Chapter 4Nailed to the Wall, Reborn for Vengeance

I pressed my palm to the amulet and let the bone chain cut into my flesh.

Blood ran down the pendant, and the veiling curse lit up.

Power ripped backward through the dark red runes and tore them apart. When the black mist cleared, a thread of golden scent drifted out of the amulet.

It was not my blood scent, nor the scent of anyone among the Nightborn.

It carried the repellent taint of daylight.

The blood-moon lamps on both sides of the altar guttered. Several vampires clutched their wrists as red welts rose on their skin.

"A daywalker's scent..."

The Grand Elder's expression turned grim.

Nighthaven was warded by the barrier. Without the Council's leave, no one from the Daylight Church could set a single foot inside.

Yet this amulet held the lingering scent of a daywalker.

Owen spoke up quickly.

"Lady Isela may have colluded with daywalkers and planted this scent as a diversion!"

"You make a fair point."

I didn't argue. I took out the black blood crystal and set it on the blood-soaked amulet.

"So let me show you all one more thing."

The black crystal hummed, tugging at the blood of everyone in the hall.

A moment later, a sheet of parchment woven from blood mist spread open above the altar.

At its head was a sun pierced through by a long spear.

It was the secret emblem of the Dawn Society, an order within the Daylight Church.

And beneath the emblem floated lines of blood-red script.

[Use a pureblood descendant of House Vane as the key. Deliver the First Ancestor's barrier plans and the Sacred Blood Crystal's core. In return, the Dawn Society radicals will help you break the Night Veil and grant you daywalking rights and eligibility for elevation to Prince.]

The hall went dead silent.

Grand Elder Blackwood roared, "You fool! The Dawn Society radicals have no intention of living in peace with vampires! They pretend to forge you a Crown of Day that can withstand sunlight, but their real plan is to use you to break the barrier and slaughter every low-born vampire! Then they'll dispose of you and reap it all!"

Louis's face was no longer gentle.

Ellie knocked over her cup. Blood wine spilled across her skirt, but she never noticed; her eyes remained locked on me.

I turned to face Louis.

"Count Ashford, this Dawn bargain names no one. Not me. Not you."

"But a blood pact does not lie. Open the Oath Mirror, and the true signer's blood seal will show itself."

Louis's fingers curled tighter, little by little. Still fighting for composure, he let out a derisive laugh.

"Isela, to clear yourself, you'd forge a Daylight Church pact and frame me?"

"Forged or not, one look will tell."

I bowed to Grand Elder Blackwood, my voice steady.

"Grand Elder, open the Oath Mirror."

"Let the whole clan see exactly who sold Nighthaven and House Vane to the dawn."