Winter Myles stared at me for a long time.

  Step by step, she approached, her gaze growing colder with each movement.

  "Spring, Summer, Autumn, and… Winter. Only my name is wrong."

  "You all can see fate, but I was never able to learn."

  "And yet, when disaster struck, I was always the first to suffer!"

  Each word was spoken with bitter resentment. "Autumn Myles, how could I not hate all of you?"

  She now stood right in front of me.

  I lowered my gaze, my eyes chilling as I spoke with measured weight: "Winter, are you saying that I never should have taken you in? That I should have left you to continue begging at the foot of White Cloud Temple, instead of standing here now, cursing the heavens and blaming the world?"

  Winter Myles glared at me, her voice ice-cold: "I blame… I blame the fact that I was never given parents like yours. I blame that I don’t have talent like you. I blame that I don’t have someone who loves me like you… But I do not blame myself. I have done my best!"

  She let out a soft, bitter laugh. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but her smile was laced with madness. "Sister, you deceived me too, didn't you?"

  "Luckily, I never trusted you. I never chose that Corwin fellow. Instead, I chose Elias. I handed him the secret map of the imperial tunnels. When he marches into the palace, I will be crowned Empress!"

  I gazed into the distant sky beyond the towering palace walls.

  In the darkness, I could see the dim glow of torches flickering, drawing closer.

  Elias was almost here.

  Winter and I locked eyes, and I let out a soft, bitter smile. "You didn’t choose Corwin. You have no idea what you’ve lost."

  She lowered her head slightly, her smile indifferent.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  My eyes followed hers, stopping at the right sleeve of her robe. My voice turned sharp:

  "If you release what’s in your hand now, I will let you live."

  She looked at me in terror, her face pale, lips trembling. "You knew…? You could foresee…? Does that mean… I…"

  Her disbelief was evident. She gritted her teeth, her expression growing feral: "I don’t believe it!"

  Suddenly, she raised the dagger in her hand, aiming to strike.

  A single arrow sliced through the air.

  It buried itself deep into her chest.

  Her arm froze in midair, her legs wobbled, and she collapsed.

  I yanked the golden hairpin from her hair and, using all my strength, drove it into her throat.

  Warm blood splattered across my face, but I did not let go.

  Not until Winter Myles slumped against me.

  She rested her chin on my shoulder, her breath shallow against my ear as she whispered: "Sister… in the end… what did I miss?"

  I gently embraced her. "Your mother… she loved you all her life."

  Under the blackened sky, Winter struggled to turn her head, her tear-filled eyes locking onto mine.

  A strangled, rasping sound escaped her lips. "She… who…?"

  I closed my eyes, silent tears slipping down my cheeks.

  She slowly slid off my shoulder, collapsing onto the cold ground.

  Her lips moved soundlessly—repeating the same question. "Who?"

  I reached out and gently closed her eyes. "I never told you… because it was for your own good."

  Elias leapt down from his horse, rushing forward to pull me into his arms.

  "Are you alright?"

  I stood there in a daze, unable to answer.

  After a long moment, I finally came to my senses. I looked up at him, tightening my grip around his waist.

  "I was so afraid. Truly afraid. But you’re back. You’ve finally come back."

  He held me close, his hand gently stroking my long hair. "It was my fault. I should never have left you."

  I buried myself in his embrace, tears spilling freely. My voice trembled as I asked: "How many men did you bring into the palace?"

  With his thumb, he softly wiped away the tears at the corner of my eye. "Five thousand. The rest—forty-five thousand—are camped outside the city. As long as I am here, no one will dare to oppress you again."

  I forced a smile, but it was strained.

  His gaze was as gentle as flowing water. "Autumn, if you feel wronged, if you cannot bring yourself to smile, then don’t force yourself."

  At that moment, his deputy approached, asking about the next steps.

  Elias responded, "Now that we have entered the palace, replace the imperial guards with our own men."

  I immediately stopped him. "No."

  He looked at me in confusion.

  Clearing my throat, I explained, "The imperial guard is under Liam’s command. Doing this would be no different than striking our own."

  Without hesitation, I called for Liam.

  He arrived with a squadron of soldiers. When he saw Elias, he froze briefly before bowing in greeting.

  Fortunately, Elias recognized him. He immediately arranged for his deputy and Liam to coordinate the transition step by step.

  Afterward, I led Elias back to my chambers.

  He hesitated, glancing at me. "I… am going to your quarters?"

  I nodded. "There is a hot spring behind my hall."