When Lusian arrived at the imperial palace, a figure was waiting for him.
She wore a black silk robe. Her hair was tied back with almost artificial precision. She had no guards with her.
Naira did not need them.
—Confirm that it's true —the empress said—. You're going to the forest.
Lusian did not pretend to be surprised.
—It's true.
Naira studied him for a few seconds.
At that moment, the forest was one of the most dangerous places on the continent. Creatures no human had ever seen lived among its trees. Some of them did not even have names.
And Lusian was heading there.
—You know it's very dangerous —she finally said—. You may not come back.
Lusian raised an eyebrow slightly.
—How encouraging.
Naira ignored the comment.
—Before you leave, I'm going to collect the favor you owe me.
Lusian narrowed his eyes.
—I don't understand.
Naira held his gaze.
—The continuation of my bloodline.
The answer came without hesitation.
—I need an heir. I cannot afford to lose that possibility.
The silence that followed was strange.
There was no shame in Naira's voice.
Lusian watched her for a moment, trying to understand how far she intended to take this.
—I can't right now. I'm in a hurry.
—I demand it —Naira interrupted.
Lusian frowned slightly.
—And what if I refuse?
Naira's eyes did not waver.
—You can fulfill it tonight. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee that the churches won't eventually take Princess Elizabeth.
Lusian froze.
—The princess?
—Elizabeth is contaminated with demonic mana. You know the churches have never stopped pressuring us to hand her over.
Lusian held her gaze.
Now he understood.
—It's blackmail.
For several seconds, neither of them said anything.
Two wills accustomed to imposing themselves on others clashed in complete silence.
Naira did not look away.
—You can call it whatever you want.
Lusian clenched his jaw slightly.
He knew Naira was not making an empty threat.
If she withdrew her protection, the churches would have a chance to claim Elizabeth.
And he could not allow that.
Finally, he slowly exhaled.
—Then tonight.
Naira nodded.
—Ensuring the Empire's survival is my duty.
To Naira, this was simply another necessary decision to protect the throne, the bloodline, and the future of the Empire.
And at the same time, it fulfilled what her father had expected of her since childhood: securing an heir worthy of the imperial bloodline.
That night, the lights in the imperial chambers remained on longer than usual.
There were no unnecessary words.
Naira had imagined it as something simple. A political decision. A duty that had to be fulfilled and then left behind.
But it turned out to be much more difficult.
The mere brush of Lusian's touch made her body tense for a moment.
Her breathing changed.
It was barely noticeable.
But she noticed it.
For the first time in a long time, Naira did not know what to do.
She was accustomed to controlling military meetings, negotiating with nobles, and remaining calm even when war threatened her borders.
Yet that closeness alone was enough to shatter her concentration.
She tried to maintain her composure.
Back straight.
Steady gaze.
Controlled movements.
As if she were standing before the imperial council.
But there was no council to command there.
When Lusian moved closer again, Naira felt the warmth of his body and once again lost the rhythm of her breathing.
Her fingers tensed slightly.
There was no urgency in him.
Nor was there any pressure.
And that only made it harder to cling to the control she had always possessed.
This was nothing like what she had imagined.
For years, she had thought of Lusian as a possibility for the future of the Empire. A man with the right affinity. The father of a potential heir.
Nothing more.
But now he was there, too close, and her body seemed to respond before her mind could decide how to react.
Naira closed her eyes for a moment.
She felt nervous. Insecure. A strange curiosity she did not know how to interpret.
And, much to her own surprise, she did not want that closeness to end.
The thought made her open her eyes immediately.
No.
She should not think about that.
She had turned that night into an obligation. A political decision. A duty.
And yet, for the first time in a long while, Naira did not know exactly what to do with what she was feeling.
She lowered her gaze.
—This is... more complicated than I imagined.
The confession came out quietly, almost as though she regretted saying it.
Lusian did not answer.
And, for some reason, that silence ended up being worse.
Because Naira did not know whether she wanted him to stop...
or continue.
At dawn, the imperial chambers were quiet once again.
Naira was already dressed.
Her hair was perfectly tied back. Her robe did not have a single wrinkle.
The empress had returned to her place.
Or so it seemed.
Lusian headed toward the exit.
Naira did not say goodbye.
She remained silent until Lusian reached the door.
Only then did she look away.
As if, for some reason, watching him leave was more difficult than she had anticipated.
When the door was about to close, she barely moved her lips.
—Take care.
The Empire was still in crisis.
The heralds were still plotting.
The monsters were still advancing.
And Lusian was heading toward a forest from which he might never return.
He had no time to think about what had happened.
He could not afford to.
Lusian left the imperial palace shortly before dawn.
Elizabeth remained nestled against him on Thunder, still drowsy, her head resting against his chest as the creature silently made its way through the dark streets.
Then a voice broke the silence.
—Were you planning to leave without me?
Lusian brought Thunder to a stop.
Emily was there.
Her arms were crossed, and her expression was so firm that she looked as though she had been waiting for hours. The wind stirred her coat.
—It's not your mission —Lusian said.
—It isn't.
Emily took a step toward him.
—But it's your life.
Lusian remained silent.
—And I'm not going to let you go alone.
—I'm asking you, Emily. Stay.
She shook her head.
—And I'm refusing.
She took another step closer.
—If you want to leave me behind, you'll have to do it by force.
Lusian pressed his lips together.
He did not argue.
—Then come.
Emily smiled.
There was determination in her eyes.
But there was something else, too.
Something resembling fear.
—I knew you'd see reason.
She climbed onto Thunder.
The creature did not react.
It did not even seem bothered when Emily settled behind Lusian and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Elizabeth barely moved between them, still asleep.
Lusian glanced at Emily.
—Quietly.
She rested her face against his back.
—Silence is the price of traveling with you.
Thunder resumed its journey.
And as the gates of the capital disappeared behind them, none of the three knew what they would find at the end of the road.