The palace corridor exploded into screams.
Stone dust filled the air.
Guards scattered as the monstrous creature crashed through broken marble, its claws tearing deep grooves into the floor.
Its golden eyes burned with unnatural hunger.
Yet those terrible eyes were fixed on only one person.
Seraphina.
"Bring… the true queen… alive."
The words echoed like a curse.
No one moved for half a second.
Because everyone had heard it.
True queen.
The meaning struck harder than fear.
Then chaos erupted.
"Protect Her Majesty!"
Guards charged.
Steel clashed against claws.
The creature moved like a nightmare.
One soldier was thrown into a pillar so hard it cracked apart.
Another vanished beneath the monster's crushing hand.
Blood painted the marble walls.
Master Thorne stepped forward instantly.
"Get the queen out of here!"
His sword flashed silver beneath the torchlight.
But before anyone could move—
Seraphina's sister raised her hand.
And the shadows moved.
Literally.
Darkness rippled across the corridor floor like liquid silk, wrapping around the monster's legs.
The creature roared violently.
Frozen.
The guards stopped in shock.
No one spoke.
No one understood what they were seeing.
Seraphina stared.
"You…"
Her sister looked annoyed rather than frightened.
"Now is really not the time for questions."
She turned sharply toward Seraphina.
"We need to leave."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Her sister blinked.
"No?"
"I'm tired of people dragging me through secrets," Seraphina snapped. "You disappear for years, appear out of nowhere, claim Father was murdered, and expect me to blindly trust you?"
For a moment—
Something fierce sparked in her sister's eyes.
Almost pride.
"You really did become queen."
The shadows began cracking.
The creature was breaking free.
Master Thorne shouted, "This discussion can wait!"
Her sister cursed softly under her breath.
"Fine."
She reached into her cloak and pulled out a small silver pendant.
Old.
Worn.
Its surface engraved with the royal lion of Lorian.
Seraphina froze.
She knew that pendant.
Because she owned its twin.
Her father had given it to her as a child.
The memory hit instantly—
Two identical necklaces.
Two little girls laughing.
And the king kneeling before them.
"Never lose these. No matter what happens, they belong together."
Her breath caught.
"You're really…"
Her sister softened slightly.
"Yes."
For the first time—
The queen saw pain in her face.
Not deception.
Pain.
Loneliness.
Years of abandonment.
Then the monster broke free.
The corridor shook violently.
Its roar shattered nearby glass.
Without hesitation—
Her sister shoved Seraphina aside.
A claw tore through the air where the queen had stood seconds earlier.
"Move!" she shouted.
Master Thorne attacked instantly.
Steel struck flesh—
But the creature barely reacted.
Its eyes suddenly shifted.
Past Seraphina.
Toward her sister.
Then something horrifying happened.
The monster dropped to one knee.
As though recognizing royalty.
Its distorted voice cracked painfully.
"Princess…"
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Her sister's face turned pale.
"No," she whispered.
The creature trembled violently.
Its monstrous features twisted—
Almost human for a moment.
And Seraphina realized something horrifying.
The thing knew her.
No.
Worse.
It obeyed her.
"Princess…" it repeated weakly. "Forgive…"
Her sister's eyes filled with something Seraphina hadn't expected.
Grief.
She stepped closer carefully.
"What happened to you?"
The monster convulsed violently.
Black veins spread across its body.
Its voice distorted again.
"Couldn't… stop them…"
Then its glowing eyes locked onto Seraphina.
Fear replaced obedience.
Real fear.
The creature suddenly screamed—
"RUN!"
Everything happened at once.
An arrow pierced the monster's neck.
Then another.
And another.
The creature roared in agony.
Dark figures appeared along the upper balconies.
Masked archers dressed entirely in black.
At least twenty of them.
Crossbows aimed downward.
One stepped forward.
Tall.
Broad shouldered.
Face hidden behind silver armor.
His voice echoed coldly through the corridor.
"Kill the false queen."
The archers fired.
Master Thorne tackled Seraphina to the floor.
Bolts slammed into pillars.
Glass exploded.
Guards screamed.
Her sister moved impossibly fast—
Darkness spiraled around her like living smoke as arrows froze midair and dropped harmlessly.
The armored man watched calmly.
Then slowly—
He removed his mask.
Seraphina's blood turned to ice.
Because she knew him.
Everyone did.
The man who had buried her father.
The king's most trusted advisor.
The High Chancellor.
Cedric Vale smiled coldly.
And said the one thing Seraphina never imagined hearing.
"Your father should have killed both of you when he had the chance."