Page 46 of The Blood Crown

Valea’s carnelian eyes widened as metal plinked to the floor.

With a single graceful motion, she swept the ruby ring into her palm, along with the last shred of hope that Aurelia possessed.

Chapter 24

They were dragged through the tunnels of the mountain keep, Valea’s grip keeping Aurelia upright as much as it was forcing her to stumble forward.

Ahead of her, Karro was thrown before the king, his face battered and bloodied as he was held between two guards.

Ven’s eyes were wild as he took in the scene before him, looking between his father and Karro. “We had an agreement—” he growled, taking a step toward his father’s throne that caused the guards at either side to place hands on the hilts of their swords.

“You—” his father’s eyes narrowed at the interruption, “made me an offer that I have yet to accept.”

Aurelia’s chest caved in at the words.

“The Reluctant Prince,” the king murmured, looking at Karro, steepling long, white fingers beneath his pointed chin. “Tell me—now that there is nothing to lose,” he gave another cold laugh, “why didn’t you take the Solari throne when you had the chance?”

Karro spat blood onto the black stone, eyes glittering with a promise of vengeance. “Because it was never meant to be mine.”

The king barked out a laugh, disbelief written across his face. “An empty throne with two heirs who refuse to claim it—a kingdom ripe for conquest.” His pale red eyes filled with hunger, black-red drops along his brow where the iron crown dug into his temples. “Remove one piece, and the rest of the board falls into place,” he mused, eyes sliding back to Ven. “I will accept your blood oath, my son—but you must choose which of them will return to the Court of Shadow,” the corner of his father’s mouth lifted into a smirk, the look punching dread through her as he glanced between them, “and which one will die.”

Fire blazed in Ven’s eyes as the room erupted into hissing laughter and gluttonous shouts for blood. “No—” he shouted across the rising cacophony. The din around them grew so violently that whatever else he said was drowned out.

A look of smug triumph was on the king’s face as he settled back into his throne. They were entirely at his mercy.

Aurelia stumbled forward—she would not force Ven to make the choice. If Karro died—it would break him.

Valea gripped her shackles roughly, yanking her back. Her hand brushed against Aurelia's bloodied knuckles, the female's voice caressing her ear as she purred, “Time to let them know what you truly are.”

The words were hissed so softly, that at first, she wasn’t certain she heard them correctly.

“It is your choice.” The king shrugged his shoulders, a malevolent smile on his face. “The rival to your throne, or your claimed.”

The court was so riveted by the prospect of bloodshed that no one noticed the smooth metal Valea had slipped into her palm.

A key.

Unbridled magick rippled along her spine. Every ounce of anguish and rage and vengeance boiled to the surface as metal rang and her shackles fell to the stone floor. It was the only warning before darkness swallowed the throne room, throwing the Court of Flame into chaos.

Chapter 25

Aurelia hurtled herself toward Ven under the veil of shadow.

With clumsy movements, she fitted the key into his shackles, hearing them fall to the stone floor through the panicked shouts around them.

Ven killed the nearest guard, taking his blade and fighting his way through the black mist in the direction of where Karro had been standing.

The heavy cloak of darkness distorted everything around them, but through the haze she saw him, a flash of silvery white beside him. And at their feet, the guards that had held Karro, dead.

The sharp point of Ven’s blade pressed into the milky white skin of Valea's throat, his eyes falling to where Karro rubbed at his wrists, now free from the cuffs.

Karro's fingers splayed, drawing the swirling shadows as he hissed out a defeated breath. "I can't cast myself."

"The walls are warded against it," Ven answered, cold leaching into his voice as he pressed the blade further into Valea's neck.

“I’m your only way out,” she hissed through clenched teeth, “so decide quickly if you trust me or if you wish to kill me.”

Scanning the turmoil around them, he exchanged a wary look with Karro before narrowing his eyes and giving Valea a single nod.

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