Shadow of Night

Back in London, Queen Elizabeth is distressed about the diplomatic incident Matthew’s behavior caused, as well as the fact he did not fetch Kelley for her. Together, they smooth things over with Rudolf’s ambassador. Matthew talks to Elizabeth alone, while Diana returns to their rooms, where she sees Kit. He invites her to tour the tilting yard.

Matthew’s sister Louisa de Clermont is at the tilting yard; Diana realizes Kit tricked her and wants her dead. Kit and Louisa think that Diana has enchanted Matthew. They compete over who gets to kill Diana.

Kit and Louisa tie Diana to a stake. She feels her firedrake familiar stirring in her chest and remembers when she was young, and she told her father about a “dragon” that lived inside of her. They begin to tilt, using Diana as a target, but her magic frees her and cows them. Annie, Pierre, Walter, and Matthew arrive. Matthew says he is not enchanted; Diana is his mate and is pregnant with his child. Louisa tries to persuade Matthew that Diana is a witch foretold in prophecy, whose child will bring about the end of the de Clermonts. Matthew orders Louisa and Kit to be imprisoned.