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He twisted the heartblood dagger inside Stellan’s chest.
Stellan made a low sound and arched against the chains. Red light shot across the floor towards the freed guards. It hit them at the knees and threw all three backwards.
Lenora stayed upright and drove the seal blade into the floor, using it to hold her position while Adrian’s command pushed against her.
“I can’t reach him,” she shouted. “The dagger’s feeding from Stellan’s restraints.”
“Then stay back,” I said.
“Bryony, don’t.”
She knew what I was considering. Stellan did too, because we’d made this plan before the gate came down. The Crown might be the only thing powerful enough to turn Harrowmere against Adrian. I could use it long enough to free Stellan, and he would stop me if it began turning me into Cecily.
It had sounded dangerous in the royal rooms and looked bloody stupid from here, but it remained our only plan.
Edith had warned me never to let Adrian put the Crown on my head. She had chosen those words because Harrowmere cared about the hand that lifted it, not the pressure behind the act. Adrian could cut us, chain us and make every other choice lethal, but if I placed the metal myself, the court would call it willing.
That loophole wasn’t freedom.
Stellan said my name. I met his eyes while Adrian kept the blade near his heart.
“Don’t let him decide for you.”
“He isn’t. We planned this together.”
His jaw tightened as he gave me one hard nod. He didn’t like the risk, and that was all we had time for.
Adrian lifted the dagger out of Stellan’s chest. Blood welled through the torn shirt, dark and thick. The black blade had gone in above his heart, but there wasn’t much room left for another mistake.
Adrian rose without releasing the chains and reached for the Crown again. Harrowmere struck him before his fingers touched it.
The floor bucked as stone split between his boots and white fire raced over his hand. Adrian hit one knee. His skin smoked, but he laughed.
The Crown drifted back to my side.
“The house won’t let you do it,” I said.
“It won’t let me crown you.” He looked up at me. “That doesn’t mean you’re safe.”
He seized the chain around Stellan’s throat and pulled.
The red links contracted. Stellan’s head struck the floor as the chain crushed his windpipe. His hands closed into fists, but the restraints held his arms wide.
I went for Adrian.
He drew the dagger across my path. I stopped before I ran onto the blade.
“Choose,” he said. “Lift the Crown, or watch him choke while Lenora bleeds herself dry trying to cross my command.”
Lenora had dragged herself to the bottom step. Blood ran from her palm around the seal blade’s hilt. Behind her, the freed guards struggled to stand under the red pressure filling the room.
The Crown waited above my shoulder.
I could feel Stellan’s pain through the bond, along with the savage urge to fight. None of it formed words. None of it had to.
He’d trusted me with the dagger over his heart. Now I had to carry out my part.
I stepped away from Adrian and towards the Crown.
