Ritual Gone Wrong
Ella’s words felt like a slap across Selena’s face.
“Are you jealous?”
The question echoed in her mind, filling her with anger.
She hated Ella.
If the king truly fell for this woman, Selena would become a laughingstock.
The admiration she had spent years cultivating would disappear overnight.
The nobles would stop praising her beauty and begin favoring Nora instead.
The king’s attention was what had elevated her family’s status in the kingdom.
The kingdom was governed by seven elders, each descended from the royal bloodline and blessed with unique magical abilities.
Their families held great influence among the nobles.
Selena, however, had not been born into privilege.
Her father was the disowned son of the late Elder Steven.
Though he carried the bloodline and possessed magical abilities, his branch of the family had long been ignored.
Everything changed on the night of the royal ball.
Selena caught the king’s attention and used that opportunity to raise her family’s standing.
Her father was eventually recognized as an elder, and her family regained influence.
The first thing Selena did was seize her grandfather’s pavilion and drive out the other branch of the family.
Nora was one of those people.
She was the daughter of Selena’s father’s stepbrother and second wife.
The two families despised each other.
After being forced from their home, Nora’s family had taken refuge with relatives on her mother’s side.
Now, standing before Ella, Selena felt threatened.
She could not allow anyone to take away everything she had gained.
“Why would I be jealous of a powerless human?” Selena snapped.
Ella tilted her head slightly.
“Then why are you so bothered that a powerless human has been receiving the king’s attention lately?” she asked calmly.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
“Or has he stopped visiting you?”
Slap!
The sharp sound echoed through the flower garden.
Several ladies gasped.
Selena lowered her hand slowly.
A red mark appeared on Ella’s cheek.
Yet instead of becoming angry, Ella merely smirked.
“Enough!”
The General’s daughter-in-law hurried forward before the situation could worsen.
“Today is the day of the ritual. We must not invite bad omens.”
The tension gradually settled.
The guests were led away from the flower garden toward the rear of the estate.
Behind the mansion stood a sacred ground that had belonged to the Smith family for generations.
At its center was an ancient well surrounded by a massive tree whose roots stretched deep into the earth.
According to legend, during the reign of the First King, a terrible evil spirit had emerged every spring.
It preyed upon noble women, leaving countless families in mourning.
The kingdom had nearly fallen into despair before a young woman from the Smith family named Lady Lora stepped forward.
Blessed with extraordinary power, she had defeated the spirit and sealed it within the well.
Since then, the Smith family had performed a sacred ritual every spring to strengthen the seal and prevent the spirit’s return.
Only the second daughter of the family could inherit Lady Lora’s blessing and conduct the ceremony.
Once everyone had taken their places, the Smith family’s second granddaughter was brought forward.
She wore a simple white gown.
A thin white veil covered most of her face.
Though her expression was hidden, the trembling of her hands revealed her nervousness.
It was likely her first time performing the ritual.
The young woman was guided to the space between the ancient tree and the sealed well.
Several attendants brought forward sacred offerings.
Flowers of many colors were arranged neatly upon silver plates.
As tradition demanded, she consumed the petals one by one to align herself with Lady Lora’s spirit.
Ella watched with curiosity.
She had never witnessed a ritual before.
Everything seemed strange yet fascinating.
After the offerings were completed, the young woman raised her hands and began chanting the ancient hymns dedicated to Lady Lora.
A gentle glow emerged from beneath the well.
The gathered women immediately stood and bowed their heads.
“Lady Lora, guide us.”
“Protect the kingdom.”
“Strengthen the seal.”
Their voices rose together in prayer.
The glow brightened.
For a brief moment, everything appeared normal.
Then the wind changed.
A cold gust swept across the sacred ground.
The flowers trembled.
The leaves overhead rustled violently.
Ella frowned.
Something felt wrong.
The sky darkened.
Dark clouds gathered overhead with unnatural speed.
The temperature dropped sharply.
The once gentle glow flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Crack!
A bolt of light shot down from the sky.
The young woman screamed.
The force struck her directly, throwing her onto the ground.
Blood spilled from the corner of her mouth.
The entire gathering froze.
Silence engulfed the sacred ground.
“What happened?” the daughter-in-law cried out.
The old Lady Smith stared in shock.
Her face had gone pale.
“Impossible…”
The women around them began whispering nervously.
“Was she rejected?”
“Has Lady Lora abandoned her?”
“Does she truly possess the blessing?”
“I heard she once killed a servant.”
“A chosen vessel shouldn’t take a life.”
The rumors spread like wildfire.
“Help her up!” Nora shouted.
Several attendants rushed forward.
The young woman struggled to sit upright, her body trembling.
Lady Smith suddenly struck her cane against the ground.
“No!”
Everyone turned toward her.
Her aged eyes were filled with fear.
“Someone is interfering with the ritual.”
A chill ran through the crowd.
“This ritual must be completed,” she continued.
“If the seal weakens, none of us will survive the coming spring.”
A fit of coughing interrupted her words.
Her daughter-in-law quickly supported her.
Then she looked at her injured daughter.
Tears shimmered in her eyes, but her voice remained firm.
“You must continue.”
The young woman’s face turned pale.
Blood still stained her lips.
She looked at her mother helplessly.
For a moment, she wanted to refuse.
But under the gaze of her family and the assembled nobles, she slowly stood once more.
The chanting resumed.
The wind howled louder.
Crack!
Another streak of light descended.
The young woman staggered.
Blood dripped from her mouth.
Yet she remained standing.
The guests watched in horror.
No one dared to step forward.
No one dared to interfere.
Then Ella folded her arms.
Her gaze swept across the frightened crowd before settling on Selena.
A mocking smile appeared on her lips.
“You keep calling yourselves powerful.”
The entire gathering turned toward her.
Ella raised an eyebrow.
“If that’s true, why don’t one of you stop whoever is trying to ruin the ritual?”