Chapter 29 · Under Silver Eyes

My knees want to buckle.

I don't know why. I'm standing in the middle of the war factory floor with Silas three feet away and Grayson somewhere behind me, and my legs are shaking like I just ran ten miles. The voice that came out of my mouth wasn't mine. It was older. Colder. It said Silas's name like it owned him.

And now my eyes won't stop burning.

"Ivy." Silas takes a step toward me. His face is pale. "Look at me."

I try. I do. But my vision keeps sliding sideways, and when I blink, the factory doesn't look like a factory anymore. It looks like a throne room. Stone columns. Banners with crescents stitched in silver thread. People kneeling.

"She's activating," Grayson says from behind me. His voice is too calm. Too pleased. "I told you the bloodline was intact."

Silas's jaw tightens. "Shut up."

"You shut up." Grayson moves closer. I can hear his boots on the concrete. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Royal blood awake and walking around. Except she's not yours. She never was."

I want to tell him to go to hell, but my mouth won't work.