The Cursed Empress
tch as the crown was
fire runes that blistered her skin. Each individual symbol blinked
eked of burned
t her c
use she
them see her br
her below. They had each voted for thi
ase of the burning altar, was
ael of T
en
king who slaugh
he army that burne
nded her finger, forged in the ve
that cruel way only conquerors were. His sil
calcu
look lik
e a man waiti
sealed," said th
ned to
Elthria as your Empre
voice w
pt her
rned to her.
nothing,"
led throug
ly. The first sign of int
red his throat.
ragged me from exile. Branded me with my mother's crown. Ti
r head, slowl
l endure i
hispers rolled th
voice, when it came, was soft - and
e. That's more t
the rumors claimed," she
d slightly, not
d your warmt
id. "Just my
bers were worse
marble floors. The fire in the hearth crackled, but she didn't move to it. H
ed her back to t
xed her
ong her veins, glowing brighter each day. A legacy
blood could bind
now was that it wa
opened be
idn't
't want guards in
" came Rae
ed then,
d, still wearing his ceremonial cloa
re you
ing the door shut behin
d of woman I was
arth. "Then look. Decide if you wa
row. "You think I
'll kill me politically first. Drown me in noble expectations. Have me si
he said coolly. "Yo
a f
pped c
t burns you from the inside. That's why they want t
im sharply. "Th
from the Flamefather too - though
ason. You think our cursed bloodl
k the elders are desperate. And des
only inches
iron on his breath.
your tool,
be your savio
lence st
quiet it almost got lost
ght be yo
teppe
behind he
ned. "It's gettin
aid n
coiling tighter, whispering in ancient tongues, craw
ht it got
got closer to
out," Rael said, wat
d. "If I do... so
his head
e she cou
oom s
sli
rattle t
lutching the e
aught
t is
ed up, e
ething's alr
ar below the sealed crypts
ph cr
it down t
pths of the sea
breat
bur
l call M
beneath the e