Chapter One: The Ashen Invitation

Lain’s death was not the objective. It was the spark required for war. Sound crashed back into the tower. Serena seized his wrist. “Your eyes turned gold.” “A side effect of reading too many accounts.” “I read the accounts, not you.” He withdrew his hand. A nearly invisible scale now marked his palm. Avoiding the poison would be easy. But if he refused the banquet, Cassian could kill another insignificant heir. If he exposed the wine, the conspirators would merely choose another weapon. Survival was not enough. The spark had to burn the hand that struck it. “Can you obtain the palace wine records for the last three months?” he asked. “Yes. Tell me what you intend to do.” “Learn the most important royal art.” “Which is?”