talking about Ian. “I was told
Ian Ascended.”
“I would have no knowledge of that.”
“But you think Queen Ileana and King Jalara knew that
we’re Nyktos’s descendants?” When he said nothing, I
fought the urge to launch myself at him. “What does that
knowledge change anyway?”
“They could use you to make more vamprys,” he
agreed. “Or, they know what you’re capable of. They know
what was written about you, and they plan to use you
against Atlantia.”