Elara's POV
Kneel, the guard commanded, shoving me forward.
I crashed to my knees in the War Council chamber. My hands were chained. Around the long table sat a dozen nobles, all staring at me like I was already dead.
Lord Verin stood at the head of the table. He was tall and thin, with eyes like frozen chips of ice. When he smiled at me, I felt sick.
King Cassius sat in his throne at the far end. His face was blank. Empty. But I noticed his hands gripping the armrests so hard his knuckles had turned white.
Good morning, little mage, Lord Verin said sweetly. We have a special task for you today.
He unrolled a map across the table. My stomach twisted when I saw what he was pointing at.
A village. Just like mine had been.
This village is harboring rebels, Lord Verin announced. Traitors who refuse to pay taxes to their king. We need to send a message. He turned to me, still smiling. You're going to burn it. Every house. Every barn. Every living thing inside.
The room went silent.
No, I whispered.
I'm sorry? Lord Verin leaned forward. I don't think I heard you correctly.
That's murder. My voice grew stronger. Those are innocent people. Families. Children.
Those are traitors, Lord Verin snapped. And you will do as you're told.
I looked at King Cassius, begging him silently to stop this. His jaw clenched. The crown on his head seemed to glow darker, pulsing with ugly black light.
His eyes started to turn black.
No. Not again.
I remembered his desperate whisper: Resist.
The king's mouth opened. I knew what was coming the command that would force me to obey through the crown's terrible magic. Once he spoke the words, I wouldn't be able to fight it.
I had one chance.
NO! I screamed before he could speak. I won't do it! I don't care what you order me to do I WON'T BURN INNOCENT PEOPLE!
The world exploded.
Pain like I'd never felt before ripped through my skull. It felt like the crown's magic was tearing my brain apart, punishing me for disobeying. I screamed, falling forward onto my chained hands.
Across the room, King Cassius roared in pain. He grabbed his head, blood streaming from his nose. The bond between us the terrible magic that connected us was being shredded like paper.
But I didn't cast the spell.
Refused.
The pain finally stopped. I gasped for air, tears streaming down my face. Blood dripped from my nose onto the stone floor.
The War Council chamber had gone completely silent.
Lord Verin stared at me with his mouth open. That's... that's impossible. No one can refuse a crown command.
She just did, another council member whispered, sounding terrified.
I looked up at King Cassius. He was slumped in his throne, blood still running from his nose. But his eyes his eyes were clear. No black. And he was looking at me with something I'd never seen before.
Hope.
Lord Verin recovered quickly. His face twisted with rage. GUARDS! Seize her! This is treason! She defied a direct order execute her immediately!
Guards rushed forward, drawing their swords.
STOP. The king's voice cracked through the room like thunder.
Everyone froze.
King Cassius rose slowly from his throne. He was shaking, fighting something invisible. The crown pulsed on his head, trying to control him again. Black crept into the edges of his eyes.
But he fought it.
She... He gritted his teeth, every word a battle. She is MINE. This meeting is DISMISSED.
Power rolled off him in waves so strong that nobles stumbled backward. Even Lord Verin took a step back, his face pale.
This isn't over, Lord Verin hissed. The council will hear about this.
GET. OUT. The king's voice didn't sound entirely human anymore.
The council members scrambled from the room like scared rabbits. Lord Verin was the last to leave, shooting me a look of pure hatred before slamming the door.
Silence filled the chamber.
King Cassius collapsed back into his throne. The black slowly faded from his eyes. He wiped blood from his face with a shaking hand.
Then he looked at me, and he smiled. It was small and tired and real.
You did it, he breathed. You actually fought back.
I don't understand, I whispered. My head still throbbed with pain. What just happened?
You broke the rules. He laughed, but it sounded almost like a sob. For thirteen years, every Source has obeyed every command without question. The crown's magic made it impossible to refuse. But you... He shook his head in wonder. You resisted.
Your note said to resist you.
I hoped you could. I prayed you could. He stood and walked toward me on unsteady legs. But I didn't know if it was even possible.
He knelt in front of me and unlocked my chains with a key from his pocket. His hands were gentle.
Why did you want me to disobey? I asked.
He opened his mouth to answer then suddenly went rigid.
No. Not now.
Black flooded his eyes like spilled ink. He grabbed my shoulders, his grip painful. When he spoke, it was in that awful flat voice.
This changes nothing. Tomorrow you will cast the fire spell. You will burn the village. You WILL obey.
But his hands were trembling. Fighting.
His right hand moved slowly, shakily, to his belt. He pulled out a small key and pressed it into my palm, his movement's jerky like a puppet fighting its strings.
Tower... library... third shelf... The words came out strangled, barely human. Red book... tells... everything...
The black swallowed his eyes completely.
GUARDS! He shouted in that terrible empty voice. Take her to the dungeons. She'll burn the village tomorrow or she'll burn instead.
Guards burst through the door.
As they dragged me away, I clutched the key in my fist.
The king had just given me the answer to everything if I could escape to find it.
And I had until tomorrow before they burned me alive.