tmosphere in the throne room. Lantis's military

the Queen, he turned and strode out of the room, his long s

shut, leaving Georgia

gh heels clicking like tiny hammers on the marble

face twisted with contempt. "You couldn't even hold on

lack trousers, her movements calm and deliberate. When she looked up, the fear

ueen was a wounded beast, lashing out with emotion rather than calculation. The chances of her noticing anything

said, her voice quiet but firm. "It's the parasites w

n her eyes-not just rage, but an unfamiliar seed of shock. She had never seen G

ge. "You insolent brat!" She raise

en's wrist in a grip of surprising streng

rous whisper. "You stripped me of my title. You cut me

Then, she turned her back on the sputtering, furious monarch

er back. "Without the family's protection, t

simply raised a hand in a di

ght, glaring sunlight. She took a deep, cleansing breath of fr

was

entified swarm of high-level beasts has breached the bo

and Preston's wa

ss of her apartment. As the city flew by outside the win

h to find another ten million. She needed a way

ace. They had thought her mad, but she had spent that time devouring every piece of information she could get her hand

trap. She remembered it all.

ed for the Imperium's hottest, and s

as

d idols, a place where full-body holographic disguises and voi

would use her knowledge-knowledge centuries ahead

s, locked herself in her study, and activated the hig

hic headset and plunged int

creen appeared. En

a moment, then

son

th a cascade of silver hair. She gave her sharp, intelligent eyes and a mouth that curved in a perpetually knowin

. Alluring

r own clear tones into a low, smoky alto

ing was

last, deep breath

ose, she pressed t

-