Yet Akeylah caught the trace of a smile curling one edge of Zofi’s mouth.

“Lady D’Andros Florencia, make your proof,” the acolyte continued.

Ren mimicked Zofi, stepping forward and tithing into the bowl. Her blood hit the basin and the whole bowl lit up bright silver and hummed faintly. Just like Zofi, Ren’s gaze went hard and focused, but not on the Great Hall. On something else, something internal.

It happened fast enough that Akeylah hoped Audrina didn’t catch it. The bowl still ringing faintly, Ren stepped back into line with a nod at Akeylah.

“Lady D’Andros Akeylah,” the acolyte said. “Make your proof.”

Akeylah approached. She drew back her sleeve, and an acolyte handed her a fresh bloodletter, silver-handled and gold-plated. Made especially for ceremonial occasions.

She tithed. A single drop of blood fell into the bowl, traced down the silver basin. As it glowed and hummed, louder this time, Akeylah forced her mind away from the Great Hall, into the tithe instead.

She was getting used to working the Vulgar Arts. In a split second, she saw her sisters’ outlines beside her. Zofi, Ren, and Audrina, the latter a black thunderstorm on the horizon, although she sensed layers around Audrina’s power this time.

Her sisters’ shields, already in place.

Akeylah harnessed the Arts in her system and cast them out over Audrina. It felt the same as shielding herself, a tithe she had plenty of practice with this week. She gathered the Arts like a warm woolen blanket and wrapped them around Audrina instead of herself.

It took more concentration to shield another person. But a few beats, and Akeylah had secured the shield around Audrina’s form, knotted it tight.

Akeylah stepped back into line. Time for the finale.

“Lady D’Andros Audrina.” The acolyte extended a hand toward her. “Prove your relation, before all the Reaches.”

“Gladly.” Audrina accepted the final bloodletter. She tithed across the back of her hand, too wary of her scars to roll back her sleeves, Akeylah realized.

The bowl glowed and sang, louder than ever, and the whispers that had circulated the hall since Audrina’s entrance burst into full-blown shouts of surprise.

“Before we continue with this ceremony,” Akeylah spoke again, raising her voice over the hubbub, “many of you are aware that the past few weeks have been a trying time for our family. My father would like his throne to pass to his rightful heir, the heir best suited to leadership. To that end, we have some confessions to hear, from those who are not worthy of the title.”

Audrina grinned at Ren in particular, triumphant.

Ren stared back, impassive. She always did have the best hunting face.

Akeylah did her best to remain sober, too. She didn’t enjoy this task. But it needed to be done. “The first event I’d like to address,” she said, “is my father’s murder at the hands of Lady Audrina.”