The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

“I’m sorry,” King Valyn whispered, and then Jasper was
there, snarling and snapping, forcing Casteel’s father back.
Lightning streaked across the dark sky. “I didn’t want this for
you—for either of you. I’m sorry…”
“Cas,” Kieran rasped, pleading now.
Casteel bit into his wrist, tearing the skin. Bright red
blood welled, and it struck me then as I watched the streaks
of silvery-white lightning slice across the sky that I felt no
pain at all now. My body was numb and… “Cold. I’m…cold
again.”
“I know.” Fresh blood smeared Casteel’s lips and chin.
He lowered his wrist to my mouth as he shifted my head so
it rested in the crook of his elbow. “Drink, Princess. Drink for
me.”
His blood touched my lips, warm and lush. It reached
the back of my throat, but I couldn’t taste it, couldn’t
swallow it. There was so much stuff in there already. Panic
spread.
“Cas—”
“What?” he thundered.
“Listen to me. Please, Cas. Listen to me. It didn’t get her
heart.” Kieran leaned in, clasping the back of Casteel’s
neck. “Look at the blood. It got an artery and at least a lung.
You know that—”
A flash of intense light exploded over the ruins,
momentarily blinding me, followed by a loud boom. Stone
cracked. Someone shouted. I heard a scream. The stone
floor shuddered as whatever the lightning had struck fell.
“No. No. No. Open your eyes,” Casteel begged. They
had closed? “Come on. Don’t do this. Don’t do this to me.
Please. Open your eyes. Please, Poppy. Drink.” He curled
over me, pressing his wrist against my mouth. “Please.
Poppy, drink.”
Casteel’s features pieced themselves back together, but
they were hazy as if the lines and angles had been
smudged. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear my vision.