Chapter 27 · Trial by Blackfire

"Look at it." Varen turned the scale so the torchlight caught the black shine of it. "Look at what your bride bleeds now, Commander."

Nobody in the hall moved. Kael's seal was still smoking in his fist, wax dripping down his knuckles from where he'd snapped it in front of forty witnesses less than a minute ago.

"Put it down," Kael said.

"No." Varen closed his fingers around the scale instead. "This came out of her skin. Black as pitch. You want to tell me a phoenix bride bleeds black now, or should I just say the word everyone's already thinking?"

"Say it," Seraph said, "and see what happens to your rank."

Varen smiled at her like she'd handed him a gift. "There she is."

That was when the heat started. A stitch under her collarbone, right where the scale had torn free, spreading fast, like a crack running through ice.

"Seraph." Lya's hand clamped her arm. "Your skin."

She looked down. Thin black lines were spidering out from the wound, glowing dull orange at the edges, like coal about to catch.

"There." Varen's voice went sharp, almost pleased. "Core's destabilizing.