The room remained deathly silent, everyone too terrified to move or speak, their eyes cast downward. I felt Jacob’s other hand clasp my arm, a silent signal of his growing concern.
“Arya, stay alert,” he urgently whispered into my ear. “Things might escalate quickly.”
The silence deepened and the atmosphere turned ominous as Emperor Valenor continued to scrutinize Brianna. His presence commanded absolute attention, and the unease among the attendees was profound. The room was stifling, as if the air itself awaited his next words.
“Folklore, you claim? A harmless song?” His tone was deceptively calm, but the underlying sharpness made my stomach churn. “We cannot be too careful, can we? Especially when such...creativitycould inspire subversive activities.”
He paused, his gaze piercing through the crowd, making a pointed show of considering his next actions. It was a calculated pause, one that heightened the tension to an almost unbearable degree.
“However,” he continued, turning back to face the young singer, who remained on her knees, visibly trembling, “we must ensure that suchinspirationsdo not spread misconceptions, or worse, sedition.”
He signaled to one of his guards. The command was silent, a mere flick of his hand, but it was enough. The guard stepped forward and drew his sword with a chilling sound of metal sliding against its sheath.
The realization of what was about to happen dawned on the crowd at once, and I felt Jacob stiffen beside me. The roomwas utterly silent now, the earlier whispers dying down as each person trembled and held their breath.
“Let this be a lesson to you all!” the emperor declared, his voice echoing off the opulent walls. “We must protect the purity of our history and our empire!”
The guard moved with brutal efficiency; the sound of the sword's arc through the air was the only noise that broke the silence before it met its mark. Brianna's cry was cut short and her body slumped to the floor, her life extinguished in a single, violent motion.
The shock was a living thing. A collective gasp rippled through the room, though no one dared to speak or move. The emperor's rigid gaze swept over his audience, his expression cold and unyielding.
“This is the fate of anyone caught singing this song,” he pronounced. Glancing down at his clothing and shoes, he added, “Seems I need a change of clothing. Carry on.” His voice was steady and devoid of emotion. As he turned and swept out of the stunned ballroom, his entourage in tow, the message was clear…
Disloyalty, or even the perception of it, would be met with the harshest of consequences.
Brianna’s bloody body lay on the pristine polished floor of the ballroom. Jacob covered my eyes and urged me not to look, his voice strained with a protectiveness born of both duty and affection. “Let's get out of here.” His hand was firm yet gentle as he shielded my eyes, his body tensed as if bracing against the horror that had unfolded. The sharp, metallic scent of blood briefly mingled with the rich fragrances of the banquet's earlier delights, a stark, disturbing contrast that curdled my stomach.
I wanted to snort and roll my eyes at his urge to protect hisinnocentsister. If he only knew. After two tours in the Middle East, I’d seen my share of blood and carnage. But in his eyes,I was his naive little sister, Arya and he wanted to protect my innocence.
Guided by his gentle insistence, we edged through the gaping clusters of stunned nobles and courtiers. Their startled murmurs had dimmed to a hushed whisper, the atmosphere thick with shock and a tangible fear that clung to the air.
“That was barbaric!” I hissed, not caring to hide my disgust. “How can he justify such cruelty?”
Jacob looked down at me, his expression a mixture of sorrow and resignation. “It's his way of maintaining order—through fear. It's not for us to challenge, and you really should be careful what you say here in the palace.” He glanced around the room uneasily. “Anyone listening in would consider what you just said as treason.”
At that, I couldn’t stop my eye roll.Fuck them. That poor girl died because of a song about me and Damien. Who the hell wrote that damn song so fast? I needed to let Damien know what just went down. I was pretty sure the emperor was already planning to target him because he was the only person with a twin flame mark... that they knew of.
Jacob guided us toward one of the tall windows that looked out over the immaculate palace gardens. The cool night air that filtered in when he opened the window offered a slight reprieve from the cloying scent of fear that had permeated the ballroom. “You shouldn’t have to get used to this, Arya,” he added quietly, his voice strained.
I scoffed softly, unable to disguise the fear and frustration coloring my tone. “I'mnotused to it, Jacob, and I don’t accept it. There’s no excuse for murdering someone in cold blood.”
Jacob paused and studied my face with a troubled expression. “You’re right,” he conceded. “It’s just... this is the reality of our world. Sometimes it’s cruel and unforgiving.”
We moved to a quieter spot, stepping into a small, dimly lit antechamber furnished with plush chairs. Here, away from the crowd, I was finally able to breathe again, though the stress of what had happened hung between us like a living thing. I honestly just wanted to rip off this damn corset. Then maybe I could breathe.
“Will they at least bury her?” I asked naively.
Jacob peered over at me and shook his head. “She’ll probably be tossed in a mass grave.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “So even if she has family, no one will be able to find her and give her a proper burial?”
He shook his head.
I crossed my arms and huffed bitterly. “This place is horrible.”
“Arya,” Jacob reprimanded, “be careful.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” I sat in one of the chairs and leaned back against the cushion.
