[Haldor’s POV—Silver Ember Lodge—Upper Floor—Continuation]
The wooden stairs creaked softly beneath our boots, not loud enough to warn, not quiet enough to forget.
Zerith moved behind , close—but not too close. I could feel his awareness, sharp and alert, like a blade waiting for direction. The corridor above was dim, lined with closed doors and the faint scent of incense mixed with foreign spices.
The two Astreon n stopped at the last door on the right.
One of them murmured a spell under his breath, not Elorian, not even temple magic.
Sothing colder.
The door unlocked without a sound; they slipped inside.
I waited.
Three breaths.
Four.
Then I raised my hand slightly, Zerith nodded and we moved.
I pressed my ear to the door and their voices ca out in whispers, "...We should start acting."
"...Yes, we should. The festival is close."
"...And before anyone finds out about us, before the Crown Prince and crown princess starts moving."
Those words echoed in my head, and that was when I understood.
Whatever they were planning—It was not small, It was not delayed, and it was not distant. It was ant for the Lantern Festival.
Tonight was not just a eting; tonight was the last door before disaster.
I glanced at Zerith and gave a single nod. He understood. We moved deeper into the lodge, toward the darker corridor where the servants rarely passed.
Zerith broke the silence, his voice low. "Do you think they are truly planning sothing dangerous?"
"I don’t know," I replied honestly. "They may be. They may not be; we cannot accuse them like this."
He slowed his steps and looked at , "Are you perhaps hesitating, Captain?"
I stopped.
"What?" I turned sharply.
His eyes were different now. Not playful, not curious. It was suspicious.
"Are you hesitating," he repeated quietly, "to kill your own people? Don’t tell , Captain... that you would go against the empire just to protect your own father’s ass and your Astreon blood—"
"CLONAL ZERITH." My voice did not rise, but it cut.
He flinched as i stepped closer, my gaze hard, unblinking.
"You are crossing your line," I said coldly. "You accuse and my father because of blood alone? Because Astreon is now labeled an enemy?"
My jaw tightened.
"My father loved an Elorian woman. I was raised in Eloria. I bled for this empire before I ever knew I had Astreon blood." I leaned closer. "So do not dare question where my loyalty lies."
His fingers twitched.
He lowered his head. "I apologize, Your Highness. I was just—"
"You were afraid," I cut him off calmly. "And fear makes people speak foolishly and might choose my half-blood empire?"
He nodded slowly. "Yes. I was afraid... that you might choose Astreon over her Highness."
I exhaled slowly and ran a hand through my hair.
"You are wrong," I said quietly, and I looked straight at him. "I will never betray this empire."
Then, softer but sharper—"And I will never betray my wife."
Silence settled between us and then he lowered his head, saying, "I get it."
I turned toward the closed doors ahead.
"We watch them," I said. "We find out which noble is helping them. We expose the hand behind the curtain."
Zerith nodded. "And after that?"
My eyes did not leave the door.
"After that," I replied evenly, "we either arrest them... or we end them where they stand. Everything will depend on the situation."
He stared at for a long mont, not shocked, not afraid.
Understanding.
I finally looked back at him.
"I love this empire," I said. "And I have two reasons to love it Zerith."
He waited.
"It gave a life, and it gave a life...My Lavinia." My voice hardened. "So anyone who tries to burn this empire... burns with it."
Zerith straightened as he realized the truth behind my eyes and smiled faintly, saying, "Then I stand with you."
I nodded once and together, we stepped forward—
Not as knights.
Not as shadows.
But as n who had already chosen which blood they would protect. And whose blood they would spill, if necessary.
Yet—A bitter truth settled inside .
Zerith.
The man who had trained beside , bled beside and stood shoulder to shoulder with when death had no na.
Even he had doubted , not because I had changed, but because my real blood had been found. And that realization hurt far more than any blade ever could.
If he could question my loyalty so easily... What would happen when the empire knew?
When the nobles whispered? When did the common people count my blood before my deeds?When every victory I earned was asured against where I ca from, not who I was?
I kept walking, but my mind no longer followed my steps.
Is this what the crown feels like?
A weight not only of power... but of suspicion.
A world where every silence is judged, every hesitation dissected, and every breath asured for betrayal.
Is this how my future will be?
Where love will be called weakness. Where loyalty will be called strategy. Where even standing still will be called a decision.
I realized then—The crown does not sit on the head.
It sits on the soul.
It teaches you that even when you choose right, you will still be questioned. Even when you protect, you will still be doubted. Even when you love, you will still be watched.
I glanced at Zerith walking beside .
His back was straight.
Hissteps weres firm.
But I could feel the distance between us now—not in space...but in belief.
And I understood. From this mont forward, my loyalty would no longer be sothing I owned. It would be sothing I had to prove.
Again, and again, and again.
I clenched my fist slowly.
If this is the weight of the crown...then I would carry it.
Not for Astreon, not for Eloria, but for the woman who trusted when the world would not.
For Lavinia.
For the empire she would rule, and for the man I refused to let suspicion turn into a traitor. I lifted my gaze back to the corridor ahead.
The night felt colder.
The shadows are longer, but my resolve... Had never been clearer.
Because I now knew—The battle ahead was not only against enemies. It was against the doubt that lived inside the empire itself.
And I would win that too, even if it cost everything but her.
***
[Lavinia’s POV—Imperial Palace—My Chamber—Sa Ti]
A soft tap-tap touched the glass.
I turned toward the balcony just in ti to see a ssenger bird tilting its head impatiently, as if offended that I hadn’t opened the door fast enough.
"Alright, alright... drama queen," I muttered, walking over.
The mont I untied the letter from its leg, it fluttered away like it had just completed a sacred mission.
I opened the parchnt.
Haldor’s handwriting is neat. Controlled. Annoyingly calm.
My eyes moved quickly over the lines—every detail, every movent, every suspicion. Astreon. Zerith. The lodge. The n. The festival.
I sighed and dropped onto the sofa dramatically.
"Why doesn’t he just kill them and co back?" I complained to the ceiling. "Tracking, listening, waiting... honestly, he has beco too patient after marrying . I liked him more when he was reckless."
I read the letter again.
Then again.
Then once more, slower.
"...Tch," I clicked my tongue. "He even writes like he’s apologizing for breathing."
I leaned back, stretching my arms over my head.
"I got too used to him," I mumbled. "This is unfair. How am I supposed to sleep without his warm, stupidly heroic presence beside ?"
I rolled onto my side, hugging a pillow.
"This pillow is not him. It does not sll like steel and soap and stress." I buried my face in it. "...And it does not hug back."
I turned my head and stared at the ceiling.
"Haldor Valethorn," I whispered, half annoyed, half aching, "you better co back alive or I will personally resurrect you just to scold you."
I sat up suddenly.
"And who told him to act all responsible and noble? I married him to be dramatic with , not to leave alone in a giant palace with nothing but paperwork and pillows."
I folded the letter carefully and pressed it against my chest.
My voice softened.
"Be careful," I whispered. "I’m not done loving you yet."
The room felt too quiet.
Too big.
Too empty.
I stood up and walked toward the balcony, looking out at the sleeping city.
"You know," I murmured, smiling faintly, "for a tyrant empress... I’m ridiculously weak when it cos to my husband."
I exhaled slowly.
"Co back soon, Haldor." Then, with a soft, stubborn little smile— "Or I will co and drag you back myself."
The moonlight spilled across the floor.
And sowhere in the city, I knew—He was walking beneath the sa moon.
Thinking of the sa empire. And, hopefully...Missing just as badly.
Reviews
All reviews (0)