Chapter 13: The Silver Blade

The blade pressed in, and a bead of red rolled down my mother's neck.

Nobody in the Hall moved.

Sunniva's chain glowed against her collarbone, and the Voice that had dropped four kings slid off her.

"Let her go," I said.

"Kneel," Sunniva said. "Kneel, and say it so the whole Hall can hear. Say that I'm the Alpha's true daughter."

"You are the Alpha's daughter."

"Say that I rule the Moon."

My mother's eyes found mine over the knife.

She shook her head, a hair's width.

"Don't you dare," Sunniva whispered into her ear.

Behind me, Evander made a sound in his throat.

He was still on his knees, because I had told him to stay there.

I had forgotten.

"Evander," I said, without turning. "Get up."

He was on his feet before I finished.

Sunniva saw him move and pulled the blade tighter.

"One more step, Your Majesty, and she bleeds."

He stopped where he was, with his hands open at his sides.

I looked at the chain.

It was thin and old, and a crescent was stamped on its clasp.

I knew that crescent.

It was the same shape that burned on the inside of my wrists.

"That chain is my mother's," I said.

"It's mine," said Sunniva. "I took it out of my father's strongbox when I was twelve."

"It's the Queen's. It was taken off her the night they dragged her north."

"Then it's wasted on her. She's been a thrall for twenty-six years."

I took a step toward her.

I did not shout.

I put my head back and hummed three low notes.

They were the same three I had heard every night of my life, through the dark, with a thumb pressed on each of my cuffs.

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