The Moon Pavilion had never felt so quiet.
Soft lanterns flickered against the silken walls, their glow casting golden shadows over Seraphina's pale face. Mira worked in silence, carefully wrapping a cloth around her bruised wrist while Arabella stood guard near the entrance, sword drawn and jaw tight.
No one spoke of the dance.
No one spoke of Concubine Sun.
The only sound was the wind outside, brushing against the cherry blossom trees like a forgotten lullaby.
Seraphina stared at her reflection in the copper mirror. Her eyes looked distant — like they belonged to someone who had danced through fire and still hadn't stopped burning.
"She wanted to humiliate you," Mira finally muttered, tying the knot gently. "That witch set you up."
"I know," Seraphina whispered. "And I let her."
Arabella turned. "You conquered her, Seraphina. The moment Lucien played that flute, every jaw dropped. You silenced them. Even Kai."
At the mention of his name, Seraphina's expression darkened.
Before Mira could speak again, a sudden knock startled them all.
Arabella's sword flashed halfway from its sheath.
"Who is it?" she called.
A weak voice answered. "It's… me."
The door creaked open.
Lucien stepped inside.
His cloak was torn, the edges scorched. Ash clung to his boots, and a faint trail of silver blood streaked down his neck. But his eyes — those stormy eyes from childhood — still burned with defiance.
"Lucien?" Mira gasped, leaping to her feet. "You… you disappeared after the flute. Where did you go?"
Seraphina stood slowly, her heart pounding.
Lucien's lips curled into a bitter smile. "I didn't disappear. I was hunted."
Arabella shut the door behind him. "By who?"
He looked at Seraphina and said just one name.
"The Soul Keeper."
The room went still.
"He's found the final fragment," Lucien continued, voice low. "The last piece of the Crown. I saw it with my own eyes. He tore it from the spine of an ancient dragon… then burned the temple to the ground."
Seraphina felt the floor sway beneath her.
"And now?" Arabella asked.
Lucien turned to her. "Now, he's coming."
Lucien's warning hung in the air like a sword above their heads.
Seraphina's hand unconsciously reached for the moonflower tucked near her heart. She felt it — faint, wilting — as if Mason himself could feel the Soul Keeper drawing near.
Arabella's expression was tight. Calculating.
"We don't have time," she muttered. "If the Soul Keeper has the final piece, he'll come for the palace next — and for Seraphina."
Lucien nodded. "He wants the Crown completed. And you, Seraphina… you're the last link to Saphyra's power."
Seraphina's voice was quiet, but firm. "Then we prepare. He wants a war? We give him one."
Arabella stepped forward. "Then let me start by cleaning the rot from within."
She turned toward Mira and Lucien. "I need both of you to trust me. No matter what I say. No matter how it looks."
Mira frowned. "What are you planning?"
Arabella's lips curled into something sharp. "It's time we set a trap for the one closest to us."
---
Scene Shift: Later That Night – Within the Lotus Courtyard
Maelis knelt beside the koi pond, humming softly to herself as she fed the fish. Her long black hair spilled like ink down her back, and her movements were delicate — like a dream.
A rustle broke the silence. Then footsteps.
She didn't look up. "You're late."
Arabella's voice cut through the air like a blade. "I had to make sure I wasn't followed."
Maelis turned then, her gaze cold and gleaming. "You're being reckless, sister. Why risk your position for Seraphina? She's already doomed."
Arabella's eyes narrowed. "You speak like someone who knows more than they should."
Maelis smirked. "That's because I do."
Before she could blink, Mira and Lucien stepped from the shadows — blades drawn.
Maelis froze.
"What… what is this?"
"A test," Arabella said coolly, stepping forward. "One you just failed."
---
Scene Shift: Royal Hall – Secret Chamber Beneath the Throne Room
Maelis was bound in golden rope — enchanted, pulsing against her skin.
Seraphina stood before her, silent, regal.
"You told Concubine Sun about the spring flower dance," Seraphina said. "You leaked details about the Crown's location. And you poisoned my tea."
Maelis scoffed. "And yet you still live. How disappointing."
Arabella's fist connected with her jaw.
Lucien didn't flinch.
Mira turned away, tears in her eyes. "We trusted you, Maelis…"
Maelis laughed, blood trickling from her lip. "You think this ends with me? The Soul Keeper walks through your dreams. Soon, he will walk through your walls. And when he does, not even your love for Mason will be enough to stop him."
Seraphina stepped closer.
"You're wrong," she whispered. "Because unlike you… I don't betray the ones I love. I protect them."
Maelis's smile faded.
For the first time… fear touched her eyes.
Scene Shift: The Imperial Throne Hall – Next Morning
The great bronze doors creaked open with solemn weight as courtiers, nobles, and concubines filed into the throne room, murmuring with uneasy curiosity. The atmosphere was heavier than ever — as if the air itself braced for impact.
Seraphina stood tall beside Emperor Kai on the elevated dais. Her face was unreadable. She wore the silver phoenix robe of the Empress, but her eyes burned like a warrior.
Emperor Kai's voice rang out, deep and commanding.
"Today, we gather not for celebration… but for truth."
A gasp rippled through the court.
Arabella stepped forward. "Bring in the traitor."
Two guards entered — dragging Maelis in chains.
The crowd erupted. Some shouted. Others gasped in disbelief.
Concubine Sun stepped forward in mock horror. "Your Majesty, there must be a mistake! Lady Maelis is a loyal servant of the court—"
"Enough," Emperor Kai snapped. "She was caught attempting to poison the Empress. Caught in the act, and in confession."
He turned to Maelis. "Do you deny it?"
Maelis lifted her head, blood on her lip, but fire in her eyes. "I did it. And I'd do it again."
The nobles gasped.
"You don't deserve to sit on that throne," she hissed at Seraphina. "None of you see it, do you? This Empire is crumbling — and all of you are still playing at court games while death gathers at the door!"
Her eyes flicked to Concubine Sun.
"I wasn't the only one."
Concubine Sun's smile faltered.
"I was just braver."
Arabella stepped forward. "We'll drag out the others soon enough."
Emperor Kai's face was carved in cold fury. "Let this be known. Treason within the palace will no longer be tolerated. The age of shadows ends today."
He slammed his staff down.
"Maelis will be stripped of her name, her position, and exiled to the Mountain of Withering Winds. May her voice never reach the throne again."
Guards hauled Maelis away, though she laughed as she was dragged out.
"I only failed because I was too kind."
---
Scene Shift: Seraphina's Chambers – Moments Later
Seraphina collapsed onto the chair as soon as the doors shut.
Arabella, Mira, and Lucien circled around her.
"She was willing to die for her cause," Mira said, shaken. "There must be more."
"There always is," Lucien muttered. "The Soul Keeper's shadow is thicker than we thought."
Arabella paced, her face hard. "Concubine Sun is next. But we can't move yet. She's too smart. Too protected. If we strike now, we'll look paranoid."
Seraphina stared at her reflection in the silver mirror.
"No," she said quietly. "We strike soon… but not with fear. With precision."
She turned.
"We invite her."
The others looked at her.
"To what?" Mira asked.
Seraphina's lips curled faintly. "To the Empress's private banquet. An exclusive one. Where only those with nothing to hide… dare to attend."
Scene: Seraphina's Private Courtyard – Twilight
Golden lanterns floated on water. The petals of midnight lotuses drifted across the reflecting pool. The Empress's personal courtyard had been transformed into something out of legend — delicate, opulent, and cloaked in eerie calm.
Seraphina stood in the center, dressed in pure white silk, her hair pinned with a single crimson phoenix. Not a sound in the garden… yet everything screamed intention.
Arabella leaned against one of the jade pillars. "You know this is war, right?"
Seraphina nodded. "But the battlefield is silk and wine tonight."
Mira added the final touch — a golden bell placed beside each seat. "And if anyone lies… this will ring."
Lucien walked in from the shadows. "The wards are in place. If she brings poison again, we'll know. The Emperor has been notified — but he's agreed not to interfere."
Seraphina looked toward the entrance, calm but fierce. "Then let the spider step into the web."
---
Scene: The Banquet Begins
The most powerful concubines arrived one by one — each flattered and confused. This banquet was unusual. Selective. Silent.
Only the Empress sat at the head, while her ladies — Mira and Arabella — stood beside her like twin blades.
And then…
Concubine Sun arrived.
Draped in imperial red, her every step rehearsed, her every breath calculated. But for the first time… her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Your Majesty," she greeted with a bow.
Seraphina gave a graceful nod. "Thank you for accepting my invitation. Please, sit."
They all did. Food was served — delicate lotus-wrapped meat, glass noodles with black truffle oil, jeweled rice steamed in bamboo leaf.
Silence.
Then Seraphina spoke.
"I have heard whispers in the wind," she said softly, her words laced with deadly elegance. "That someone in this palace wishes for me to fall before I can rise."
The silence cracked.
Arabella's hand slid to her sword.
Mira's eyes were locked on Concubine Sun.
The concubines fidgeted.
Concubine Sun smiled slowly. "Your Majesty… what a strange and dangerous rumor."
Seraphina's smile didn't waver. "Indeed. And yet… the wind is rarely wrong."
She lifted her chopsticks.
"And tonight… we will test the wind."
---
Scene: The Golden Bell's Ring
The food continued.
Then Seraphina gestured. "Each guest… please share a toast. With truth in your hearts. The bell will judge the rest."
Whispers broke out. A test? No one had expected this.
One by one, the concubines toasted.
Some trembled. Some smiled. The bell remained silent.
Then it was Concubine Sun's turn.
She stood.
Raised her cup.
"I offer my loyalty to the Empress… and to the peace of the inner palace. May no shadows ever fall upon you."
The moment she spoke—
The bell rang.
Clear.
Loud.
Unforgiving.
The air turned to ice.
Seraphina's eyes glinted. "Strange. You said nothing… and yet the bell cried foul."
Concubine Sun's hand tightened around the cup.
"I'm not afraid of your tricks," she hissed under her breath.
Seraphina stood slowly. "You should be. Because I haven't even begun."