- 9 hours ago
Betrayed by her sister and robbed of her destiny, Selene dies after losing her rightful place as the Alpha King's Luna. Reborn on the day her fate first changed, she returns determined to expose the truth, break an ancient curse, and reclaim her birthright. As powerful enemies close in, the Alpha King realizes he chose the wrong woman all along
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Snow.
00:02That's the first thing I remember about the night I died.
00:05I'm the true-born daughter of House Raventest,
00:07the lost heiress of the North.
00:09But I was crawling like a beggar to the gates of Hymir.
00:13My skin was rotting.
00:14A normal wolf takes a stab, heals in 20 minutes.
00:18Me?
00:18I'd been bleeding for three years.
00:2017 years on Wolfby will do that to you.
00:23Only, I didn't know it was Wolfby.
00:25Not yet.
00:26Please.
00:27My voice was a wet rash.
00:29I need to see the Queen Consort.
00:32A boot caught me in the rigs.
00:34A silk slipper stopped two inches from my face.
00:36Oh, sweetheart.
00:38Is that you down there?
00:39I lifted my head.
00:41Lillian, my sister.
00:42And on her brow, the Luna Queen's silver crown.
00:44Behind her, a man stepped from the carriage.
00:47Black coat, gold eyes, argent blood, every inch of him.
00:51Adrian Valentine Arjun, the outful of the Silk King.
00:54Honey, what are you doing all the way out here?
00:56Lillian, please.
00:58Marcus, he's killing me.
01:00Her finger brushed my split cheek.
01:03Selena, the cup of wine I gave you on your first moon to boot, I poisoned it.
01:07It's bright night.
01:08The world went still.
01:09Adrian was supposed to choose you.
01:11So I took your place.
01:13I took the throne.
01:14She stood, brushed snow, off her knees.
01:18You deserve to disappear.
01:19I caught her hem.
01:20If the moon gives me one more night, I'll take it all back.
01:24She smiled.
01:25You can try, sweetheart.
01:26A guard, silver saber, straight through my chest.
01:30Silver death.
01:30The snow.
01:31The snow was very white.
01:33Then nothing.
01:34Black.
01:34Then music.
01:36A string quartet.
01:37Roses.
01:38Too much perfume.
01:39I opened my eyes.
01:40I looked down.
01:42Smooth.
01:42Pale.
01:43Sixteen-year-old hands.
01:45The ballroom of Ravenburst Manor.
01:47Three hundred nobles in high-pack colors.
01:49Argent, silver, and black over the dace.
01:51I was reborn on the night of my first moon debut.
01:54The night that ruined my life.
01:57And across the marble floor, my seventeen-year-old sister Lillian walked towards me, smiling softly,
02:02a small crystal cup gleaming in her hand for my favorite sister on the most important night of her life.
02:09I looked at the rim.
02:10There, in the candlelight, a tiny red scrap, the mark I never noticed last time.
02:15I took the poisoned cup.
02:17Thank you, Lillian.
02:18Sweetheart, you just poured your own funeral wine.
02:22This time, I'm going to make every single person in this room kneel.
02:27You first.
02:30The hall blazed with silver candlelight.
02:33Every high-packed daughter in high-milled was watching.
02:36Lillian moved through the crowd like she owned it, holding two crystal cups.
02:41Drink up, sweetheart.
02:42The queen consort's watching.
02:44I looked past her shoulder.
02:45On the dane, the queen concord sat very still.
02:48Black silk.
02:49Silver pins.
02:51Gold eyes.
02:52The most powerful woman in Argent Val.
02:54Last life, I drank.
02:56This life.
02:57The moment I'd turned toward the tray, I'd swap the cups.
03:00The poisoned one, was back on the tray, waiting for the next person.
03:05To you, Lillian.
03:06House Ravenhurst's finest daughter.
03:08We both drank the clean wine.
03:10Lillian set down her cup.
03:12A little pink in the cheeks.
03:13She hadn't noticed a thing.
03:15A tall figure in black cut across the hall.
03:17Unhurried.
03:18Adrienne Valentine RJ.
03:20Lillian's whole body locked.
03:21I leaned close, just a breath at her ear.
03:24He's right there, Lillian.
03:25And the queen consort is watching you do nothing.
03:27Her chin lifted half an inch.
03:29I reached back to the tray.
03:31Forced the poisoned cup into her hands before she could think.
03:34Offer him a cup of welcome.
03:35It's old custom.
03:36She loves the old customs.
03:38Lillian stepped forward.
03:40Her voice came out soft, careful.
03:42Your highness.
03:43A cup of welcome for the moon.
03:46Adrienne glanced at the cup.
03:47He took it.
03:48Elegant.
03:49Reluctant.
03:50Tipped it back.
03:51Set the empty glass on a passing tray.
03:53Without a word and walked on.
03:55Lillian was still beaming at his back.
03:57I lowered my eyes before mine could give me away.
04:00Lillian, you know Silvermoon Law.
04:03Dosing the crown is a court-banned act.
04:05The smile didn't leave her face.
04:07Not yet.
04:08You handed it to him yourself.
04:10In front of the Queen Concord.
04:12In front of every witness in this hall.
04:14I let the silence settle.
04:15That wasn't a toast.
04:17That was your funeral wine.
04:18He left through the balcony doors.
04:20Twenty minutes after the toast.
04:22Bride nights kicking in.
04:24I waited a breath.
04:25Then I followed.
04:26Lost life.
04:27I was the one with Bride night in my blood.
04:29Marcus pissed me behind the hydrangeas.
04:32That was the start of seventeen years in hell.
04:35Tonight, Lillian.
04:36There is no rogue in the gazo.
04:38Only the man Lillian wanted.
04:40And Adrienne is not looking for Lillian.
04:42I found Adrienne by the moon pond.
04:44One hand braced on a colin.
04:46The other hand grabbed at his collar.
04:47Argent gold eyes.
04:49Wide.
04:49Blown.
04:50Burning.
04:51Your highness?
04:52Don't.
04:53Don't come near me.
04:55You're not well.
04:57Adrienne pushed off the colin.
04:58His knee gave out.
05:00He collapsed into my arms.
05:02Adrienne was burning.
05:03His face landed in the curve of my neck.
05:06Then he stopped.
05:07Adrienne breathed in.
05:08His whole body went still against me.
05:11Then the heat surged back.
05:13Come on.
05:14Not here.
05:15I got Adrienne's arm over my shoulder.
05:17I got Adrienne inside the empty guest house.
05:21I shut the door.
05:22The lock clicked.
05:24My back hit the wall.
05:25Adrienne's forearm caged me beside my head.
05:27His pupils were blown.
05:29Then.
05:29Lillian.
05:30There it is.
05:31The word Lillian worked six years to hear Adrienne say in the dark.
05:36And he just said it to me.
05:37I slid my hand up the back of Adrienne's neck.
05:40Shh.
05:40His forehead dropped to my shoulder.
05:42I leaned in until my lips were at his ear.
05:45It's alright, your highness.
05:46I'm here.
05:47It does not matter whose name Adrienne said tonight.
05:50What matters is who leaves by morning.
05:52Wearing Adrienne's coat.
05:54With Adrienne's scent on my skin.
05:56Tonight, sweetheart.
05:57That is me.
05:58His forehead burned against my shoulder.
06:00Bright of night stays in the blood twelve hours.
06:02Anything that touches it gets dosed.
06:04I turned my face into his neck.
06:07Forgive me, your highness.
06:08I bit down.
06:10Hard.
06:10The blood flooded my mouth.
06:12He's hissed.
06:13Fisted my hair.
06:14Didn't pull me off.
06:16The drug hit me ten seconds later.
06:18His gold eyes focused.
06:20One second.
06:21I know you.
06:22No, you don't.
06:23Not yet.
06:23I caught his wrist.
06:25Pressed his hand to my colivone.
06:26Here.
06:27Bite here.
06:28Where they can see it.
06:29He lowered his head.
06:31Leave the bite marks on me.
06:33An hour later, he collapsed sideways.
06:35The drug had burned through him.
06:37I sat up.
06:38Wiped the blood from lips.
06:39His coat had slipped off the chair.
06:41I picked it up.
06:42Put it on.
06:42At the mirror, I loosened my hair.
06:45Tugged the coat half off one shoulder.
06:47The bite marks bloomed underneath.
06:49I sat on the edge of the bed.
06:51Waited.
06:52The footsteps in the corridor grew louder.
06:54I didn't move.
06:55I spoke to the closed door.
06:57Quietly.
06:58Marcus isn't in this bed.
06:59The crown alpha is.
07:01Right on time, Lillian.
07:02The door hit the wall, and the corridor spilled silk boots and royal silver into the room.
07:07Your majesty, in here!
07:08I saw Selina with a man.
07:11She did not even look at me.
07:13She crossed to the curtained bed.
07:14Her face went white.
07:16Adrian lay there.
07:17Gold eyes closed.
07:19It was her.
07:21She grew up above the velvet fang.
07:23Raised in a brothel, crawling into a crown bed before the debut.
07:27I did not argue.
07:28I let the coat slip lower, until the algin crest caught the candlelight.
07:32The bite marks bloomed underneath.
07:34One tear ran down my cheek.
07:35Your majesty, I only remember the cup.
07:37Lillian handed it to me, and then I woke here.
07:39No, it's not true!
07:40The queen consort lifted one hand.
07:42My breath stayed broken on purpose.
07:45Adrian sat up.
07:46Shirt buttoned.
07:46Hair pushed back.
07:47Gold eyes finally clear of the drug.
07:50Speak carefully, your highness.
07:51The next sentence out of your mouth chooses my life, or hers.
07:55Adrian opened his mouth.
07:56The door slammed open again.
07:58A wounded man kneeled behind Caleb.
08:00I knew that face.
08:02Marcus Drary.
08:03Caleb unfolded a white handkerchief.
08:05Your majesty, Marcus waited behind the rockweck for Selen.
08:08This was in Marcus' coat.
08:10The high priest bent over the cloth, nostrils flaring.
08:13Red knight.
08:14Everyone who heard it went sojourn.
08:15It was not my plan.
08:17Lady Lillian paid me.
08:18Lillian's face emptied.
08:20Lady Lillian gave me the bottle.
08:22I lowered my eyes before anyone could read me.
08:25For one breath, Lillian had no story ready.
08:27Adrian got off the bed, slow, pale.
08:30He did not look at Lillian or his mother.
08:32Adrian walked straight to Marcus.
08:34Adrian pulled the silver knife from his hip.
08:35Your highness, wait!
08:36I can give names!
08:38The judgment happened in one breath.
08:40Adrian did not flinch.
08:42He held a piece of evidence in his hand.
08:44He walked three steps.
08:45A terrible proof dropped at the hem of Lillian's skirt.
08:48Hidden, but unmistakable.
08:49Lillian screamed once.
08:51Then Lillian went silent.
08:52The thorn girl folded over into the hem of her own gown.
08:55Adrian did not look at Lillian.
08:56Adrian walked back across the marble.
08:58He pulled off his own coat.
09:00He laid the coat on my shoulders.
09:02I stayed still.
09:03I let Adrian cover me.
09:05Adrian smoothed the silver crest flat across my back, with his own hand.
09:09Let me smell Selina Ravencrest.
09:11The queen consort stepped closer and inhaled.
09:13Nothing.
09:14No scent.
09:15No rank.
09:15No wolf.
09:16Sixteen years of high-packed blood, you are empty air.
09:19A maid stepped forward with a black velvet cushion.
09:21A small silver blade waited on it.
09:23You may walk out of this room, or you may end it.
09:26The queen consort gave me death and called it mercy.
09:29Sparehouse Raventil, what comes next?
09:31The blade was placed in my hand.
09:32Cold.
09:33Final.
09:34In the corner, Lillian released the smallest breath of relief.
09:37I did not lift my hands.
09:38If she wanted me dead tonight, she would do it herself.
09:41A black sleeve cut across my sight.
09:44Adrian stepped between me and the ceremonial pillow and closed his bare palm around the blade.
09:49Silence held.
09:50Then, blood came.
09:53The queen consort's face went still.
09:55Adrian did not look at her and took my fingertips in his clean hand, gently.
09:59By the law of the Algin court.
10:01His voice stayed quiet.
10:02A crown alpha's public claim, once witnessed by the queen consort, the high priest, and the high pack matriarchs, cannot
10:10be revoked.
10:12I lowered my eyes.
10:14On the next full moon, I will exchange moon vows with Lady Selina Ravenhaust in the silver moon court.
10:19From tonight, she is the future luna queen of Highmore.
10:24He turned to his mother and lifted his bleeding hand, showing the silver gash slowly.
10:29If the law demands her death, bring a second blade.
10:32I will go with her.
10:33Lillian's face went past white.
10:35I lowered my eyes.
10:36Last life, I begged at his gate and was dragged out by my hair.
10:39This life, I said nothing, and he laid the court at my feet.
10:43By sunrise, Highmail had a new headline.
10:47The crown alpha had named his luna.
10:49House Ravencrest, the younger daughter.
10:52The quiet one nobody had ever looked at.
10:54At dawn, the senior high priest entered Ravenkiss Manor, tracing every wine cup from cellar to ballroom.
11:00Two hours later, they found a silver thread, carrying cedar and iris perfume.
11:04Inside a velvet purse, Lillian had once gifted Marcus.
11:07Adrian folded the report once.
11:09Your Highness, we have enough to take her down tonight.
11:12No.
11:13Almost gentle.
11:14I want her to walk to it herself.
11:15I went back to my bedroom, locked the door, took out the small white porcelain bottle,
11:20Morwena's gift, the court midwife at my birth.
11:23For 17 years, they told me it was the only reason I didn't fall apart.
11:27I believed them.
11:28I drank it every morning, until I stopped asking what was in it.
11:31I set the bottle on the windowsill.
11:33This time, I didn't lift it to my mouth.
11:36Six hours later, the headache started behind my left eye.
11:38By dusk, I was sweating through my collar.
11:40My hands wouldn't stay still.
11:42Lillian, you've been burning me alive for 17 years.
11:46The girl in the mirror looked back.
11:48Her eyes were darker than I remember.
11:49That fire's about to turn around.
11:51I'm gonna put it under your door.
11:53And then I'm gonna stand in the garden and watch the smoke.
11:56I had been off the bottle for three days.
11:58The headaches were duller now.
12:00What replaced them was harder to name.
12:01A low heat behind my ribs.
12:03A sharpness in my hearing I did not used to have.
12:06That morning, I caught the scent of rain 20 minutes before the rain came.
12:10I did not tell anyone.
12:12My wolf was waking up.
12:14Slowly, quietly, the invitation came on argent silver paper.
12:18Adoption tea.
12:19Hymir Westgarden.
12:20Thursday at 4.
12:21The Westgarden was set for war.
12:23Six high-pack daughters in pale silk.
12:25The thorn girl very carefully did not make eye contact with me.
12:29Lady Selina.
12:30Sit.
12:31A maid placed an argent silver cup in front of every girl.
12:34Heavy-rimmed, handles shaped like a wolf's curled tail.
12:37A second maid stepped behind my chair and set down a plain white porcelain cup.
12:42No crest.
12:42Lady Vae's spoon stopped halfway to Lady Vae's mouth.
12:45The queen consort did not look at me.
12:47Some bloodlines react poorly to silver, dear.
12:50Your majesty is so thoughtful.
12:51Then the terrace door opened.
12:53Father Alaric.
12:54Senior high priest.
12:5661 years inside the silver moon walls.
12:58Alaric had blessed the queen consort's own moon vows.
13:01Alaric bowed to her majesty first.
13:03Protocol.
13:04Then Alaric stopped at my chair.
13:05And Alaric bent his head lower than he had just bent it to the queen consort.
13:10My lady.
13:10Alaric had just bowed to a raven crest.
13:13The true line.
13:14The one that should have sat at the head of this table.
13:16Alaric's body knew.
13:17The queen consort knew what it meant.
13:19So did every woman at that table.
13:21Back in my bedroom, I uncorked the porcelain bottle.
13:23I poured the rest into the wash basin.
13:26I pressed two fingers to my neck.
13:28My pulse was steadier than it had any right to be.
13:31Deeper.
13:32Nobody in that court knows what is coming back.
13:3417 years of being burned down to a quiet, pale, forgettable girl.
13:39First time as Salim's betrothed, Adrian walked up the raven has steps in dove gray mourning
13:44dress with a small black velvet box.
13:47Inside, an Algent royal hairpin.
13:50800 years old.
13:52Moonstone center.
13:53Wolf and moon engraving.
13:55Lady Ravenhust had been crying since breakfast.
13:57Happy crying.
13:58The kind Lady Ravenhust had never once cried for Selina before.
14:02Last life.
14:03When my husband first walked me in this door, Lady Ravencrest told the housekeeper to wipe
14:07the threshold after I crossed it.
14:09A maid came running.
14:10Lord Ravencrest, please.
14:12Lady Lillian, the east wing, she's...
14:15The maid could not finish the word.
14:17The whole house moved.
14:18Lord Ravenfield, Lady Ravenfield, Cassian Selene's older brother in from his regiment.
14:23Adrian set the velvet box down without looking at it.
14:26Slow.
14:26Selina had seen this scene before.
14:28Not in this life.
14:30In the next one over.
14:31The attic.
14:32One window.
14:33Cedar beams.
14:34A length of white silk ribbon, folded neatly on the floorboards beside the chair.
14:39Lillian was already in Adrian's arms.
14:41Long lashes wet.
14:43A delicate flutter of breath against Adrian's collarbone.
14:46Not a mark on Lillian's throat.
14:48Cassian gripped Lillian's free hand.
14:51Lily.
14:51Lily, listen to me.
14:54Nobody in this family will leave you.
14:57Do you hear me?
14:58Nobody.
14:59Lady Ravencowl stroked Lillian's hair.
15:01Sweet girl.
15:03Sweet, sweet girl.
15:05Lord Ravencrest wiped his eyes with his sleeve like a farmhand.
15:09He saw me in the doorway.
15:10He did not see Lillian.
15:12What he saw.
15:13A pale girl.
15:14Lips bloodless.
15:15A thin pink ring of strain around my irises.
15:18He does not know Wolfsbane withdrawal when he sees it.
15:21He does not know I have been off the bottle for two days.
15:23What he knew.
15:24Something in his own chest pulled.
15:26Sharp and hot.
15:27He chalked it up to a poor night's sleep.
15:29Down the garden path.
15:31Alone.
15:31White roses.
15:33Lillian was at the attic glass.
15:35Color back in her cheeks.
15:37One small hand on the windowpane.
15:39She smiled at me.
15:40Soft.
15:41Sweet.
15:42Triumphant.
15:43Three days after the attic, the wind had turned in Ravencrest.
15:46Half the high-pack matrons found their way to Lillian's daybed before noon.
15:50By Thursday, Lady Ravencrest asked the housekeeper whether Lillian might still come to the Equinos
15:55reet.
15:56That afternoon, a courier from the Silvermoon Court came through the Algum West Wing.
16:01Six lines on sheep-filled parchment in the queen consort's own hand.
16:06Should Lady Selene Ravencrest, prior to the exchange of moon vows, be revealed to possess
16:11a flaw of bloodline, character, or conduct unbecoming of a future lunar queen?
16:16The Algern House reserves the unilateral right to withdraw said vows.
16:20A backup plan.
16:21A girl who could be torn up at any time.
16:25The Hall of Elders.
16:26Twelve along both sides.
16:28The queen concord at the head, hands folded.
16:30Adrien read it once.
16:32Adrien.
16:33Read it again.
16:34Stood up.
16:34Adrien picked up the parchment.
16:36Tore it.
16:37Crosswise.
16:38Then again.
16:39Then again.
16:40Adrien's gold eyes had gone to a color the Elders hadn't seen in four hundred years.
16:45A slow, banked fire.
16:47The pieces fell on the council table.
16:49Adrien faced his mother.
16:51Full court protocol.
16:53Hand on chest.
16:53Mother, the queen consort may add any clause to Adrien's moon vows.
16:58As long as the clause protects Selene, the queen consort may not add a single word that
17:03lets Adrien throw Selene away.
17:05The queen consort did not answer.
17:07He came back to Ravencrest before sundown.
17:10He found me in the small drawing room.
17:12Tea I had not drunk.
17:13Hands folded to hide the tremor.
17:15He did not ask about Lillian.
17:17Did not mention the attic.
17:19Did not perform anything.
17:20He knelt one knee.
17:21He opened the velvet box.
17:23He orin velva.
17:24May I?
17:26He lifted my hair off my shoulder with the back of his bandaged hand.
17:30The hand that had closed around a silver blade for me four nights ago.
17:34He slid the Argent royal hairpin in just above my left temple.
17:37Slow.
17:38The yellow gold settled cool against my scalp.
17:41His fingertip brushed the shell of my ear.
17:43Without warning.
17:44My eyes filled.
17:46He saw it.
17:47He did not say a word.
17:48He brought his bandaged hand up.
17:50He caught the one tear on his knuckle before it could fall.
17:54He came back at dawn.
17:56Adrien set it on the writing desk and opened it the way a surgeon opens a chest.
18:00A glass vial of Britonite.
18:02Court tagged.
18:03A list of every servant who touched a wine tray on first moon night.
18:06A velvet purse Lillian had once gifted Marcus.
18:09Slit open.
18:09One silver thread.
18:11One folded note.
18:12One dried sprig of irie.
18:13And, last, half a porcelain wine cup.
18:16On the underside, a single scratched red mark.
18:19He found my proof.
18:20The one detail I never told him.
18:22I'm not going to ask if you knew.
18:24Good.
18:25I'm going to ask you what you want to do.
18:27My sister doesn't die yet.
18:28He waited.
18:29She watches my moon vows.
18:31She watches the silver moon court bow when my name is read.
18:35She watches my father take back the seat at the head table she made him give her.
18:39She watches every high-pack matriarch who kurtzled to her three Oscars ago kurt to me instead.
18:44And then, only then, she finds out what's waiting at the bottom of the cup.
18:48Understood.
18:49You're not going to ask me why?
18:51No.
18:51I figured most of it out at the gate.
18:53When she pointed at you and called you a brothel pup.
18:55I'll wait for the rest.
18:56Two lifetimes.
18:57The first man who didn't ask me to explain my anger before he agreed to back it.
19:02He came around the desk.
19:04Looked at me.
19:05Bruise on my collarbone from his teeth four nights ago had faded to a pale violet ring.
19:10He lifted his hand.
19:11Stopped.
19:12Asked.
19:13With his eyes.
19:14I owe you a clean memory of me touching you.
19:16You don't owe me anything, your highness.
19:18He drew me into his chest.
19:20Slow.
19:21No drug in his blood this time.
19:23No haze.
19:25I let my forehead rest on his shoulder for exactly four seconds.
19:29Then I stepped back.
19:31He didn't try to keep me.
19:33Across the gardens.
19:34In the east wing.
19:36Lillian Ravencrest on her knees.
19:38In front of a small panel of floorboards she'd plied up the night before.
19:43Under the panel.
19:44A flat priest's disc.
19:46Etched with old runes.
19:48What do I do now?
19:50She'd been calling that name into the dark for years.
19:53A household prayer.
19:54A dead midwife's charm.
19:55She didn't know the woman who answered was the one who'd built her cage.
19:59Across the manor.
20:00In Adrian's harms.
20:01My eyes closed.
20:03The red ring around my irises had thinned by a shade.
20:07On the windowsill.
20:08The porcelain bottle was down to a quarter.
20:10Palace gates would not open.
20:12Lillian had been so sure the gates would open.
20:15She powdered her face for an hour.
20:16She wore the pearl blue cloak the queen consort once said brought out her eyes.
20:21Her majesty is not receiving visitors today.
20:24Three different guards.
20:25Her majesty is not receiving visitors today.
20:28Three identical sentences.
20:29Her majesty is not receiving visitors today.
20:31At the fourth gate, Lillian gave up.
20:34Lillian stood on the marble steps in pearl blue silk and watched a butcher's boy let through a side door
20:40because the boy had a delivery.
20:42Home before nightfall.
20:43Cloak off.
20:45East wing.
20:45Attic door locked.
20:47Panel up.
20:48Palms flat on the priest's disc.
20:50Morwenna.
20:51Lillian's voice cracked.
20:53The queen consort won't see me.
20:55The matriarchs are starting to talk.
20:57Adrian tore up my supplemental claws in front of the council.
20:59I need you to fix the blessing again.
21:02Just reinforce it.
21:03Please.
21:04Silence.
21:05Then not in Lillian's ears, but in the back of Lillian's skull, the way Morwenna's answers always came.
21:12Use Cassian.
21:13Three words.
21:14Cold.
21:14Final.
21:15She sat back on her heels.
21:16He had loved her like a first daughter since she was four.
21:19An unmated alpha with a soft spot that size was exactly the kind of weapon she knew how to use.
21:26She unlocked the bottom drawer.
21:28She pulled out the vial.
21:30Velvet Fang's mark was etched in the glass.
21:33One dose of Brideknight was left inside.
21:35She smoothed her hair.
21:37She practiced the smile.
21:39Cassian will believe anything Lillian tells Cassian.
21:43Cassian always has.
21:46The family dinner was Mother's idea.
21:48Just direct blood.
21:50We need to be a family again before the moon vows.
21:53Which meant, Lillian was coming back to the table.
21:55Neither of them had the spine to say no.
21:58Father at the head.
21:59Mother to his right.
22:01Cassius to his left back from the regiment.
22:03Lillian below Mother.
22:05Then me.
22:06Then Adrian.
22:07Sitting on my side.
22:08His bandaged hand resting open beside mine.
22:11Between the soup and the lamb.
22:13Mother brought it out.
22:14A small lacquered box.
22:16Five generations old.
22:17She lifted out the silver comb.
22:20My grandmother held this on her first moon.
22:22My mother.
22:23Me.
22:24Tradition says.
22:25A true born ravenfeshed daughter passes a hand over it.
22:28And if the blood is good, the silver knows.
22:31Lillian took the comb.
22:32She'd taken it 18 times in her life.
22:34She knew the trick.
22:36What she had not been raised on was how much it would hurt the 18th time.
22:40After three days kneeling on a priest disc asking a witch for fresh favors.
22:43The silver bit.
22:45A clean line of white pain shot up her wrist.
22:47She felt the skin start to lift in a blister.
22:49She held the comb for the regulation three seconds.
22:52Set it back.
22:53Light hand.
22:54Beautiful.
22:54Her smile was perfect.
22:56Under the linen, her left fist was tight enough the nails broke skin.
22:59Mother turned to me.
23:00Salona.
23:01Mother had never put this comb in front of me before.
23:04Last life.
23:05By the time I came back to Ravenwith, the comb had been lost in a move.
23:10Just for tradition, dear.
23:12Just so we can all see.
23:14I let the comb settle into my palm.
23:16No bite.
23:17No heat.
23:18Then the silver caught light that wasn't in the room and gave it back.
23:22A faint white glow ran the length of the handle.
23:25Mother's hand was halfway to her mouth.
23:27Cassian's chair scraped a quarter inch backward on its own.
23:31Father set his fork down very carefully.
23:33Lillian laughed very lightly.
23:35Oh, mother, you know Selena.
23:37She's always been a bit off.
23:39Probably some funny, low blood reaction.
23:42Even silver gets confused.
23:44Across the city, in his study at High Meal Palace, Adrian Valentine Rowe was reading a
23:48report on grain prices.
23:50At 8.14pm, the exact minute the silver glowed in my palm, he set the report down, put one
23:55hand flat against his sternum, and waited for whatever was happening inside his chest
23:59to stop.
24:00It didn't stop.
24:01For almost a minute.
24:04He told himself he hadn't slept well.
24:07I went back to my room before pudding, knelt on the hearth in my dinner slicks, pushed the
24:13white porcelain bottle deep under the bed of cold ash.
24:16Lillian came to my door at sunrise.
24:19Pale silk wrapper, eyes red around the edges, the careful walk of a girl who had not slept.
24:24Selena, please.
24:26Cassian wants to apologize for First Moon, for taking my side too fast.
24:30Cassian is too proud to say it in the house.
24:33Cassian will only say it at the West Tower.
24:34The West Tower, Cedar Woods, 20 minutes walk from the Manon.
24:38Last Life, Lillian set Selina up with Marcus in a garden gabbo.
24:42This Life, Selina's big brother in a tower.
24:44Same script, better casting.
24:46Of course.
24:47Lead the way.
24:49Last Life, she set me up with Marcus in a garden gabobie.
24:52This Life, my big brother in a tower.
24:54Same script, better casting.
24:56Lillian walked ahead.
24:58Lillian looked back once.
25:00Lillian smiled once.
25:02Then Lillian looked back again.
25:05Three times.
25:06Three smiles.
25:08Each one a little wider.
25:10Twenty paces from the tower door, the wind shifted.
25:13Selene caught it on the back of Selina's throat.
25:15The smell of a man Selene had bitten through the skin four nights ago.
25:18Brightonite, there you are.
25:19Found you in the trees.
25:21The tower door was unlashed.
25:22Lillian stopped.
25:23Turned.
25:24The careful smile was gone.
25:25After you, Selina.
25:26She lifted her hand to my shoulder.
25:28A small push.
25:29I let her hand land.
25:31While her weight was on it, while she was already mid-shove, I stepped sideways.
25:36Half a body's length.
25:37Clean.
25:38Her push went through empty air.
25:40She stumbled forward.
25:41I caught her under the arms.
25:43Dragged her three feet through the open door.
25:44Set her down inside.
25:46Gently.
25:46The way I would lay down a dress.
25:47On the bed at the back of the room, Cassian was already half gone.
25:50Shirt open.
25:51Skin slick.
25:52Argent blue eyes blown black.
25:53On something else, what it was to be forced.
25:53um, all I need you to get back.
25:54I have a this time because I don't know myself.
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