Elara's POV
The palace gates opened, and every muscle in my body screamed at me to run.
Steady, Zara murmured beside me in the carriage. You're not the broken girl they threw away. Remember that.
I forced my breathing to slow, my hands to unclench. She was right. I wasn't that girl anymore.
But walking back into the place where they'd destroyed me still felt like swallowing poison.
The carriage rolled through courtyards I used to walk through as Crown Princess. Past gardens where I'd picked flowers for Cassian, hoping to make him smile. Past the fountain where he'd kissed me once, years ago, when I still believed in fairy tales.
My lady. One of my Shadow Kingdom guards leaned down from his horse. We've arrived at the main entrance. Ready?
No. I'd never be ready.
Yes, I said anyway.
The carriage stopped. Through the window, I saw them—hundreds of nobles gathered for the Grand Trade Summit, all craning their necks to see who'd arrived in such an expensive carriage.
The door opened. My guard extended his hand.
This was it. No going back.
I stepped out, and the world went silent.
I'd dressed carefully for this moment. Midnight blue silk that cost more than most people earned in a year. Diamonds at my throat and wrists that caught the sunlight like captured stars. My hair—grown long again—swept up in a style that screamed royalty.
I looked nothing like the girl they'd dragged away in rags three years ago.
I looked like a queen.
The nobles stared, whispering behind their hands. I caught fragments:
Who is that?
I've never seen such wealth
Those guards look like they could kill everyone here
Good. Let them stare. Let them wonder.
Zara fell into step beside me, her own dark clothing marking her as someone dangerous. My six guards surrounded us, all trained killers who'd die before letting anyone touch me.
We walked toward the palace entrance, and the crowd parted like I was made of fire.
Then I heard it. A voice I recognized, sharp with curiosity.
That's her? Lady Seraphine? The Empress Dowager stood on the palace steps, her eyes narrowing as she studied me. She's younger than I expected for such a wealthy merchant.
My heart pounded, but I kept my face perfectly blank. Did she recognize me? Could she possibly
No. I looked nothing like Elara. And dead women didn't come back.
We climbed the steps. The Empress Dowager blocked our path, her smile polite and cold.
Welcome to the Crimson Empire, Lady Seraphine. Her eyes searched my face. Have we met before? You seem... familiar.
I doubt it, Your Majesty. My voice came out cool and controlled—nothing like the desperate pleading of three years ago. I rarely leave the Shadow Kingdom.
Her eyes flickered to my guards. You bring quite the protection for a simple merchant.
A woman traveling alone needs to be careful. I smiled, sharp as a knife. Surely Your Majesty understands. The world can be so dangerous for those without power.
The barb hit home. Her expression tightened.
Indeed. How fortunate you've found power elsewhere. She stepped aside. The Summit gathering is in the throne room. I'm sure the Crown Prince is eager to meet such an... influential guest.
Cassian.
My chest constricted. Three years of preparation, and I still wasn't ready to see him.
But I walked forward anyway, my head high, my guards flanking me like I owned the palace.
The throne room doors stood open ahead. I could hear voices inside—hundreds of nobles and merchants gathered for the Summit.
And somewhere in that room, Cassian was waiting.
The man who'd destroyed me. The man I'd loved with everything I had. The man I was going to make suffer.
Ready? Zara whispered.
I thought of his cold eyes as he divorced me. His silence as they dragged me away. The three years I'd spent rebuilding myself from ashes.
I was born ready, I said.
We stepped into the throne room, and a herald's voice boomed out:
Presenting Lady Seraphine of the Shadow Kingdom, Merchant Queen of the Eastern Routes!
Every conversation stopped. Every head turned.
And there, at the far end of the hall, sitting on the throne in black and gold—
Cassian.
Time stopped.
He looked different. Older. Tired. His face had new lines around his eyes, his jaw harder, his expression haunted in a way it never was before. He looked like a man who hadn't slept well in years.
Good.
But he was still beautiful. Still the prince from my foolish dreams. Still the man who'd held my heart and crushed it.
I started walking, my footsteps echoing on marble. Every eye tracked my movement. Nobles whispered. Merchants stared. The entire court watched this strange, powerful woman stride through their throne room like she owned it.
But I only saw Cassian.
His eyes swept the crowd dismissively, bored and distant, until they landed on me.
And everything changed.
His whole body went rigid. The blood drained from his face, leaving him white as death. His hands gripped the throne's armrests so hard his knuckles turned bone-white.
He knew.
Somehow, despite the different clothes and the confident walk and the three years between us—he knew.
Our eyes met across the throne room, and the air turned electric.
I saw shock in his face. Disbelief. Horror. And something else—something that looked almost like hope, which was ridiculous because I was here to destroy him, not save him.
I stopped in the center of the room, exactly where I'd stood three years ago when he divorced me. The symmetry was deliberate. Perfect.
Your Imperial Highness. I gave the shallowest bow possible—barely respectful, bordering on insulting. Thank you for inviting me to your Summit.
My voice was different now. Colder. More controlled. But still mine.
Cassian opened his mouth. Closed it. Tried again. No sound came out.
The court watched in fascination as their unshakeable Crown Prince struggled to speak.
Lady... Seraphine. He finally forced the words out, his voice rough. Welcome to the Crimson Empire.
The formal words. The safe words. But his eyes screamed something else entirely.
I'm honored to be here, I said smoothly. I've heard so much about the empire's... hospitality.
The word dripped with hidden meaning. He flinched like I'd slapped him.
The Empress Dowager swept forward, her instincts sensing something wrong with her son's reaction.
You must be tired from your journey, Lady Seraphine. Perhaps we should show you to your quarters—
Actually, I interrupted, turning to address the assembled court, I'd prefer to begin negotiations immediately. I understand several merchants are eager to discuss trade routes?
Professional. Cold. Treating the Crown Prince like any other business partner.
I turned back to Cassian, meeting his devastated gaze with ice.
Unless His Highness has other matters requiring attention? I tilted my head. I wouldn't want to interrupt anything important.
Like he'd interrupted my entire life three years ago.
Cassian stood abruptly, the movement so sudden several guards reached for their weapons. He took two steps down from the throne, his eyes never leaving my face.
You— His voice cracked. He cleared his throat, tried again. Have we met before, my lady? You seem...
He trailed off, and I watched him struggle. Watched him search my face for the girl he'd thrown away.
I smiled—the cold, beautiful smile Zara had taught me. The one that promised nothing good.
I don't believe so, Your Highness. Each word was precise. Cutting. I would remember meeting the Crown Prince of the Crimson Empire. Such an... unforgettable experience, I'm sure.
Unforgettable. Like the divorce. Like the dungeon. Like nearly drowning in a river.
His face crumpled for just a second before he schooled it back to blankness. But I saw the pain. The recognition. The desperate hope that he was wrong, that I couldn't possibly be—
My lady, Lord Adrian appeared at Cassian's side, his eyes sharp. Cassian's best friend was studying me carefully. Perhaps private negotiations would be more appropriate? The Crown Prince's personal office
I prefer public negotiations, I cut him off. Transparency is so important in business, don't you think?
I wasn't going to be alone with Cassian. Wasn't going to let him corner me and beg for explanations. This was going to be on my terms. Always.
Cassian descended the final steps, moving toward me like a man in a trance. Guards tensed. Zara's hand went to her weapon.
He stopped three feet away—the same distance he'd kept when he divorced me.
Up close, I could see the devastation in his eyes. The dark circles underneath. The way his hands trembled slightly before he clenched them into fists.
Elara, he breathed, so quiet only I could hear.
My name. My real name. Spoken like a prayer or a curse.
The sound of it from his lips after three years shattered something inside me. But I didn't let it show.
Instead, I leaned in close, my voice dropping to a whisper only he could hear:
That woman is dead. You made sure of it.
Then I stepped back, my public mask sliding into place. I raised my voice so the entire court could hear:
I look forward to profitable negotiations, Your Imperial Highness. The Shadow Kingdom is very interested in... new opportunities in the empire.
The double meaning hung in the air.
Cassian stared at me like I'd driven a knife into his chest.
And somewhere deep inside, the part of me that still remembered loving him whispered that this was just the beginning of his pain.
Good.
Guards, the Empress Dowager called out sharply, her eyes darting between Cassian and me with growing suspicion. Escort Lady Seraphine to the guest wing. The secure guest wing.
The same wing where they'd kept prisoners before.
My smile never wavered. How thoughtful.
As my guards and I were led away, I felt Cassian's eyes boring into my back.
Let him stare.
Let him wonder.
Let him suffer the way I'd suffered.
Because the broken girl who'd loved him was gone.
And the queen who'd returned was going to make him wish he'd never been born.