Betrayed by her Blood. Claimed by the Night.
SPE POV: Fu
ying pressure of the whole Covenant watching-all of it congealed into a formless, heavy weight in m
illed my latent gifts
oth wearing expressions of increasing confusion. Fo
d, as if I hadn't already been tr
e a low, fierce growl of impatience: "That's
e irritation that flared through my terror. I
iestess intervened. "Lavinia, you are overth
The whispers had started in the crowd-scandalized m
is powerful form radiating concern. Even
to Awaken her gif
!" I exclaimed.
voice laced with venomous disappointment.
of hair behind my ear. It was impossible to hide how
"Try to focus on the earth beneath your feet.
it did tingle. I sensed something faint at the edge of my consciousness, a gentl
me look of baffling disappointment o
eless
epping into the light. He was fully in his human fo
," I said, folding my ar
rked, his usual
rough. "It's the truth. Babying h
and raw fury. "This is the most you've even spoken to me in year
r the startled murmurs of the court. I had ju
rous gold. For the first time all night, he was ge
ing a simple Rite," he spat, the words deadly low, dripping with contempt.
physical blow, eclipsing the earlier shame. In its
around me compress, and the grass beneath my bare feet seemed to wither and recoil. My vision tunneled, but through the rage, I suddenly sa
med, visceral force that exploded from my
ing outward-the scorching heat, the frustration, the sheer,
ring violently, momentarily dimmed. A choked sound-a gasp of pain and
n aura congealing into terrifying stillness. Zilo spun around, his fa
unding awed and utterly stunned. "She h
with raw, vibrating energy. It was a shield and a weapon, humming wit
y, but in a maelstrom of lust and challenge. He wiped a streak
ted out, his voice a promise of violen
red beneath the Blood Moon, and I knew exactly what