JEREMIAH

I found it increasingly hard to pay attention to my classes. Especially when Ivar was the scribe teaching. I grew resentment towards him. He was the reason I was nervous to go back to the library. The library was my happy place, and he had tainted it. He made my home feel unsafe. I begged Mother to have any other scribe teach me, but she insisted things stay the same. Mother said nothing could change, or else people would grow suspicious. Suspicious of what, I was unsure.

“Are you listening to me, Young Prince?” Ivar snapped.

I sat up straight and nodded. “Yes sir,” I replied quickly.

“Then what did I just say?” he shot at me. When I only stammered, he nodded. “That’s what I thought. Please sit up and pay attention.”

I suffered through the rest of the lesson as best I could. Ivar always droned on in the most boring tone one could. I never found it more irritating than now. After Ivar dismissed me, I rushed to the kitchens. Kenneth was in the back room once again kneading large ball of dough. It looked thick, like some kind of crust rather than bread. I made my way to the flour dusted table and waved to my friend.

“Hello Prince,” he greeted in mock formality. He picked off a piece of sticky dough and threw it at me. I ducked out of the way and it flew right past my head. I turned to watch it stick to the rough stone wall behind me.

“Gross.” I laughed as it fell to the ground. I turned back to the cook. “Do you have to work during the Blood Festival this year?” Kenneth hadn’t been on duty for any of the Blood Festivals so far. It had always been his favorite event and his parents were kind enough to give him the free time. But this year felt different. His father had been getting older, more ill. Things changed much more rapidly for humans than vampires. Every year that passed I was reminded of it, even if I was still young.

“No, actually. Pa said he wouldn't mind doing this year. But it’ll probably be my last,” he sighed. He went back to pressing the dough down again and again. I saw the worried look on his face. Kenneth never told me directly, but I could see it every time he thought about it. Mortal lives came to a close rapidly. My human friend would have to deal with the death of his loved ones far more often than I will.

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“Your last one,” I sighed. “Then we have to make the most. The festival to end all festivals. I’ll ditch my brother and-”

“Won’t your mother kill you?” Kenneth laughed.

“She won’t be here, she’s going to Sherwoods,” I told him. I was worried about the trip. I knew Mother planned to request help in the case of rebellion. There had been unrest recently among parties in the court. A lot of older vampires believed the way we relied on mortal patronages was disgraceful. With the announcement that a human queen would rule over us soon, Mother was worried about this more than before. With the whispers of Ivar’s suspicious plans, it only sparked more fear in the royal family. If violence broke out, we had to be ready to fight a civil war.

Kenneth looked around and spoke low. “Well, what about the egg. Have you done any more with that?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t had time,” I lied. I didn’t want to admit how scared of going back to the libraries I was.

“Well, maybe after I’m done with chores, I can stop by and try some stuff?” Kenneth said vaguely. He shrugged. I knew we would end up doing nothing with the egg regardless if that was the intention. There was nothing to be done with it. I couldn’t risk breaking such a valuable object.

I nodded anyway in agreement. “I’ll meet you in the courtyard?”

He nodded back and I left him to his duties. I knew our time of fooling around was coming to an end. Kenneth was older by a year. He was expected to be doing a lot more work than he already was. It made me feel like we were a part of different worlds. He would live an entire life before my people even considered me mature. Even Malachi was considered young at twenty five.

As I turned the corner to the royal wing, I saw a knight walking the other way. He must have been off duty, armor absent from his clothing. He had a red leather bound book tucked under his arm. He bowed low as I passed and I tried not to frown at him. Usually off duty knights didn’t wander this part of the palace. I glanced back over my shoulder to watch him turn down the opposite hall I had come from. He was heading to the royal library. The thought made me uneasy. I knew Ivar was on duty for the rest of the night.

I pushed the thought out of my mind. I couldn’t start thinking every little detail was significant like that. It would drive me mad.