The next morning, just before dawn, Seraphina found Miss Celesti waiting in the manor’s small garden. She stood by the wind chimes, letting them sing as the first golden rays kissed the hilltops.

Seraphina approached with quiet resolve.

"I’ve made my decision," she said.

Celesti turned. Her pale eyes, so often unreadable, softened.

"I’m choosing Leilla Dukedom," Seraphina continued. "Not because it’s the most powerful or the safest. But because I felt… peace here. Like I could grow without being expected to bloom immediately."

Celesti studied her for a moment. "And you’re not afraid they’ll burden you with their grief?"

"I am," Seraphina admitted. "But I think we’re all carrying something. At least here, we might heal together."

Celesti smiled faintly. "You chose not with your mind, but your spirit. That’s how a Saintess should decide."

They stood together in silence, the wind brushing past them like a quiet blessing.

Celesti broke the silence, her gaze steady as she gestured for me to sit beside her.

"Now that you have chosen your adoptive family," she began, her voice low and measured as her eyes met mine, "there are matters we must speak of—matters that should have been discussed long ago, in the presence of the emperor."

I nodded silently and took my seat, the soft rustle of my gown the only sound between us.

"It concerns your future... and your role as the Saintess," she continued, folding her hands neatly over her lap. "Tomorrow, the announcement will be made—your chosen house revealed to the empire. Until then, keep your decision secret. Speak of it to no one but me. A week from now, you will return to the capital, to Hue Shrine, to complete your remaining lessons. Once they are fulfilled, your journey across the empire will begin."

She paused briefly to sip her tea, letting the weight of her words settle before continuing.

"You will heal the sick, cleanse the land of Erosion, and repel the monsters that linger beyond the veil. Only when your duty is done—when the empire has been restored by your light—must you prepare yourself… for marriage."

"Marriage?" I repeated, my voice sharper than intended. "Is that truly the only reward a Saintess receives for saving the empire?"

Celesti, seemingly unfazed by my reaction, exhaled softly and returned her cup to its saucer.

"Yes," she said simply. "We do not yet know what fate awaits you once your duties are complete. You are unlike the saints and saintesses who came before you. You were not bestowed as an infant, nor did you arrive with the same signs. Much of your path remains unwritten. But this—this is what the emperor has decreed."

The emperor.

A chill ran down my spine.

"Did… did the emperor suggest marriage?" I asked, my voice quiet but strained, the fragments of my vision—blood, fire, and a crown soaked in sorrow—screaming in the corners of my mind.

"Indeed," Celesti replied, her tone light, almost casual. "He seems particularly eager to see you betrothed to the crown prince. Such a union is not without precedent. A Saintess bound to a prince brings both divine favor and political power. It’s a union that would strengthen the empire—or so the emperor believes."

My body went rigid. Cold sweat beaded at the nape of my neck as the echoes of my vision clawed their way to the surface—visions of pain, betrayal, and a brutal end.

No. I cannot allow that future to come to pass.

The scream in my vision grew louder, mingling with the beat of my heart. My breath trembled.

What must I do to escape this fate?

The very image sent a shiver down my spine.

The vision I had on my first night at the manor—blood on silk, the cold glint of a blade, the echo of my own screams—it came rushing back with cruel clarity. His face was there. Crown Prince Valerian. Smiling. Kissing my hand. Watching me die.

No.

"I don’t want that," I whispered, unable to keep the tremble from my voice. "I won’t accept it."

Miss Celesti set her teacup down with a soft clink, her expression unreadable.

"That isn’t your decision to make, Seraphina," she said gently, but firmly. "You are a child of the gods. Your life was never meant to be ordinary. You knew that when you accepted the role of Saintess."

"I never accepted being used," I said, louder now. "The people need me, I know that. I’ll heal them. I’ll travel the empire. I’ll fight the Erosion if I must. But I won’t be caged in the palace… I won’t be married off like a prize."

"You’ll need to be careful how you say such things," she warned. "You’re walking a fine line between duty and rebellion. And rebellion does not end well for people like us."

I looked away, gripping the folds of my gown tightly.

"But I’m not like the others, am I?" I muttered. "I wasn’t bestowed as a baby. I didn’t grow up in the shrine. I appeared in the Holy Room as a twenty-year-old girl. Why would the gods send someone like me… unless I was meant to break the cycle?"

"The marriage is not yet set in stone, Sera," Celesti said gently, her gaze calm but firm. "I understand how you feel, truly. But you must be cautious—what you said just now could be used against you, especially since it is the Emperor’s decree that you question."

Her words brought me back from the edge of panic. I blinked, grounding myself in the quiet garden.

"I—I’m sorry, High Priestess," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I just…"

She raised a hand, cutting me off with a gentle smile. "It’s all right."

Celesti rose gracefully to her feet, the hem of her robe brushing the floor like a whisper. "I should take my leave now."

I stood with her and walked her to the front door. The manor was silent, the faint flicker of lanterns casting long shadows along the corridor. As she stepped into her carriage, she paused, turning back to glance at me one last time.

"Let what we spoke of today remain between us," she said softly. "Rest well, Seraphina. Tomorrow, your new home will be known to all. Be ready."

With that, the carriage door closed, and within moments, the wheels turned quietly over the cobblestone path, vanishing into the night.

---

Three days later, in the hallowed halls of Hue Shrine, the six dukedoms assembled under the watch of the Empire’s nobility, clergy, and the Emperor himself.

The shrine’s dome was adorned with magical emblems of every element—flames, waves, leaves, stars—and above them all, a glowing sigil of light and wind intertwined.

At the altar stood Seraphina, radiant in ceremonial white, with golden embroidery that shimmered like morning sun. To her left stood Celesti, and beside her, the Delvaux couple—Duke Zade and Duchess Selene.

The Emperor rose from his seat. "Seraphina Ivory, Saintess of Hue Shrine," he declared, "Today you shall choose an adoptive home. One that shall protect you, guide you, and serve as your family not by blood, but by bond."

Seraphina stepped forward, her voice clear and unwavering.

"I, Seraphina Ivory, Saintess of Hue Shrine, offer my heart and loyalty to the household that gave me comfort when I felt alone. The winds of Leilla spoke to my spirit, and in their calm, I found purpose."

Gasps and murmurs swept through the crowd. Even Crown Prince Valerian, seated near the emperor, tilted his head in subtle intrigue.

Celesti raised her staff, the sigil of Hue Shrine illuminating the floor. "By divine will and sacred law, let the bond be sealed."

Duke Zade approached, his expression solemn. "We vow to protect you as our own, Saintess. Not as a symbol, but as a daughter."

Duchess Selene reached out and placed a family crest necklace—silver wings on a circle of wind-blown leaves—around Seraphina’s neck. "Welcome home."

As the emblems of the other dukedoms dimmed, Leilla’s sigil burst with wind and light, sealing the vow.

---

That night, as Seraphina walked back to her new quarters in the Delvaux manor—now not just the Saintess, but the adopted daughter of House Delvaux—she stopped briefly by a window. She watched the breeze tug at the trees far below, and she whispered to the wind:

"Thank you for guiding me."