Seraphina's POV - Wedding Day, Present
The document in the east tower changes everything.
My hands shake as I read the official imperial report, dated three days before the siege of Valeria. The words blur together, but certain phrases jump out like daggers:
falsified evidence of treason
Lord Blackwell's fabricated correspondence
Duke Valence innocent of all charges
General Thorne's formal objection denied
I read it three times. Four. Five.
My father wasn't a traitor.
The Emperor knew it.
And Kael Thorne tried to stop the siege.
No, I whisper. No, this can't be real.
But the imperial seal is genuine. The signatures are real. This is an official document that was supposed to be destroyed.
Kael saved it. Kept it hidden for two years. And now he's given it to me.
Why?
Trumpets blast from somewhere below, making me jump. The wedding ceremony. It's starting.
I'm supposed to be in the chapel right now.
I grab the document and run, my wedding dress tangling around my legs as I race down the tower stairs. My mind spins with questions I can't answer.
If my father was innocent, who wanted him dead?
If Kael tried to stop the siege, why did he still do it?
And why give me this proof now, minutes before our wedding?
I burst back into my bridal chamber, gasping. The servants are gone. Sister Margarethe waits alone, worry carved into her face.
Where have you been? She rushes forward. The ceremony starts in five minutes! They're looking everywhere for you!
I know, I I shove the document at her. Read this. Quickly.
She scans it, her eyes widening. Sweet merciful God. This says
That everything was a lie. That someone else wanted my family dead. I press my hands to my face. What do I do? Do I still go through with this?
The palace corridors stretch endlessly, their grandeur mocking me. Golden chandeliers, priceless tapestries, floors so polished I can see my reflectional of it bought with blood. My family's blood. Valeria's blood. How many provinces had to burn to build this monument to imperial vanity?
Do you have a choice? Sister Margarethe grips my shoulders. If you run now, what happens to those hundreds of names on that list?
She's right. Nothing has changed. I'm still trapped.
Except now I don't know who my real enemy is.
The door bursts open. A palace official stares at me with fury. Lady Valence! The Emperor is waiting! The guests are waiting! You're late!
I'm coming. I smooth my dress with trembling hands.
Sister Margarethe squeezes my hand one last time. Remember keep your eyes open. Trust nothing. Question everything.
The official practically drags me into the hallway. Servants fall into formation around me, adjusting my veil, my train, my flowers. The bouquet with the hidden poison.
I still have that, at least. Whatever the truth is, I can still protect myself.
The corridor stretches endlessly ahead. Every step toward the chapel feels like walking toward my execution.
Nobles line the halls, hundreds of them in their finest clothes. As I pass, their whispers follow like poison:
The traitor's daughter.
How generous of the General to take damaged goods.
She should be grateful he didn't have her executed too.
I heard she tried to run. Had to be dragged back.
Each word is a knife. I keep my head high, my face calm, even as rage burns through my veins.
They don't know the truth. None of them do.
My father was innocent. My family died for lies.
And someone in this crowd knows exactly who's responsible.
I study faces as I walk. Lord Blackwell stands near the chapel doors, smiling that oily smile. Lady Cordelia watches with jealous eyes. The Emperor himself waits at the entrance, looking pleased with his puppet show.
One of them. Or all of them. Liars and murderers wearing silk and jewels.
We reach the massive chapel doors. Beyond them, I hear music playing. Hundreds of voices murmuring.
And somewhere in there, Kael Thorne waits.
The man I thought was a simple monster. The man who's suddenly far more complicated than I ever imagined.
The Emperor steps forward, taking my arm like he's my father giving me away. The hypocrisy makes me sick.
Smile, he whispers in my ear. This is a happy day. Show the people that Valeria has forgiven the empire.
I want to spit in his face.
I catch fragments of whispered conversations as I pass. 'Can you believe she's actually going through with it?' 'I heard she tried to refuse.' 'The General must be desperate for heirs to take damaged goods.' Each word is a knife between my ribs, but I keep my head high. They don't know I'm listening. They don't know I remember every face, every insult. Someday, they'll learn that traitors' daughters have long memories.
Instead, I smile. Sweet. Soft. Broken.
Of course, Your Majesty.
He pats my hand like I'm a good dog.
The chapel doors swing open.
Everyone stands, turning to look at me.
The music swells.
And at the end of that impossibly long aisle, standing at the altar in his military uniform, is Kael Thorne.
Our eyes meet across the distance.
I expect to see the cold general. The ruthless soldier. The man who burned my home.
Instead, his expression is... afraid? No, that can't be right. What does Kael Thorne have to fear?
He's watching me like I'm about to shatter. Like I'm made of glass and one wrong move will break me completely.
Does he know I read the document? Is that fear for himself or for me?
The Emperor tugs my arm. Walk.
I take the first step.
Then another.
Each step brings me closer to Kael. Closer to answers. Closer to danger.
The guests whisper and stare. The music plays. The flowers smell too sweet.
And all I can think about is the document in the tower.
General Thorne's formal objection denied
He tried to save my family.
But he still killed them.
Can both things be true?
I'm halfway down the aisle when I see it Kael's hand moves slightly, touching something at his belt. A signal?
Two men in the crowd shift. Guards in plain clothes, watching me carefully.
My stomach drops. Is this a trap after all? Did he show me that document just to see what I'd do?
At the chapel doors, I pause. This is the last moment I'll be unmarried, the last moment I'll be just Seraphina Valence. In minutes, I'll be Seraphina Thorne. The name tastes like poison. But I'll wear it like armor, hide behind it while I sharpen my weapons.
Three-quarters of the way now. I can see Kael's face clearly. The scar across his jaw. The shadows under his eyes. The way his hands clench and unclench at his sides.
He's nervous.
The great General Kael Thorne is nervous.
Why?
I reach the altar steps. The Emperor releases my arm and steps back.
Now it's just me and Kael, facing each other.
Up close, I can see he hasn't slept. There are new lines around his eyes, tension in his jaw.
Seraphina. His voice is low, meant only for me. Did you read it?
I nod slightly.
Something flickers in his eyes. Relief? Fear? I can't tell.
Then you know, he breathes.
I know you gave me a piece of paper, I whisper back. I don't know if it's truth or just another lie.
Pain crosses his face. It's truth. All of it.
The priest clears his throat loudly. Shall we begin?
Kael never breaks eye contact with me. There's more. After the ceremony. Things you need to know. Dangerous things.
Like what?
Like who really wanted your family dead. His jaw tightens. And why they're trying to kill you right now.
My blood turns to ice. What?
Don't drink anything at the reception, he says urgently, under his breath. Don't eat anything I haven't tasted first. And stay close to me. Every second. Your life depends on it.
The priest begins the ceremony. Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today
But I'm not listening.
Because I just realized something terrifying.
Kael Thorne isn't my enemy.
He's trying to protect me.
From someone in this room who wants me dead.