Chapter 23 · He Breaks the Blood Law

The stone split clean down the middle.

I didn't even have time to pull my hand back before the two halves hit the floor. The sound echoed through the Hall of Trials like a gunshot. Everyone froze. My blood was still on the surface, dark red against white marble dust.

Then the wall behind the dais started bleeding.

Not real blood. Worse. The stone itself turned wet and dark, and letters formed in something that looked like old, old script. I couldn't read it but I didn't need to. The way every vampire in the room went still told me enough.

Seraphine's voice cut through the silence first. "Wren."

One word. She said it like a curse.

I looked at Dorian. He was staring at the wall, his face blank in that way that meant he was working very, very hard not to react. His jaw was locked. The muscle in his cheek twitched once.

"What does it say?" I asked. My voice came out steady. I don't know how.

No one answered.

The Regent stepped forward.