Chapter 4 - SERENA'S ACCUSATION
Serena lay across Damian's bed when we reached the upper floor.
Her skin was pale.
Her breathing came in shallow gasps.
The broken ruby necklace rested on the bedside table.
A healer pressed two fingers against Serena's wrist.
“What happened?”
Damian demanded.
Serena opened her eyes.
“Elara.”
I stopped.
She pointed toward me with a trembling hand.
“She touched the necklace.”
“No, I didn't.”
“You were standing beside me.”
“So were fifty other people.”
Serena began crying.
“It burned after she looked at me.”
Damian's jaw tightened.
I laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
He turned.
“What?”
“Nothing changes.”
“Elara.”
“You're going to believe her.”
“I didn't say that.”
“You don't have to.”
Aurelia stepped between us.
“Examine the necklace.”
The healer hesitated.
Serena shook her head.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
Aurelia smiled faintly.
“Interesting.”
Serena gripped the blanket.
“It's sacred.”
“No, it isn't.”
Aurelia picked up the ruby necklace.
Damian moved.
“Don't.”
She ignored him.
The moment her fingers touched the ruby, her expression changed.
“What?”
I asked.
She held the stone beneath the lamp.
“This isn't a bond ruby.”
Damian stared.
“What are you talking about?”
“It has been hollowed.”
Aurelia pressed her thumbnail against a tiny seam.
The ruby opened.
A dark powder spilled onto the table.
The healer recoiled.
“Nightroot.”
Damian's face hardened.
“What does it do?”
“In small doses?”
The healer looked at Serena.
“Fever.”
“Weakness.”
“Convulsions.”
“In larger doses, death.”
Damian turned slowly toward Serena.
Her tears stopped.
“Why is poison inside your necklace?”
“I don't know.”
Aurelia looked at the healer.
“Could Elara have placed it there tonight?”
“No.”
He examined the hinge.
“This compartment was professionally sealed.”
Serena sat upright.
“Someone framed me.”
I almost admired her speed.
“Who?”
She looked directly at me.
“You.”
Aurelia laughed.
Not loudly.
That made it worse.
“My daughter didn't know she would be rejected tonight.”
Serena's face flickered.
I noticed.
“So you did.”
“What?”
“You knew.”
“Elara—”
“You knew Damian was going to reject me.”
“Everyone knew.”
Damian turned sharply.
“No, they didn't.”
Serena froze.
Damian stepped closer.
“I told you this morning.”
She said nothing.
I remembered the crimson gown.
The future Luna's gown.
It required days of fitting.
Maybe weeks.
“You had the dress ready.”
Serena looked at Damian.
He understood too.
“When did you order it?”
Silence.
“Serena.”
“A month ago.”
Damian's face went still.
“You told me you bought it yesterday.”
She looked toward the door.
Aurelia's guards blocked it.
My mother crossed her arms.
“Start talking.”
Serena's fear disappeared.
For one second, something colder replaced it.
Then she smiled.
“You people really think this is about a necklace?”
Damian stared at her.
“What did you do?”
Serena slowly stood.
Her weakness was gone.
She had never been poisoned.
She had been pretending.
“You rejected Elara exactly when we needed you to.”
“We?”
Damian whispered.
Serena looked toward the windows.
Outside, the first light of dawn touched the mountains.
Then bells began ringing from the northern watchtower.
One.
Two.
Three.
Damian turned pale.
I had never heard that pattern before.
“What does it mean?”
I asked.
He didn't answer.
A guard burst into the room.
“Alpha, we have movement beyond the northern ridge.”
“How many?”
“Hundreds.”
Aurelia moved toward the window.
“Whose wolves?”
The guard swallowed.
“We don't know.”
Serena smiled.
“I do.”
Damian grabbed her arm.
“Who?”
She looked at me.
May you like
“The people who have been waiting twenty-one years for the last Vale heir to reveal herself.”
Then the northern gates exploded.
