If you resist… you will be arrested as her accomplice."
The imperial guard said it all business-like.
My stomach still dropped.
Chains.
Not again.
I stared at the guard's hands.
Totally steady. Like this was just another day.
The freaky thing was Cassian didn't rush.
He stayed put in the carriage, hand on his sword, eyes dead.
"You're on my carriage," Cassian said. "Shut the door."
The head guard didn't budge.
He leaned in, like he wanted to get a whiff of my fear.
"By imperial—"
"By whose say-so," Cassian interrupted, "did this order come?"
The guard's jaw clenched.
"Lord Chamberlain Hest," he said. "Top secret, from the palace."
Cassian's eyes flicked for a sec. Like that name meant something.
Then he looked at me.
No softness. No kindness.
Just a silent: shut up.
I swallowed and kept my hands still in my lap.
My cut finger throbbed.
The head guard looked at me again.
"Lady Seraphina Vale," he said, "hands out."
I didn't move.
My throat tightened. My palms got sweaty.
I hated how my body remembered ropes.
I hated how my chest started with the stupid fast breathing.
Cassian spoke up again. "She won't be chained."
The head guard actually laughed.
"She's accused of trying to kill the Crown Prince," he said. "The order's clear. Chains. Now."
Cassian's voice got colder.
"Or what?"
"Then we grab her," the head guard said, "and you if you get in the way."
Behind him, a bunch more gold-and-red uniforms.
Not just a couple. A whole squad.
This wasn't a random stop.
It was planned.
Cassian's fingers tightened on his sword.
My blood ran cold. I could almost see the fight.
I blurted out before I could stop myself, "Don't—"
Cassian's eyes snapped to me.
Shut your mouth.
I did.
The head guard watched us, enjoying himself.
Cassian took a slow breath.
Then he reached inside his coat.
My heart jumped because I thought he was gonna pull his sword, but he pulled out the marriage contract instead.
He held it up.
The wax seal, the wolf crest, my blood mark.
"Lady Seraphina is my fiancée," Cassian said. "It's in writing. You have to treat her like a protected noble of House Nocten."
The head guard glanced at it.
Not impressed.
"A contract," he said, like it was a joke. "Made today. How convenient."
"It's the law," Cassian said.
The head guard shrugged. "The Emperor outranks your little agreement."
Cassian's gaze sharpened. "From the Emperor himself?"
"From the palace," the guard said. "Don't act dumb, Duke. You know who's in charge."
Cassian didn't flinch.
But I did.
The palace. The Chamberlain. The Emperor's men.
They were skipping steps.
No hearing. No questions.
They were grabbing me early.
Like before.
My throat tightened.
I leaned toward Cassian and whispered, "This is a trap."
Cassian didn't look at me. "I know."
Of course he knew.
He knew everything. That was the problem. He could know and still ditch me later.
The head guard tapped the carriage door.
"Hands," he said again, voice sharp now. "Lady Vale. Out."
My hands stayed put.
I just couldn't.
I really couldn't.
My shoulders locked. My fingers dug into my skirt.
Cassian's voice cut in.
"She'll walk," he said. "No chains. To the palace. With me."
The head guard sneered.
"You're in no position—"
Cassian's sword peeked out.
Not a threat.
Not showing off.
Just enough to shut them up.
The head guard stopped talking.
The soldiers tensed.
Cassian looked at the head guard like he was trash.
"You want a scene," Cassian said quietly. "Here. In the street. With people watching. The Duke of Nocten fighting imperial men."
The head guard's jaw clenched.
Cassian added, "Or you can let her walk and save face."
Silence.
I heard someone walk by. A cart. Normal life.
It made my skin crawl. Normal life didn't stop anything.
The head guard finally said, "She walks. But you hand over your sword."
My heart stopped.
Cassian's eyes got colder. "No way."
"Then she gets chains," the head guard snapped.
Cassian didn't answer right away.
He looked at me.
His gaze dropped to my shaking hands. To my finger. To the blood.
Then he went low, just for me.
"Can you walk?" he asked.
I nodded too fast. "Yep."
"Don't run," he said.
"I won't," I said automatically, even though I wanted to run like hell.
Cassian straightened up.
He looked at the head guard again.
"She walks," Cassian said again. "I keep my sword. Try to chain her, and I cut your hands off."
He said it so calmly it made my stomach flip.
The head guard stared at him.
Then his eyes flicked to the street.
People watching.
Some had slowed down. Not close, just close enough to see and hear.
The head guard spat, "Fine. Walk."
He stepped back. "But if she even stumbles—"
Cassian moved first.
He got out of the carriage and grabbed my wrist.
I flinched.
He didn't let go.
"Get out," he said.
I climbed down, shaky.
The street air hit me. Cold. Too open.
Guards swarmed us.
Gold and red everywhere.
Like a moving cage.
The head guard barked, "To the palace. Now."
We walked.
People stared.
I kept my head down, hood up, but I felt their eyes.
Whispers started.
"Is that—"
"Vale—"
"Why is Duke Nocten—"
"Guards—"
My stomach churned.
I wanted to yell at them to look away.
Cassian didn't seem to care.
He walked steady. Like he was going to war.
We went through the palace streets fast.
Then the gates.
The guards there didn't even blink at the unit. They opened up right away.
Of course.
Inside, it got quieter and worse.
Clean stone. Clean banners. Clean air.
The kind of clean that made me want to burn my clothes.
A palace servant saw me and went white. Took off.
News travels fast.
We were led down a side hall, not the main one.
Not a public spectacle.
But plenty of people still saw.
A noblewoman with blood, hood up, surrounded by guards, held by the Duke.
I could hear the rumors already.
Poison. Affair. Treason. Whatever.
At the end, big doors opened.
I expected a dungeon.
Instead, it was a fancy waiting room.
Lamps, marble, gold screens.
And standing there like he owned the place—
Adrian.
My chest seized.
My vision narrowed.
He wore a dark blue coat, not white. Not official.
Just casual.
Like this was no big deal.
He looked tired. Pale.
He looked sick.
Not about-to-die sick.
Just sick enough to look like a victim.
He saw me and put on a gentle face.
It made me want to puke.
"Seraphina," he said, soft, like he was worried. "Thank god. You're okay."
Okay.
My fingers twitched.
Cassian's grip on my wrist tightened a bit. A warning.
Adrian looked at Cassian.
Then to Cassian's hand on mine.
His eyes sharpened.
"What's this?" Adrian said, smile still there, but weak.
Cassian bowed a little. Barely.
"I'm escorting my fiancée," Cassian said.
The room went cold.
Adrian stared. "Your... what?"
My throat closed.
He didn't know. Figures.
He made his move quick, but not this quick.
Adrian turned to me.
"Seraphina," he said slowly, "tell me this is a mistake."
A mistake?
Like my near-death was a mistake, too.
I opened my mouth.
"I'm not engaged to you," I said.
The words shook, but they came out.
Adrian blinked.
Then he smiled, too wide.
"You're confused," he said gently. "You're scared. It's okay. We'll fix—"
"I'm not confused," I snapped.
One of the people in the room flinched.
Adrian's smile froze.
Then he turned to the head guard.
"Arrest her," Adrian said, still calm.
The guard stepped forward.
Cassian stepped in front of me.
"She's under House Nocten's protection," Cassian said.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"You're stopping a royal investigation."
Cassian said, "I'm stopping something that's not legal."
Adrian looked at my hand again.
His voice stayed soft, but his eyes turned hard.
"Cassian," he said, "if you're gonna play this game, do it right. A contract engagement made this morning? With my fiancée? Nobody's gonna buy that."
Cassian pulled out the contract again.
He held it up.
"Witnessed," Cassian said. "Sealed. With our blood."
Adrian stared at the seal.
For a sec, he looked ugly.
Then he was back to being concerned.
"A fake," Adrian said. "She was forced."
My skin went cold.
Forced.
He was already changing the story.
Adrian stepped closer, still gentle.
"Seraphina," he said, "did Duke Nocten threaten you?"
I laughed, wrong.
Threaten?
I looked at Cassian.
Yeah. He threatened to kill me if I lied.
But Adrian didn't get to pull that card.
Adrian didn't get to act like he cared.
"No," I said. "He didn't."
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "You're protecting him."
I snapped, "I'm protecting myself."
Adrian stopped.
Then his voice dropped and lost the sweetness.
"You poisoned me," he said. "That's not 'protecting yourself.' That's treason."
Treason.
There it was.
My pulse hammered.
Cassian cut in, calm and sharp.
"Show the proof."
Adrian looked at Cassian like he couldn't tell if he should laugh or punch him.
"You're not the judge here," Adrian said.
Cassian said, "And you're not the Emperor."
The people in the room gasped.
Talking to Adrian like that was dangerous.
Adrian's jaw clenched.
Then he smiled, forced.
"You're right," he said. "That's why I called witnesses."
The side door opened.
A man walked in.
White coat.
Soft hands.
The royal doctor.
My blood froze.
He looked the same as before. Same calm eyes. Same stupid, gentle smile.
He bowed to Adrian.
"I have the vial," the doctor said.
Vial.
My knees almost gave out.
Cassian's grip shifted, steadier, like he noticed.
The doctor held up a small glass vial in a fancy case.
"Traces of nightshade," he said. "In the Crown Prince's tea."
Adrian sighed, like he was heartbroken.
"Seraphina," he said, "why?"
Why.
My fingers curled.
I wanted to jump at the doctor. Rip his vial. Smash it. Shove it down his throat.
Instead, I stood shaking.
Because I knew how this worked.
Fake proof shows up. Everyone nods. Everyone believes.
Cassian's voice cut in.
"Where was the tea made?" he asked.
The doctor blinked, then answered smooth. "In the Crown Prince's kitchen."
Cassian nodded. "How does Lady Seraphina get in there?"
Adrian jumped in, "She sees me in my room all the time."
I flinched.
Because it was true. Before, I did. Dummy.
Cassian didn't look at Adrian. He looked at the doctor.
"Who brought the tea?"
The doctor looked away for a split second.
"A maid," he said. "Maid Clar."
Cassian said, "Get her."
Adrian's smile thinned.
"You're making demands," Adrian said.
Cassian said, "I'm making sure this is legit."
Adrian's eyes hardened.
Then he turned to the head guard.
"Chain her," Adrian said, voice flat. "She's dangerous. Duke Nocten's gone too far."
The guard stepped forward.
This time, two more guards moved with him.
I took a step back without thinking.
My back hit Cassian's chest.
Cassian didn't move back.
He moved forward.
"You won't chain her," Cassian said, quiet.
Adrian's gaze sharpened.
"You're forgetting yourself, Duke."
Cassian said, "No. I remember exactly who I am."
The guards hesitated.
Because Cassian was Cassian.
Because he still had his sword.
Because everyone knew what he could do.
Adrian smirked.
A slow, nasty smile.
"Okay, I'll say it," Adrian said.
My stomach dropped.
Adrian looked at the guards and said, "Under my power as Crown Prince, Lady Seraphina Vale is arrested for trying to kill me."
He turned to Cassian.
"And Duke Cassian Nocten," Adrian kept going, "as the Emperor's executioner, you'll keep her locked up until the Emperor gets back."
My blood ran white-hot.
Locked up.
That word was fake.
He meant what he meant before.
Cassian didn't show it.
But I felt his chest move behind me.
One breath.
Adrian grinned.
"Take her," Adrian ordered.
The guards rushed.
Cassian's hand shot out and grabbed me.
Not letting them.
Not letting me go.
My heart slammed.
I looked up at him, freaking out.
He looked me in the eye.
Cold. Focused.
And he said, just for me, "Decide. Now."
Decide?
My brain screamed.
What kind of choice is that?
Run? Fight? Give up?
Die?
I swallowed.
I had to say it.
"Don't let them take me," I whispered. "Whatever it takes."
Cassian's fingers tightened.
Then he turned to the guards.
His voice was calm.
"Touch her," he said, "and I start slicing."
The guards froze.
Adrian smiled wider.
"Are you disobeying a royal order in the palace?" Adrian said, almost cheerful.
Cassian's hand slid to his sword.
The metal sound scratched the air.
And the doors behind Adrian swung open—
A loud voice echoed in.
"What's all the racket?"
Everyone tensed.
The Lord Chamberlain walked in.
With more guards.
A lot more.
The Chamberlain looked at me.
Then the contract in Cassian's hand.
Then Adrian.
He held up a scroll.
"By order of His Majesty," the Chamberlain said, "Lady Seraphina Vale is to be locked up right away."
My blood stopped.
He kept going.
"And Duke Cassian Nocten… you have to lock her up."
I couldn't see straight.
Cassian's sword was out.
The Chamberlain stared at it and finished like he wanted Cassian to mess up.
"Or it's treason."
Then he pointed at me.
"Grab her. Now."