as it had arrived, but its final words continued echoing

ser than

nd what it meant. My mother's letter was still trembling between my fingers, and the

urse inside your blood, but the

e been tal

wanted to control the royal throne? Or was it someone else

the balcony entrance

into the room, looking

must come with

s letter and placed

happ

ain inside their chambers until the g

hy

hesi

awakened bene

ach tig

nd of so

he floor as though she expecte

ient roy

per and the warning that some

anything to do

answered m

ut the castle. It was followed by the hurried soun

ret grabbe

ss. We cannot

ts were rushing towards the upper floors while

us chandeliers flickered, and the air carried a

taircase, Cassian app

the eastern chambers. Nobody is per

top

e is

His Ma

ake me

shook

do that,

y n

y ordered me to keep yo

ded m

rs. I'm beginning to think being a princess i

ooked unc

tration, but the king i

directl

what is beneat

ed before

g, along with several objects that were sealed away after the

ed at m

ood Moo

nodded

hat the object should n

avelled do

has it awa

ld answer, the ent

ath the floor, followed by a wave of c

ediately raise

et whispere

re below us, a woman's

aphi

fr

that

familiar, and heart

the

ediately gr

do not an

voice ca

my darling,

filled w

ther's voice, and now something beneath the palace wa

away from

me

not you

an you

ueen Isado

ainfully, but the voi

ghter. I have w

owards the

yone could st

with every step. I could hear Cassian and the guards calling after me, but I continued

was embedded

hed, the mark on my

or tre

slowly

s. At the centre stood a black coffin decorated with silver crowns, and

pped

the

or began

re appeared in

eyes, and a face I recognised f

n Is

mot

to control the tears

reall

ction smi

autifu

rror, but a sharp pain t

d mark

. They say I'm cursed, and they want me to ma

ression

. You must never allow the c

oes tha

a choice made freely. The council will try to convince you that your marria

ed behind he

r turned

ne is

ase don't

ked bac

r. It is the only thing that can

r suddenl

ook the chamber, an

led bac

d footsteps

aphi

mo

ber, his expression fil

you about stayi

ed my

my mother

ion changed

he

towards

ere. She s

at the crac

s impos

t crown. She said it would re

complete

seconds, he

mirror and examined the sym

er have been able to co

hy

e the voices of the dead. It connects

ng settled i

ng that wasn'

looked

that we canno

away from

t was cal

my hand, examin

at recognises

ything else, Cassian r

ound someone near t

eleased

ho

d towards the

he royal

re i

ard sw

Your Ma

ession becam

Nobody leaves the palace until

dded and h

towards t

lowing, and a thin line of red lig

mon

lowed

fin lid

ully, it bega

ged from th

and stepped

me behind him, his eyes

ice rose from i

daughter of Alar

inside sa

ested against his chest. His face was pale, but unlike the oth

d at him in

o.

ranger

o, Da

d betwe

is

ce dropped

g Al

art s

fat

eighteen years was sitting inside

t me, his first word

er, you should never

urned tow

with the man w