Chapter 10.5 The Strenght of a Lion
The cool air at the tunnel's exit carried the sharp scent of rain and iron. As they stepped into the dim light of the lower ward, Captain Thorne—Killian's most trusted subordinate and a knight of the Emperor's inner circle—emerged from the shadows, dropping to one knee with a heavy clatter of plate armor.
"Commander," Thorne whispered, his voice urgent. "The gods be praised. We've been holding the perimeter, waiting for your signal."
Killian leaned heavily against the stone, his face pale from the blood loss in his leg. He looked past Thorne, his eyes searching the dark streets toward the towering spires of the Great Temple. "Thorne, report. Is there any word from the Temple? Any news on Alaric's infiltration?"
"The Holy Knight is still inside, sir," Thorne said, his expression grim. "Alaric used his status to slip past the outer Inquisitors to reach the private archives. He's hunting for the bribe records—the proof that the Coachman was paid to deliver the Duke to that assassin. But the Temple is in lockdown. We haven't had a signal from him in an hour."
Seraphina's heart hammered against her ribs. Alaric was walking the halls of a place that had been her nightmare, alone. "And my father? Is he still safe?"
Thorne's face darkened. "He is, My Lady, but it was a near thing. Just after you left the Duke to head for the Emperor's study assassins breached your father's quarters. They weren't just after the Emperor; they came for the Duke. It was a calculated distraction—the Priest wanted to ensure the poisoning of the Emperor succeeded while your father was occupied fighting for his life."
Seraphina gasped, the memory of her father's face as she had left him to help Killian flashing through her mind.
"Luckily, Duke Astra survived with only minor wounds," Thorne continued, a spark of pride in his eyes. "He cut them down where they stood. It's clear now what the plan was: once the Duke was dead and the Emperor gone, the High Priest intended to frame your father for the entire conspiracy. He was going to use the Duke's 'death' as proof of his guilt. But the Duke is a lion; he's barricaded the solar and refuses to budge."
Seraphina felt a wave of nausea. In her last life, this had never happened. Everything has become complicated they are no longer aware what kind of trouble will befall them. Luckily her father had lived to see the blade coming but what if the next time he wont be so lucky.
"The Saintess is with him," Thorne
added, glancing toward the Palace. A faint, ethereal gold glow was pulsing behind the high windows of the solar. "Eveline is using her holy powers to purge the toxins from the Emperor's blood. The radiance is visible from the streets. The High Priest tried to tell the crowds it was 'demonic fire,' but the people recognize her light."
Thorne looked at the gathered knights—Killian's most loyal subordinates. They didn't know about the regression, but they knew they were standing on the edge of history.
"The High Priest is preparing to step onto the Great Balcony," Thorne said. "He's going to announce the Emperor's 'passing' at dawn to trigger the succession laws. He thinks the Duke is dead or discredited, and he thinks the Saintess is under his thumb. He has no idea his own Holy Knight is in his walls or that you are standing here."
Killian looked at Seraphina, his grip on her hand tightening. Only the four of them knew how many times this story had ended in blood and iron.
"The Duke holds the steel," Killian said, his voice a lethal growl as he forced himself to stand straight despite his injury. "The Saintess holds the light. But Alaric holds the truth that will burn that Temple down. We aren't waiting for a signal anymore."
He looked at Seraphina, the fire in his eyes reflecting the gold light from the palace. "Let's go show them that the Lion's daughter doesn't break."
Seraphina nodded, her resolve hardening into a diamond. "Let's go."