The door just burst right in like it was nothing. Wood everywhere, splinters flying all over the place. Then this bright light hit my eyes, made me squint hard. Three guards came rushing through, all in those gold and red uniforms, swords half drawn already. Their faces looked mean, like they wouldnt care one way or the other if I made it out alive.
I saw Captain Kael for just a moment behind them, blood on his sleeve, struggling with someone out in the hall. Didnt have time to even process that.
One of the guards spotted the basin I was holding and just laughed, said something like cute. He came right at me. I swung it anyway, but not smart, I aimed low because I was panicking so bad, arms shaking, not like I had any training or anything. Hit his knee with the metal edge. He went down screaming, folding up. That felt good, at least for a second.
The next one lunged fast. I threw the basin like some wild thing, hit his chest but it bounced off useless. He grabbed my wrist tight. Pain shot right up my arm. Got you, he growled. I bit him without thinking, just sank my teeth in. Tasted awful, sweat and leather and blood since I bit hard. He yelled and pulled back. I kicked his shin too. He cursed loud.
Then the third one went for my hair, grabbed it. I twisted his wrist like Lina showed me years ago, back when we were kids messing around, she said bite and twist if someone grabs you. He hissed but kept dragging me forward. My boots scraped on the floor. Tried to plant my feet, didnt work.
Out in the hall Kael shouted back or something, then steel clanging, a scream. And Sorens voice came through, calm but nasty, dont kill her, break her first. Break her. That turned my stomach bad. The guard laughed, said oh we will. I elbowed his ribs, weak hit but he grunted. He yanked harder, shoulder felt like it was ripping. I screamed, couldnt help it, raw and ugly.
Kael yelled again, move left. Left? There was no left, just wall and bed and that curtain. Then I noticed the curtain wasnt just hanging there, it hid a narrow door in the stone, like a seam. Hadnt seen it before, too busy throwing up and all that.
The guard saw me looking. Dont, he snarled. Too late though. I threw myself sideways, hit the curtain and the hard thing behind. Latch popped. Door cracked open. He lost balance for a second. That was enough. Shoved my hand in the crack, pulled hard. Wider now, dark passage, cold, dusty and oily smell. Some kind of maintenance way. Maybe Kael put it there, or the palace, didnt matter, thanks anyway.
He grabbed my cloak, tore it. I slipped through, ribs scraping stone, pain flaring. Fell in on hands and knees. Door slammed behind, someone tried following but it was too narrow, they hit the frame. Heard cursing. Hands on the latch. I crawled fast, ugly, palms already burned from before, worse now.
Door rattled behind. Open it, get her, they yelled. Lungs burning. Kept crawling till knees hit a corner, turned, almost smacked my face on wall. Dead end. Heart stopped. No no no. Slapped the wall, solid stone. Then fingers hit metal, a grate at floor level, small bolt.
Grabbed it, twisted, stuck. Of course. Looked around, nothing, no tools. Shoved fingers in, nails bending, pain. Hissed, tried again. Door behind finally gave, wood groaning, footsteps close. Ripped at the bolt, whispering move like it could hear, irrational I know. Shifted a bit. Yanked the panel off, shoved aside.
Opening tight. Shoved head in, shoulders, stuck. Panic hit so hard, forgot to breathe. Boots behind, hand on my ankle. Found you, growl. Kicked back wild, boot hit wrist. He swore, gripped tighter. Clawed the edge, pulled. Shoulder scraped, skin tore. Shoved again. He yanked back, head hit edge, stars.
Screamed, kicked harder. Something hit him from behind, grunt. Grip loosened. Kael snapped go. He was there now, fighting in the tight space, idiot move for me I guess. Didnt think about it. Shoved forward with everything, hips scraped, skirt tore. Inside the vent, face down in dust, choking.
Crawled on, metal scraping back. Behind, Kael yelling back off, steel clanging, scream, thud. His breathing harsh, Seraphina dont stop. Didnt. Elbows screaming, lungs burning, vent sloped up then down. Light ahead through another grate. Froze, listened. Voices low, not shouting. Two men. Chamberlain wants her alive. She bit a guard. So cut her jaw if she bites again. Stomach turned. Backed up, wrong way, too many guards.
Crawled other direction, vent forked. Chose left, brain just did. Air got colder, damp. Heard weak breathing. Skin prickled. Crawled to a gap, broken slat. Looked through, cell corridor. Closest cell, old man on floor, white hair, thin, like discarded. Chest rising slow. Guard down the hall, back turned, bored.
Throat tightened. Emperor. Real, not rumor or story. Man on stone. Stomach clenched, almost gagged. So Soren wasnt joking. Holding him for real. Stared till eyes burned. Brain snapped to new fear. If Emperors prisoner, Adrian can do anything. Execution not just cover, part of takeover.
Hands shook. Pressed forehead to metal. Okay. New plan. Not just survive, not just expose physician. Rip open the cage. Bigger than me. Bigger louder. Witnesses. Cant cut me down quiet then.
Crawled to grate above cell door. Peered down. Old iron door, heavy lock. No key. Emperor coughed weak. Chest tightened. Whispered your majesty. Didnt hear. Guard shifted, scratching neck. If drop, hell see. If stay, found. Need distraction. Need Kael. Might be dead. Pushed that away, no time.
Crawled back to other grate, voices closer, searching. Good and bad. Grabbed slat, yanked. Squealed. What was that, one said. Heart slammed. Yanked harder, popped loose, shoved out. Clang loud. Silence. Then boots fast, over there. They ran away from Emperor hall.
Good. Back to Emperor grate quick, elbows hurting. Peered down. Guard turned head, looking other way now, alert but walking off to check noise. Pulse spiked. Now. Ripped at grate, bolt again. Fingers in, twisted, pain in knuckles. Moved slow. Come on. Loosened. Shoved up, aside. Cold air in.
Drop not far. Could do it. Might break ankle, but die anyway if stay. Lowered, hung by arms, dropped. Boots smacked stone, ankle jolted but okay. Thanks. Crouched, breath held. No shout. Crept to cell. Bars thick. Emperor eyes half open, not focused. Drugged or starved, both maybe.
Swallowed hard. Your majesty, can you hear me. Eyes shifted barely. Sound like breath to word. Throat tight. Grabbed bars. Please, look at me. Hated saying please again. Gaze moved slow, landed on face. Something there, recognition maybe. Lips moved, no sound. Chest burned.
Someone using your seal, killing with your name. Blinked slow. Mouth moved. Nocten, whispered scrape. Froze. He knows Cassian. Yes, whispered fast, Duke Nocten, trying to kill me arrest him. Eyes fluttered. Key, barely.
Key where. Scanned door lock floor walls. Nothing. Then chain around neck, into shirt. Stomach lurched. Key on chain. Left him with his own lock. Reached through bars, fingers trembling. Hooked collar, pulled gentle. Flinched a bit. Sorry sorry. Found chain, tugged out. Small key.
Heart slammed. Okay. Hand fits through bars, key to lock. Shook bad, clinked loud. Froze, listened. Boots distant, coming back. Guard. Breath caught. Shoved key in. Wrong angle first. Tried again. Slipped sweaty. Slid in. Turned. Nothing. Harder. Click. Gave a bit. Hope exploded half second.
Guards voice, what the hell. Spun. He saw me, hands on cell. Eyes wide, face twisted fear, not of me. Fear of this. Shouted intruder shes with the. With the Emperor, snapped back, voice shaking. Yes look at him what youre guarding.
Raised sword. Step away. Didnt. Turned key again. Clicked full. Door loosened. Breath broke. Shoved, opened inch. Hands shook. Guard running fast. Stomach dropped. Pulled harder, swung open scrape. Air in cell. Emperor blinked weak.
Reached in, grabbed arm gentle, he was so light scary. Stand please you have to. Tried, collapsed forward. Caught him on shoulder. Legs almost folded. Smelled medicine cold stone. Throat tight. Dragged out inch by inch anyway.
Guard almost on us, sword up. Drop him. No, spat. Swung. Flinched, arm up stupid. But blade didnt hit. Steel clanged, another blocked. Heart jumped. Kael. Slammed into guard, drove back. Face blood smeared, eyes furious, breathing rough.
How. Move, snapped. Cant, hissed, he cant walk. Gaze flicked to old man, face tightened. Didnt want it said out loud. Undeniable now. Grabbed guards sword hand, twisted. Bone cracked. Screamed. Shoved to wall, slid down clutching arm.
Turned to me. You opened the cell. Yes because hes. Dont, cut in. Glarred. Dont say Emperor while holding him. Jaw flexed. Grabbed shoulder. You dont understand if Chamberlain finds him out kills him.
Blood ice. Kills. Not arrest. Dead cant contradict. Swallowed. Okay. Cant parade yet. Need leverage, moment, safe place. Where. Glanced corridor, listening. Boots closer. Too many. Cursed. Grabbed other arm, over shoulder.
Together. Lifted. Head lolled on me. Faint sound, pain maybe. Sorry sorry. Dragged down corridor opposite way, deeper. Passed cells, more breathing silent bodies. Shoved open door at end, locked but he had keys. Small chamber, thick curtain narrow cot.
Half dropped Emperor on cot. Coughed weak but alive. Turned to me, eyes sharp. What did you swallow. Blinked. Half I. Not games, what is it. Seal log proof Chamberlain forged orders ripped half in you. Stopped. Stared. Realized. Half in you. Nodded shaky. Yes.
Exhaled hard. Stepped to door, listened. Boots outside. Voices. Soren clear close. Search dungeon she cant gone far. Chamberlain smoother. Broke into His Majesty private wing enough if found kill her.
Kill. Not take alive. Soren lied. Surprise. Eyes flashed rage. Gaze to cot to Emperor. Whispered so theyre willing. Willing kill own Emperor. Stomach turned. Looked sharp. Listen you wanted stage this only stage.
Swallowed. What mean. Jaw tight. Get him seen one loyal witness one then everything changes. Nodded fast. Yes. Grabbed arm. Do exactly what I say. Fine snapped.
Clang outside, door kicked closer. Stiffened. Glanced room. No exit no vent just stone cot curtain cabinet. Trapped again. Hand to sword. You hide behind curtain dont move dont speak. And him, looking at Emperor. Face tightened. Yanked curtain wider, shadow over cot. Pulled body further in shadow.
If they enter keep mouth shut no matter what. Accuse me regicide. Let them. Boots stopped outside. Knock heavy slam. Open Captain Kael. Didnt answer. Laughed soft. Know youre in there stole my prisoner.
Pulse spiked. Leaned to door, raised voice controlled. Have the prisoner under His Majesty authority. Sighed dramatic. Such devotion. Chamberlain cut in cold final. Captain Kael by emergency decree sentenced treason stand aside.
Jaw flexed. Didnt. Grip tightened on sword. Slid behind curtain heart hammering hands over mouth quiet breathing. Door rattled. Key turned outside. Eyes widened. They had keys. Lock clicked. Door opening.
Raised sword. Realized sick sharp. If keys to this room then to Emperors too. Let me open cell. Wanted me caught with him. Building story wall.
Door swung wide. Light poured. Soren in first smiling. Behind Chamberlain face flat. More guards. Eyes swept room to sword to cot to curtain. Smile widened. Oh how interesting.
Stop snapped. Ignored. Two steps to curtain. Stomach dropped. Lunged. Steel flashed. Didnt flinch stepped back lazy guards surged between. Blade hit breastplate clang. Shoved back. Snarled move.
Hest lifted hand bored. Kill him. No hesitation. Two stabbed at once. Blocked one. Other cut side. Blood dark uniform. Grunted. Throat tightened hurt. Soren watched blood mild interest. Looked curtain again. Smiled like gift.
Lady Seraphina come out soft. Didnt move. Couldnt frozen. Emperor coughed cot weak but loud room. Everyone heard. Smile vanished. Hest still. Alarm on face first time. Soren whispered no.
Roared now. Slammed shoulder nearest guard shoved back. Tried reach curtain. Three grabbed. Fought animal. Went down. Hest stepped forward eyes on cot. Voice quiet. Open that curtain.
Blood ice. If see kill him here now. Swallowed hard. Decision tasted vomit blood paper. If writing story with my corpse fine. Write mine first.
Stepped out slow hands up face blank forced. Eyes snapped to me. Smile back relieved cruel. There you are. Hest not relieved furious. Because not only body behind curtain.
Spoke before stop voice loud shaking messy. Do not open it unless want whole palace know what keep on stone. Blinked. Eyes narrowed slits. Seize her. Guards surged.
Didnt run. Stepped toward raised voice higher into corridor. His Majesty alive screamed. Words ripped loud ugly uncontrolled.
Silence half second like slap dungeon. Then exploded. Hest snarled kill her. Soren shouted gag now. Kael on floor coughed blood yelled witnesses get witnesses.
Boots thundered more rushing. Then from corridor voice unexpected cut chaos. Cold familiar flat. Step away.
Everyone froze. Even Hest Soren. Duke Cassian Nocten in doorway. Hands bound iron cuffs behind. Blood temple. Eyes ice.
Looked at me. Curtain. Hest. Hest lifted chin sharp victory. Duke Nocten by imperial authority execute traitor Seraphina Vale immediately correct earlier failure.
Stomach dropped. Gaze not leave face. Voice low. Seraphina. Just name. Like courtyard last time.
Guards shoved sword in hands anyway. Chain on cuffs pulled tight forcing forward. Right toward me. It seems like thats when things really went sideways, I think, but Im not totally sure how it all connects yet.