The media believes they have uncovered all the royal scandals about the "killer princess," but there is one game-changing secret remaining that will take the crown in the final book of the Royal Blood series, which Jennifer Lynn Barnes calls "a darker Princess Diaries." Evangeline Bright has only one shot to prove she isn’t a traitor: by finding the real mastermind behind the plot that almost killed her father, the King of England. With the help of Kit, her steadfast boyfriend, Evan must find a way to outsmart the real threat to the throne no matter the cost, because the deadliest enemy the monarchy has faced in over a century is back with a vicious vengeance. And Evan soon uncovers the reason why. A scandal so huge that if it ever becomes public, it will tear the monarchy apart. To protect her loved ones, Evan must silence her enemies for good—because if the truth gets out, it won’t just shatter the monarchy. It’ll shatter Evan’s entire family. Aimée Carter is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the award-winning author of more than a dozen books, including the series Royal Blood, the Goddess Test, and the Blackcoat Rebellion, as well as the Simon Thorn series for middle-grade readers, now a #1 internationally bestselling series under the titles Animox and Die Erben der Animox. Chapter One RAVENS MISSING FROM THE TOWER Three of the seven ravens residing at the Tower of London have mysteriously vanished, leaving fewer than the six required ravens inside the historic fortress. Ravens Bronwen, Chester, and Phillip never returned to their aviary last night, according to Jacob Johnston, Ravenmaster of the Yeomen Warders, and after an exhaustive search of the grounds, the birds are presumed missing. While this isn’t Phillip’s first taste of freedom—he famously disappeared from the Tower in May 2018, only to be found a week later perched atop a pub a quarter mile away—mated pair Bronwen and Chester aren’t known for their wanderlust. “It’s ominous, isn’t it?” says Katie Mayburn, owner of the nearby Teapots and Treason Café. “Everyone here knows the legend—that if the ravens ever leave the Tower, both Great Britain and the Crown will fall. And with His Majesty in a state and the entire royal family hiding in Scotland . . . well, we can’t blame the ravens for seeing the signs, can we?” One might agree that it is indeed yet another blow to both country and monarchy, after the 12 January bombing of the Modern Music Museum in London that killed eight and critically injured His Majesty King Alexander. Though MI5 has arrested several alleged members of the Army of the British Republic, the antimonarchist group claiming responsibility for the terrorist attack, the royal family, including heir apparent Crown Princess Mary; Queen Helene; Prince Nicholas, the Duke of York; Prince Benedict of York; and the Queen Mother, have all reportedly taken refuge at Balmoral Castle until ABR leadership has been apprehended. One royal-adjacent notably missing from Scotland is Evangeline Bright, the eighteen-year-old illegitimate daughter of His Majesty and American artist Laura Bright. Evangeline, who was named a co-conspirator in the bombing by the unknown head of the ABR shortly after the attack, was reportedly not invited to Balmoral due to security concerns. She and her boyfriend of seven months, Christopher Abbott-Montgomery, Earl of Clarence and nephew of the Queen, were also photographed with a suspected member of the ABR in the weeks leading up to the attack, lending credibility to what royal insiders have attempted to dismiss as a preposterous claim. Though Bright has yet to be arrested or charged, she is allegedly under investigation by MI5 for her suspected involvement in the attack. While Lord Clarence has returned to Oxford for the new term, Evangeline, who has spent the past eight months straddling the line between commoner and royal, hasn’t been seen in public since the bombing. Sources within the palace report that she has fled to the United States, and after the endless trail of trouble she has caused in her short time in Britain, no one expects her to return, even as His Majesty’s life continues to hang in the balance. The Ravenmaster has offered a substantial reward for the safe return of the missing ravens. —The Daily Sun, 31 January 2024 Someone is following me. The steady thud of their footsteps echoes against the cobblestones, and I shove my hands deeper in my coat pockets as I hurry through the tunnel. My knit hat is pulled down to my brows, and my scarf is wrapped around the bottom half of my face, leaving only my eyes exposed to the January chill. No one should be able to recognize me. And yet— Thud, thud, thud. Maybe I’m imagining things. I have plenty of reasons to be paranoid, after all, and Oxford isn’t exactly a ghost town in the middle of term. Maybe we’re just headed in the same direction. Maybe— “Oi!” calls a deep male voice, and the footsteps grow louder. “Wait!”