Page 150 of Devoured

The soldier throws the crown through the air—right to Vanessa, who seizes it easily. Grasps it tightly. “You are not queen of this court anymore, Cora. Today—on this first day of spring, a day of birth and creation and celebration—you will draw your last breath.” Vanessa glances out at the guests, as rehearsed, and says without a single hesitation, “Those of you who join us will be welcomed to a new, peaceful court. Those who do not will be buried alongside their queen.”

A choice. A chance.

As Vanessa stares out at the crowd, Calix looming at her side, Cora loses more numbers. One, two, three werewolves stalk forward to join Evander. Then nine. Then fifteen. Slowly but surely her numbers dwindle until she hardly has forty left to fight for her. Vanessa turns and raises the crown high—

And snaps it between her fists.

The pieces of it fall soundlessly to the earth.

“This court is broken,” she says. “And it’s time we start anew.”

For just a moment, we remain suspended. Waiting. Then Sin moves toward her—I tense—stepping right over the fragments of his inheritance. The crown crunches beneath his feet, but he doesn’t seem to care. It’s as if his mask has fallen away, and I can finally see his true face again. Can finally see that young boy I met all those years ago.

“You did it,” he breathes, taking Vanessa’s hand. “I thought she was going to kill you—both of you,” he adds to Calix, who hovers beside Vanessa, and then rambles as if the words can’t rush out of him fast enough. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell either of you. I thought she might be listening, and I had to protect Arielle, but I had a plan. I wouldn’t have let her hurt either of you. I was going to kill her myself. I’ve done so many things wrong, but I had to do this right. For you. To prove that I’m not just a villain. Honestly, it went a lot smoother than I expected—”

Calix grips his shoulder, and a tear slips down his cheek. He almost looks as if he might smile. “It’s okay, Sin. Everything is going to be okay.” He sends a pointed glance to Vanessa. “Right?”

And this is the issue. Because the other courts won’t want Sin to survive.

But we decided… Vanessa and Portia and I decided that everyone deserves a second chance. Even Cora’s son. Even Sinclair Severi.

“Those of you who join us,” Vanessa repeats quietly, just to Sin, “will be welcomed to a new and peaceful court. I swear it.”

Sin smiles and squeezes her hand. She returns the pressure. “We have a lot of mating gifts to return,” he says, though it comes out more a question. “Assuming that all your trickery over the last few months means that you don’t actually want to stay mated forever.”

Vanessa rolls her eyes with a short laugh. “Maybe we can discuss this later.”

“Sure, sure. I would love to hear all about how you poisoned the entire court. Sounds like an excellent bedtime story, doesn’t it, Cousin?” He glances at Calix with a wry grin, and Calix’s cheek dimples with a matching smile.

“Shut up, Sin,” Calix says.

And Sin’s smile widens further. My smile widens too, because we did it. We did it.

“Let the faeries lead us now,” Lyra announces, and her voice reverberates through the heavens. “Let our gods return to us.”

The crowd roars their agreement, and the field quakes with anticipation. Claws gleam and teeth flash, and more than one soldier glances at Cora with a hungry expression. Nettie’s ring pulses hot upon my finger, as if she’s here with me, celebrating. As if she’s thanking me. As if she’s finally, finally at peace.

Although Cora glowers at Vanessa, she can do nothing to change her fate. She can’t move now as the soldiers advance, instead going preternaturally still. Her eyes, changing from black to a strange, deep charcoal, dart around her, but no one comes to her aid.

Sin and Calix part, allowing Vanessa to prowl forward so she can end this.

After months of torment and loss and grief, Cora Severi is going to die. And there is no one left to protect her.

Panting, Cora forces a grin. “You actually think you’re strong enough to kill me?”

“Yes,” Vanessa says.

And that’s it. It really is as simple as that. Vanessa extends a claw, holding her head high, and—

The doors to the castle burst open again.

This time, unplanned. This time, we really have no clue who is going to walk through. My heart leaps into my throat as Vanessa stills. As Portia freezes. As Calix seems to hold his breath.

A shot rings out.

A bullet flies across the field and penetrates Kaax’s heart.

I stare at him in shock as he collapses on his knees. Blood burbles from his lips, and he claws viciously and violently at his chest. Tearing open his shirt, he reveals a bullet wound festering with… with silver.