Elara's POV
The door to my tower burst open.
I scrambled backward, my heart slamming against my ribs. The court mage stood in the doorway, but he wasn't alone. Two other mages flanked him, their hands already glowing with magic.
Please, I whispered. I didn't do anything wrong.
You exist, the first mage said coldly. That's wrong enough.
They stepped inside. I looked frantically around my small room. No weapons. No way out. The window was too high to jump from without dying.
The mage raised his hand, magic crackling between his fingers.
Then thunder shook the tower.
BACK AWAY FROM HER! The king's voice roared through the hallway like a storm.
The mages froze. King Cassius appeared in the doorway, and I'd never seen him look so terrifying. His eyes blazed with fury. Guards filled the space behind him, swords drawn.
You're Majesty, the mage stammered. We were only
Get out, the king said, his voice deadly quiet. All of you. Now.
They ran.
The king stepped into my room, breathing hard. For a moment, we just stared at each other. Then his shoulders sagged, and suddenly he looked exhausted instead of angry.
Are you hurt? He asked.
I shook my head, not trusting my voice.
He nodded once, then turned to leave. But he stopped at the door. Sleep. You're safe tonight.
He left before I could ask how he'd known to come.
The next morning, everything changed.
Guards dragged me from my tower before dawn. Not to the usual power chamber somewhere different. The War Council room.
My stomach dropped.
The room was full of nobles in expensive clothes, all staring at me like I was a bug they wanted to crush. At the head of the table sat Lord Verin, the king's chief advisor. He smiled, but it wasn't friendly.
King Cassius sat at the other end, his face blank and cold. Like last night had never happened.
The border fortress is under attack, Lord Verin announced. We need a shield spell strong enough to protect the entire palace. You will cast it. Now.
That's impossible, I said. My voice shook. I'm not strong enough for that kind of magic. It could kill me.
Then you'll die serving your king, Lord Verin said simply.
I looked at King Cassius, silently begging him to stop this. But he just stared at me with those empty eyes.
Do it, the king ordered. His voice was flat. Controlled. Nothing like the man who'd protected me last night.
What happened to him?
Please, I whispered. I can't
DO IT! Lord Verin slammed his fist on the table.
I had no choice.
I closed my eyes and reached deep inside myself, pulling at magic I didn't have. The spell fought me, too big, too powerful. It felt like trying to hold back an ocean with my bare hands.
Pain exploded through my body. I screamed. Blood poured from my nose, my ears. The room spun wildly.
I heard someone shouting my name, but it sounded far away. Everything went dark.
I woke up in softness.
Not my hard tower bed. Real softness. Silk sheets. Warm blankets.
I opened my eyes slowly. The room was huge, with dark curtains and furniture that cost more than my village had made in a year. A fireplace crackled nearby.
Where was I?
Movement caught my eye. King Cassius sat in a chair beside the bed, his head in his hands. He looked broken. Devastated. Nothing like the cold king who'd ordered me to cast that spell.
Why did it choose you? He whispered. His voice cracked. Of all the girls in the kingdom... why you?
I tried to sit up. What chose me? I don't understand
His whole body suddenly went rigid.
I gasped. His eyes rolled back, then snapped open again completely black. No white, no color. Just solid, terrifying black.
When he spoke, his voice was different. Flat. Emotionless. Like something else was using his mouth.
Return to your tower, he commanded. Tomorrow the War Council meets again. You will cast siege spells. You will obey.
Horror crawled up my spine. This wasn't him. Something was controlling him. Using him like a puppet.
I stood on shaking legs, backing toward the door. Whatever had taken over the king tracked me with those awful black eyes.
But as I passed his chair, his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist.
I screamed then stopped.
The black was fading from his eyes. Fighting back. And in that tiny moment of freedom, King Cassius looked at me with desperate, terrified eyes.
Resist, he whispered, his voice barely audible. Whatever I command tomorrow resist me. Don't let them
The door crashed open. Guards poured in, grabbing my arms.
Take her back, the king said, and his voice was flat again. Dead. The black had swallowed his eyes once more.
They dragged me away, but I looked back. Just for a second, I saw the king's hand clench into a fist, his whole body trembling like he was fighting a war inside himself.
And losing.
I didn't sleep that night.
I paced my tower room, my mind racing. The king was being controlled. But by what? And why had he warned me to resist him?
What would happen at tomorrow's War Council?
A piece of paper slid under my door just before dawn.
I grabbed it with shaking hands. The same elegant handwriting as before, but messier now. Desperate.
Trust no one. Not even me. When the time comes, RUN.
My blood turned to ice.
Run where? From what?
Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Heavy boots. Lots of them.
The guards were coming early.
I clutched the note, my heart hammering. Whatever was controlling the king wanted something from me. Something bad enough that he'd risked everything to warn me.
The door opened.
The War Council is waiting, a guard said. Lord Verin has special plans for you today.
He smiled, and it made my skin crawl.
I had to choose: obey the controlled king and probably die, or resist and face something even worse.
Either way, I was walking into a trap.