We stood in front of a familiar length of gold, a table which separated us from the Royals. The same seven Royals from the last trial I had attended were there: the twins of Vassily, Zelda and Ezra Thron, and the three Roslind including Audrina. The only addition was that of Darsana Thron, who sat at the end next to her relatives with an expression of anxiety on her face as she watched Audrina.

On my side was no one other than Jacobi, who had reverted back into his vampire form after several weeks of mortality. It was him who had sped this trial along with fire in his eyes. He was nothing short of determined for me to step up to my true birthright: the name of Raene and the position it would give me among the vampire society. It was this rather intimidating fact that caused such a strange and private trial to take place.

Audrina Roslind hadn’t wanted to spend another second on us in the first place. But when Jacobi had finally got ahold of her, the news she received was not pleasing from what I could discern. Then she downright refused it. And in her haste to disprove my birthright, she also required our silence. We hadn’t been informing the coterie or anyone else on what Zachary Monet had told us originally, due to Jacobi’s fragile state. We thought it might cause a bit of a ruckus initially, so we had decided to keep it between us at the moment. But when Audrina ordered us to keep silent, it made me think perhaps we should have told many people the truth in case something happened.

Despite the order, we told Darsana everything before the trial. She had disappeared almost immediately after Vincent had captured me, in case there was an attack being launched against the Headquarters. After all, her first priority had been to protect Katja and Karsten Diederich. But when she had them safe and removed, she was the first one we reached out to about my situation. While she had seemed shocked and anxious about the news, she vowed to stand for me, if only to protect someone who technically was related to her.

It was strange to think Darsana Thron, who was no doubt centuries older than me, was technically my half-niece. It hadn’t taken much to convince her that I was Eve Raene’s daughter. She believed everything made sense, down to my visions of Adelaide. Apparently, the sight is more open to the ones who share a link with you and Adelaide, being bonded to Eve before death, was able to use that bond beyond death to try to converse with me. But being that I still had yet to master the ability, many visions were still unclear to me.

Audrina hadn’t wasted too much time to demand a trial. When the Royals arrived, they wanted a secluded trial in which they ordered members of Jacobi’s Coterie in separately to ask questions as to what had occurred at the vampire hunter reservation.

I knew most of the members were confused. When Jacobi’s spirit had been suppressed by the Middlemist Red, rendering him completely mortal, they had expected the bonds of the coterie to dissipate. By claiming Jacobi, I had also claimed his coterie, and thereby acted as their temporary Master until I could feel Jacobi’s spirit rising back from the quiet slumber of mortality. Many didn’t know what it meant, that I was vampire in the first place and that I could keep their bonds together. We hadn’t eased their minds except to ask for their trust until we were able to properly explain in the future.

Still, I could remember the look on Aveline’s darkened face as she exited that secluded trial room before Jacobi and I were called in. If any member didn’t trust us, it was Aveline. We had been unable to find Xander, despite the trail of dead he left behind him. Jacobi said it was because a vampire who turned rogue due to breaking a Mate bond was more intelligent and less feral than the typical rogue. Now Aveline was like a ghost, quiet and dark as she floated the halls of the Headquarters. The only life she showed was when she spotted me, and that only in the form of anger that lit her eyes.

I partially blamed myself for her pain. My father captured Aveline and Xander specifically for me and then broke their bond just to prove something to me. I could also understand a separate pain she felt as she watched Jacobi and I walk together, our Mate bond still connected and our lips still able to find each other in the night. I could understand her pain and I knew if I could, I would find Xander to bring him back to her. But even I knew it was less likely as the days passed.

Now we stood in front of the Royals, having been the last to be called into the room. There were no Royal witnesses or straggling coterie members. It was just the ten of us. I glanced at Jacobi, who noticed and reached to tug gently at my pinky for comfort.

“Elysia Monet,” Audrina finally addressed me, her voice cold and calculating. I tilted my head in response, turning to meet her cool gaze. I could remember the first time those powerful eyes had me caught underneath them. They had been suffocating and frightening. Now, I felt as though I had grown taller, stronger, and the fear she wished to incite through me just wasn’t present.

“Audrina Fortier,” I replied casually, causing everyone on the Royal panel to freeze. In the corner of my eye, I saw Darsana smirk with pleasure. It had been her, after all, who told me to address Audrina by her mortal father’s surname rather than her Royal mother’s Roslind title. It was an offense, I knew, but if I was going to remain a Monet to her, I could very well use her paternal surname as well.

“That’s Roslind to you, Monet,” Audrina growled testily, but restrained herself from reacting any further. “We have heard from the Bryant Coterie. We have heard from Jacobi Bryant his explanation of the events you claim to be the truth. Now we’ll hear from the devil’s mouth.” The complete lack of belief that covered her tone was irritating, but the idea of casting me as a villain liar was far more effective.

“I am Zachary Monet’s daughter,” I said coolly, trying not to feel the rage her words were building within me. “I am Eve Raene’s daughter, as well. Jacobi spoke the truth.”

Audrina leaned forward, clasping her hands together with a look of utter disbelief.

“And what proof do you have? You can’t expect us to just go along with your wild tales,” She declared darkly. I stepped only a few inches forward, glaring at Audrina determinedly.

“The last time I saw you, you told me to take off my dress. Let’s not stop the tradition here,” I snapped, reaching to unzip the back of the fashionable and formal dress I had been equipped with for this trial. I shrugged the fabric from my shoulders, turning my back to the Royals. And with a swipe of my hand, my hair was no longer covering my back. A deafening silence followed as the Royals looked at the mark on my back.

The Lichtenburg figure was near identical to Eve Raene’s, even more so than before. The lines of the design were no longer just pale pink, but were vibrant and electrifying. It was the mark of Raene, something that defined my supernatural being now more than ever. My birthright was unquestionable.

“And exactly how do you expect us to believe Eve could procreate well after her years of fertility… and with a vampire hunter, at that?” Audrina asked with anger at the site of the mark. The question was obviously one that many of the other Royals wanted to understand as well, as they nodded and muttered in response.

“Simple. He used the Middlemist Red in order to turn her human,” I answered sharply, pulling back on my dress to face her before hesitating at the next fact, “… and he forced her.”

“So you admit, even if she did birth you, it was by force,” Audrina quickly said over my words.

“The act was by force, but…”

“So why should we accept a product of hunter rape as one of-“

“She wanted me!” I cried out furiously, “She still wanted me. She said I was her miracle and… and she had a vision of me centuries ago. I don’t give a fuck what you say, I am her daughter. And she was my mother more than Zachary Monet was ever my father.” I huffed, unnerved by the reaction Audrina pulled from me. I wanted to remain calm and collected, if only to keep my dignity should anything bad come from this.

“You’re saying,” Audrina leaned back, twisting her fingers through her hair with narrowed eyes, “That she was alive when you were at the reservation. Exactly how did she die again?” I glared at her, trying to push back the shame that was gnawing at my gut.

“Zachary Monet killed her,” Jacobi interrupted with a snarl, “And you very well know it. He suppressed Elysia’s vampirism for over a decade and put a bleeding mortal in her lap, one whose blood he had been feeding her in small doses for several days. Even you wouldn’t have been able to resist the hunger.” Murmurs at the description of Eve’s death rose from the Royals, but it didn’t seem as though they appeared angry or blamed me for it.

“Fine,” Audrina halted the subject with a wave of her hand, “Let’s move on, but keep in record that this… thing is claiming she’s a product of our beloved Eve Raene’s torture and rape, and that she also killed her.” I opened my mouth to argue over the observation, but Audrina continued. “Let’s talk about this bond situation.”

I hesitated, not certain of the bond situation that she wanted to discuss. It was effective in steering the conversation away from the subject of my birth and Eve’s death without allowing me to stick up for myself. I frowned, glancing at Jacobi who was refusing to tear his dominating glare from Audrina’s form.

“What situation?” I asked, turning to Audrina.

“I think you mean ‘which’, considering from what I hear you’ve been bonding left and right,” Audrina sneered, as if the act of bonding with spirits was similar to sleeping around with random people on the morality scale.

“Okay, which?” I narrowed my eyes. I wasn’t getting any younger.

“The Bryant Coterie seems altogether confused about Jacobi and you. Could you elaborate on exactly what bond or bonds you may or may not have?” The sweet way in which she spoke her words around her thick accent made me feel as though she were setting up a trap for me. I hesitated, but couldn’t think of a way around the question without downright lying.

“He’s my Mate, if that’s what you mean,” I responded carefully. There was a definite pause, though I couldn’t understand the issue.

“How scandalous. You mean to say you’re claiming to be of Royal blood and you accepted a Mate without a ritual? Obviously, you aren’t capable of the decent standards of our society that would be expected of you.” Audrina clicked her tongue with distaste. I wasn’t even sure what type of ritual she was speaking of.

“How about you keep on topic instead of trying to stir up senseless opinions? She wasn’t born in our world and she is my true Mate. The bond was accidental and occurred before she was even truly vampire. Besides, not that it matters, but we will have a ritual. I’ll be sure to send you an invitation,” Jacobi surprised me by snapping in response. He turned to me, perhaps sensing my confusion. Then he leaned over, saying quietly, “It’s just something for show, like a marriage ceremony. A Mate bond without the ceremony is just like getting eloped; it’s nothing scandalous.”

“What of the claim bond, then?” Audrina asked in a sing-song voice, her tone haughty and pleased. There was an intense silence as I processed her question. She knew. She knew I had claimed Jacobi while he was mortal. It was something Darsana had sworn to keep silent, but someone in the coterie must have admitted it despite their vows.

“I don’t understand,” I answered uncertainly.

“A particular member, Aveline Eastmund, says you claimed Jacobi Bryant. She says she thought it was to protect him as a mortal, but we all know the truth. As a Mate, Jacobi would have already been protected. After all, killing a vampire’s Mate is a severe offense. But we also know a Royal, assuming that is what you are, does a lot more than claiming if they do such a bond on a Master vampire…” Audrina’s slow smile crawled across her features as she announced what I knew was an illegal bond. I was still stuck on the fact that Aveline had told her of it. We hadn’t directly told any coterie member what I had done, but a claim was easy to feel out if you were looking for it. I hadn’t known Aveline was watching me so closely after returning from her search for Xander.

“She didn’t know it was illegal,” Jacobi said abruptly.

“But you did,” Audrina responded quickly, as if leaping to catch her prey. I could see where this was going. She was going to turn it against Jacobi if I pretended to be innocent. He would be punished and it would be a lot easier to punish a Master vampire rather than a Royal vampire.

“I did know,” I interrupted swiftly; “I knew it was illegal, but I didn’t want his coterie to fall apart. I didn’t want anyone to become rogue. So I claimed Jacobi and his coterie in response.”

Audrina clapped her hands together then, a look of satisfaction flashing across her face. She turned to her fellow Royals, waving her hands towards me as though presenting me to them for judgment.

“The bonding of Royal to Master is punishable by Death,” One of the Vassily twins stated, his voice low and rolling over the air with restrained power. I swallowed harshly at the statement, an anxiety beginning to take over me.

“We cannot kill the last surviving bloodline of Raene,” Darsana answered sharply, addressing the whole of the Royals, “Are you all mad?” There was a shifting of bodies as they turned towards one another, preparing to discuss further a subject revolving around me.

“You’re right,” The Vassily man replied after only a moment of hesitation, “She’s Eve Raene’s daughter. She bears the mark and the abilities. She’s a young Royal, as well.” Darsana seemed to leap at the last statement, as though it were a life raft in an obviously dire situation.

“She’ll be fertile for another century. Because of that, she’s protected regardless, Audrina. Unless you want us to start murdering our young?” Darsana now addressed Audrina, watching her reaction.

Audrina looked as though she’d be perfectly happy having me dead. I was clearly a threat to her leadership. The idea of my life being protected due to the preservation of bloodlines didn’t make me feel any more at ease, but it was better than being determined to be executed immediately after finding out who I was.

“You know what it means to be bonded to a Master. We can’t allow her to live with that power,” Audrina declared darkly.

“I agree,” Zelda Thron voiced, her tone lofty despite the meaning behind her words. I was so used to the sweet nature of Darsana that I didn’t expect anyone related to her to wish for my death. It was startling.

“You would have your own relative executed, Zelda?” Darsana asked, appalled.

“I don’t accept her as my relative. She’s a product of evil, born of our enemies with a mark for a mask. I believe we should eliminate the potential threat before she eliminates us. Her maternal bloodline is unfortunate, but we cannot let it be her privilege,” Zelda responded simply before looking at Darsana, “You shouldn’t let your devotion to relations blind you, grandmother. Even if you broke this law, I would choose the same for you.”

Immediately, an argument broke out among the Royals. I stepped closer to Jacobi, feeling again the fact that my life was on the line. I could feel the vibrating wave of guilty pulsing from Jacobi’s spirit, but when I looked at him he refused to turn his gaze from the panel of Royals. I knew Jacobi was wishing he hadn’t suggested I claim him. Something told me he would have rather risked the minds of his coterie over my life.

“Enough,” Audrina interrupted the argument, holding her hands in the air. “I have decided on the best solution.” She looked at me and I knew she was going to demand my execution. I wondered how it would be done, now that I was a vampire. Would it be a stake to my heart? Would I be beheaded?

“In honor of the Raene bloodline, I will spare your life,” Audrina told me, smiling at the look of surprise crossing my face. “You have three options, Elysia. Relinquish you and your future bloodline’s right to the name Raene, including the privileges that name would give you. Keep your name, Monet. Pretend you were a hunter turned by Jacobi Bryant and claim that we allowed such blasphemy to exist out of the kindness of our hearts. Claim you were bonded to Jacobi’s coterie without their knowledge, and live your life as a normal vampire…”

The idea, I could tell, was enraging to Jacobi. He wanted me to have my rights as his Maker’s daughter. I knew he hated the idea of Audrina in charge. I knew he saw her views as insulting and regressive. Some things she was planning sounded downright wrong, from the early breeding of young Royals to multiple other issues she was addressing. Jacobi saw in me a chance for change and the idea that Audrina would smother that chance bothered him more than me.

“Your second option is for Jacobi to relinquish his rights as a Master to his territory and his coterie. This means he will be required to break his bonds to his entire coterie for the rest of eternity or until you die. This would prevent you from being able to use the bond to his coterie and would dub you harmless in that effect,” Audrina paused then, “And your last option is to refuse the first two and opt for your own execution.”

“I’ll no longer be a Master,” Jacobi immediately responded, a growl rumbling in his chest at the thought. I looked at him with wide eyes. He would give up his power for me? He’d let his entire coterie, including Aveline, be released to the risk of a rogue mind all so I could keep a name that didn’t mean as much to me as it did to him?

Even if he could, I wouldn’t.

“No,” I stated, “Jacobi, no. The whole reason why I did this in the first place was for them. I can’t let you just… throw away an entire coterie just so I can prance around with the rest of the Royals.” Jacobi looked at me then, anger radiating throughout him.

“This is for them. If you give up your right, you can’t take the leadership. Audrina is poison. You could be our antidote,” He growled furiously, “It would be a sacrifice, but it would be worth it.”

“It wouldn’t,” I shook my head, “I don’t… I don’t care about their leadership. I don’t want to be any leader. I want to be with you. I want to be with… we have more important things than bickering with a bunch of pompous jerks. What about Xander? And Aveline?”

“You’re not thinking about the future,” Jacobi insisted, looking deeply at me, “You could have children and maybe they’d want to be leaders. I know… I know I can’t give children to you, but there’s other ways. If it meant the future of the Raene line… you’re not thinking clearly.” I hadn’t ever thought about having children with Jacobi… or having children at all. It was a fact that probably would mean my execution, being that it was the extension of a nearly extinct bloodline that was giving me my options at the moment. Having Jacobi think so far ahead as to a time when I’d actually want children was strange, but not enough for me to change my mind on the matter.