The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

reminded me of how Casteel had felt when I first met him.
Her features smoothed out as she cleared her throat, lifting
her chin ever so slightly. And, frankly, it was an aweinspiring
thing to witness because I knew just how deep and
how terrible her pain was.
Casteel’s mother may never care deeply for me, and we
may never grow close, but that didn’t change the fact that
she was an incredibly strong woman, one to be respected
and admired.
“So,” she began, folding her hands in her lap, “how is it
that you and my son plan to achieve this?”
“We will offer the Blood Crown an ultimatum. They will
release his brother, agree to stop making more vamprys and
killing those who are willing to feed them, and they must
relinquish control of the lands east of New Haven to
Atlantia.” I was unsure how much of this she may already
know. “If they refuse, there will be war.”
She watched a tiny, blue-winged bird jump from branch
to branch on a nearby rose bush. “And you think that the
Blood Crown will agree to this?”
“I think the Ascended are smart, and I think they know
that their control of Solis has been built upon nothing but
lies and fear. They told the people of Solis that I was Blessed
and Chosen by the gods. And they’ve also told the people
that Atlantia was forsaken by those very same gods. I’m
sure you know what the people of Solis are told about
Atlantians—about how your kiss is a curse that creates the
Craven.” I watched her roll her eyes and couldn’t stop my
smile. “My union with the Prince of Atlantia will prove that to
be untrue. It will serve as a crack in the lies. The people of
Solis believe what they’ve been told because they’ve never
been allowed to see any other truth. We will change that.
The Ascended won’t have a choice.”
“But will it be enough for them to give up power? To
stop feeding and turning others?”