The Hall of Ascendancy had been thoroughly cleaned before Kate arrived, the chains were no longer present. The seating had been rearranged to a stadium style formation, holding fifty people parallel to each other on either side of the room’s center.

Kate was escorted to stand on the circle Thane was on hours before.

Unlike traditional crowds, the vampires of the Winterblood court were absolutely silent, their eyes reflecting what little light there was from the shadows. ...