fallen king cuts me off, wrenching his eyes from Tyton to look back at me with all his black fire. “When you invade, which you’re planning to do,” he sneers, baring his teeth, “I’ll lead you where you need to go. Which tunnels, which paths. I’ll bring your whole army into the city myself, and set you loose on my wretched brother.”
Farley scoffs from her seat. “Into a trap, no doubt. Into the teeth of your Cygnet bride—”
“Oh, she’ll be there, no doubt,” Maven replies, waving a finger at her. Her face flushes with anger. “That snake and her mother have been planning to take Norta since the moment she set foot in my kingdom.”
“The moment you let her in,” I mutter.
Maven barely flinches. “A calculated risk. And so is this.”
Hardly convincing, even to those who don’t know him. The Command generals look more disgusted than when he walked in, no mean feat, while the newbloods of Montfort seem more inclined to skin Maven alive. The premier, usually so levelheaded, curls his lips into the rare, obvious scowl. Again he nods to Tyton, and the electricon takes one shuddering step forward.
It sets something off in Maven. He jumps out of reach, keeping his distance from all of us. The twitching returns in force, but his eyes blaze, all fire. No fear.
“You think I can’t lie through pain,” he snarls, his voice thundering through the room. “You think I haven’t done it a thousand times?”
No one has an answer for him, especially not me. I try not to react, not to give him the satisfaction of seeing an emotion from me. I fail horribly, unable to keep my eyes open. For a brief, empty moment I see nothing but darkness, and I try not to think of Maven. His words. What his life was and continues to be.
And how we’ve all suffered because of it.
I expect the others to give him no quarter. To torture what we need from him. Draw it out with lightning and pain. Will I be strong enough to watch?
Even Farley falters.
She stares at Maven, trying to read him. To weigh the risk and the cost. He meets her eyes without quailing.
She swears under her breath.
For once, he’s telling the truth.
Maven Calore is our only chance.
THIRTY
Cal
A coronation has always been in my future. The ceremonial crown is not a surprise. I turn it over in my hands, feeling the formidable weight of iron, silver, and gold. In less than an hour, my grandmother will put the monstrosity on my head. My father wore it too. He was already a king when I was born, with a different queen from the only one I recall.
I wish I could remember her. I wish the memories I had of my mother were my own, and not stories from Julian. Not the brush of oil paint instead of living flesh.
The diary copy is still locked away, hidden in a drawer at my bedside in my Archeon chambers. I’ll have to move it soon, once the king’s rooms are prepared, washed clean of Maven’s presence. I shudder at the thought. I don’t know why I’m so hesitant to lay hands on such a small and terrible thing. It’s just a book. Just a jumble of scrawled letters pieced together. I’ve faced down execution squads and armies. Fought lightning and storm. Dodged bullets. Fallen through the sky more than once.
And, somehow, my mother’s diary scares me more than anything else. I could barely get through a few pages, and even those I had to read with my flamemaker bracelet far away. Her words set me so on edge, I didn’t want to risk turning the pages to ash in my hands. The last pieces of Coriane Jacos, carefully preserved by my uncle. The original is long gone, but he was able to save this much of her.
I don’t know what her voice sounded like. I could find out, if I really wanted to. There are many recordings of her, and photographs too. But like my father did, I stay away from them. From a ghost I never knew.
Part of me doesn’t want to get up from the table here in this room. It’s quiet, peaceful, the inside of a bubble about to burst. I feel as if I’m standing on a threshold. The windows look out on Caesar’s Square, offering a full view of the chaos to come. Silvers in their house colors stream back and forth over the plaza, most of them
War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 1 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 2 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 3 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 4 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 5 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 6 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 7 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 8 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 9 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 10 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 11 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 12 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 13 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 14 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 15 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 16 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 17 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 18 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 19 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 20 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 21 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 22 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 23 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 24 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 25 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 26 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 27 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 28 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 29 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 30 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 31 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 32 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 33 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 34 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 35 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 36 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 37 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 38 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 39 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 40 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 41 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 42 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 43 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 44 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 45 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 46 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 47 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 48 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 49 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 50 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 51 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 52 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 53 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 54 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 55 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 56 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 57 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 58 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 59 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 60 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 61 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 62 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 63 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 64 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 65 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 66 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 67 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 68 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 69 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 70 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 71 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 72 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 73 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 74 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 75 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 76 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 77 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 78 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 79 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 80 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 81 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 82 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 83 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 84 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 85 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 86 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 87 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 88 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 89 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 90 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 91 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 92 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 93 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 94 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 95 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 96 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 97 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 98 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 99 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 100 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 101 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 102 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 103 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 104 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 105 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 106 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 107 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 108 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 109 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 110 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 111 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 112 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 113 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 114 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 115 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 116 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 117 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 118 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 119 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 120 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 121 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 122 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 123 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 124 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 125 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 126 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 127 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 128 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 129 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 130 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 131 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 132 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 133 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 134 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 135 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 136 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 137 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 138 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 139 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 140 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 141 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 142 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 143 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 144 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 145 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 146 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 147 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 148 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 149 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 150 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 151 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 152 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 153 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 154 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 155 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 156 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 157 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 158 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 159 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 160 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 161 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 162 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 163 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 164 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 165 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 166 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 167 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 168 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 169 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 170 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 171 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 172 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 173 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 174 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 175 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 176 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 177 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 178 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 179 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 180 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 181 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 182 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 183 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 184 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 185 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 186 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 187 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 188 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 189 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 190 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 191 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 192 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 193 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 194 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 195 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 196 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 197 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 198 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 199 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 200 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 201 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 202 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 203 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 204 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 205 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 206 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 207 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 208 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 209 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 210 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 211 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 212 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 213 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 214 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 215 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 216 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 217 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 218 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 219 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 220 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 221 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 222 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 223 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 224 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 225 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 226 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 227 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 228 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 229 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 230 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 231 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 232 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 233 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 234 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 235 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 236 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 237 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 238 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 239 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 240 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 241 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 242 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 243 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 244 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 245 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 246 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 247 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 248 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 249 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 250 War Storm (Red Queen) - Victoria Aveyard - Page 251