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They reach the top of the dais and then face the room. Light reflects off the surface of her crown, polished to look like it’s incased in a thin layer of glass.
The guard at my back intentionally pins down the hem of my dress with his boot and shoves me. I stumble. Tittering from several nearby revelers is his reward for the humiliation.
He can have his fun. If it puts them at ease and solidifies my weak humanity in their eyes, then all the better for me.
“Tonight, we will usher in a new power. A strengthening of our force that none could dare deny. As a reward for unwavering loyalty, our queen will command the heavens themselves and grant upon us an unending night. We will no longer be weakened by the garish light of the sun but will thrive in eternal shadow.”
As the Voice continues droning on about the changing world, a page emerges from the same entrance the prisoners had. She is young, young enough that I wonder if she is still human, or a vampire turned far too soon.
In her hands is a bone-white crown on a black velvet pillow with silver tassels that chime as they sway. It is identical to Elizabeth’s, though the claw-like spines are shorter. It looks like a wide open maw filled with sharp teeth, meant to shred prey in a single bite.
The page stops between Elizabeth and Alaric, who now turn toward each other.
“Alaric Devereaux, if you accept the honor of Queen’s Consort, then kneel,” the Voice says. Each syllable seems to boom through the massive room.
He does, bracing his arm over his bent knee, and bows his head.
Frantically, I cast about, looking for any sign of hope.
Were the others captured as well? Are they chained up in the lower levels… or worse?
Elizabeth takes the crown and holds it over Alaric. Kharis swoops in, croaking with each toll. The demon circles them again and again. The bell tower in the city rings out. Each chime is a countdown to everything that we needed to prevent.
On the final peal, Elizabeth lowers the crown upon his head. A pulse of power flares out through the chamber, passing through all. It sends a rush of icy air, powerful enough to throw every door open wide.
Gasps arise all around, accompanied by the shifting of feet and frantic whispers. Even the guard holding me is taken by surprise. His hands fall away as he tries to keep his balance.
Elizabeth takes a step back and spreads her arms out to the side.
The snap of a bow cuts through the air. An arrow flies. My gaze snags on the movement, following it through the air.
Kharis screeches in warning. Elizabeth twists. The arrow slices through the material of her bodice, then strikes the floor and skids away.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
From this far, I cannot see if it struck her at all or just came close.
Dozens of bowstrings snap from the shadowy rafters above.
I feel the swipe of a hand on my arm. Another arrow sails past my head, entirely too close. Shrill screams rent the air. A heavy body collapses against me, but I am already running forward as my guard collapses, dead.
Arrows rain down, and everything descends into chaos.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CLARA
Everything happens at once.The crowd scatters in all directions, pushing and shoving, even lashing out at anyone nearby. Arrows clatter and break against the marble floor. Most miss, but some find their targets, sinking into their flesh.
Alaric scans the room, taking it all in, searching for the source of the attack. Then his sharp eyes alight on mine. The set of his jaw is harsh. Whatever he’s thinking is hidden behind a darkened gaze. Time moves agonizingly slow, and my mind and body cannot react fast enough to do anything.
When the volley from above subsides, the wolves take form. They chase most of the vampires from the room, fighting only those who stay instead of fleeing.
A couple clings to each other as they race past. The man holds onto his crying partner. A large black wolf cuts them off, lunging—maw snapping. He swings the woman around, directly into the wolf’s path.
The beast’s large fangs sink into her neck and shoulder. Bone cracks. Blood flows from the wound like a river, and she collapses to the floor, twitching. The man who was with her is long gone before she finally goes still.
Elizabeth’s pretty face is distorted in fury. She grabs onto Alaric’s arm, leaning against him as she shouts. It’s impossible to make out the words through the din. He rips his gaze away and guides her from the room.
