The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

stationed in front of each one. Several small tables of
untouched food and drinks were situated between a handful
of seats and settees before a raised dais. The chairs were
occupied. Vonetta rose, followed by Emil, Lyra, and Hisa.
Naill was already standing behind them. None of them
looked entirely thrilled, but I could feel relief coming from
them and us. Someone else remained seated in one of the
chairs, partially blocked by—
Vonetta caught my stare and stepped aside.
Air punched out of my lungs as Tawny rose, a beautiful
sight in a simple rose-hued gown with long, fluttering
sleeves.
“Poppy?” she whispered, stepping forward as she
glanced at Vonetta and Emil. “You’re really—”
“It is my sister,” Ian cut her off, and a look passed
between my brother and her, one that might have been of
warning, but a knot expanded and tripled in my throat
because Tawny wasn’t…
She hadn’t Ascended.
I started toward her, but Casteel caught my hand.
“It’s okay,” Ian stated quietly, and the look Casteel shot
him said that he didn’t think much of anything my brother
said.
But Emil nodded. “It is.”
Casteel’s jaw worked, but he released my hand, and I
rushed forward at the same moment Tawny swept past Emil,
her mass of brown and gold curls as wild and beautiful as
ever. The moment I reached her, I wrapped my arms around
her, and when I felt her warm skin under her dress, I shook.
I trembled even harder when she curled her arms around
me, holding me as tightly as I held her, and I could feel that
she was shaking just as badly—I could also feel her
emotions. Bubbly and sugary wonder. Earthy and woodsy
relief, and the bitter taste of—
“The Queen isn’t what she seems,” Tawny whispered in
my ear as her fear coated the back of my throat. “You need