Lady Seraphina, Soren said in this almost kind way, I can smell fear, come out already.
My skin felt so cold right there under the curtain, like ice spreading fast.
I gripped that scroll case hard in my hands, crushing it, as if it could somehow keep me safe.
But it really could not.
His boots shifted just in front of where I hid, so close.
One more step and he would pull the fabric away without thinking twice.
Maris kept her voice sweet, maybe too sweet for the moment.
You are very rude for a palace errand boy, she told him. Do you even know whose home this is.
Soren let out this soft laugh, like he found it funny.
I do, he replied. That is exactly why I am here.
The Nocten soldier by the door stayed quiet, not saying a word.
I heard his knife slide just a bit in the sheath, that small sound.
Soren's boots did not move at all.
He waited there, patient.
It felt like he knew I would give in first, break the silence.
My lungs started to burn from holding my breath so long.
I could not keep it up anymore.
I took a shaky breath in.
Soren clicked his tongue then, like he expected it.
There, he said. See, that was easy.
Maris snapped back at him, stop sniffing around my curtains like some dog.
His voice went gentle again, but it sounded fake, all pretend.
Lady Maris, he said, if you obstruct an imperial search like this, you will end up joining her on the platform.
That word, platform, made my stomach flip over.
He said it casual, like everything was already set up that way.
I bit my lip hard.
I had to think, think right now.
If he found the scroll case, we would lose the only real proof we had.
Running out now, they would just grab me in the street, no chance.
Staying hidden, he would pull the curtain anyway, no doubt.
Maris had told me what to do in this spot.
Bite it open, swallow the strip inside.
My throat tightened up at the idea.
I did not want to swallow paper, act like some crazy criminal.
But if they could not take it from me, they could not erase it either.
My fingers shook bad.
I slid the scroll case up toward my mouth.
And I hesitated there.
Because swallowing it meant I would lose it too, how could I show the proof if it was stuck inside me.
Then it hit me, my brain snapped to it.
Not lose it, just delay for now.
I could get it back later, if I managed to live through this.
If I did not live, well, nothing would matter anyway.
A boot tapped the floor nearby.
Soren sighed, like he was tired of waiting.
I do not have all day, he said. The Duke is being processed right now. His Highness wants this done.
Processed, that word landed like Cassian was just livestock or something.
My chest tightened more.
I wondered if that was true, or maybe a lie just to drag me out.
Maris's voice shifted, still sweet but with a sharp edge underneath.
Soren, she said. I do not know who you think you are.
I am the man holding the warrant, he cut in quick. And the man who knows your leverage.
Silence fell then, heavy.
He knew about Maris's leverage, how did he even.
My fingers went numb in my hand.
Soren added it light, like nothing, I also know you are hiding something for House Nocten. So lets not get dramatic about this.
Maris did not answer right away.
I heard her inhale, sharp.
It was decision time now.
I bit into the scroll case, hard as I could.
My teeth cracked the thin seam, and the taste of wax and old paper hit my tongue all at once.
I fumbled frantic, yanked the inner strip out.
It was tiny, rolled up tight.
I stared at it for half a second maybe.
Then shoved it right into my mouth.
It stuck to my tongue, gross.
I swallowed.
It scraped down my throat, like swallowing a lie or something.
My eyes watered from it.
I covered my mouth with both hands, so I would not cough and give it away.
I swallowed again, forcing it down.
Done now.
My stomach turned over, bad.
I wanted to gag, it felt awful.
But it was inside me, not in their hands.
Soren's voice came closer, too close.
My lady, he said soft, you are not clever, just loud.
Then the curtain moved, his hand grabbed it.
Pulled it back.
Light hit my face sudden.
I blinked fast against it.
Soren crouched down a bit, to look me right in the eye.
He was young, clean shaven, with a mole near his mouth.
That infirmary badge looked like a joke on him.
His eyes flicked to my hands, then my mouth quick.
His smile got wider.
Aw, he said. You hid like a child would.
Maris's voice snapped out, touch her and you will regret it.
Soren did not even turn his head.
He spoke to someone behind him instead.
Take her, he said.
Hands grabbed me then, two imperial guards, one on each arm.
My skin crawled under their grip.
I yanked back, but it was useless.
Do not, I gasped. Do not touch me.
Shut her up, one guard muttered low.
My stomach lurched up.
A cloth came up toward my face.
I twisted hard and bit down.
Not on the cloth though.
On the guard's hand.
He screamed, jerked back fast.
Blood burst on my tongue, warm.
Good, that felt right.
I spat it out.
Soren laughed, like I was putting on a show for him.
She bites, he said. How adorable.
Maris moved then, fast.
Something smashed, a jar breaking maybe.
A sharp smell punched into my nose.
Herb smoke, bitter stuff.
The guard near her coughed hard.
Soren stepped back, looking annoyed now.
Lady Maris, he warned. Do not.
Maris hissed it out, get out of my home.
Soren's smile died right there.
He nodded once.
Then said it very calm, but ugly, arrest her too.
Maris froze up.
What, she snapped. You cannot.
Obstruction, Soren said. And conspiracy with a traitor. It will stick.
It will stick, that phrase hit me.
My chest tightened again.
That was the whole game, not about truth, just what would stick and hold.
Two guards moved toward Maris.
The Nocten soldier lunged right between them, knife out.
Back, he snarled at them.
One guard drew his steel quick.
Soren lifted a hand, lazy like.
Kill him, he said.
No pause, no nothing.
Like ordering tea or something normal.
The guard swung.
The Nocten soldier blocked it, knife scraping on sword.
Metal shrieked loud.
Maris grabbed something off her table, hurled it.
Powder exploded everywhere.
The room filled with this choking cloud.
My eyes burned right away.
I coughed, tried to twist away, but the guards held me tighter.
Soren's voice cut through all the coughing.
Get her out, he ordered. Now.
I kicked, elbowed, tried to stomp on their feet.
One guard slammed my shoulder into the wall.
Pain flashed through me.
My vision went white for a second.
When it came back, Soren was right there in front of me.
Too close, way too close.
He leaned in, voice low.
You swallowed something, he murmured.
My throat tightened bad.
I forced a blank stare at him.
I swallowed your guard's blood, I spat back.
Soren's eyes narrowed a bit.
Then he smiled again, smaller, meaner.
I will have the physician cut it out of you, he whispered.
My stomach dropped hard.
Physician, cut it out.
I jerked, panic climbing up my spine.
Soren straightened up, raised his voice.
Search her, he said. Boots. Hair. Sleeves.
A guard reached for my boot.
My breath caught.
My dagger was gone already, planted on Clar earlier.
So nothing in there.
But my pockets.
Nothing really.
Just the ring.
The guard grabbed my left hand, yanked it up.
The Nocten ring caught the light.
He frowned at it.
Sir, he said. She has Nocten's seal.
Soren clicked his tongue, annoyed.
I know, he said. It will not save her.
He turned to Maris, who was coughing, eyes red, still trying to fend off those two guards.
Lady Maris, Soren called. You should have stayed quiet. Now you are part of her story.
Maris spat it out, voice raw, go to hell.
Soren shrugged, like it did not touch him.
Then he looked back at me.
Seraphina, he said loud, for everyone to hear, His Highness was kind enough to offer you a deal.
Deal, that word made my skin go cold again.
Soren went on, all pleasant.
Confess, he said. Say you poisoned him. Say Duke Nocten coerced you. The court will pity you. You will go to a convent instead of the block.
Convent.
It sounded like a lie, I knew it deep down.
Last time they promised mercy too, in whispers, behind fans.
Mercy always ended up the same way.
I tried to pull away again.
The guards did not budge at all.
Soren leaned closer, quiet so only I could hear.
And if you refuse, he murmured, we execute you in the street today, as a runaway murderer. Your pretty duke cannot stop it. He is in chains already.
My chest seized up.
Chains already.
I stared at his face, looking for any crack, any sign.
Nothing there.
He looked pleased, too pleased.
My stomach turned over.
Cassian in chains.
I hated how my eyes got hot, I blinked fast to stop it.
No tears, not here, not now.
Soren tilted his head.
Aww, he said soft. You do care.
I snapped back, voice shaking, I care about living.
Soren's smile widened. Then choose.
The guards started dragging me toward the door.
My boots scraped on the floor.
I twisted my head back to look at Maris.
She was pinned now, wrists grabbed, hair coming loose all messy.
Her face furious, eyes wild.
She met my gaze, mouthed one word.
Live.
Then she spat right in a guard's face.
Idiot, brave idiot though.
The guard slapped her hard.
My chest tightened more.
I got yanked outside.
Cold air hit my burning eyes, made them water even worse.
The street was not empty, of course.
People gathered already, drawn by the uniforms, the shouting.
Whispers started up quick.
That is her.
Vale.
She killed a maid.
My stomach churned bad.
The guards shoved me forward, hard.
Soren walked beside me, like it was just a stroll or something.
He said it loud, Lady Seraphina Vale is under arrest for attempted assassination and murder.
Murder, they threw that word so easy.
My throat closed up.
I wanted to scream that Clar died because of them, not me.
But screaming would just make them call it guilt, I think.
We turned a corner.
More imperial guards waiting.
A carriage there, gold crest on the door.
Not Nocten.
Not Maris's.
Imperial all the way.
My heart slammed in my chest.
They were taking me straight back to the palace.
Straight to the courtyard.
Straight to that platform, it felt like.
I dug my heels in, tried to stop.
The guards yanked me up, shoved me toward the carriage steps.
I kicked once, wild.
My boot hit a shin, the guard cursed loud.
Soren chuckled at it.
He grabbed my jaw with two fingers, forced my face up.
Stop fighting, he murmured. Save your strength. You will need it when you kneel.
Kneel.
My vision flashed with stone, cold and hard.
I bit his fingers then.
Hard.
He hissed, yanked back, shook his hand like I was something disgusting.
His smile vanished.
He leaned in, eyes cold.
You are going to regret that, he said.
I spat blood at his boots.
I regret not killing you sooner, I snapped.
Soren went still for a second.
Then smiled again, not amused, not kind.
More like a promise.
He nodded to the guards.
Bind her, he said.
Chains came out.
Not rope, real chains, thick links.
My stomach dropped.
Do not, I gasped.
They grabbed my wrists.
I jerked, twisted, desperate to keep my hands free.
Because once they clicked shut, it felt done, always did.
A guard slammed my arms down.
The chain snapped around my wrist.
Cold metal bit into skin.
My breath broke.
Second cuff.
Click.
My hands chained together now.
My throat made this sound, like a sob, I swallowed it down hard, it hurt.
Soren watched my face close, like he enjoyed that moment.
Better, he said.
He leaned closer, voice low.
And if you swallowed something, he whispered, it will not matter. You will be dead before it even reaches your stomach.
My stomach went ice cold.
Wait.
He thought the execution was that soon.
That meant not at dawn.
Earlier.
Now, maybe.
I stared at the imperial carriage.
At the sealed scroll case on the seat inside, visible through the window slit.
An imperial one, already there.
Already prepared.
My pulse spiked high.
They were not taking me for questions.
For a performance, quick sentence, quick blade.
I forced myself to breathe through the panic rising.
I swallowed again.
The strip was inside, proof inside.
If I lived long enough, I could still use it somehow.
If not, it died with me.
So I needed time, that was it.
I looked at Soren, made my face as blank as I could.
Then said it slow, shaking but loud enough for ears nearby.
I will confess.
Soren's eyes brightened right up.
The guards paused.
Even the crowd noise shifted, like they were hungry for it.
Soren smiled, satisfied.
There, he said. Smart choice.
I kept my face blank, even as my stomach tried to climb out.
But, I added fast, before he could say more, I confess in front of the Emperor. Not the Crown Prince. Not the Chamberlain. The Emperor himself.
Soren's smile twitched a little.
He leaned in, voice sharp. You do not set terms.
I forced it out anyway, loud, messy, desperate.
I am a duke's fiancée, I said. If you want a confession that sticks, do it properly. In front of His Majesty.
People nearby murmured.
I heard Emperor ripple through them.
Soren's eyes narrowed.
He did not like that, not one bit.
But I saw him hesitate.
Because he cared about sticking, about the story holding up.
And the Emperor was the only real stage that mattered, I guess.
Soren stared at me, calculating it out.
Then said quiet, fine.
My chest did not loosen, not really. But it stopped collapsing in.
Soren turned to a guard.
Take her to the inner palace, he ordered. His Majesty's wing.
Inner palace.
My blood went cold again.
That was not safe at all.
More like the snake nest, full of traps.
But it bought time.
Time was all I had left.
Soren leaned close one last time, voice soft as poison.
If you lie, he whispered, I cut you open myself.
I stared back, hands chained heavy.
I am already being cut, I whispered. So hurry it up.
Soren's smile flattened out.
He stepped away.
The guards shoved me into the carriage.
I stumbled in, chains clinking loud.
The door slammed shut.
The carriage jolted forward.
I pressed my forehead to the cold wood, forced myself not to shake apart.
Okay.
New decision now.
I was not confessing, not really.
Just buying time to reach the Emperor's wing.
To find a way to get the proof back out into the world.
To rip the story from their hands.
Even with chains on, I had to try.
The carriage turned sharp.
Then slowed down.
Then stopped.
A voice outside barked, open it.
The door yanked open.
Gold and red guards again, but different ones.
Their eyes colder, harder.
One leaned in, announced it loud and formal.
By order of His Majesty's personal guard, Lady Seraphina Vale is to be transferred to the Emperor's private dungeon immediately.
My stomach dropped through the floor.
Private dungeon.
Not for audience, not confession, not even court.
Just a dungeon.
And Soren's smile showed up in the doorway behind them.
He tilted his head at me, almost impressed maybe.
Did you think you were negotiating, he murmured, with people who keep an Emperor locked up.