Chapter 2

Three nights earlier, Celeste had come to the treatment pool and rested the blood-bank token on her knee.

"Do you know how much heartblood has already been released for your treatments?" she asked. "His lordship has approved three emergency requests for you this year."

I held on to the edge of the pool.

"This one isn't for me. Our baby's blood is breaking down. Hurst can still hear her responding."

"Of course I want the heir to survive." She glanced at the emergency order. "But fear doesn't give us the right to ignore the safeguards protecting the family's blood reserves."

First she required a second physician's seal. Then confirmation from the vault guard. When the guard sent the vial's storage number, she said the Night Court had not verified the release.

Every time I met one condition, she found another.

The small pulse beside mine grew fainter.

Lucien sent pain-relieving cold incense and posted guards outside St. Raven's. When he asked whether I was stable, Celeste answered for me.

"She's very upset. But I've made sure the doctors have everything she actually needs."

He left the arrangements in her hands.

By the time the vault opened and the courier passed the bell tower, the healers had already lifted me from the pool. My blood stained Hurst's sleeves. He apologized for having nothing left to offer me.

I didn't cry.

A stone mother holding a child stood in a niche in the recovery room. I stared at her, thinking the sculptor had got it wrong. A woman who had lost her baby should not still have that weight in her arms.

All I had was an amber shard as cold as ice.

Back in my rooms after speaking to Lucien, I saw the video Celeste had just posted to the nobles' mirror feed.

She stood beside Lucien in the old ceremonial hall. His hand covered hers as he guided her blood into the channels of the central ward seal.

Several elders watched as Blackthorn accepted her authority.

The caption read:

[Blackthorn's security seal has officially recognized me. Thank you for trusting me with the protection of the Ashbourne household, my lord.]

I watched his fingers close around hers.

In three years, he had never brought me before that seal. My blood bound me to him, but it could not open a single door in our home.

While I was still recovering from losing our daughter, he had given Celeste what I had never been allowed to have.

I saved the video and touched the red rune beneath it to leave a like.

Lucien's messages appeared almost immediately.

[What's that supposed to mean?]

[It was a security authorization. Celeste needs access to the wards to manage the household.]

[I know you're upset. She says the outcome at St. Raven's isn't as final as you're making it sound. Stop assuming the worst.]

I wiped the mirror with my sleeve. The mist cleared, but his words remained.

Another message followed.

[You've already liked the post. Leave a gracious comment. The elders are watching. Don't publicly undermine the person responsible for protecting this family.]

So I did as he asked.

[Celeste manages my meals, my schedule, and my home. Now you've given her authority there that the woman you're bound to has never had. Blackthorn already has a lady. It simply isn't me.]

I posted it and went into the dressing gallery.

The crowns, gowns, and bloodstone belts all carried family inventory numbers. Everything would be checked when I left.

I dragged my old ebony tool case from the bottom cabinet.

Into it went soft leather boots, sealing cloth, the engraving knife my father had given me, and my identity papers.

I wrapped the amber shard and placed it closest to the latch.

My child was coming with me.

The calling mirror vibrated against the table.

[Evelyn, take down that comment. I'm trying to keep this family together, and you're turning a security decision into another attack on Celeste. Answer me.]

I switched off the contact rune and tucked the mirror into the lid.

Then I closed the case.

For the first time, I did not wait for his next message.