The guards stepped forward to take the box from her. She watched as they inspected the jewelry, deemed it acceptable, and gave it to the Ascendant.

The Ascendant murmured kind words in her language and allowed a guard to fasten the necklace. It looked beautiful against her shining, opalescent skin. So much like Rhea’s.

Rhea.

Discordia’s mind caught on the name like a pebble in a stream before it washed away again. The two Oversouls—priests to the Ascendant—accepted their gifts of orb and scepter with their thanks and a nod.

The smile Damocles gave Discordia made her freeze in place.

Her command was finished. Discordia had served her purpose. The buzzing in her head cleared.

And Eris remembered.

She had seen Damocles hide the blaster beneath the velvet lining of the box. He had let her watch as he carefully arranged the jewels on top.

Eris had delivered the weapon intended to kill the Evoli.

Stop! She tried to shout the word, but all that came out was an awful noise, more animal than human. She lunged forward to grab the box, but Damocles seized her by the arm.

Eris struggled against him, her vision clouding. The blood pulsing through her veins burned, but she clawed at Damocles. Her scream was savage.

“Say it, Father,” Damocles demanded. “Admit that after all your training, your daughter failed you. Admit it. You made a mistake in declaring her your Heir.”

The Evoli Ascendant watched with unblinking eyes. How much did she and the Oversouls feel? Had Eris’s guard been lowered enough that they could sense her fear? What did they think about sordid family secrets unleashed in the middle of a peace ceremony? Their expressions betrayed nothing.

The Archon’s gaze was sharp. His voice was so low, Eris barely heard him over the ringing panic in her mind. “I apologize for this upset, Ascendant and Oversouls. Sign the treaty, Damocles. It’s the future we must dwell on, not the past.”

Damocles’s smile was slow. The Archon had not cast him aside. Had not welcomed Discordia back with open arms. Had not made her the Heir. The realization opened something raw inside her, old wounds she’d thought had closed so long ago. She didn’t know her father could still hurt her.

Damocles slid his fingerprints across the treaty next to his father’s. In her drugged state, Eris thought they were as red as blood.

Damocles looked at Eris with triumph. “The treaty is signed. We shall have peace.”

The Evoli on the dais closed their eyes, pressing their palms flat to their chests. Even Eris could feel their relief that the bloodshed was over. The crowd burst into cheers. The clapping was only background noise as Damocles leaned closer to Eris.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Occidit rex regina,” Damocles breathed into her ear.

King kills Queen.