Page 35 of The Blood Crown

Silver sirens were creatures that Seth and Nira had cut their teeth on as young Wraiths. Wisps, too, had become things of the past. Lanthius' parting words at the edge of the Crystal City rang through the torrent of thoughts.

Those bells mean a child has been conceived within the Allokin Kingdom.

There hadn’t been a child in any of the kingdoms for two centuries, at least. The fact that Aurelia was here at all—that somehow she’d steppedthroughthe wards woven around the human realm—only made his suspicions deepen.

The only other creatures who could cross spells like that were the ravens, and there was no telling where Cog and his kind came from or exactly how ancient they were. Only that somehow they had survived when other magickal creatures had died out.

His father took a drink, fangs gleaming red. “The Dark King is rising again, and you would do well to be on the winning side when he does."

His temper rose, finally getting the better of him as he gestured to his father's court. “Why side with him again when this is what it brought you the first time?” The Court of Flame was desperate—weakened. He could see it in every hungry gaze. Thirsting not just for blood, but for a new order. His father’s now-emptier throne room was evidence of that.

“Because when the King of the Void succeeds, he will grant us more power than our people have ever possessed. He will returnus to our rightful glory—and we will have no use for bargains and beggar’s dealings with the Allokin.”

Ven took a drink from his glass, scanning the room.

“You were always meant for this my son. And with your mother’s people in splinters, it will be easy to reunite the two kingdoms and rule them as one,” his father continued.

“I think you’ll find them difficult to subdue.”

“Nothing is fiercer than a kingdom fighting for their survival," his father chuckled darkly, "but with you by my side, I’m sure most of them would be convinced.”

“And the rest?”

His father shrugged. “Conquering is a bloody thing. Just as ruling . . . you will find that out soon enough.”

But his father’s words were drowned out as he realized Aurelia wasn’t in the room.

Chapter 19

“You.”

Aurelia had been so solely focused on the scent of that stairway that she hadn’t heard the footsteps behind her.

A silver-haired male circled in front of her, wiping away an errant drop of blood from the corner of his mouth.

She recognized this one. He had silently stood at the edge of the chamber as his mother was labeled a traitor and murdered. He’d been the one to offer her up and bear witness against her.

Aurelia took a step back as the male towered over her, his silver hair cropped short above the sharp lines of his face. His pale red eyes were bright with what she suspected was bloodlust as he leered at her, nostrils flaring vulgarly. “I wonder what a half-breed tastes like.”

Her power simmered in answer, useless, confined as he forced her back against the stone wall, the damp cold biting through her dress. Fear seized her, and the male grinned, seeming to scent it.

Instinct took over.

She struck him, the punch landing solidly as his head twisted with a satisfying crunch. Ducking under the arm that caged her, she was nearly out of reach—

A hand wrenched her back.

He was faster, stronger. And despite the blood that poured down his face, the strike only seemed to sober him as he gripped her arm hard enough to bruise.

She clawed at his hold on her, but the damn slippers she wore removed any leverage she might have had. Terror forced another instinct to the surface as his narrowed gaze met hers. Hunger and cruelty in his stare.

"Let me go!" she raged.

The male’s pale red eyes widened, his grasp releasing ever so slightly, jaw going slack.

Her pulse hammered in her throat at the realization.

Gaze locking with his, she threw more weight into the words, “Go back and forget that you saw me here.”

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