PTE

re

cess was

listened to gods beg for the mercy they had denied their victims. I had stood alone in t

Seraphina Vale's cheek nea

ai

yss

tightened ar

hina," she

kn

lp me,

her smile from a portrait that had begun fading before the first human empire rose. I had searched a

found

l to

ing another woman's face and looking a

sty!" a gu

oked

their swords trembling in their hands. The king stood on the dais,

ina's

cted him t

daughter," h

own at the

er is bleedi

mmon a p

ost l

could be negotiated with a su

palm over Ser

lipped betwe

sumed it. The dagger had been forged from celestial silver, a weapon

nown exactly

dead before her awake

ound

ped and dragg

lently that I nearly lo

iv

was

myself to believe the universe had

shoved my

t tou

t deeper tha

rew imm

furious, frightened

your life

omeone in front of my family, and call

I let the assassin

refer an e

ation stirred

moment to r

sem

tes ago, and she was already arguing wi

d always be

lance was

Veyl,"

s drew t

g of the

other t

swal

had finally reached her eyes

o

man who bowed simply beca

u here?" sh

spent centuries prepa

fell bet

the king ste

demon, you will no

ed tow

beneath hi

I wanted your kingdom, you would

drained

ushed herse

eatening

ked a

it was

ating willingness to place herself be

estroyed

low it to dest

. "Your guards cannot stop them. Your priests cannot identify them. And y

nows nothing

ern wards were disabl

ression

standing begin

g said

rest

further, a sharp crack ech

he hall turned t

ncess n

was

se s

on we are

rack split

the palace began scra

y hand towar

as if I had offer

oing anywhe

die

rned

, the flo

elf into the coronation hall. Its face was smo

ards a

ds passed

eamed, and every

stumbled

fear before

to see the creature la

lowed the dista

my chest as black claws struck

nto the creatur

sent

tched into a t

r beneath

eteen centuries, I felt s

gnit

ved before I could

down at S

ing at me, h

hat mean?" s

d my arm a

ne has awakened a nightmare eve

e I found her, I wished I h