Throne of the Fallen

Lennox sends an oath to his game’s participants. His game has rules: players cannot use magical persuasion, and at each clue, they will have only three chances to earn the next one. 

Elsewhere, in a town called Waverly Green, Camilla Antonius, an artist and gallery owner, is fending off Lord Philip Vexley. He demands she continue to make forgeries for him, extorting her with the forgery she made of her deceased father’s famous painting. Vexley wants to marry her, but she refuses. After he leaves, a customer arrives. Captivated by the man despite the arrogance he exudes, she looks over his request for a commissioned painting.

Envy introduces himself to Camilla as Lord Ashford Synton, nicknamed Syn. He is attracted to her and surprised when she declines his commission. Camilla knows that the painting he wants is of the Hexed Throne, and knows enough about hexed objects to avoid them. She redirects him to Silverthorne Lane, where the exiled Fae live, and kicks him out of her gallery. 

Envy’s brother, the Prince of Pride, comes to gloat about Envy’s failure. He reiterates to Envy that he should court Camilla instead, but Envy stubbornly refuses. Pride reminds Envy that he now only has two more chances to convince her, per the rules of Lennox’s game.

Camilla visits her friend Lady Katherine Edward to complain about the day she’s had. She thinks of Envy just as Katherine shares gossip about his arrival. The conversation turns to Camilla’s missing mother, and she remembers how her mother told her stories of shadow realms, seven demon princes, vampires, and shapeshifters before leaving Camilla with only a locket to remember her by.

Envy returns to Hemlock Hall, the manor he acquired as a base while he plays Lennox’s game. He considers how to approach Camilla. His human butler enters, and Envy interrogates him about Camilla. He learns that after Camilla’s mother’s departure, no mother wanted their son to court her. 

The butler then informs Envy that he’s been invited to Vexley’s party. The butler gossips about how Vexley’s parties are lewd and how, despite being a self-proclaimed art collector, there are rumors he deals on Silverthorne Lane. Envy instructs him to accept the invitation.

Camilla arrives at Vexley’s party with Katherine and her husband. She plans to steal back her forged painting during the party. Envy enters the party and commands the room. He eventually finds her, and when she tells him about her job acquiring works for Vexley, Envy appears envious of their relationship. 

As if summoned, Vexley appears. However, Envy ignores him and only directs his questions to Camilla. He asks to visit her gallery that night, and she accepts. Vexley attempts to object to their meeting, but Envy insults him. Before Vexley can retort, his butler arrives to announce dinner is served.

Envy watches as Vexley parades Camilla like a prize. At the dinner table, he strikes up a conversation with Katherine, who subtly prods him about his intentions with Camilla. As they discuss her, he notes how Camilla has no family members left. 

Bored with the dinner, Envy watches Camilla try to avoid Vexley’s attention. When they are meant to retire to the drawing room after dinner, he sees Camilla hurrying toward the opposite door. He means to follow her, but Katherine asks him to escort her to the drawing room.

Camilla surreptitiously searches every room for her forgery, only to discover it hanging above Vexley’s bed. Just as she’s about to remove it from the wall and destroy it, Envy comes into the room.

Camilla tries to lie about why she is in Vexley’s bedroom, but Envy does not believe her. Sexual tension rises between them. When Envy asks why she’s after the painting, she trips and falls from the bed on Envy, tearing her gown. 

Vexley overhears them and approaches. While Envy is fine with being discovered in their precarious situation, Camilla is not, knowing she will be socially ruined by the scandal. She tries to remove the forgery again but finds it too heavy to take from the wall. Envy suggests she escape with him, and with Vexley determined to break down the door, Camilla has no choice but to go with him.

They escape onto the roof, and Camilla is terrified. Envy takes her in his arms and jumps off with her. Katherine finds them and accuses Envy of ruining Camilla, but as Vexley bellows above them, she lets them go, knowing Camilla will be ruined if they are discovered.

In Envy’s carriage, he promises not to tell anyone about the forgery as long as Camilla tells him two things: if Vexley is using the forgery against her, and if she painted any other forgeries for him. She acknowledges that he has and privately wonders if Envy will do the same as Vexley. 

When they arrive at her home, someone is waiting outside. Fearing a satire-sheet columnist, she directs Envy to the house behind hers, where they can enter with the carriage through a secret door. In the house, she reveals the secret passage her father had built between the two homes. Though she tries to dismiss Envy, he follows her.

When they make it safely into her home, Envy once again asks Camilla to paint the Hexed Throne. She refuses. He claims she owes him after he helped her escape and tries to convince her by seducing her. Tempted but angered, Camilla sends him home.

The next day, Camilla paints but finds the act difficult for once. She feels her loneliness acutely after Envy’s seduction. Vexley bursts into her gallery, accusing her of stealing the forgery. She fears he will hit her, but he demands she bring it back within the week. 

When a columnist enters the gallery, Vexley pretends as if he had only stopped by to buy a painting and then leaves. Shaken, Camilla realizes that Envy must have stolen the forgery after he left her the previous night. She leaves her gallery and notices a man watching her. Quickly, she takes a coach to Hemlock Hall.

Envy debates the best way to make Camilla paint the Hexed Throne. He only has one opportunity left to convince her. His brother Lust comes to find him and wants to attend his ball. As Envy is about to say no, Camilla bursts into the room. 

When Lust turns his attention to her, both he and Envy are surprised she isn’t affected by Lust’s power at all. She demands the return of her forgery. When she mentions Vexley’s threats, Envy is furious. He promises her that Vexley will never hurt her. Camilla tells him he cannot kill Vexley, or her father will die, too.