The palace doors suddenly swung open from the inside, and I stumbled into Elias’s arms. Looking up, I met his gaze.

  He held my waist with one hand, his eyes filled with cold hatred. “Autumn Myles, what more do you want from me? Tell me! Years ago, you wanted the command token, then the throne, then the military power of the Northern Frontier, and then my father’s life. What else? What more do you want? Say it!”

  His voice remained steady, but his emotions became increasingly volatile. Tears streamed from his eyes, and his entire body trembled uncontrollably. Biting his lips, he pulled me into a tight embrace, burying his face against my neck.

  His voice was low, almost choked, “Tell me, is there anything left that I can give you?”

  A sharp ache spread through my chest. Wrapping my arms around him, I whispered softly, “Stay with me for the rest of our lives.”

  In the thirtieth year of my reign, I finally reached the end of my days. Exhaustion weighed down my body, and I would drift off without realizing it. But I did not want to sleep.

  Just moments ago, I had been teaching Celeste how to handle court affairs. When I woke again, Elias was by my side, tending to me. Lying weakly on the bed, I mustered the strength to lift my face, pressing it into his palm.

  “Elias, I want to eat pastries. I want to sit in a carriage and eat pastries.”

  His fingers trembled slightly as he set down the bowl of medicine. “Your Majesty, you cannot eat pastries. You must take your medicine to recover.”

  I tilted my head up, smiling at him. “I will not recover. Summer already visited me—she didn’t even dare to lie. I am dying, Elias.”

  He looked down at me and nodded. “Yes, you are dying.” He, too, smiled—but it was a smile laced with silent tears.

  I reached up and wiped the tears from his face. “Elias, Celeste is twenty-four now. Tell me, do you think she will be a good Empress?”

  He grasped my hand, lowering his head, pressing my fingers against his cheek. “You plan ten steps ahead for every single move you make. You even planned for what happens after your death?”

  He was truly a good man. An incredibly good man.

  He knew my hands were weak and had lost all their strength.

  I gently caressed his face before withdrawing my hand, slowly lying down.

  “Elias, Celeste will become Empress. And you—this year, you are only fifty-two. I once thought about having you buried with me, but now I don’t want that anymore.”

  I reached down, tapping lightly on the wooden frame of the bed. “There is an imperial decree hidden inside. The decree orders your burial alongside me. Take it out and burn it.”

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  Elias followed my instructions, retrieving the decree I had written months ago. He carefully read every word from beginning to end. “Your Majesty, years ago, you wrote my coronation decree so carelessly, but now this decree for my burial is crafted with such precision.”

  I turned my head and laughed helplessly, tears silently slipping down my cheeks. “For your coronation, I wrote it carelessly, yet you were satisfied. But if I did not write this properly, you would resent me for being both ruthless and heartless.”

  Slowly, Elias folded the decree. “Your Majesty has written worse things. That plea for reconciliation was far more disgraceful.”

  Then he closed his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips as he recited:

  [My love, how could you believe such rumors and wrongly accuse me? Since our separation, I have thought of you day and night, unable to eat or sleep, growing weak and weary. Furthermore, I was forced by Corwin—I had no other choice. Now that I have cleared all obstacles in the capital for you, I eagerly await your return.]

  When he finished reading, he turned to me. “Not a single word of it was true.”

  I stared at him, momentarily stunned. Then I laughed dryly—laughing until my throat ached, until I felt utterly drained.

  But one thing had been true.

  ‘I eagerly await your return.’

  I clasped his hand tightly, slowly closing my eyes. As my vision faded, I saw him setting down the spoon, picking up the medicine bowl.

  “No, Elias, I don’t want to take medicine anymore.”

  He lowered his head slightly, gazing at the bowl. His voice was resigned. “This is my medicine.”

  I turned to him in confusion.

  He lifted the bowl to his lips and drank it all in one gulp. Setting it down gently, he climbed onto the bed beside me.

  Horrified, I looked at him, my voice trembling. “You… what are you doing?”

  He turned to me, his smile tender. “Autumn, don’t be afraid.”

  With his fingertips, he wiped away the tears at the corner of my eyes. “I will not leave you behind a second time.”

  The poison acted swiftly. His body convulsed in pain, trembling beside me. I cupped his face in my hands.

  Elias turned toward me, his gaze never leaving mine. Dark blood trickled from the corner of his lips as he whispered, “Since our separation… I have thought of you day and night… unable to eat or sleep… growing weak and weary…”

  He struggled to move closer, as if to kiss me. I bent down and met him halfway.

  His lips parted, his voice barely a whisper—so faint I could hardly hear it.

  “…I meant… every word.”

  Since our separation, he had truly thought of me day and night, unable to eat or sleep, growing weak and weary.

  Autumn Myles, I truly did.

  I missed you. I loved you. I thought of you. I hated you.

  A searing pain rushed through me, and I could no longer hold back my sobs.

  Empress Consort Elias took his own life, choosing to follow the Empress in death.

  In those final moments, I could no longer see, nor could I speak. Only the noise around me filled my ears.

  I could hear Celeste, I could hear Arthur Myles, I could hear my eldest sister, my second sister, Liam, and so many more…

  The voices grew quieter and quieter, drifting farther and farther away—until they were gone completely.

  And then, as if in a dream, I saw it once more.

  I saw a young Elias, taking two quick steps, climbing onto a courtyard wall, holding a tiny, flame-red bird in his hands. He brought it up to me. “Is this your parrot?”

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  Hearing that, he returned the bird to me and pointed toward the pavilion in the garden. “I’ve seen you sneaking in here for a few days now. My father is holding a council—he doesn’t like being disturbed. If you get caught, you’re dead for sure.”

  I stared at him for a long moment. “What’s your father’s name?”

  “Leon Tanner.”

  “Good,” I said, preparing to jump down from the wall.

  But Elias suddenly grabbed my wrist.

  I turned back, wary.

  He hesitated, then asked, “What’s your father’s name?”

  I looked at him coldly. “Why do you want to know?”

  Standing up straight, he pursed his lips, then lifted his head to meet my eyes.

  “I want to ask for your hand in marriage.”

  I stood on the wall, staring at him.

  “My mother has just passed away.”

  The End.