Welcome to the Empire. Where the Prophecy is law, and betrayal is the only way to survive it.
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Two thousand years ago, the Prophecy of Fire and Light foretold the coming of the...
With Alex in stable condition and safe with the Councillor by her side, Treyan had too many unanswered questions he needed to ask his brother.
Mainly, what the hell did he do?
He was able to single-handedly rewrite their entire history—their entire Prophecy—and Treyan needed to know why.
It was time for answers, even if he had to break every one of Reylor's fingers to acquire them.
He turned the corner to the hallway that held the stairway to the dungeons and stopped as the hair on the back of his neck prickled.
All was too quiet.
But then he heard the crying.
He delayed no longer and vaulted down the stairs, where his suspicions were immediately confirmed.
Reylor's cell was open, the keys dangling from its lock, and his brother was nowhere to be seen.
The cries rose in crescendo from the doorway ahead of him. Unsure as to what to expect, Treyan hugged the wall as he slowly approached the infirmary, standing battle-ready as he cautiously opened the door.
The scene before him would have turned even the strongest of stomachs.
The corpses on the floor were nothing short of massacred. He counted three bodies total—the two palace guards and the senior healer. But where was the Mistress?
The hysterical shrieks of the unseen newborn led him on a frenzied search until he found the source. Wrapped in a blanket and still in the arms of the dead healer, the dark-haired babe cried with newfound breath. He picked her up and wiped her off as best as he could.
Their firstborn. Sarayna.
She seemed unscathed despite the morbid setting, but he held her close all the same.
"Shh, nirr haesd," he attempted to soothe her as best as he could while he continued to survey his surroundings.
Where was the other baby?
With one hand he searched around the other bodies, taking care in the search for his son, but the newborn prince was nowhere to be seen.
An explosion from above showered dust and debris upon them, and Treyan used his body to shield tiny Sara from the damage. Looking to the ceiling of the infirmary, it was all starting to come together.
In the depths of his memory, he knew of only one source that could create enough power to quake the palace as such, and when another surge again shook the walls around him, Treyan finally understood.
He needed to get to the library.
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Treyan handed the crying child to the Councillor while he began to rummage around the room.
"My prince, where is young Lexan?" the Councillor inquired as he shifted his weight to support the newborn in his arms.
"My son wasn't there," he responded shortly as he opened the armoire and searched its lowest shelf. "Neither was Reylor, and the Mistress has gone missing."
Treyan shook his head, remembering the murder scene within the infirmary. "This was meticulously planned. Whether the Mistress was involved or not, I know who was at the center of it."
"My prince, you cannot rush headlong into battle when we do not know what to expect." The Councillor glanced over to Alex as she rested in the bed. "What of the Empress, or the princess?" He held the infant slightly higher for added emphasis.
Treyan looked between his sleeping wife and newborn daughter, but it only strengthened his resolve. "All the more reason. I have to do something." He stood, strapping his sword around his waist.
"My prince, if I may."
Treyan glanced at him from the corner of his eye as he brought out a satchel and began packing it with various articles of clothing and supplies. "I don't know what's happening, or what else he may have planned, but right now Reylor is in my palace trying to destroy our Annals and I'll be damned if he succeeds!"
Strapping the satchel closed, he hoisted it from the floor and handed it to the Councillor. "You will stay here with Alex and Sara, and you will keep them safe."
"My prince—"
"No one is to come near my wife or my daughter, do you understand me?"
"Of course, my prince, but..."
The Councillor pleaded, but Treyan continued to ignore him as he walked to the bed where Alex slept. She looked at peace despite the horrors that awaited her once she awoke. Brushing a few strands of hair back from her face, he leaned down and left a soft kiss on her lips.
"I'll be back when you wake," he promised her quietly before turning to face the Councillor.
Sarayna had cried herself to sleep against his chest, and she, too, received a gentle kiss upon her brow.
"Prince Treyan."
Treyan eyes met his, and as the Councillor was clearly nervous, Treyan was never more certain.
"You will keep them safe," he commanded, unwavering.
With a final nod to his most trusted advisor, he ran from the room, ready to defend his Prophecy and their future, regardless of the cost.
