Mag-log inRemi POV He pushed open a set of heavy doors at the end of the corridor.The throne room.It was Massive. Stone walls. High ceilings. The king's throne at the far end — carved dark wood, high-backed, the kind of seat that had held every Blackwater Alpha before him.Around it. The elder council chairs. The seats where people had called me temporary. Concubine. Baggage. Replacement.All empty.Just us.He locked the door behind us.Looked at me."Every chair where someone looked through me," I said quietly. Taking it in."All empty," he said."Just us.""Just us." He walked toward the throne. Sat. Looked at me from it. "Come here."We are on the THRONE, Parrot said. In the THRONE ROOM. With the EMPTY COUNCIL CHAIRS WATCHING. This is either the most dignified or least dignified moment of our life and I genuinely cannot decide."Both," I said."Both what?" Nero said."Nothing." I walked toward him. "You wanted to say something.""I did." He reached out. Pulled me closer. His hands on my
Remi POV"How did you know she was here?"Nero didn't even look up from the window. "I felt her cross the gate.""You felt her.""The Moonstone gives the king of this pack the ability to sense any witch who enters palace grounds." He turned. That small almost-smile. "You have so much to learn about me.""Apparently." I crossed my arms. "So what else don't I know?""Many things." He started walking. "I'll take my time teaching all of them."My face went warm.We are absolutely getting that education, Parrot said immediately. Sign us up. Full curriculum."And my itinerary for today?" I said. Keeping my voice level. Following him down the corridor.He glanced back. "Keeping my hands off you."I stopped walking.He kept going."That's—" I started."Extremely difficult," he said. "Given that you're—" He paused. Something moved in his expression. He looked at me. Started to say something.Stopped."Given that I'm what?" I said."Given that the blood moon is tonight and I need to focus." He
Remi POV. "Little hero."Abel's arms were already open. I walked straight into them.He caught me properly. Both arms. The kind of hug that meant someone had been worried and wasn't going to admit it."Still have both hands?" he said into my hair."Count them."He pulled back. Checked. "Two. Good." Then he looked harder. At my face. At my general. State."You're glowing," he said."I'm not—""You absolutely are. That specific kind of glow." He tilted his head. "I wonder whose handiwork that is.""Abel—""My brother works fast. I'll give him that."My face went completely on fire.He is GLOWING too, Parrot noted. Look at his face. He knows EXACTLY what happened and he's delighted."Damon." I turned. Desperate for a subject change. "You look well. Considering Kade said you went missing."Damon looked at me. Almost smiled."Missing in his heart," he said. Quietly. "As I am apparently no longer his."The air changed slightly around Kade.He was looking at the gates. Very intently. At som
Nero POVI got in the boat.It moved. Immediately. The moment my weight shifted to it the whole thing rocked and dipped and the water came very close to the edge on one side.I sat down. Fast.The boatman looked at me. Said nothing.Remi got in after me. The boat barely moved when she stepped in. She sat beside me."See?" she said. "Fine.""Fine," I confirmed.The boatman pushed off.The current took us immediately.I gripped the side.She looked at the bank. At the trees passing. At the water.Then she looked at me.I was looking at the water. At how much of it there was. At the way it moved under us. At the fact that the bottom of it was completely invisible and whatever was down there could be—"Tell me about the army," she said.I looked at her."The recruits. How did you plan to get them?" She was looking at me. Not at the water. trying to distract me."The arena," I said. "Word spread. How far it spread I didn't know until—" The boat lurched. The current shifted. I gripped the s
Nero POV"The curse didn't come last night."Remi said it like she was still surprised by it. Sitting on the edge of the bed pulling her boot on. Hair still messy from sleep. The star blanket half on the floor."No," I said. "It didn't.""Because we—""Yes.""All night.""Yes."She looked up at me. That specific expression. The one that meant she was pleased about something and absolutely was not going to say so out loud."Good," she said."Very," I said.She went back to her boot. Her ears were pink. I watched her fight with the lace for a moment before she got it.The small room was warm. Morning light coming through the east window thin and gold. Everything in here — the carved wolf above the bed, the clay figure on the shelf, the faded star blanket — felt more familiar than it should after one night. Like the room had decided I belonged in it."Nero." She stood up. Looked at me properly. "I need to tell you something. About Olandria. About what grandma said."I put down my jacket.
Anatoria POVThe gardens were still wet.Early morning. The blood moon still warming up. Everything slightly damp and quiet. The palace hadn't fully woken yet.She walked slowly. She always walked slowly. There was never a reason to rush. Rushing was for people who feared being caught. She feared nothing of the sort.He walked beside her. Half a step back. The way servants walked.She almost laughed.Still performing it. Even now."You chose a good position," she said. Conversationally. Like they were discussing the weather."I know," he said."Close enough to hear everything. Private enough to be invisible. Essential enough that removing you would have caused questions." She looked at the wet garden. "I use the same logic myself when I place people. I recognised it eventually." She paused. "I should have recognised it sooner."He said nothing."The earring," she said. "That was you.""Yes.""You took it from my room.""Yes.""When we had it. During the ceiling incident." She nodded s







