Before I can reply, she spots the crystal goblet at my plate. “Great, here’s where it’s all been hiding. Time to get properly drunk and see if that makes this occasion any more tolerable.”
I roll my eyes and lean over her toward Tomison. “The woman you’re courting is a terrible influence. You know that, right?”
Izabel looks affronted. “Courting? Him? I have no idea what you’re talking about. In fact, I’ve never even seen him before. Who is he?” She takes a deep sip of the emberwine.
“That’s not what you were saying last night,” Tomison purrs, his mouth close to her ear. “You seemed to know my nameverywell when you were screaming—”
Izabel chokes on her drink.
I hold up a hand. “Stop. I beg you. It’s like I’m hearing my parents talk about sex.”
Izabel’s laugh gets stuck in her throat. Another choke. Her dark eyes go wide, and she looks to Tomison first, panic setting in.
Then she grabs my hand, wheezing.
All the blood drains from my body.
She struggles to her feet, and Tomison and I both bolt out of our chairs so quickly they tumble over.
He puts a hand on her back. “Iz—”
The goblet slips from Izabel’s fingers and rolls across the floor, bouncing once on the stairs before shattering into a million pieces on its next impact.
She looks to me, eyes filled with terror, as she takes one step backward. Her knees give out, and she crumples to the dais. Her mouth is open, screaming without sound.
Cold panic tears through me, ice filling my veins.
“Izabel!” I shout, falling to the floor beside her, frantically searching for something I can do to help. Tomison does the same, cradling her head in his lap.
She begins to convulse violently. Foam froths up at her mouth, red from the emberwine. Or, I realize with horror, from blood.
“Get—call the wolves—” I reach out with my mind, trying to focus, hating to look away from Izabel for a second, even internally. But if Asteio is here, she can heal Izabel.“Anassa!”Through the bond, I sense as she turns and sprints in our direction, but she’s leagues away.
It’s going to be too late, I realize dimly. Whatever was in the drink—the drink meant forme—has taken over Izabel’s body.
The party continues on all around us, clinking glasses and polite laughter.
No one else sees it—how the world is ending before our eyes.
17
MERYN
Get her direwolfnow!” a voice roars. The sound rings in my ears like a bell before I realize it’s me. I’m the one screaming for help. “We need a medic! Get someone, anyone!”
Stark appears by our sides in moments, wrapping strong arms around Izabel’s legs, trying to stabilize her.
“Grigore, get the palace medic!” Stark echoes, the look on his face grim. “Anyone with medical knowledge! Come up here, now!”
I lean back as Stark and Tomison try to steady Izabel’s thrashing form. All I can do is watch in horror as Venna appears next to us, tears streaming down her cheeks as she takes in the sight of her sister.
When I glance back down from Venna’s face, I know immediately that it’s too late.
Izabel has stopped moving. Her lips are blue, still flecked with that red foam, and her dark eyes are glassy, sightless.
“No,” I whisper, reaching for her hand. It’s cold, limp. I quickly pull my fingers back, stomach heaving.
The most vibrant person I’ve ever met, snuffed out in a senseless blink.
