Blood Oath Read Online Free Page B

they stepped into the train station,
Anca’s eyes scanned the boards with the schedules. Each schedule was in three
languages, but she didn’t know any of them.
    Demi walked to the ticket counter without a
pause in his step. He set down the suitcases and peeled off a few bills from
the bundle he withdrew from his pocket. He asked for two tickets in a language
she didn’t recognize. The short, balding clerk quickly processed their request
and slid two tickets across the counter, along with a key ring.
    As he returned the money, key ring, and
tickets to his pocket, Anca’s eyes caught the money clip around the wad of
bills. It was gold, etched with intricate swirls. A tear-shaped ruby gleamed in
the center of the clip, cupped by two hands etched from gold. She reached out
to touch it. “It’s beautiful.”
    He slipped the clip in his pocket. “It is
the symbol of our country. It represents our Protector shielding the life
source of our people.”
    A frisson of fear worked its way down her
spine, though she had no reason to be afraid of his words. “What is the life
source?” Life source sounded so…ominous.
    Demi hesitated. Finally, he shrugged. “I
don’t remember what the ruby represents. The symbol is as old as Corsova
itself.”
    She studied him more closely. His eyes slid
from hers, and she knew he was lying. Why? “How old is that?”
    He shrugged. “Some say as old as time.”
    Anca turned when someone spoke sharply
behind them. The man seemed irritated with them, and she realized they were
blocking the line.
    After lifting their bags, Demi voiced a soft
apology to the impatient customer, and they moved deeper into the station.
    She stayed near him, feeling overwhelmed by
the odd similarities and striking differences between Gara Constanta and Grand
Central Station. “When does our train leave?”
    “Twenty minutes.” He walked without
hesitation through the station, leading her to the right platform.
    Anca followed him onto the train, and they
moved through four passenger cars before entering a car with doors on each side
of the corridor, but no open seating. Her stomach clenched as he began reading
the numbers. Had he booked them into a private compartment?
    They moved through two more cars before he
stopped before a door marked 15. “This is our compartment.”
    She cleared her throat. “Ours?”
    He turned to her, quirking his brow. “Is
there a problem?”
    She licked her lips nervously. Anca was
unable to say she didn’t want to be confined to close quarters with him. “It
seems like an extravagance, is all. We’ll only be on the train for…” She
trailed off, not able to finish her statement without knowing how long the
journey was.
    “You can spend the next two hours resting,
Anca. It’s nicer to travel in a quiet compartment than amid the masses.” He put
down the case in his left arm and fished the key from his pocket. He opened the
door and stepped back, indicating she should precede him.
    She swallowed the lump in her throat and
stepped into the private compartment. Anca flipped on the light and grimaced.
It was as small as she had feared. A small table and two chairs, positioned
near the sole window, were bolted to the floor. A loveseat was near the table,
and there was a low shelf she assumed was supposed to pass for a bunk built
into the wall below an overhead luggage rack. The bunk was barely big enough
for one.
    She moved aside so Demi could enter. He
brushed against her side with his stomach, and her flesh suddenly seemed
hypersensitive. She imagined she could feel the warmth emanating from his skin
through her shirt. “It’s cozy,” she said with forced cheerfulness.
    He didn’t bother to respond as he stacked
their luggage on the rack. His expression was inscrutable when he turned back
to face her. “Would you like to accompany me for a drink?”
    She shook her head. “I’m tired.” She ignored
the twinges of hunger in her stomach and pasted on a smile. “I think