Caspian's POV
"Answer me, hybrid. How did you survive?"
Emperor Valorian's voice was calm. Too calm. Like a snake before it strikes.
I pressed my hand against my wounded arm. Blood seeped between my fingers. The pain helped me focus. Helped me think through the fear.
"I fought back," I said.
"Obviously." Valorian leaned forward. "But those men were professionals. Trained since childhood to kill. You're a street rat who studies stolen books. You shouldn't have lasted thirty seconds."
"I got lucky."
"Luck." Valorian smiled. It made my skin crawl. "Do you know what I think? I think you're hiding something. Special training. Secret magic. Perhaps your father taught you before he died."
My father. How did the Emperor know about my father?
"I never knew my father," I said carefully.
"Prince Aldric Drax of the Wizard Kingdom." Valorian said it casually. Like he was discussing the weather. "Executed for treason thirty years ago. Or so everyone believes."
The room spun. "You're lying."
"Am I?" Valorian pulled out a folded paper from his pocket. He tossed it to me. "Read it yourself."
My hands shook as I opened the paper. It was old. Yellow with age. But the words were clear.
Prince Aldric Drax, convicted of treason against the Wizard Kingdom, sentenced to death. Escaped custody. Current whereabouts unknown.
"My father was a mechanic," I whispered. "He died before I was born. My mother said—"
"Your mother lied." Valorian's eyes glittered. "To protect you. Because if anyone knew you were Prince Aldric's son, you'd have been hunted down and killed as a child."
I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. My entire life was a lie?
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked.
"Because I need to know what you are." Valorian stood and walked around my chair. "Are you just a lucky hybrid who happened to survive? Or are you Prince Aldric's heir with hidden power waiting to awaken?"
"I don't have any power. I'm nobody."
"Then why did the Forbidden Archives accept you?"
Everything stopped. "What?"
"The Forbidden Archives in the palace library." Valorian's voice hardened. "Ancient magic books sealed away for centuries. The door only opens for those with First Mage blood. Pure royal bloodlines." He stopped in front of me. "You touched that door three days ago. It opened for you."
How did he know that? Had someone been watching me?
"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied.
Valorian moved faster than I could see. His hand grabbed my throat. Slammed me back against the chair. The guards didn't move. Didn't help.
"Don't lie to me, hybrid." His grip tightened. I couldn't breathe. "I have spies everywhere. They saw you enter. Saw you leave with a book. Saw the ancient symbols glow for you."
Black spots danced in my vision. I clawed at his hand. Useless.
"If you're truly Prince Aldric's heir," Valorian whispered, "then you're the most dangerous person in this palace. More dangerous than my brother Cassius. More dangerous than any enemy army." He released me suddenly. I gasped for air. "And I can't decide if I should use you or kill you."
"I'm not dangerous," I choked out. "I'm just trying to survive."
"That's what makes you dangerous." Valorian returned to his seat. "Desperate people do unpredictable things. And you, Caspian Drax, are very desperate."
He was right. I was desperate. Bleeding. Terrified. Trapped in a palace where even the guards wanted me dead.
"What do you want from me?" I asked.
"The truth." Valorian's expression turned calculating. "Show me your magic. Prove you're Prince Aldric's heir. Prove you're worth keeping alive."
"I can't."
"Can't? Or won't?"
"I don't know how!" The words burst out. "I've read about magic. Studied it for years. But I've never been able to do more than make sparks. I'm not a wizard. I'm not a prince. I'm just—"
Blue light exploded from my hands.
I jerked back in surprise. The light crackled around my fingers like lightning. Bright. Wild. Uncontrolled.
Just like during the fight with the assassins.
"Interesting," Valorian murmured. "Emotional triggers. Fear. Anger. Desperation." He nodded to himself. "Just like your father."
The magic faded as quickly as it came. My hands stopped glowing. But the damage was done.
I'd proven I had power. Had proven the Emperor was right.
"So you are Prince Aldric's heir." Valorian looked almost pleased. "Hidden potential. Untrained. Dangerous to yourself and everyone around you."
"Please," I said. "I don't want power. I don't want to be dangerous. I just want—"
"What? A quiet life? To go back to your tiny room in the Shadow District?" Valorian laughed. "You married my daughter. That ended any chance of a quiet life forever."
"She hates me now anyway. Annul the marriage. Let me go. I'll disappear."
"Tempting." Valorian tapped his fingers on the armrest. "In fact, let me make you an offer. Ten million gold coins. More money than you'd earn in ten lifetimes. Take it and leave. Tonight. Never contact Selene again. Never come near this palace."
Ten million gold coins. My original payment for marrying Selene. Plus more.
Everything I'd wanted. Freedom. Wealth. A chance to study magic properly.
All I had to do was leave.
Leave Selene to face her father's anger alone. Leave her to possibly marry Lord Cassius after all. Walk away like none of this mattered.
"No," I said quietly.
Valorian's eyebrows rose. "No?"
"I made a promise to Selene. I married her to help her escape Cassius." I met the Emperor's cold silver eyes. "I'm not leaving her to face this alone."
"How noble." Valorian's smile vanished. "And how stupid. You do realize I can simply have you killed? The marriage contract means nothing if you're dead."
"Then kill me." I was too tired to be afraid anymore. "But you'll have to explain to Selene why her husband died on their wedding night. And somehow I don't think she'll forgive you for that."
Something flickered in Valorian's eyes. Surprise? Respect? Anger?
"You're either very brave or very foolish," he said.
"Probably both."
Valorian stood. Walked to the door. The guards straightened, waiting for orders.
"Most men would take the money and run," the Emperor said without turning around. "Especially hybrids who know their place. But you..." He looked back at me. "You're going to be a problem, aren't you?"
"I don't want to be."
"Too late." He opened the door. "Guards, escort our guest back to his chambers. Make sure he doesn't bleed to death on the way. I'd hate for my daughter to become a widow so soon."
The guards grabbed my arms. Hauled me to my feet. My vision swam. The blood loss was catching up to me.
"One more thing, Caspian." Valorian's voice stopped me at the door. "You refused my offer. That was your choice. But choices have consequences."
"What do you mean?"
The Emperor's smile returned. Cold. Cruel. Terrifying.
"I offered you money to leave peacefully. You refused. So now we do this the hard way." He stepped closer. "I'm going to make your life here a living nightmare. Every day. Every hour. Until you beg me to let you go."
"Why?" The question came out as a whisper.
"Because I need to know if you're strong enough to survive what's coming." Valorian's expression turned deadly serious. "War is brewing. The Dragon Empire wants the Fairy Kingdom's throne. Other kingdoms are choosing sides. And my foolish daughter just married a wild card with unknown power."
He gestured to the guards. They pulled me toward the hallway.
"If you survive the next few months," Valorian called after me, "then maybe you're worth keeping alive. Maybe you can be useful in the war." He paused. "But if you break? If you run? If you prove yourself weak?"
I looked back at him. At the most powerful man in the empire.
"Then you've chosen death, hybrid. And I'll enjoy watching my daughter become a widow."
The door slammed shut behind us.
The guards dragged me through dark corridors. My arm throbbed. My throat ached from where Valorian had choked me. Every part of my body hurt.
But worse than the physical pain was the knowledge settling in my chest like ice.
The Emperor wasn't going to kill me quickly. That would be too easy.
Instead, he was going to torture me. Break me. Test me until I either proved myself worthy or destroyed myself trying.
And there was nothing I could do to stop it.
We reached my chambers. The guards threw me inside. I hit the floor hard.
Selene's door was still closed. Still locked. She hadn't come out even after hearing everything. After knowing I'd been dragged away by guards.
She really did hate me.
I crawled to my bed. Collapsed on it. Blood soaked through my shirt.
Tomorrow would bring new horrors. New tests. New ways for the Emperor to break me.
But tonight, I was alive.
Barely.
And that would have to be enough.