The torch spiraled through the air, a comet of orange flame aimed directly at my chest.
Time slowed down. I could see the individual sparks dancing off the wood. I could see the madness in Vane's eyes. I had two choices: save my skin or save the ledgers.
An accountant always protects the assets.
I dove—not away from the flame, but toward the desk. I swept the "Shadow Ledger" into my arms, rolling across the stone floor just as the torch landed on my chair. The dry velvet ignited instantly, a roar of heat blooming behind me.
"Elara!" Kaelen's voice was a thunderclap.
I scrambled to my feet, the edges of my emerald dress singed and smoking. I clutched the book to my chest like it was a newborn child. "I have it! I have the proof!"
Vane didn't wait to see the aftermath. He turned toward the window, intending to leap to the lower balcony. But he didn't count on Kaelen's speed. Before the Chancellor could even touch the sill, Kaelen's sword was at his throat, the tip drawing a single, tiny bead of blood.
"Movement is death, Vane," Kaelen said, his voice terrifyingly calm.
Outside, the heavy thud of boots announced the arrival of the Imperial Guard. They swarmed into the room, their shields reflecting the flickering fire.
"Secure the Chancellor," Kaelen commanded, never taking his eyes off Vane. "And get a bucket brigade in here! If this tower goes, the Empire's credit rating goes with it!"
An hour later, I was sitting on the steps of the Great Hall, wrapped in a coarse wool blanket. My face was streaked with soot, my favorite dress was ruined, and I smelled like a chimney.
Kaelen walked over, two tin cups of wine in his hands. He handed one to me and sat down on the cold marble step, his long legs stretched out in front of him.
"You're insane," he said, though there was a strange, soft light in his golden eyes. "You dove into a fire for a book."
"It's not just a book," I said, taking a shaky sip of the wine. It was cheap, sharp, and wonderful. "It's the evidence of three million dragons. It's the key to your father's trust. And," I added with a tired smirk, "it's my ticket to that island."
Kaelen looked out over the courtyard, where Vane was being loaded into a high-security transport carriage. "The Emperor is pleased. He wants to see you tomorrow at dawn. He's calling it a 'Hero's Commendation.'"
"Does the commendation come with a cash prize?"
Kaelen laughed, a real, deep sound that made the hair on my arms stand up. He leaned in, his shoulder brushing mine. "Probably. But there's a catch. Now that the Chancellor is gone, the position of Imperial Treasurer is officially vacant. My father wants to appoint you. Permanently."
I froze. "Permanently? Kaelen, I'm a 'Villainess.' I'm supposed to be retiring with a stolen fortune, not balancing the books for an entire continent until I'm eighty."
Kaelen turned to me, his face inches from mine. In the moonlight, the soot on his cheeks made him look like a phantom. "The fortune isn't stolen if it's your salary, Elara. Stay. Run the Empire with me. Think of the 'audits' we could do together."
I looked at the singed ledger in my lap. I looked at the Prince who had jumped through fire for me.
"I'll stay on one condition," I said.
"Name it."
"I want a 15% commission on all recovered stolen funds. And I want the title 'Grand Auditress.' 'Treasurer' is too boring."
Kaelen grinned, reaching out to clink his tin cup against mine. "Agreed, Lady Auditress. Welcome to the government."
As the sun began to peek over the spires of Oakhaven, I realized my "Retirement" had just turned into a "Career." But as I looked at the Prince beside me, I decided that maybe—just maybe—this was a better investment anyway.