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"Why are we not h the tunnel "We grow impatient to shred Levana and her court into tiny, bite-size pieces We will suck the marrow from their bones and drink their blood as if it were fine wine"

Iko fixed an unco they’re on our side"

Eighty

Wolf had been straining throughout the coronation cerele to control his hunger, but he felt like it was gnawing at hiiven hied on A thousand scents filled his nostrils Every Earthen Every Lunar Every guard and every thauh that he couldn’t help but envision sinking his teeth into their flesh, tearing theirhier than his ravenous hunger was the fear of what the thaue would do to him if he ony again The knife-sharp pain that shot through every muscle and ripped at every tendon

His mouth watered, but he sed the saliva back He did not move

His attention locked on the queen Already Emperor Kaito had knelt before her and accepted the Lunar crown and the title of king consort, to enthusiastic applause, although by the e a vial of poison

Noas the queen’s turn

The emperor raised the crown of the Eastern Co on the political power held by this position, the obligations and duties, the honors and expectations, the symbolism and history contained within that hunk of loith anticipation Her lips tre on the crown as Kai turned toward her

Wolf sed anotherof any of thee that she was his mistress and his enemy She had commanded that Wolf be taken from his family She had ordered that he becoes tortured him

He would devour her heart if ever he had the chance

"Do you swear," said Kai, "to govern the peoples of the Eastern Coenerations of past rulers, to use all the power bestowed on you to further justice, to be hts of all peoples, to respect the peace between all nations, to rule with kindness and patience, and to seek the wisdom and council of our peers and brethren? Do you pron as empress of the Eastern Commonwealth, before all the witnesses of the earth and heavens?"

She atching the crown, not the emperor "I do," she breathed

Kai’s expression was dark He hesitated, holding the crown aloft His ar

Wolf watched as Kai forced himself to set the crown on Levana’s head She shut her eyes, her expression tantaiven to me by the citizens of the Eastern Commonwealth and our allies in the Earthen Union, as the emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth, I do proclaim you--" He paused Waited Wolf could hear the hope shriveling inside hiht he understood the temptation to wait a second more, one second more …

The second passed, and Kai set his face in stone

"--Empress Levana of the Eastern Commonwealth From this day until the day that one or both of us shall die, you are my wife and I will share with you my throne"

His voice cracked on the last word Kai tore his hands away from the crown as if it had burned hi fro the somber, sacred affair into a cacophony of noise Levana stood Ar the torrential praise of the Lunar aristocrats

Before she could speak, the triumphant cheers were interrupted by a shrill screech, the sound stabbing at Wolf’s ears like needles burrowing into his brain He crouched down, snarling The audience cowered The noise erupted from everywhere at once