Stalked by Seduction and Shadows (Eternal Obsession Book 1) by Maggie Sunseri

Author:Maggie Sunseri [Sunseri, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Join Maggie’s Newsletter
Published: 2024-01-11T00:00:00+00:00

36

SCARLETT

Rune’s face flashed surprise, confusion, and something else I couldn’t quite decipher before he shifted into sympathy.

“I heard them talking, and they—” I stared hard into his eyes as I struggled once again to say this truth aloud. “They’d been looking for me. It was supposed to be me that was sold into slavery, but they took her instead. Now I’m here in Aristelle to find her and bring her home.”

Rune didn’t react at first. He wasn’t easy to read in general, but even less so when he was processing new information. With his background in combat, espionage, and torture, it was safe to assume he was far more trained in guarding his mind and facial expressions that anyone I’d ever encountered.

Then a slight crease developed in his forehead, and his eyes softened. “I’m sorry, Scarlett. Slavery is a scourge on this island, this world. I know some mortals think the turned are either complicit or even involved in the trade, but I swear to you, the clan fights trafficking every damn day. Our world is far more complex than what’s visible on the surface.”

“Explain it to me. I want to understand,” I said.

I expected Rune to deny me, to treat me like a silly human who couldn’t possibly grasp the political landscape of Valentin and Ravenia. But once again, he surprised me.

“The war between the born and the turned ended, and the treaty was written for two main reasons. First, because the kingdom demanded it. Though the turned and allied mortals were the decisive winners, and we’d pushed all born forces out of their strongholds, they were still a powerful force. They had no regard for mortals or the basic tenets of ethical code, not in life or in war. They would wipe out entire villages, covens, and mortal towns on vengeful rampages. Civilians. Children.”

Nausea brewed in my stomach; Rune’s words painted a gruesome side of the war I had only ever heard a few times in hushed whispers.

“Are you sure you want to talk about this right now?” he asked me, searching my eyes.

I nodded.

With one more sweep of his gaze, he continued. “We’d humiliated them, and they were bloodthirsty for revenge. Valentin’s exports to Ravenia—namely our weapons and magickal goods—are invaluable. As I’m sure you know, this island is special, blessed by the gods. We have resources, land, and bloodlines here that the kingdom envies. Though King Earle would much rather he control Valentin, he knows that not a single mortal or immortal on this island wants his dominion. We all want to remain autonomous. He’d have to fight us for it, and in doing so, he’d likely destroy what he coveted to begin with. Instead, he understood that recognizing the turned and mortals as the winners while also prohibiting the total destruction of the born and their right to exist in Aristelle was the smartest move.

“This brings us to our second main reason the war needed to end. In a war led by vampires, it’s the mortals who suffer most.

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