The blade hissed through the candlelit air, spinning end over end — fast enough to split a man's throat, slow enough for Kai to see his own reflection on its steel.
He twisted.
The dagger embedded itself in the carved back of his chair with a solid thunk, the hilt still trembling. Gasps rippled down the table, but they weren't all from shock. Some had been waiting for this moment.
Velis was already on his feet, knocking his chair back with a snarl. His hand moved in a blur — a flash of steel, a dagger now in his grip.
From the opposite end of the table, Astra's chair tipped back as she stood, skirts swishing, her gaze snapping to the balcony like a hawk scenting prey. "Above!" she barked.
Kai didn't look up. His eyes were on the Queen.
She hadn't moved. She hadn't even flinched. Her fingers rested lightly on the stem of her wineglass, her smile faint and unreadable.
The shadow in the balcony shifted — and a second knife dropped, this one straight for Kai's head.
