The throne hall was already full when Seraphina entered.
Every noble who mattered was there, cloaked in silks and whispers. Golden light streamed from the tall windows, glinting off silver goblets and jeweled rings. The sound of voices softened when she crossed the threshold.
She felt every pair of eyes turn toward her.
Elysia stood beside the throne in a gown of white and gold, her smile sweet, her posture perfect. Beside her, Crown Prince Adrian looked the part of mercy and majesty, his hand resting lightly on Elysia's arm.
Lucien was there too, standing near the dais. He wore the Church's black robes trimmed with pale silver, his expression unreadable.
Seraphina walked slowly through the room, her pale blue gown whispering across the marble. She kept her head high, every movement measured. If she trembled, no one would see it.
"Lady Seraphina," Adrian said when she reached the dais. His tone was polite, distant. "It pleases me that you could join us."
"The palace remains my home," she replied. "I did not realize I required permission to attend court."
A ripple of laughter passed through the nobles. Some nervous, some amused, all eager for spectacle.
Elysia's smile never wavered. "Sister, you look so pale. The palace physicians could prepare a tonic if you wish."
Seraphina returned her gaze. "Keep it. You've always been fond of potions."
The hall went still. Even the courtiers who had been whispering stopped.
Adrian's jaw tightened. "Enough. This is neither the place nor the time."
Lucien stepped forward, his voice calm. "Perhaps it is exactly the time. There are matters of purity that the crown should never ignore."
The prince looked at him warily. "You speak as if you have something to accuse."
Lucien's eyes turned to Seraphina. "Not accuse. Confirm. Last night, the reliquary's light changed again. The Church believes an anomaly remains within the palace."
Elysia placed a hand over her heart. "An anomaly? Surely you do not mean my sister."
"I mean nothing," Lucien said. "The Light will decide that."
A priest brought forth a small crystal bowl filled with clear water and set it on a silver stand before the dais. A faint shimmer rippled across its surface.
"Consecrated water," Lucien said softly. "When blessed by the Light, it reacts to corruption. A single touch reveals truth."
Seraphina's fingers tightened around her gown. She could feel the mark on her palm stir, faint heat gathering beneath her skin.
Lucien gestured. "If the lady has nothing to fear, she will not refuse."
Elysia looked at her with feigned concern. "You should, sister. For everyone's peace of mind."
Seraphina smiled faintly. "For everyone's peace of mind."
She stepped forward. The priest bowed and held out the bowl. The water inside shimmered faintly, catching the sunlight.
As her hand neared it, the mark flared against her skin, not in pain this time but in warning. She forced her breathing steady and touched the surface.
The water turned white.
Gasps filled the hall. For a moment, no one spoke. The glow brightened, swirling with light like liquid frost, then slowly faded, leaving the water still and clear.
Lucien's eyes narrowed slightly.
Adrian exhaled, his shoulders easing. "You see? The Light finds no fault."
Elysia's voice was soft, careful. "It could mean anything."
Lucien said nothing. His gaze lingered on Seraphina's hand, where the faintest thread of silver light still glowed beneath the skin before fading.
Seraphina looked at the water, then at him. "Satisfied?"
"For now," Lucien said.
"Then may I return to my place?"
He inclined his head. "Of course. The court would not be complete without you."
She turned and walked back through the hall. Whispers followed her like the trailing hem of her gown.
"Did you see it?" someone murmured. "It glowed."
"But it faded."
"She's dangerous."
"She's blessed."
The voices tangled and blurred. Seraphina reached her seat at the edge of the dais and sat, hands folded neatly in her lap. Beneath her glove, the mark still pulsed, faint and alive.
Elias stood among the scribes at the far end of the hall, watching her with barely concealed worry. Cale was near the door, one hand on his sword, eyes scanning the room for threats that weren't physical.
Elysia leaned toward Adrian, whispering something. He nodded slowly, his gaze flickering toward Seraphina with something unreadable.
Lucien, meanwhile, stepped closer to the throne, his expression composed. "Your Majesty, the Church requests that I remain within the palace until further notice. I believe the anomaly will reveal itself again."
Adrian hesitated. "As you wish. But you are not to disturb the royal chambers."
Lucien bowed. "Of course. The Light disturbs no one who has nothing to hide."
Seraphina met his eyes across the hall. For a brief moment, she thought she saw something shift behind his calm, curiosity, not hostility. Then it was gone.
When court was dismissed, she left first. The moment the doors closed behind her, the air in the corridor felt easier to breathe.
Cale fell into step beside her. "You handled that better than anyone expected."
"Better than I expected," she admitted.
"Lucien knows something," he said.
"He suspects," Seraphina replied quietly. "But suspicion is not proof. For now, that is enough."
They walked in silence until they reached her chamber. She paused at the door. "Thank you, Cale."
He bowed. "Always."
Inside, she closed the door and pulled off her gloves. The mark was faint again but not gone. The silver ring of light shimmered softly beneath her skin.
She took the coin from her desk. It was warm.
When she held it up to the light, frost bloomed faintly across its surface, and for a heartbeat, she thought she heard a voice, quiet as breath.
Well done.
She closed her hand around it.
"Then watch closely," she whispered. "I'm not finished."
The frost melted away, leaving only the sound of her heartbeat and the echo of distant bells ringing through the palace.