Where Shara sits.
Our arms are pinned to the table. We are one. We cannot move. We cannot speak.
Penelope throws her tiny body at Basilia and bites her hand, shaking like a vicious little terrier. Basilia drops the knife with a curse.
“We charge Basilia Gorgos with failing to uphold her duties to the Mother,” the Speaker said. “What is Skolos’ answer?”
Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.
“The Skolos Triune declares Basilia Gorgos guilty. We expel her from her Skolos seat.”
Leaning down to scoop up the knife, Basilia whispers into our ear. “I’m not Skolos.”
The knife descends toward our arm. Our wrist. Steel glistens in the red glow of the Mother’s blood.
And bounces off the golden snake wrapped around our wrist.
All our Blood surge toward the table. Our alphas. Our best killers. Our kings.
They know our danger now.
Kill one queen seated at the table and kill them all.
Undina’s alpha falls. A Gorgos blade in his heart.
We scream, “Iason!”
Shara’s Blood bellows a murderous roar. Something pops up inside the circle. A red and green scarab.
We smile.
The first blood circle detonates, an explosion that knocks Blood to the ground and cracks the transparent windows of the chamber. Undina’s circle is gone. Outer to inner blood circle in the reverse order in which they were laid. One by one by one.
It takes time.
Time we don’t have.
Snarling, the silver wolf crouches at the edge of the remaining two blood circles. Straining to shift the resonance so he can pass through. But two harmonies object to his shift. He cannot unite the resonance to his. He cannot pass. Yet.
“We were careful with the wording as House Isador passed into the nest,” the Speaker said.
All Isador Blood may enter our nest. But that won’t help them cross the last two blood circles.
We need time. We need our miracle. Say it.
“We need time,” the Speaker said. “We need our miracle.”
Basilia slashes at our throat. “Die, you fucking bitch.”
The knife bounces off the golden collar on our neck.
We feel Shara’s Blood coming through our nest. The sky’s black with wings. Undina’s Blood race down the spiral pathway, leading the way.
We see the Triune Executioner dancing from side to side. Bodies fall. No Gorgos Blood remain inside our nest.
Leviathan blasts flames at the remaining circles. Xin gnaws at the coral floor, tearing his gums. They cannot pass.
Nightwing Starlight flies up out of our hair and stabs her beak into Basilia’s eye, her talons ripping at her face.