Page 58 of A Throne of Blood & Vengeance

I inhaled sharply as she settled the crown of silver and gold onto her head. Lighting cracked in the sky above us, and several horses stamped their feet in alarm.

You shouldn’t have left me behind, the crown whispered in my mind.

Please, I begged.

I’m sorry.Its voice was tinged with exhaustion and regret.There is nothing I can do.

My aunt’s gaze fell on the rangers standing guard in front of us. “Nyx and Emil,” she said in a clear, commanding voice. “Step forward and hold.”

Both rangers moved forward, leaving Adrienne on her own.

“No!” I cried and lunged for them, but Kieran and Alaric grabbed me. I struggled in their hold as they pulled me back several feet.

“Keep her back,” Adrienne ordered over her shoulder. Her eyes met mine for a brief moment, and I saw the sorrow and determination in them.

“Nyx, stay still. Emil . . .” Carmilla’s dark gaze fell on the blonde ranger, who stared her down defiantly. “Kill Adrienne.”

I fought to get free, but Kieran and Alaric just gripped me tighter and murmured apologies in my ear. In that moment, I hated them, even though I would have done the same in their positions.

Carmilla was using our friends to make a point. Even with everything she had done so far, part of me had still believed there would be a way to convince my aunt to step down or end this in a way that didn’t require her death.

That belief was now shattered into a thousand pieces as I watched Emil and Nyx tremble like they were fighting the command with everything they were worth before going predatorily still.

“Strigoi,” I whispered in horror as Nyx remained but Emil prowled forward.

All Moroi carried a bloodlust that had the potential to turn us into ruthless predators. For some, like myself, we could turn it on and off easily, and even when it was riding us high, we were still ourselves. For others, they became something else when bloodlust claimed them—but they retained the tiniest thread of control so that they could pull it back.

They were weapons you had to aim and then get out of the way.

But sometimes, Moroi lost themselves completely, all of their humanity drained and stripped away. Nothing but the predator remained, and there was no coming back. They became Strigoi.

Emil’s eyes were usually a warm brown fractured by light green. Now, there was no brown to be seen. Only a green so pale, it appeared white every time lightning struck over our heads. And Nyx’s sky-blue eyes were now the dark blue of midnight.

There was no hint of my friends to be seen. Not in their eyes nor in their expressions, and definitely not in the eerie way they moved towards Adrienne. Predators focused solely on their prey.

A low snarl tore from Emil towards Nyx, an alpha staking their claim. Nyx ducked their head and went still, their eyes still following Adrienne as she adjusted her stance to face Emil.

“I’m so sorry, my friend.” Her words were a quiet echo across the clearing that shattered my heart.

“Carmilla!” I screamed. “Stop this!”

My aunt looked at me with cold resignation and shook her head once before focusing back on the brewing fight. I saw the instant her expression changed to intrigue. This show wasn’t only to put me in my place. It was an opportunity for her to test the capabilities of the crown.

Growing up, I’d always respected Carmilla’s pragmatism, but now I wished she’d demonstrate more humanity alongside it.

Several of Carmilla’s rangers moved to stand closer to us. The message was clear—if we interfered, they’d put us down. I wouldn’t be killed, but Kieran and Alaric likely would be. All we could do was watch as Emil slowly circled Adrienne with a cruel detachment.

“She’s never beaten him.” Heat burned behind my eyes, tears made of despair and fury. I’d seen the rangers spar more than once. Adrienne was good, but even she couldn’t take down Emil.Any Moroi would struggle to take on a Strigo, no matter how well trained they were or how much they let their bloodlust rise. Holding on to even the smallest amount of our humanity came at a cost—we were slower and weaker.

Nothing held a Strigoi back.

“Adrienne could have bested Emil years ago,” Kieran whispered quietly, his voice strained.

I jerked my gaze towards him. “What?”

“Emil started talking about how old he was getting and how he should retire. He’s the last of his generation to still be an active ranger.” Kieran swallowed and glanced at me. “He told her the day she could beat him would be the day he’d know it was time to hang up his ranger cloak.”

We both turned back to the center of the clearing, where Emil had gone still as a statue while Adrienne watched him. Her preferred weapon—a broadsword—was gripped in her hands and held at shoulder level, its tip pointing towards the storm raging above us.

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