Act I - Chapter 2

Azura

The White Palace had always terrified me. It was a palace built to replicate the eye of a storm, but the ruler inside had turned it cold and pristine. The palace walls shimmered with hidden malice, a facade to the depths of the evil inside. 

I woke up to a busy street outside my window. The driver of my carriage had to swerve back and forth to avoid other carriages speeding past us, all preparing for the ball. We soon reached the formal landing, which led up to the Court of Palms. 

“Your highness, we have arrived”

With all the prying eyes around him, the messenger wouldn’t dare be rude to me, in fear that he would be fired or worse. I headed into the palace through the grandiose entrance holding my head up high, my bags swinging from the messenger’s arms. He set the bags down on a table near the entrance and told a palace maid to take them to a guest room.

“Azura, dearest, it’s wonderful to see you.”

I turned around and came face to face with my darling second-oldest brother, Everest. My second-oldest brother is the biggest flirt out of my siblings, but he is not the worst of them. 

However, I could never forgive him for what he did to Xennia. But what could I do? Despite the illusion of my royal title, I had no power here, especially against Everest. 

My siblings, especially my brothers, viewed the line of succession as a competition, with the ultimate prize being the throne. When their only goal is to one-up each other in our father’s eyes, they will do anything to get the upper hand, even murder.

“Hello brother, how are you doing these days?”

“You know, the same old. Father tried to get me to marry the 9th’s daughter, but I told that bitch I don’t want just one bride. Fucking leech.”

“It’s good to see you haven’t changed.”

“What, so you’re saying it’s my fault? And what, you've been a goody-two-shoes all this time? Know your place, blood-drinker.”

I turned away from him and gazed at the crowd, enamored by the hundreds of palace maids decorating a large carriage with pumpkins and straw. With every second I looked at the crowd, I could feel Everest inching closer and closer. Everest grabbed my hair and pulled my face close. 

“Father wants to see you. He’s waiting in the outer sanctuary. Don’t let anybody spot you on your way there. He said he had a surprise.”

He pushed me away and gestured to the long hallway across from us to show me how to get there as if I hadn’t grown up in the palace too. Everest always assumed he was the smartest in the room. He’s an asshole, I thought, but he’s still your brother. You can’t punch him. Just imagine what father would do.

I headed down the hallway towards the outer sanctuary, careful to keep my head down. As long as I kept my head down, nobody would know I was royalty. It was the sapphire eyes. Only descendants of the 4th emperor had them. There were eight of us in total, five sons and three daughters, at least legitimately. The sapphire eyes marked us as his children, for better or for worse. 

I arrived at the outer sanctuary moments later, the breeze blowing off the salt-stained sea licking my face as I climbed up the stairs. 

“Darling Azura, thank you for coming all this way.”

I looked up. My father looked upset, but why? I had completed the job.

“Dearest, would you please follow daddy into the inner sanctuary for a second? There is something I need to discuss with you.”

As I followed my father into the inner sanctuary, I noticed the guards from the wings trailing behind me. In the inner sanctuary, I spotted my two sisters, Ellia and Arabella, sitting below me at a rectangular table on the first floor. My father and I walked down the steps towards my sisters as the guards posted themselves at the door. He gestured for me to sit next to Arabella and sat across from me. I sat down, uneasy with my sisters around.

“Now darlings, there comes a time in any royal’s life when they must consider their future. You can’t waste time in the palace forever, you know. That is why I have invited all three of you to the Harvest Ball this year. The 6th Emperor has agreed to make his favorite of you his concubine. Wouldn’t that be lovely?”

“What do you get in exchange?” my oldest sister asked. 

“Oh, nothing much. He promised me the land rights to the small province of Peloria.”

Peloria may have been small, but I had done enough jobs for my father there to know it was valuable. It housed one of the busiest ports on this side of the Eastern Sea. The 6th emperor must have wanted one of us badly to give up Peloria. Did he hear about my powers? Did he want one of my sisters for their beauty? All I knew was that I couldn’t leave the 4th empire. What would Milo do without me? And Analina? 

“Thank you, my darling daughters, for always keeping a positive mindset in the face of change.” my father said, looking at each of us in turn. “Feel free to leave”. 

Then, he turned to me, a menacing glint shining in his eyes. 

“Azura, it has been so long. Would you mind staying for a second?”

I had no choice. My sisters fled from the inner sanctuary without a second thought. 

“Darling Azura, would you mind being my galeiditara at the Ball? I’ve heard that the Duke of the North is challenging my position. I shouldn’t injure myself before the council meeting, so I need you to step in.”

He was asking me, and only me, to go up against the Duke of the North’s army. We both knew the results of this fight did not matter. Only if the emperor was killed would the throne be passed to the victor. However, there was a high chance I would be killed or worse. If the 6th emperor saw me in battle, he might choose me to be his. But if I did not do well enough, the 4th empire would be seen as weak, and therefore the emperor himself. If one person, particularly a girl, obliterated the Duke’s army, no one would dare touch the emperor. It was a gamble for both of us, one where the price was my life. I could not be the galeiditara. I didn’t respond.

“Unless, shall I ask Icarus? I’m sure he would be glad to go in your stead,” he threatened.

Icarus would die, but he would accept it if it meant I didn't have to go. At least I had a chance. 

“I’ll go, but I’m going to need a wand and a good one at that.” 

“Thank you, darling-"

I was done. I got up to leave my seat when my father spoke once again.

"-However, there is one more thing I want to discuss with you.”

My oldest brother walked in through the side entrance, wearing a sinister smirk on his face. He sat down next to my father and whispered something in his ear. 

“Guards, bring out the child.”

The guards dragged out a small silver-haired child. Analina, I thought, How did they get her? I had given her to Margie and Xennia in hopes they would keep her safe. Did they get ambushed? Was Xennia dead? It made no sense. They were supposed to stay in my castle, safe from harm. 

“Azura darling, your lovely brother reminded me that this girl was your mission. Whatever is she doing here, of all places? You should know better by now. Now dearest, remind me of who this child is again.”

I looked into my father’s eyes. He had known about this for hours. 

“What did you do to Xennia?” I shouted.

“Darling, it is Xennia who gave this child to me. All I had to do was offer a bit of… encouragement. Dearest, who is she?”

I guess revenge really is sweeter than friendship.

The emperor beckoned for the guards to bring Analina closer to the table. I stayed silent, unsure of what to do next.

“Now, should I offer some of the same encouragement to this dear child? Guards, can you grab me the firewhip? I’m sure this will get someone talking.”

“N-no!”

I pushed myself in front of Analina as the first strike fell. It singed my back, burning through my nice dress. I turned to Analina.

“Hey, are you okay? I’ll get you out later. For now, I’ll do my best to stop him,” I whispered.

I turned around to face my father as the next strike hit, leaving a burn across my chest, tearing through my clothes. 

“She is Analina Desmes, daughter of the Duke of the North, your enemy as of right now. Wouldn’t it be in your best interest not to kill her, at least yet?”

Another lash seared across my face, daring me to give in. I had to persist, for Analina’s sake.

“Her death will only be a quick slap on the Duke’s wrist, so would it not be in your best interest to keep her alive to taunt the Duke?”

The firewhip dropped to the marble floor, its clatter echoing through the silent sanctuary. I could almost hear the wheels of his brain turning. Everything was going according to plan. Of course, my oldest brother, Bartholomew, could not stand this. 

“Father, Azura still disobeyed your orders. She deserves to be punished, doesn’t she? Unlike me, my dearest sister needs lessons on obedience. Should I send her to the silence box? Rolf hasn’t seen her in a long time. I’m sure he misses her.”

No mention of Analina. As long as my brother didn’t mention Analina, her punishment would be lighter.

“Children, calm down. The Duke is the one in the wrong here. I offered him a steal for killing this little one, just one diamond mine in the North, and this is how he treats me? I will make him suffer. No one said I was going to hurt this human. Guards, would you please escort our honored guest to cell block 81?”

The guards led Analina out of the sanctuary. She was saved, at least for now. My father silently picked up the firewhip and started slashing it across my back, scorching my wings. The pain was excruciating, but after a while, I stopped feeling it. Eventually, guards carried my broken body to the silence box, where Rolf was surely waiting for me. Analina was safe. I had enough time to get her out of the palace, but only if Alexei would help me.