Chapter 51: The Empress’s Gambit

••{RHIANNON’S POV}••

"Rhiannon, you’re not safe here anymore," Nayeesha says, her tone full of fear as she paces back and forth. "Azræl’s life is hanging by a thread, and sooner or later, the enemy will strike again. There’s only so much I can do before I reach my limits."

She stops in front of me.

"So tell me," she says, lowering her voice. "What are we going to do?"

My gaze falls to the floor and I press my lips into a thin line.

My fingers curl into the fabric of my gown as I try hard to think of something, but for a good moment, my mind remains completely blank.

Then suddenly, my brows shoot up and my eyes widen the moment an idea finally comes to me.

Nayeesha notices immediately.

"What is it?" she asks, her tone urgent.

"I have a plan," I say, meeting her gaze.

Her expression turns serious as she crosses her arms and steps closer.

"Alright. Tell me," she says.

"Sit first," I reply, gesturing to the empty chair beside me.

She hesitates for a heartbeat before lowering herself into the seat. I stay quiet a little longer, gathering my thoughts before I finally speak.

"Most princesses are groomed from birth to be nothing more than a bride," I begin, my gaze fixed forward. "A bargaining chip. A tool meant to strengthen alliances between kingdoms. They are taught how to always be prim and proper. How to speak without ever being loud. Always told to smile no matter how they feel on the inside."

I let out a small laugh as I shake my head. "They’re also taught how to waltz in corsets so tight they can barely breathe."

The smile vanishes as I lock eyes with Nayeesha.

"But I’m not most princesses," I say quietly.

"I was trained by the greatest knight and swordsman of Astragarde, Ser Garrick El’Dorne," I continue. "Even though I had no interest in ruling one day, my father made sure I was always seated with him at court meetings. He taught me how politics truly worked—the alliances that held kingdoms together, the rivalries that could tear them apart, and the decisions that could turn a disagreement into a war."

"He taught me about trade, too. How kingdoms depend on one another for resources, how merchants and noble houses influence the crown, and how a single trade agreement can strengthen an alliance just as effectively as a marriage."

"He taught me diplomacy. How to negotiate without giving away more than I should. How to read the intentions behind someone’s words. How to know when to compromise and when to stand my ground."

I pause for a moment, remembering all those long hours I spent, drowning in books.

"And he didn’t stop there. My father made sure I had the finest scholars and tutors in Astragarde. They taught me the history of our kingdom, the rise and fall of the other kingdoms of Valthorea, their rulers, their customs, their rivalries, their wars... everything I would need to understand the world beyond our borders."

"And the funny thing is..." I say, narrowing my eyes and tilting my head slightly, "at first, I never really understood why he was doing all those things. I mean—sure it’s unusual for a princess to be trained in the art of the sword, but it was for an entirely different reason that we both knew of."

I pause, my gaze dropping to my hands in my lap.

"So one day, I finally asked him why," I say quietly. "Why did I need to know about politics, diplomacy, trade, history, and all the things that came with ruling when I had no intention of ever inheriting the throne?"

A faint smile touches my lips as I remember his answer.

"He simply looked at me and said—There is power in knowledge, Anna."

My voice softens as I repeat the rest of his words.

"You may not want the throne or any of the responsibilities and burdens that come with it, but you have no idea what the future holds for you. You don’t know if there will ever come a day when you’re suddenly thrust into a position where everything I’ve taught you becomes important."

I fall silent for a moment.

Then I turn fully toward Nayeesha, a thin smile curving my lips.

"Now that day has come, hasn’t it?"

She nods slowly but doesn’t say a word.

I lean back in my chair and fold my hands together in my lap.

"What happened to Azræl today isn’t uncommon," I say, my tone grim. "Just because someone wears a crown and sits on a throne doesn’t mean their power will forever remain unchallenged. History has proven that again and again. Kings and Queens have been overthrown. Entire royal families have been slaughtered in the name of rebellion, revenge, or ambition. Thrones have been usurped by people who were once nothing more than subjects kneeling before them."

I turn away from Nayeesha, gazing out the window because I can’t bring myself to look her in the eyes after what I’m about to say.

"I’m not exactly proud to say this..." I murmur, "but my own family is an example of that very bloody pattern."

"Your family?" she asks, her tone gentle.

I nod without sparing her a glance.

"Astragarde wasn’t always ruled by House Aurelian," I go on. "Before us, the throne belonged to House Stellarion. But after my great-grandfather discovered that several members of their family were witches, he rallied the other noble houses and led a rebellion against them."

I pause for a second, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"House Stellarion was overthrown and all its members were publicly executed," I say quietly. "And my family has held the throne for the last hundred and fifty years."

For a good moment, the room stays utterly silent.

My heart races while I fidget nervously with my fingers as I wait for Nayeesha to say something.

Anything at all.

But she doesn’t.

I turn very slowly to meet her gaze.

When I see there’s no anger, hate, or even the slightest sign of judgement on her face, the tension leaves my shoulders instantly.

She reaches over and rests her hand on mine.

"Go on," she says calmly.

I let out a small sigh.

"My father is a good ruler," I continue. "But even though he is kind and just, that crown doesn’t make him untouchable. It makes him a valuable target."

Nayeesha remains silent, listening closely.

"If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the eighteen years that I’ve been alive, it’s that kindness alone does not guarantee loyalty," I say firmly. "Fear does."

A slight crease forms between her brows.

"My father is just as brutal as he is merciful," I say. "I’ve seen him use fear as a tool to root out spies and traitors in his court. And I intend to do the same."

"I think I understand what you’re saying," she murmurs. "But how exactly do we use fear to solve the problem we’re facing?"

"Astragarde is the only human kingdom in Valthorea that has successfully purged witches from its lands," I answer. "The stories are still told to this day."

Nayeesha’s eyes narrow a bit.

"Over a hundred years ago, my great grandfather, Andros the First, led an army to the last hidden witch sanctuary within our borders," I say. "The battle lasted from daybreak until sundown. The witches cast spells, illusions that twisted the minds of the soldiers. They saw their swords turn into serpents in their hands, and their shields burst into flames. They even felt the fire burn their skin. The witches used these illusions to turn the tides of the battle in their favor. But Andros realized it wasn’t real... it was all in the mind. He broke free of the illusions and helped his men do the same. That is how they won."

"Rhiannon, why are you telling me this?" Nayeesha asks, her brows furrowing tightly as she studies me.

"Can you create illusions like that?"

"Yes," she answers without hesitation. "Any spell-casting witch can."

"Good," I reply.

I rise from my seat, fold my hands behind my back, then begin to pace slowly.

"I will summon all the palace servants to the throne room," I say, my tone unwavering. "While they’re gathered, I want you to cast an illusion of a monstrous beast. We will tell them it has the ability to sniff out the traitors hiding among us before mauling them to death."

Nayeesha’s brows rise as her expression brightens.

"That is a brilliant plan," she says. "It’s definitely going to work."

"No," I mutter, shaking my head. "It won’t."

She blinks. "What do you mean?"

"The plan won’t work with just the beast alone," I answer. "It still needs... something."

I slowly rub my chin as I pace a few more steps. But I freeze the moment my eyes widen.

"Rhiannon?" Nayeesha says, her tone cautious. "What is it?"

"Before I summon the servants, I want you to seal the entire castle inside a magical barrier," I say quickly.

Her eyes go wide.

"The entire castle?" she says, raising her voice.

She immediately rises from her seat, crossing the space between us.

"Rhiannon, that is too much," she says, her tone filled with fear. "You’re asking too much of me."

I reach for her hands and hold them firmly. "But you can do it," I say gently. "Can’t you?"

"Yes, I can," she replies. "But I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hold a barrier that large while sustaining an illusion before my powers start to falter."

"Please, Nayeesha, I need it," I beg, my tone filled with desperation. "Without the barrier this plan won’t work."

Her amber eyes, filled with concern, frantically search mine as I speak.

"When all the servants are summoned, the traitors will assume they’re going to be questioned and that is all. But the moment they realize they’re trapped inside these walls, they’ll begin to panic. They’ll know something worse is yet to come."

I give her hands a gentle squeeze.

"Fear is a powerful tool if used wisely, and the beast is the final blow," I continue. "Before it even appears, the enemy will already feel cornered, and once they believe death is inevitable, they will expose themselves."

Nayeesha’s gaze drops to the floor, and several heartbeats pass in silence. When she looks at me again, she has a conflicted look on her face.

"Alright," she says finally. "I think I’ll be able to do it, but we have to be quick. Once I start to strain, the entire plan will fail."

"Don’t worry," I say firmly. "We’ll be quick."

Nayeesha takes a deep breath, then exhales before giving me a nod.

Then the sound of a deafening roar rips me out of my thoughts and back into the throne room.

The servants are packed together in tight rows, their eyes wide with fear as they all stand frozen.

The beast raises its three heads slowly, its nostrils flaring as it sniffs the air.

As the silence stretches, my fingers grip the armrests of the throne, and my heart pounds with anticipation.

I pray silently to the Goddess, hoping that all of this wasn’t for nothing.

Suddenly, the beast’s eyes flare bright red and it lowers its heads toward the servants, growling as saliva drips from its jaws onto the floor.

With a piercing roar, it leaps into the air with its claws stretched out.

All the servants scatter instantly, screaming, colliding with one another as they scramble away in fear.

But one of them catches my eye.

A guard.

Before the beast can land, he unsheathes his sword and charges at it with a wild cry, driving his blade straight into its chest.

Azorynth collapses instantly and dissolves into red mist before fading into nothing.

The guard stumbles back, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stares at the empty space where the monster fell.

My breath catches in my throat when I see the sword in his hand.

Nightbane.

The same blackened steel used to attack Azræl.

I spring to my feet and point a finger at him.

"GUARDS, SEIZE HIM!"

The guards move immediately, drawing their swords.

But in the blink of an eye, everything goes wrong.

So many of the servants draw blackened blades from underneath their clothes, even their boots.

A guard turns and plunges a nightbane sword straight through the chest of another guard beside him. A maid lets out a feral cry as she rips out daggers from her under her sleeves and drives them into another guard’s throat, severing his head clean off his body.

Before I know what’s happening, screams fill the throne room and blood splatters across the marble floors as the traitors turn on the loyal servants.

Seraphine and Azeria rise to their feet immediately and storm into the battle, and magic sparks to life in Nayeesha’s hands as she follows right behind them.

I unfasten my cape, flinging it aside as I step down from the dais. Then I draw my sword from its sheath.

Fear did exactly what I knew it would do.

It forced the enemy out of the shadows and into the light.

And now, it’s my turn to finish what I started.