Page 90 of The City of Stardust

Ambrose glances behind him, distracted. In that moment, Penelope shoves him aside, as though he’s made of paper. She sweeps past him into the house, shadows lengthening behind her.

She holds out her hand. “Come. It will be easier this way.”

Violet doesn’t move.Courage.

“I didn’t make that deal with you, and I’m not going anywhere,” she says.

She raises the sword so Penelope can see it, even though her arms are already straining with the effort. She catches a glimmer of herself in the blade’s reflection, a bloody fool, with a fool’s hope to match. Maybe that’s all there ever was. But she still has to try.

Then—her grip fails. The pommel slides from her grasp. She reaches for the blade, even though she knows she’s not supposed to, but it slips through her fingers.

The sword falls to the floor with a resounding clang. Silence rings out in its wake.

Penelope doesn’t laugh, but Violet can see her mouth lift in amusement. “Little dreamer, how you’ve always loved to play pretend.” She reaches to pick up the sword, and abruptly, her face changes to fury. “That was not made foryou.”

“Fuck you,” Violet spits, because it’s all she has left.

Penelope’s gaze sharpens. “Very well.”

She transforms, wings exploding behind her in a shower of smoke and sparks. Her claws elongate. Inky pupils fill her eyes. Violet darts forward to retrieve the sword, but Penelope slams her foot down on the blade.

Violet exchanges a panicked look with Ambrose.

“Get out of here, Vi!” he shouts.

She glances behind her to run, but there’s someone already blocking the way. Aleksander. He still has one foot on the bottom stair, as though he came down here by accident. But his mouth is set in a thin, grim line that suggests he knows exactly what he came down here to witness.

Penelope glances up, and for a second—just a second—the image of her shadow-self breaks. And it might be bewilderment, or even hurt that flashes across her face, but it’s gone so quickly Violet wonders if it was ever there.

“My wayward assistant,” she says, and he flinches. “Youwillknow your place.”

Penelope surges forward, but Ambrose steps in front of Violet. “You are not welcome in this house, Astriade.”

Penelope raises her arm and swings, brushing him aside. There’s a sickening crunch as Ambrose smashes into the wall. He doesn’t get up.

“Ambrose!” Violet shouts.

She flies to his side, but Gabriel gets there first, propping his brother up. Ambrose’s eyelids flutter, and Violet’s entire body unknots, just for a second.

Alive. He’s alive.

She exchanges a desperate glance with Gabriel. She should stay.She should make sure that Ambrose is okay. She should give herself up to Penelope, if it means keeping her family safe.

“Get out of here, Violet!” Gabriel commands.

She runs.

Penelope slashes outwards in a deadly arc, but Violet’s too quick, dodging the dark coils that whip up from the maelstrom of shadows beneath her feet. Aleksander darts out of the way, just in time for her to barrel past. She hauls herself up the staircase, two stairs at a time. Behind her, something splinters, and Gabriel swears.

Violet runs down the landing, her heart in her throat. If she can get to the living room, there’s a perfect escape through the window to the roof.And what will you do then?The sword is gone, her uncles—don’t think about Ambrose—occupied. No one is coming to save her, and the chance for her to save herself maybe never existed.

She was an idiot to drop the sword. An idiot to think that she stood any chance at all. Every strategy she envisioned narrows down to the pulse of her heartbeat, the adrenaline surging through her with lightning panic. Decisions pinpoint to the next breath, the next step ahead of the shadows roiling behind her.

She reaches the window, pushes it open—

Something snags Violet’s heel. She glances down. A dark coil, twining itself around her ankle. She tries to shake free, as another one finds her hands and drags them back, pinning her to the wall. Penelope emerges from the hallway, half woman, half astral, a creature of devastation.

“Your faithless ancestor betrayed me. Your mother escaped me. But you—I will haveyou,” Penelope hisses, her eyes narrowed to slits. “I will hear my brethren sing yet, Violet Everly.”

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