Throne of the Fallen

Envy visits Silverthorne Lane and confirms that it is filled with exiled Fae. He recalls how Prim Róis, the Unseelie Queen, abdicated her throne to cause discord and upset Lennox, leaving him and their four children to rule the Unseelie court. He finds an emerald paintbrush, which he buys. 

When the Fae merchant correctly identifies him as a Prince of Hell, Envy demands to know about Pierre, Camilla’s father, and his dealings on Silverthorne Lane. The Fae reveals that, from them, Pierre learned about the realm lines, how to travel realms, and gained a portal key. Just as he is about to press the Fae for more information, Envy is distracted by the sudden appearance of Katherine’s husband, who is causing a commotion.

Camilla prepares for Envy’s ball, dressing in the gown he gave her. He also gave her the emerald paintbrush, and she recalls her father’s last words about being good and darkness failing while she debates whether to paint the Hexed Throne. As Katherine and her husband wait, Camilla pleads for help from Pierre, who is in the Great Beyond, and receives a haunting laugh in return.

Envy surveys his ball’s attendees as he feeds off their envy. His thoughts turn to Camilla, and Lust mocks his desire for her. Envy warns Lust away from Camilla just as she enters his ballroom. He is entranced, but Vexley is faster to ask her to dance. Envy steals her away. Camilla thanks him for the dress and paintbrush but then accuses him of bribery. He nearly kisses her, but the song ends. Camilla is whisked away by Lust, while Envy must follow social tradition and dance with another woman.

As Camilla dances with Lust, he reveals who he and his brothers really are. When Camilla sees the woman dancing with Envy kissing him, she runs from the ballroom to the gardens outside. Envy follows her, warning her not to show her envy, and punctuating his warning with a gentle kiss. 

After he leaves, Lord Garrey finds her. He attempts to steal her mother’s locket and nearly kills her with his dagger, but she uses it against him, and he dies. Envy finds her with Garrey’s body. He holds her as he promises to take care of everything.

Envy assumes Lord Garrey was a player in Lennox’s game when another man, Lord Harrington, finds them in the gardens. As more people discover them alone together in the gardens, Camilla panics. Envy offers to pretend to be her betrothed to save her from the social scandal.

Knowing it is her only way out, she accepts the fake betrothal and agrees to paint the Hexed Throne in return. He gives her a ring and lashes out at the gathered men. They doubt him, and Envy ends up fighting them. After defeating them, he brings Camilla back to his manor.

On the road back to Katherine’s home, she confronts Camilla and Envy on how they met and came to be betrothed. Through a series of half-truths, Camilla dispels her concerns and accepts Katherine’s invitation for them to stay the night—much to Envy’s ire.

That night, Envy finds Camilla in her room with Bunny, her cat. He asks for a list of the possessions she will need from her home, planning to have her stay with him in his manor. They debate the propriety of her staying with him, but their feelings quickly turn to lust. Envy performs oral sex on Camilla but goes no further, much to her frustration. He disappears from her room, and she wonders if he accidentally showed her a vulnerable side at that moment.

Envy brings her to his studio the next day. She asks for tea and then asks to be left alone. Envy remembers the moment they’d shared and how he’d had to remove himself from the situation before he went further—something he wanted to avoid because of his rule that he only took a lover for one night before breaking things off. 

When she dismisses him for a second time, Envy stomps off. His brother Lust comes to mock him. Envy believes his lust for Camilla is a non-issue, as he plans to feign his death after she’s done the painting. Then he will give her his manor and dispose of Vexley. When Lust continues to needle him, Envy realizes that his brothers have a wager about him and Camilla. Lust encourages Envy to use his powers on Camilla to prove she’s different from the last mortal Envy dallied with, but Envy is determined to think only about his court.

As Camilla prepares to paint, she hears a tapping noise on the window. Frightened, she screams for Envy, but when he comes, she sees nothing outside the window. She pretends that she only needed her tea. In a huff, he leaves again, and Camilla considers her canvas. She delves deep into her power and begins painting the Hexed Throne. She feels its influence and is surprised when Envy tosses her over his shoulder and takes her out of the room. He gives her an ultimatum to paint only with him in the room.

Unbeknownst to Camilla, she painted for three days straight before Envy stopped her. He forces her to eat and sleep. As he watches her finish the painting the next day, he feels something otherworldly encroach upon his domain. When she finishes the painting, her eyes are glazed over. He calls to her, and she walks to him. The painted throne animates in fury.

A demon emerges from the painting and speaks in Camilla’s mind. He tells her Lennox will give her back her talent if she plays the game until the end. Camilla feels her essence leave her body. Distraught, she watches as the demon and Envy face off. The demon gives him the next clue, “Hush! Those goose, lose no text” (201), and Envy turns the painting into a pile of ash. Camilla realizes then that he truly is a Prince of Hell. She confronts him, but he is unapologetic for the deception. She wants to leave, but he stops her. The clue is an anagram for “House Sloth next. She goes too” (205). They argue, but Envy tells her he will stop at nothing to win the game, including forcing her to come with him to House Sloth. Camilla bargains for time to prepare, which he grants.

Envy’s servant Alexei finds him and reports that two-thirds of his court has been lost to the memory fog. Envy instructs Alexei to watch over Camilla while he momentarily returns to his court. He finds it empty but he hears wailing from the room of Lord and Lady Casius, two high-ranking nobles. 

When he enters, Lady Casius does not recognize him. Her husband lies dead beside her. Steeling himself, he finds their three children dead by her hands, too, as she screams and demands to know who sent the babies to kill her. She then has a moment of clarity and takes in the death of her family. She dies by suicide before Envy can stop her. He forces himself to take their bodies to be laid to rest with the other members of his court who have died.