Whos ready to sit on theBroken Throne?
Aveyard has shared an exclusive preview ofBroken Thronewith EW.
And below, we have an exclusive excerpt from one of the new stories, Iron Heart.
Stephanie Girard; HarperCollins
Without revealing too much, it should satisfy longtime fans of the Red Queen franchise.Broken Throneis availablefor pre-order.
Excerpt fromBroken Throne, by Victoria Aveyard
Princess Evangeline.
Lady of House Samos.
Daughter of Volo and Larentia.
I am none of those things anymore.
And parts of me are.
What I lost forever.
Will you miss it?
Carmadon asks softly, taking a step forward.
I shift as he moves, keeping my distance.
My eyes crack back to his, blazing and furious.
A challenge and a shield.
Titles and crowns mean nothing here.
There wont be anything to miss.
But I feel the absence like a hole in me.
My blood runs cold.
I know what happened.
I wasnt there, but I know.
I cant stand it.
I wish I never knew.
You should be going with Ptolemus.
Carmadon is undeterred by my emotional storm, ignoring it as kindly as he can.
Its the best way to end this.
Behind me, his vines slither back over the grass, curling over one another.
I turn with my old skill, loosing the necklace from my throat.
It slices the thickest vine in two with a satisfying hiss before wrapping around my neck again.
Are you going to make me?
I ask, doing all I can to keep my voice in check.Ive already made my decision.
Will no one honor that?Will the premier?
No, Evangeline, he says quickly.
But you know Im right.
Your brother is abdicating his crown, and you should be with him when he does.
He can speak without me holding his hand.
But I mean, when he abdicates, the Kingdom of the Rift passes to you.
Even a Silver child knows that.
Everyone knows the laws of succession in my old country, or at least what they were.
Men first, and when none are left, the crown passes to a daughter.
A person born to be a pawn becomes the ruler of the board.
I would be a liar if I said I had not thought about it.
In the dark, in the quiet moments, in the space between lying awake and falling asleep.
No one could stop a ruling queen from living how she wished, with whoever she liked.
Once, the sensation was unfamiliar.
Now I feel it most days.
Thats what the letter is for, I mutter.
Just a few sentences, enough to cut me out of the life I was meant to live.
Thats hardly the same.
It wont carry the weight your voice will.
This isnt the first time Ive heard this argument.
From Carmadon or from Premier Davidson.
Even Ptolemus hinted that my presence would be helpful.
And Elane did as well.
She has a mind for these kinds of things.
It must be difficult, to give up
I cut him off, tired of this conversation.
I dont want that place, I almost shout, my voice too forceful, too loud.
I dont want any of it anymore.
Not weighed against what I have now.
Its not worth the trade.
But stillI was raised to that place.
To Ridge House, to the scarring valleys of the Rift.
Shadow and tree and river.
Quarries of iron, coal mines.
A beautiful home I will never forget.
Im not going back.
Fine, he replies, teeth clenched.
Then you’re free to tell Ptolemus that in person.
it’s possible for you to stand and watch him leave.
Have some spine, Evangeline, he adds, looking me up and down with a withering glance.
In spite of myself and my pride, I feel exposed beneath his judgment.
Carmadon is like me, and deep down, I value his opinion.
you’re able to live your own life here, so live it proudly.
Rage quickly replaces any embarrassment in me.
It licks up like flame, feeding my dogged resolve.
I almost sit back down again, petulant as a child.
When I rise, my fingers dance, sending a ring sailing through the trees.
It returns in a blink, bringing a small, red apple directly to my palm.
That isnt ripe, he says, his voice tinged with amusement.
I take the largest bite I can as I walk away, ignoring the bitter taste.
