LUCIEN'S POV:
I stood before the cold granite bars of the prison cell, Guard by my side.
The candlelight flickered across the dark stones. Inside, kneeling on straw, was the servant, the same one who had tried to kill Seraphine.
She looked up at me through the iron grill, face pale and eyes wide. Beside her lay her weapons, broken and soaked.
"Speak," I demanded. "Who commanded this attempt on the Crown Princess?"
She shook herself, coughing. "I… I acted alone."
"Lies," I spat. "When you failed, you panicked. Who told you to do it?"
Her eyes flickered—fear, shame, regret. "She threatened me, Your Highness. Princess Seraphine—she said she would kill me and Lady Mei."
My jaw tightened.
The corridors had echoed with rumors.
Lady Mei's staged fainting, Seraphine's threats. But this… this is madness. No true assassin acting under threat would admit it so plainly.
Just then, the door swung open.
She entered, Lady Mei, draped in pale silk and the trappings of a broken confidence. Her eyes glistened. The servant knelt rigid, recoiling.
"I—Your Highness, I had no part—only confusion—" she whimpered. Tears spilled freely across her cheeks.
I ignored her and turned back to the servant.
"Do you deny it?" I pressed, voice low and cold.
The women nodded, trembling. "I'll face whatever comes. I could not survive otherwise."
I studied him. No rich man's bribe. No court intrigue. Just fear of a Crown Princess.
I closed my eyes.
"She wanted you killed."
She nodded again. "I would have done it."
My voice shook on her next words. "A shame."
I left the cell, the servant huddled inside, and made my way to the private chambers reserved for the Crown Prince.
The scrolls on the table lay untouched from yesterday. Two of my most trusted guards waited discreetly.
"Hans," I addressed one of them by name, voice still tense. "Any updates on the poisoning case?"
Hans exchanged a look with the other guard, Jin. Anxiety flickered as Jin spoke. "Your Highness… you may be surprised to hear this—but the orders for the three masked men who attacked the Princess came from Your Majesty, the Emperor himself."
My grip on the jade armrest tightened. The Emperor—my father.
"My… father?" I echoed.
They exchanged solemn glances. "And… the poison… it's been traced to ingredients only obtainable by House Solenne."
I hesitated.
They continued. "The physician believes the poison came from Cartilion petals, common among the Duchy's private holdings."
My mind spun.
"Wait," I said slowly. "Are you saying that Seraphine's own father ordered her poisoning?"
They nodded.
"I… I don't understand."
"It seems," Hans said carefully, "that Your Majesty suspected Seraphine might be a spy, an agent of the Duchy or worse, that House Astrid might attempt to control you through her."
A hush fell.
My pulse thundered.
They dared think that Seraphine, smart, dangerous, unbreakable and might be a pawn?
No… they underestimated her, underestimated me.
I felt a chill.
"In addition," Jin added, voice trembling, "the three masked men… they said they were following orders. They called themselves Imperial Retribution."
My breath caught.
I sank into the armchair.
Everything crash‑landing.
I stood, turning from the scroll‑strewn desk.
The colors of the room, red lacquer, gold trim felt suddenly suffocating.
I strode out without a word and left my guards behind, heading instead to the Emperor's study.
I passed Prince Zael in the corridor, his hair unbound, wearing mourning black. He looked at me, startled.
I nodded but did not stop.
Zael opened his mouth.
I walked on.
He closed it again.
Darkness pooled in my chest.
I didn't wait to be summoned.
I stormed into my father's chamber, my boots hitting the marble like thunder. The guards hesitated, but one look from me, Crown Prince or not, I would tear this palace down brick by brick if i had to made them step aside.
He sat there.
Still.
Composed.
As if nothing in the world had gone wrong.
Like he hadn't just tried to murder my wife.
"Father," I said, my voice sharp.
He didn't look up right away.
"Father," I said again, firmer, colder.
His eyes finally lifted from the scroll in his hand. "Lucien."
I didn't sit.
Didn't bow.
"The servant confessed," I said. "They named the one who gave the order to poison Seraphine."
His expression didn't change.
"It was her own father," I said. "The King of Solenne."
The Emperor's fingers stilled against the scroll.
"And the masked men," I added. "They acted under your command."
There.
I gave him the chance to explain.
Or lie.
He leaned back. Calm. Too calm. "And yet the Crown Princess still lives."
"She's stronger than you think," I snapped. "She survived despite everyone trying to kill her. Including you."
His jaw tightened.
I took a step forward. "Why, Father? Why are you doing this? Why do you want her dead?"
He stared at me for a moment. Silent. Unblinking.
Then softly, too softly, he said,
"I do not want her dead."
I laughed. It sounded cracked.
"You ordered masked men to kill her. That sounds a lot like wanting her dead."
"She is a Princess of Solenne," he said, rising. "And a daughter of a man who once sent blades to our gates. I had to be sure."
"Sure of what?" I demanded.
He looked me straight in the eye.
"That she isn't a spy. Or worse… a poppet."
My heart dropped.
"You wanted her killed… to see who would come save her?"
"If she were truly beloved by Solenne, if she were truly innocent, someone would have risked everything to protect her. Someone would've revealed themselves," he said.
My hands clenched into fists.
"And none came."
"They didn't come," I said, "because even her own father wanted her dead."
The Emperor froze.
His breath caught.
It was the first time i saw his composure break.
"You didn't know that, did you?" I said, voice low. "You were testing her loyalty. While her own blood plotted her death."
Silence crashed between us.
"Why?" he finally asked, as if to himself. "Why would he…?"
"You tell me," I said. "Is this a declaration of war?"
He shook his head slowly. "The marriage was meant to end that."
"And now they try to kill her under our roof," I hissed. "What have you done, Father? What have i allowed?"
He didn't answer.
"And what of the first attempt?" I asked. "In the garden. The soldier. Did you command him too?"
His eyes flicked away.
"I never questioned it," I said. "I saw the fear in Seraphine's eyes when she looked at him, and i assumed it was him. I killed him on the spot. But i never asked you if it was your doing."
He closed his eyes.
"It was necessary," he said.
"Necessary," I repeated. "To test her again? To see if she could be broken?"
His silence was confirmation.
I felt something unravel inside me.
"You claim to protect this Empire," I said, voice shaking, "but you've done nothing but gamble with its future. Seraphine is not just my wife, she is the reason war didn't erupt. She is the last thread holding the peace. And you tried to cut it."
He walked to the window. "You've fallen for her."
"I chose her."
"That's dangerous."
"No," I said. "What's dangerous is you. What's dangerous is your paranoia and your games."
"You're standing against your Emperor," he warned.
"No," I said. "I'm standing with my wife."
A beat.
"You put her through hell to test her. And she survived. So now i'll do the same."
He turned slowly.
"What does that mean?"
"It means," I said, "wherever Seraphine is, I'll be there too. You will not touch her again. You will not test her again. And if you do…"
I stepped forward, eyes blazing.
"You'll lose your son."
For a long moment, he just stared at me.
Then, at last, he said quietly, "That daughter of Solenne may prove stronger than we expected."
"She already has," I said.
He added, "Strong enough to disrupt the balance."
I didn't care.
"Then let it fall."
And i walked out.
I returned to our shared chambers.
The night had pressed itself against the thick doors. Inside, I found Seraphine at her writing desk, quill poised above an unfinished scroll.
She didn't notice me at first.
Light from the window haloed her hair.
Exhaustion etched faint lines beneath her eyes.
Until i stood behind her, clearing my voice.
She jumped—blushing. "Lucien."
I dropped the title.
I set aside my cloak, pulled her from the seat, and held her firm.
"Are you safe?" I whispered.
She stared.
And then trembled slightly.
"I'm fine," she said quietly.
But i could see the layers beneath, the bone‑deep weariness, the quiet resignations.
"I will not let you be far from me again," I said.
Something shifted in her eyes.
In the distance, the hallway echoed.
Elise watched from the corner, waking entirely, fear in her posture and relief on her face.
I reached out and took Seraphine's hand.
"I have learned much today," I said. "And i promise... no matter the orders that came before, I will obey only one now."
She looked at me.
And i bent to kiss her forehead, low, respectful, firm.
"I will protect you."