na's

. Heat pushed out from behind my ribs, pressing against bone

pressing herself small at the back of my mind. No

me before I underst

vie

oice that had lived in my chest my

ated me in front of everyone. I ca

ut deep. Cut where I live. I could not reach you through that. He

d anything lik

hen he touched you. Every time I refused t

isted in

n said. Now he is prey.

lled on the clothes he'd left folded on the chair. My fingers fumbled with the ties

ding a small glass vial. His face stayed blank

he held it ou

t, looking at the vial instead of my face. I swallowed it without askin

Juvien

s left. I stepped into the hallway. Tile clicked

near where I stood before walking on. The bond pulled hard toward the grand staircase. I went the other way and found a lin

uvien said. We ex

mysel

avoid him. His jaw was unshaven, his collar crooked from yesterday. Hi

ke," his vo

didn't st

nees. I grabbed the railing. Every step away from him felt like someth

growled. He cannot b

Hall, Two

t of dozens of auras at once. I stopped in the doorway a second longer than I meant to.

ed into my path, blood-red silk sweepin

he dais where his father waited. The two of them traded a l

an unsteady step toward the edge of the plat

pha. His shoulders had dropped. His hand still hung in the air

into place. His aura pushed outward, rattling the chandeliers,

ct Sienna Alexa

ely a whisper and

es. Blood ran from my nose, hit my lip, copper in my mouth. Juvien p

s steps, his eyes bloodshot, his voice climbing. "W

I stayed standing, teeth gritted, refusing the floor even as my body swayed toward it. My bones ache

ce left by our broken bond flooded with raw energy, my body the only channel wide enough to car

hand fisted in her gown. "Look at her! She's a

egistered falling. Darkness c

see blood and call it w

st from my ribs to my fingertips. I pushed myself up on one

vy's gaze. "Who gave y

ead of answering. Morrigan stepped forwa

" Morrigan's voice stayed soft. "The Black Tosil does not manifest by accident. It is a mark

n't hold it shut. Her face surfaced in my mind, poisoned now by Morrigan's words. I star

of," Alpha Ad

her robes, a warped black object

it. Bring them forwar

rn border. Convenient, yes. But the seal on these documents is authentic. Check it. T

eryone in that hall could see how t

ce, and started toward me before catching himself, glancing instead at the crowd watching

out. "From this moment, she is a slave. Property

own. The mark flared gold, and the hall

f it, copper thick on my tong

aid. Every face that la