The emperor gave a slight nod. "Then so be it. But make no mistake, mercy is a luxury we cannot afford often. You will see to it that this strategy unfolds as you have proposed. Do not fail me."
Edmund bowed his head slightly, his expression resolute. "I won't fail."
As he left the chamber, the nobles and Draconian Vampires resumed their discussions, debating strategies and the implications of Edmund's revelations.
For Edmund, though, a different plan was forming in his mind. Even if Mara couldn't be saved, he would find a way to save her sister, Lydia. That much he could do. And perhaps, just perhaps, that small act would be enough to change something—both within him and within the world that seemed to be perpetually caught in a cycle of blood and vengeance.
...
...
