Chapter 12: Blood Oath
Dawn had barely broken when the news spread across the empire.
The Empress had moved.
Word of Lord Cedric's public submission had already reached the ears of the court, and with it came a chilling realization—Seraphina was not a ruler to be tested.
Inside the grand hall, the air was thick with tension. The noble lords and ladies stood in uneasy silence, their eyes darting toward the throne. At its center, Seraphina sat in her imperial robes, exuding an aura of absolute control.
Behind her, Rhys stood like a shadow, his presence a silent warning to those who dared think themselves above her rule.
The doors to the hall swung open.
A group of nobles, those who had conspired against her, stepped inside with hesitant steps. Their expressions were carefully composed, but Seraphina could see the fear behind their eyes.
Good.
She let the silence stretch, savoring the discomfort settling in their bones before she finally spoke.
"Your loyalty has been… questioned," she said, her voice deceptively soft. "And yet, here you stand, in my court, as if your hands are clean."
A man stepped forward—Duke Valen, one of the more influential members of the noble faction. He was old, wise, and dangerous in his own way. But even he could not hide the way his fingers twitched at his side.
"Your Majesty," he said with a careful bow. "We have only ever served the empire."
Seraphina leaned forward slightly, golden eyes glinting with something dark. "Is that so?" she mused. "Then tell me, Duke Valen, why was Lord Cedric so eager to beg for my mercy last night?"
A ripple of unease moved through the nobles.
Valen held his composure. "He must have been mistaken, Your Majesty."
"Mistaken?" Her lips curved into a smile, but there was no warmth in it. "I think not."
With a sharp motion of her hand, one of the royal guards stepped forward, carrying a small obsidian dagger. The sight of it sent a visible shudder through the nobles.
"This blade," she murmured, trailing a finger along its gleaming edge, "has been used in our empire's most sacred ceremonies. It binds words to fate. A blood oath."
A few of the nobles inhaled sharply.
Seraphina's smile widened. "I trust none of you have anything to hide."
The challenge was clear.
One by one, the nobles were forced to step forward, slice their palm, and swear fealty upon the imperial blade. Each oath strengthened the bindings of her rule, and with each drop of blood that fell, Seraphina could feel her power over them tighten.
Valen was the last to step forward. He hesitated, just for a second.
A second too long.
Seraphina stood. "What is wrong, Duke Valen? Surely you, a man of unwavering loyalty, would have no trouble swearing your allegiance?"
His jaw tightened. He knew there was no escape.
With slow movements, he took the dagger and cut deep.
Blood dripped onto the marble floor as he pressed his palm against the sacred cloth. "I swear fealty to the Empress," he said, voice steady. "My loyalty will not waver."
Seraphina stepped closer. She reached out, letting her fingers ghost over his wounded palm, smearing the blood slightly.
"Let's hope so," she whispered.
The nobles left the hall soon after, the weight of their vows pressing down on them like chains.
As the doors closed behind them, Rhys spoke at last.
"They will resent you for this," he said. "A cornered beast is the most dangerous kind."
Seraphina exhaled slowly, turning back toward the throne.
"Then let them snarl," she murmured. "Let them bare their fangs."
She sat back down, voice unwavering.
"And I will remind them who truly holds the leash."