Upstairs, Jacinta stood before the full-length mirror, smoothing down her gown.
The garnet silk clung tightly to her waist before cascading toward the floor like liquid rubies. The deep red jewels at her throat shimmered against her skin, matching the sparkling drops dangling from her ears. Every stitch, every gem, every carefully arranged strand of her dark hair had been chosen for exactly one purpose—
To make a prince forget himself the instant he saw her.
Jacinta tilted her head, studying her reflection.
Dazzling.
Her lips curved into a faint smile.
Perfect.
She adjusted one of the jeweled earrings before lowering her hand.
Beauty was merely a weapon.
And she intended to use every weapon available to her.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
"My lady?"
Jacinta turned.
"My lady, Master Daniel says it is time."
Her smile disappeared.
"Tell my father I’ll be down shortly."
"Yes, my lady."
The footsteps faded.
Jacinta stared at herself for one final moment.
For years, she had watched others stand in the light while she remained in their shadows. Rosearia had always been the one people noticed. The one people protected. The one people wanted.
Even now, that name carried a weight Jacinta hated.
But today was different. Today, she was walking directly into the Imperial Capital.
And this time, she would not be walking behind anyone.
Jacinta took one slow breath. Then another.
She hardened her heart into absolute stone and swept out of the room.
Her heels clicked against the marble staircase as she descended.
Step.
Step.
Step.
In the lower foyer, Callistius was mid-sentence when the soft, rhythmic sound reached him.
He turned casually.
And stopped dead.
The words died in his throat. His breath caught as his brown eyes widened.
Jacinta descended beneath the crystal chandeliers, the garnet silk of her gown shimmering with every step. For one suspended moment, the entire foyer seemed to disappear. Callistius could hear nothing. There was only her.
Loose strands of dark hair framed her face, emphasizing the sharp elegance of her features. The red jewels at her neck caught the light whenever she moved, the crimson stones glinting like drops of blood against her skin.
She looked less like a noblewoman and more like a dark goddess descending into the mortal world.
Callistius stared.
And stared.
Daniel watched the prince’s expression, and a quiet, sinister triumph filled his chest.
Exactly as planned.
Jacinta reached the bottom of the stairs, and her eyes found Callistius’s at once.
There it is.
That pathetic, spellbound look.
Her stomach twisted, because she knew what caused it.
It wasn’t love. It wasn’t destiny. It wasn’t some miraculous connection between their souls.
It was dark alchemy.
Magic carefully woven into his body, corrupting his thoughts and emotions until obsession felt like affection and possession felt like devotion. The prince standing before her was not freely choosing her.
He was being manipulated into wanting her.
And Jacinta knew it.
A tiny pang of pity flickered in her chest.
His entire world had narrowed down to her. She could see it in his eyes.
Jacinta almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
Then she remembered Rosearia, and the years spent watching someone else receive everything she believed should have been hers. You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
The sympathy vanished.
Pity was a luxury for the weak, and Jacinta had no intention of remaining weak.
Callistius stepped closer. Then, with surprising gentleness, he extended a broad, gloved hand toward her.
"Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to the capital?"
Jacinta looked at his hand. Then at his face.
She placed her slender, silk-gloved fingers into his palm.
"Of course."
The instant their hands touched, Callistius’s smile widened. It was bright and dazzling, almost boyish.
For the briefest moment, Jacinta’s heart skipped.
She ignored it.
Callistius tightened his fingers around hers.
"Then I suppose I have something to look forward to."
Outside, Sir Harrison stood beside a lavish black-and-gold imperial carriage. Twenty armored knights waited behind him, mounted upon sleek phantom steeds whose hooves barely touched the ground. Their dark manes stirred despite the absence of wind, and faint blue magic glowed beneath their armor.
The moment Callistius emerged holding Jacinta’s hand, Harrison bowed deeply.
His eyes shifted toward Jacinta, and he paused. His brow furrowed.
"And who might this young lady be?"
Callistius didn’t hesitate.
"My future Empress."
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
His shout echoed through the courtyard.
Callistius didn’t even flinch.
Harrison’s stoic composure cracked for exactly half a second before returning to its usual professional calm.
"I see."
He turned to Jacinta.
"A pleasure to meet you, My Lady."
Jacinta offered him a stunning, perfectly practiced smile.
"The pleasure is mine, Sir."
Harrison bowed.
Behind him, the twenty knights shifted restlessly atop their phantom steeds. One of them exchanged a confused glance with another.
Harrison noticed. He pretended not to.
Internally, however, he was already composing the report.
He already knew the Empress was going to have a headache.
Callistius personally helped Jacinta into the carriage before climbing in after her. The seats were soft and luxurious, embroidered with the imperial crest, and Jacinta settled beside the window.
Before the door closed, she turned her head.
Her father’s eyes met hers. Daniel’s expression was cold, and his message was unmistakable.
Do not ruin this.
Jacinta smiled sweetly.
I won’t ruin it, Father.
Her smile sharpened.
I’m going to take it all.
The carriage door slammed shut, and the wheels began to turn.
Daniel remained in the courtyard as the imperial escort rolled through the gates.
Jacinta didn’t look back. She didn’t need to.
Inside the carriage, Callistius hadn’t taken his eyes off her.
Jacinta endured the silence for several minutes before finally turning toward him.
"Why are you still staring?"
Callistius rested his cheek against his hand.
Jacinta rolled her eyes and looked back out the window. The familiar landscape slowly disappeared behind them. Fields gave way to forests, and the orange glow of sunset stretched across the horizon.
Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her gown.
She needed to understand the limits of the spell.
How much could she command? How much could she influence?
Would he obey an unreasonable order? Would he betray his family for her? Would he kill for her?
And more importantly—
Would he die for her?
Her eyes narrowed. She couldn’t afford to underestimate the magic, but neither could she allow herself to grow careless simply because Callistius was already obsessed with her.
A spell could be powerful.
But every spell had a weakness.
And Jacinta intended to find his.
"Jacinta?"
She looked at him.
"What?"
Callistius smiled.
"You’re quiet."
"I’m thinking."
"About what?"
She smiled faintly.
"The capital."
His expression brightened.
"You’ll love it."
"Will I?"
"Of course." He leaned closer. "I’ll show you everything."
Jacinta studied him.
"The palace?"
"Yes."
"The gardens?"
"Yes."
She lowered her voice.
"And the people?"
Callistius’s smile faded slightly.
"What people?"
Jacinta looked out the window again.
"The important ones."
For a moment, something strange flickered through his eyes.
"Anyone you want to meet," he said.
Jacinta smiled.
Good.
She didn’t need to ask about Rosearia yet. She already knew exactly where she would be.
Probably surrounded by Adrian. Protected by Asmodeus. Perhaps even watched by Aldric.
Three dangerous men.
One woman standing between them.
Jacinta’s lips curved upward as her fingers curled slowly into a fist.
Ria, I hate you.
The carriage rolled on toward the capital. Callistius eventually leaned back, still watching her, and Jacinta pretended not to notice.
Yet his attention never truly left her.
At last, she closed her eyes. Not because she was tired, but because she needed to think.
The Imperial Palace would not be easy to enter. But now she had something she hadn’t possessed before.
A prince.
And a place at the heart of the empire.
Her lips curved beneath her closed eyelids.
Ria won’t know what hit her.