Radiance (Brotherhood of the Blade Trilogy #3) by Eve Paludan Read Free Book Online Page A

to know what makes vampires do the things they do. They are so foreign to our own emotions and values that if we could connect with their mindset, perhaps we, too, would be that evil.”
    “ Perhaps we are,” I said.
    “ Not Samantha Moon. Not her. And not you, either.” Ambra released a sob. “I really want to be alone, okay, Rand? I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I need to process this in my own way.”
    “ I’m trying to do that, too. And you’re my go-to person.”
    She clasped my hands in her cold ones. “What’s at the core of this needing me right now? What do you really want to ask?”
    “One thing I know is that it felt really good to rescue those children out at Raven Citadel and kill Vlad. It was like high-fiving and celebration that we did something good.”
    “ None of us died there, hence the celebration. Do you get that part?”
    “ I do, but it’s more than that, Ambra. It’s like the emotions after a vampire hunt are so complex. You want to be glad because you sent another one of them to hell, but then there’s all of this emotional fallout after you have been…avenged. It’s like, ‘now what?’”
    “ Welcome to my world,” Ambra said. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, praying silently again. Shutting me out.
    I stroked her hair once and rose to leave the chapel.
    Corbin walked me back to the castle.
    “ Will the wolves bother Ambra when she comes out of the chapel?”
    “ I’ll wait for her to come out and I’ll walk her back safely.”
    “ She might still be angry with you for trying to turn her.”
    “ I’ll risk it,” Corbin said. “I’m not going to let my wolves eat her.”
    “ You’re amazing,” I said.
    “ As are you. And no, don’t ever expect me to drive the getaway car again. I don’t do that, Rand.”
    “ I know. I had to keep the authorities from seeing those weapons.”
    “ They are probably not illegal as art pieces or collectibles,” Corbin said.
    “ I just don’t want anyone taking blood samples off the blades, that sort of thing.”
    “ Will the police come here and arrest anyone?” Corbin asked.
    “ I don’t think so. Ambra and I were clearly doing what we said we had been, which was skiing down to the scene of an accident and leaving our older friends waiting in a running vehicle.” I paused. “As far as sneaking into the morgue, I took care of the security cameras by just taking them offline during a harmless server reboot.”
    “ Is there anything you can’t do?”
    “ I can’t find Kristin,” I said.
    He nodded his red head. He didn’t look at me.
    “It must be hard to see your friends die and you just keep living.”
    “ You have no idea,” he said.
    “ Are you going to be okay?”
    “ I’m immortal, which is both a blessing and a curse. I can’t die, except by silver, so I guess I’m going to be…not okay, but accepting of whatever destiny happens. You can’t fight destiny.”
    “ I’m glad we’re friends.”
    “ Me, too.”
    “ When I die, werewolf, will you bring your friends to howl over my grave and take my spirit into the morning light?”
    “ Aye,” he said. “That I can do.” He walked me to the castle, a few wolves trailing us and nipping each other in growling play.
    Otherwise, we walked that whole way in silence.
    I went upstairs to my bedchamber again. I didn’t see anyone else around. I guess they were all resting, too. Or crying into their pillows, for all the good it would do. I thought about what Corbin said about accepting destiny. I was mortal and not as malleable about fate as Corbin was. Or perhaps, not as philosophical. I had a warrior’s heart.
    I heard the wolves howling as they ran by.
    I couldn’t sleep and I was too distraught to help anyone, not even myself…
     
    I spent a few days with the heavy bag in our gym and swam endless laps in the heated pool as the shocking realization dawned on me that I was in charge of the Brotherhood of the Blade and the