Chapter 26 - Nightmare of Betrayal

  -Evening in the Audience Chamber; Imperial Sun Pa Elmir-

  As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue over the grand Audience Chamber of the Imperial Sun Pa Elmir, tension hung thi the air. The vish room, adorned with intricate tapestries depig the empire's glorious history, echoed with the Emperor's furious voice. His throne, a magnifit piece of craftsmanship, was momentarily abandoned as he leapt to his feet, his regal robes swirling around him like a tempest. “Seriously, Cillian?” the Emperor bellowed, his voice reverberating off the marble walls, a mixture of disbelief and ire etched across his aristocratic features. His eyes, usually alight with authority, now bzed with indignation. Cillian, unfazed, leaned back against the plush cushions of the chair, a delicate por teacup poised elegantly between his fingers. He took a leisurely sip of the steaming tea, his eyelids fluttering shut as he savored the warmth. “Of course, Your Imperial Majesty,” he replied coolly, his tone ced with a casual nonce that only deepehe Emperor's irritation. “Isn’t this how I was supposed to plete my task?” The Emperor's expression morphed into one of exaggerated disbelief, his brows arg dramatically. “I never anded you to defy the King or seize his daughter! ossessed you to go so far?” He sank bato his chair, the ornate seat creaking uhe weight of his frustration, fingers gripping the armrests tightly as if they were the only thing keeping him grounded. Cillian, with a slight tilt of his head, regarded the Emperor with an icy gaze. “Defy the King? I merely veyed what he ought to do,” he stated suctly, his voice devoid of any warmth, as if discussing the weather rather than a matter of state. A heavy sigh escaped the Emperor’s lips, the sound a mix of exasperation and resignation. “And where, pray tell, is the Princess now?” he inquired, his tone dripping with serenity, as if he were asking about the whereabouts of a lost sock rather than a royal hostage. “Moonlit Edifice,” Cillian answered, his voice ft and devoid of embellishment. The mention of the Moonlit Edifice, one of Cillian's maravagant properties, hung in the air like a dark cloud. It ce of opules t spires pierg the sky, adorned with intricate carvings that spoke of wealth and power. The gardens surrounding it were a riot of colors, with flowers blooming like jewels uhe moonlight, and fountains that dao the whispers of the night. To the Emperor, it was a stark reminder of Cillian's influend the audacity that came with it."..." Oh, fantastic! I just assumed this kid was kidding, but surprise, surprise—I’m actually the pune in this delightful little edy act. How charming! The Emperor thought, a sardonic smile creeping onto his lips. “Why are you smiling, Your Imperial Majesty?” Cillian asked, his gaze pierg as he locked eyes with the Emperor, searg for the hidden meanings behind the Emperor's expression. "Haaaa......, is there any reason other than the fact that my beloved son has itted an act so utterly inprehensible? I’m still reeling from the shock,” the Emperor replied, his voice dripping with mockery. “Not only did you break off yagement, but you also had the audacity to marry off your ex-fiao someone else.” Cillian’s expression remained impassive, his lips barely twitg as he responded, “I viewed her merely as a sister. Besides, the man I chose for her is a good match. There’s nothing for Your Majesty to yourself about.” The Emperor’s face torted into a mask of displeasure, his eyes narrowing as he pted the implications of Cillian's words. -On the Baly in Luxana's Room, Moonlit Edifice; Elmir- I stood on the baly of my room, the etal railing biting into my palms as I leaned slightly forward, my gaze fixed on the moon. It hung there, colossal and luminous, casting ahereal glow over the ndscape. The silver light bathed everything in an otherworldly shee a peculiar utled in my stomach. It was a feeling I couldn’t quite articute, but it was there, lurkih the surface like a shadow waiting to pounbsp;Ah, but I almost hear you w what happened after I vanished with Cillian and the others. Why, pray tell, am I still here, trapped in this gilded cage? The answer is simple: It's IMPOSSIBLE! Let me paint a picture for you. The moment I materialized in this Moonlit Edifice, Cillian’s bde was still pressed against my neck. He retreated his sword, and with a dismissive shove, sent me sprawling onto the floor. I nded with a thud, the impact reverberating through my bones. As if I were a mere toy, he ordered two maids—who looked eerily like por dolls—to tend to me while he gallivanted off. And here I am, left to pohe depths of his motives. It’s almost endearing, really, how he pretends we’re strangers. I have three delightful theories to back up his behavior: Theory 1: He’s still sulking over my refusal to help him break off his e. Apparently, the cept of let it slide and move on is a fo him. Theory 2: He’s too busy polishing his reputation to aowledge our past e. Oh, how noble. Theory 3: Perhaps he’s being coerced into ign me. A cssic case of “I’d love to chat, but my hands are tied.” Who knows? Maybe I’m pletely off the mark. Now, let’s discuss my attempts to escape. I’ve tried at least sixty times an hour, but as, the gates of this Edifice are spellbound. No oers or exits. There’s a prote spell around the pce, which is why even the birds have the good seo steer clear. From my baly, I see the t gates and the dense forest beyond, but not a soul has dared to approach all day. Even Veles, who could slip through the ti of cracks, has been thwarted. And those doll-like maids? They haven’t uttered a single word since I arrived. Their only tributions have been a bath, a table den with fing from the muo the extravagant, and a book they’ve insisted I read. They shadow me like specters everywhere, but my “everywhere” sists of a mere two steps bad forth within this room. SIGH. But holy? I miss My, Drake, and Veles. I truly do. They’re the only ones I could ever trust, even if they’re a handful. I love them like family, and the thought of them brings a genuine smile to my fabsp;I hadn’t realized I’d been standing there for fifteen minutes, lost in thought. Time to retire for the night, I mused, turning to shut the baly doors. But just then, a sudden gust of wind smmed them wide open, sending a chill rag down my spine and my hair flying forward in a cascade e fmes. I didn’t want to turn around. I could feel it—the presence behind me was immense, suffog, and utterly sinister. KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERK The sound sliced through the air like a knife. I spun around, my heart pounding, and my eyes widened in horror. A wave of dread washed over me as the creature emerged from the shadows. It was a Harpy, a grotesque fusion of tattered feathers and glistening scales, radiating a stench so foul it could curdle milk. It hunched over, its wings unfurling like dark clouds, swallowing the moonlight and plunging the room into a suffog darkness. Its gaze redatory, sharp and calg, revealing a twisted intelligence lurkih its monstrous exterior. As it advanced, its cws scraped against the floor, a sound that echoed like nails on a chalkboard, sending shivers down my spine. Every instinct screamed for me to flee, but I couldn’t afford to show weakness—not if I wao survive this enter. With a guttural snarl, the Harpy lu me, its cws outstretched, glistening with malid i. And then, in a heartbeat, blood spttered ay vision, painting the ground in a crimsohe world around me faded into a blur, I blinked, and the world seemed to slow down around me. As the harpy's lifeless body crumpled to the floor, I caught a glimpse of Cillian, his silvery-white hair shining in the moonlight. Half of his body was bathed ihereal glow, while the other half faced me, his blue eyes locked onto mine. His right hand, the one holding the sword, was bleeding, but he seemed unfazed. I walked towards the fallen harpy, kneeling down beside it, careful to avoid the pool of blood. g my hands tightly, I shut my eyes and said a silent prayer for the creature. Cillian stood to my left. In a sudden, swift movement, he grabbed my left wrist, yankio my feet. His grip was tight, almost painful. "WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH YOU?" he screamed, his voice ced with anger. I remained silent, my eyes never leaving his. My expression softened into a pleading look, but realizing what I was doing, I lowered my head, snatg back my wrist and crossing my arms defensively. I turned away, avoiding his gaze. Why was I doing this? I had hoped he would tell me what was going on, but it seemed like I was grasping at straws. I pushed that thought aside, feeling a twinge of disappoi. Cillia out a sigh. "Luxana," he began, pg his left hand on my shoulder and leaning closer to my ear. "Listen closely," he whispered, his breath tig my skin and sending a chill down my spine. "Want it, 't get it, came bad did it in another way," he tinued, his cheek brushing against mine as he rested his head on my shoulder. "Xerxes," I blurted out, iionally turning my head away from him. "And?" Cillian pressed, his face still on my shoulder. Should I really trust him? I pondered. "What's His Majesty the King of Domino doing right now?" Cillian smiled, reizing my attempt to steer the versation. "He's just sitting with his bum glued to his throne, his legs stomping as if nature's calling, but he'd rather do it ohrone," he excimed. I gave him a look of disgust. "You reek of blood," I excimed, c my mouth with my hand. "Please wash up if you wish to tinue our versation," I said, turning my head away once more. "Hmm, I'm afraid if I take my eyes off you, you'd attraother beast," Cillian excimed, rising up. What? I attracted the beast? Really? I pondered. "Don't worry about me and leave." "Then wait for me," Cillian excimed with a smile, rushing off. Just as he left, the doll-like maids entered with ing supplies and began their work. They first locked up the baly doors before proceeding with their tasks.Hmm, this is weird. I attracted the beast? Sure, beasts are more active at night, but there's a prote spell around the Edifice. How did it get in? Is there some dition that o be met to break the spell, perhaps during the midnight hours like now, when the moon is at eye level? Possibly. But more importantly, what's up with Cillian's sudden ge in behavior? Is he a daytime bad boy and a nighttime good boy? I don't know, and frankly, I don't care. Now that I've found a way to escape, I should leave tonight if possible. The maids glided with uling elegaheir por-like faces devoid of emotion. They paid me no mind, and I felt a chill run down my spine. Just then, Cillian approached, freshly ed, a towel draped around his shoulders. His blue eyes burned with iy. "Luxana," he began, his voice low. "We o talk." "I'm all ears," I replied, guarded. "Not in this room," he whispered. "Follow me." Before I could respond, he turoward the door. I hesitated but followed, vinced of his siy. We made our way through the dimly lit halls, the sound of our footsteps eg. Cillian led me to a secluded alcove, his expression grave. "Luxana," he began, his voice a whisper. "You're in danger." "What do you mean?" I asked, trembling. Cillian grasped my shoulders. "The king wants you dead." His words made my heart lurch. "But why?" "I don't know," he admitted. "But you o get out of here." Before I could respond, a sudden otion from my room caught our attention. Cillian grabbed my hand, and we ran. We raced through the corridors, dodging servants and guards. My heart pounded as we ran. I had no idea where we were going, but I trusted Cillian. Finally, we reached a pair of imposing wooden doors. Cillian pushed them open, revealing a dimly lit staircase leading down. He pulled me inside and closed the doors behind us. As we ventured deeper, the atmosphere shifted, the air growing colder. Shadows danced along the walls, twisting as if alive. “Stay close,” Cillian instructed, his tone clipped. I followed. Each step felt heavier, as if the ground was trying to pull me babsp;I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched. The flickering torchlight cast eerie shadows. I stole g Cillian, but his face was set in grim determination. “Cillian,” I ventured, my voice trembling. “What’s going on?” He gnced back, his blue eyes shining in the dim light. “We don’t have time for expnations. Just trust me.” We reached a narrow staircase spiraling downward. Cilliahe way, fident as we desded. A sinister energy pulsed from the walls. Finally, we reached a heavy iron door. Cillian paused, his hand on the handle. “This is it,” he said, tense. “Once we gh, we’ll be outside.” Hope surged within me, eclipsed by foreboding. “What about the guards?” I asked. “They won’t be a problem,” he replied. He pushed the door open, revealing a darkened courtyard bathed in moonlight. Freedom was so close I could taste it. My heart raced as I turo look at Cillian, who stood frozen, eyes wide. “Cillian?” I called, fusion flooding my voice. “What’s wrong?” He stepped closer, his expression shifting to something darker. “I’m sorry, Luxana,” he said, his voice low. Before I could react, he lunged, gripping my wrist with a force that was both familiar and terrifying. “What are you doing?” I gasped. “I have to do this,” he said, eyes locked on mine, filled with regret. “It’s for your own good.” As the realization hit me, my heart sank. He wasn’t leadio freedom; he was leadio my doom. “Cillian, please!” I pleaded. “You ’t do this!” But he shook his head, a sad smile on his lips. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.” In that moment, shadows thied as the reality crashed down. I was trapped in a nightmare of betrayal. Cillian’s grip tightened, and I felt the cold bite of steel against my skin. “Goodbye, Luxana,” he whispered. Then, he pluhe bde into my side, pain exploding through me. The courtyard faded into darkness, and I crumpled to the ground, the moonlight above a cruel reminder of my shattered hopes. As I y there, the cold seeped into my bones. I was ensnared in a web of treachery that would haunt me for eternity. Cillian’s silhouette against the moonlight etched a haunting image in my mind, a chilling reminder of the betrayal that sealed my fate.To be tinued...