Page 126 of Hunger & Harmony

Sancte Noctis’ balancing act is over.

The air of Mount Umbra is thick with tension and iron. Dozens of guards line the steps, forming a barrier. Not for outsiders.

We’re not stopped as Ezren hurries me inside. My eyes sweep over the entrance’s narrow antechamber. What was once cold and then warm is now nothing and both at once. Fragments of golden light and flowers clash with frigid stone and harsh silence. Our footsteps echo as we rush past more guards.

Hours feel like lifetimes. Ezren hasn’t explained much yet, and the ache in my chest festers. My legs are burning, and every part of me is exhausted. I’m only running off adrenaline and desperate hope.

“She’s the only thing I could think would help!” Ezren exclaims when we cross into the main hall, finding Ryel walking towards us.

The man’s perpetual scowl has been traded for a somber frown. He nods, not protesting me as we slow to a stop.

“The Royal Physician is tending to him,” Ryel says, and I double over, barely able to breathe.

The Vox Crown looms above us, dim and hollow in its recessed chamber. I want to collapse, cry, and run to Niko all at once.

“How is he?” I whisper, taking a breath when Ezren rests a hand on my shoulder.

“Not good,” Ryel admits before he quickly says, “But not irreparable.”

“Has the silver spread?” Ezren asks, and Ryel nods grimly. “Fuck.” He glances at me as I anchor a hand on my thigh. “The alchemy of Hunters. They reinforce their blades and bullets with ash wood and silver.”

Ash wood is lethal to vampires, and silver is their deadliest poison. Even a pureblood king can’t push aside the effects of a direct attack.

Tears flood my eyes. While he didn’t say much more, Ezren already told me it wasn’t the Order directly. It was an internal betrayal: vampires.

Does that mean a faction of the Midnight Court is working with their own enemy? Ice runs through my veins. Who can we even trust anymore?

“What about Sel?” he asks next, and my heart plummets.

“What happened to her?” I ask, and Ryel lowers his head.

“She intervened.” His voice drops to a whisper. “She saved his life, but not without cost.”

I clutch my thundering heart. Not only the king, but his most loyal knight. My lips wobble, and I bite them harshly to contain myself.

“I believe she’s with Cass,” Ryel continues. “Make haste.”

Ezren and I don’t hesitate to follow him. My senses dull, and I rasp on every breath as we walk through the halls, torn between the before and after. Is this the bond fraying? Nothing feels broken. More like a thread before it snaps, ice before it cracks.

I can’t think about the worst. Trying to stay in the moment, I hold on to Ezren’s arm as we cross into an infirmary.

We pass through a modest room of beds and soft lighting. Thankfully, most are empty, save for the few resting. Given the nature of vampires, it makes sense that there isn’t much in the way of medical care.

Which makes it harder to enter a private room and realize Selene is here. This room is still affected by my blood, the fireplace roaring golden, and the sweet perfume of flowers mixing with metal.

At the far end of the room, a bed with white sheets and dark wooden posts draws my attention. Especially the two people there. Silver hair spills down Cass’s back, and it’s then that I see Selene pressed into his neck.

I pause, holding Ezren still, too. A moment later, she pulls away from Cass, lips swollen and fangs bloodied. He holds her close as her tongue turns wounds into scars.

“Should we come back?” Ezren asks, and I nudge him to hush.

Cass turns to us and adjusts his glasses.

“No need.” His eyes find me. “I would like to speak with Cadence, though.”

“Aren’t we seeing Niko?” I whisper, and Cass nods shortly.

“Before that, please.”