Lin's grip on the scepter tightened as she stared at the Omega princess. She could feel her pulse pounding in her temples, each beat echoing her growing panic.
The Kingdom of Lysander… of course.
It all made horrifying sense now. The name had been nagging at her since Arlen first mentioned it, and now, here was the cruel proof: Sylphina, the princess of that very kingdom, stood before her. Broken, hollow-eyed, and utterly defeated.
Lin fought the urge to groan out loud. Why? Why this world? Why this character? she wailed internally, though her outward expression remained stony.
Her mind raced with questions. What was she supposed to do now? The weight of the stares in the throne room pressed down on her. Dozens of eyes were fixed on her every move, waiting for her next command. The prisoners, trembling and filthy. The guards, stoic but uneasy. And Arlen, standing at her side, clearly enjoying the fear she inspired.
She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. Panic wouldn't help.
Lin swept her crimson gaze across the room, lingering for a moment on each of the prisoners. Most cowered, their shoulders hunched as though bracing for a blow. Even Sylphina didn't meet her eyes.
Get it together, Lin thought, straightening her posture. She cleared her throat, the sound sharp and commanding in the cavernous throne room.
Then she began to speak.
********
Sylphina stood motionless, her body trembling despite her efforts to remain composed. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to run, but where could she go? The guards flanked her, and in front of her stood the tyrant herself Empress Valeria.
The woman who had destroyed her kingdom, taken everything from her, and now held her life in her hands.
Sylphina's heart hammered in her chest as Valeria's gaze swept over the prisoners, cold and unfeeling. It wasn't just fear of death that consumed Sylphina it was the utter unpredictability of what this monster would do.
The Empress's voice was like a blade, cutting through the silence.
"You have all been brought here because your kingdom was foolish enough to defy me," Valeria said, her tone measured yet laced with danger.
Sylphina shivered. She didn't dare look up, but she could feel the weight of the Empress's presence bearing down on them.
"Your king declared war, and now you see the price of his arrogance," Valeria continued.
Sylphina clenched her fists. Her father had been rash, yes, but wasn't war always about politics and power? She hated that his choices had led them here, but she hated this tyrant even more.
Valeria gestured lazily toward one of the prisoners. "Those who prove themselves useful will live. Those who don't… won't."
The guards began dragging the prisoners forward one by one. Sylphina watched in horror as Valeria dispensed judgment with chilling detachment. Some prisoners were spared, assigned to labor camps or other menial tasks. Others…
Sylphina looked away, unable to stomach the sight of the bodies being dragged out.
Finally, it was her turn.
A guard shoved her forward, and she stumbled before catching herself. She forced herself to look up, meeting Valeria's piercing crimson eyes for the first time. It was like staring into a predator's gaze—sharp, calculating, and utterly devoid of mercy.
"You," Valeria said, her voice cutting through the air like a whip. She pointed a slender finger at Sylphina, the gesture almost casual.
Sylphina's heart stopped.
The Empress leaned back slightly in her throne, her lips curling into a faint smile. It wasn't a kind smile.
"You will be my personal servant," Valeria declared.
Sylphina's breath hitched. Her mind reeled, trying to comprehend the words. Of all the fates she had imagined death, exile, imprisonment this was worse. Far worse.
The room fell deathly silent as the Empress's decree hung in the air.
Sylphina's knees wobbled, and she almost collapsed on the spot. She couldn't do this. She couldn't.
Her mind raced with dark possibilities. She'll torture me. Humiliate me. Break me for her own amusement.
Despair settled in her chest like a heavy stone. Her father was dead, her mother gone, her people scattered. And now, she belonged to the monster who had taken everything from her.
Sylphina's vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. She wasn't strong enough for this.
She felt the last flicker of hope extinguish itself in the depths of her soul.
Lin watched as the Omega crumbled before her, the weight of the declaration clearly too much to bear.
Her stomach churned with guilt, but she couldn't take the words back.
What choice did I have? she thought, gripping the scepter tightly.
The room was still as Lin rose to her feet. She didn't look back as she turned and strode toward the exit.
Behind her, Sylphina stood frozen, her tears falling silently to the cold marble floor.