The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“I’m going to fix that. I promise. I’m going to fix all of
this,” Casteel swore, and over his shoulder, I stared at the
night sky—at each diamond-bright star disappearing.
Casteel sank to his knees and lowered me slowly. He
angled my body so his chest cradled my right side.
“How bad is it?” Casteel’s father appeared behind him,
his familiar features stark as he stared down, his eyes wide.
“We can’t pull it out,” Casteel said.
“No,” Kieran agreed, his voice thick and heavy and
somehow tight. Now, the clouds that covered the stars were
pitch-black. Kieran’s hand slipped on my chest, and he
quickly replaced his palm. This time, it didn’t hurt as much.
“Cas, man—”
“It didn’t get her heart,” Casteel cut him off. “She
wouldn’t be—” His voice cracked, and I flinched, forcing
myself to focus on him. His skin had leached of all color. “It
didn’t get her heart.”
“Cas—”
He shook his head as he touched my cheek, wiping
under my mouth. “I can give her blood—”
“Cas,” Kieran repeated as King Valyn placed his hand on
Casteel’s shoulder.
“You’re going to be okay,” he said to me. “I’m going to
take the pain away. I promise you.” The hand on my chin
trembled, and Casteel…he rarely ever shook, but his entire
body did now. “I promise you, Poppy.”
I wanted to touch him, but my arms felt weighted down
and useless. The breath I forced myself to take was wet and
reedy. “I…I don’t hurt so…much.”
“That’s good.” He smiled—or tried to. “Don’t try to talk.
Okay? I’m going to give you some blood—”
“Son,” his father started. “You can’t. And even if you
could—”
Casteel’s lips pulled back over his fangs as he shrugged
off his father’s grip. “Get the fuck away from us.”