Chapter 8 · The Throne Tells a Different Story

The throne is still glowing.

I'm on my knees in front of it and I can't stop staring at the red light pulsing through the silver. My blood is somewhere in there. The Court's oldest artifact just drank my blood and announced I'm royalty.

I want to throw up.

Silas is still behind me. His hand is on my shoulder and I can feel the bond humming between us like a live wire. Every elder in the hall is on their knees except Lady Casta and she only just went down. Slowly. Like it cost her something.

I know what it cost her.

She killed my mother. I heard her voice. I was seven and I was under the bed and I heard that voice say "The line ends tonight."

Except it didn't.

"Rise, Heir." Magistrate Thorne's voice cuts through the hall. He's still kneeling but his head is up now. His eyes are on me and they're calculating. "The throne has spoken. Moon Court recognizes your blood."

I don't want to rise. I want to grab Silas and run. I want to find Mara and disappear into the subway tunnels.