ia Prin

g the marble floor with a sharp, resonant thud. Her white hair was pinned

f advisor to the Blackstone Elder Council, Vic

antly, scurrying down the cor

ook small, trembling steps toward the matriarch. "Grandmother...

ut when her steel-grey eyes settled on

tantrums," Victoria said, her cane clicking rhythmically as

w my head. "Decency? Is it Blackstone decency to collude wit

Mind your tongue. You have no standin

y throat. "I spent five years nursing their secret child while

ront of me, her voice dropping

ou are a wolfless failure with no pack influence and no family to back you. You were completely harmless. Aside from

t. I had thought my sacrifice would earn respect, but in their e

y fingers. I looked past Victoria to Ginger, who was watching me with veile

eason for me to stay in this house of

mmanded sharply. "You do not leave

. "Are you going to force a useless

ll maintain the appearance of the Luna. Starting today, Ginger will reside in the main estate to assume her role a

sheer disbelief. "You expect me to train

oria replied, striking her cane against the floor onc

practiced modesty, though her

absolute finality. "I will not spend anoth

heel and walked

he brass handle, a franti

l clutching the limited-edition robotic mecha against his chest. In the struggle, Ginger's grip knocked against the toy. It slipped from

been promised, the toy that had been used to bribe him away fro

't want your toy anymore-it's broken! You bro

rying to pull him up the stairs, but the boy was th

burning in my chest, my five-year mat

ed Ginger's wrist, and twisted it back, wr

Ginger shrieked, clutc

ied?" I snapped, stepping

es wide with fury. "I can handle my own ch

The toy could only hold him for so long-he was still young, and when he was scared, his instinct

id, meeting Victoria's furious