Dawn arrived veiled beneath heavy clouds, and the castle bells tolled for an emergency meeting of the Imperial Council.
Celestine already knew the reason.
After the banquet and the incident in the archives, rumors about her had spread like wildfire.
— "They're saying the Duchess d'Arnoir has awakened the same power that destroyed the Northern Palace," Lira whispered nervously as she helped her dress.
Celestine gazed into the mirror, her eyes locked on her reflection.
— "Then it's time I give them a reason to be afraid."
Lira froze.
— "Milady…?"
Celestine rose, the black gown flowing around her like living shadow.
— "If they believe I'm a monster… then I'll be the monster that commands their fear."
---
⚜️ The Imperial Council
The council chamber was vast, lined with marble pillars and the empire's crest engraved into the floor.
Twelve nobles sat in a semicircle, and at the center stood the emperor's empty throne.
Crown Prince Leonhardt presided over the session, his expression unreadable.
As Celestine entered, she was met with glares and hushed murmurs.
— "Duchess Celestine d'Arnoir," one of the councilors declared, "you have been summoned to answer charges of heresy and the use of forbidden magic."
Celestine walked calmly to the center of the hall.
— "Charges… or judgments born of fear?"
A murmur rippled through the chamber.
Old Duke Ravel, the most hostile among them, stood up.
— "Your mother destroyed half the empire with the madness of her cursed blood! And now you walk the same path!"
Celestine lifted her chin, her voice cold.
— "My mother's madness was believing she could trust the empire."
Leonhardt slammed his fist on the table.
— "Enough!"
But Celestine did not fall silent.
— "You fear the power of d'Arnoir because you do not understand it. You call it a curse, yet it was that very power that kept this empire standing for centuries. We were the ones who sealed the plagues, the demons, the wars of the void!"
The hall fell silent. Even the prince hesitated.
— "And now," she continued, "you brand me a heretic for inheriting the same power that saved the throne you swore to serve?"
Ravel's teeth ground together.
— "Insolent words cannot erase the blood that was spilled!"
Celestine's lips curved into a faint smile.
— "Nor the cowardice of those who hid while others fought."
Leonhardt stood, his voice firm.
— "Enough! This council is adjourned until further notice."
But before he could end the session, a gust of wind swept through the chamber. The torches went out.
In the darkness, a heavy energy — cold and alive — emanated from Celestine.
When the lights flickered back, the nobles stared in horror.
A crimson symbol glowed upon her palm — the seal of d'Arnoir.
Her breath was ragged, power surging through her veins like molten fire.
— "I never asked for this power…" she whispered. "But if it runs through my blood, then I'll use it to rewrite this empire — even if I must burn it down to its foundations."
---
🌑 The Pact
Later that night, in the shadowed halls of her manor, Damien appeared.
— "So the council fears you now. Congratulations, Duchess. From silent enemy to political storm."
Celestine, still pale, replied quietly:
— "I didn't do it for power. I did it because I refuse to be someone else's ghost."
Damien approached, that enigmatic smile on his lips.
— "And that is why you're dangerous. You act out of will, not ambition."
He drew from his coat a dagger engraved with ancient runes.
— "You've awakened the seal, but you still can't control it. This is the ritual of the old d'Arnoir line — the Blood Pact. With it, you can restrain or unleash the power at your command."
Celestine took the dagger, examining the symbols.
— "And the price?"
Damien's smile deepened.
— "The usual one. A piece of your soul."
She looked at him for a long moment, then drew a small cut across her palm. Blood dripped to the floor, glowing scarlet.
The air trembled. Symbols shimmered around her.
The power responded — and for the first time, she felt control.
But within her mind, a whisper echoed — a soft, ancient voice:
> "The blood accepts… but never forgives."
Celestine's eyes opened, now glowing crimson.
— "Then let the blood accept me. I am d'Arnoir. And no one will ever make me kneel again."
Damien watched, both entranced and uneasy.
He knew that from this moment on, Celestine was no longer merely a player.
She had become the entire board.
---
🌹 Chapter Epilogue
As the moon climbed high, the empire slept in ignorance.
But in the north — where the ruins of the old d'Arnoir castle lay buried — something stirred, ancient magic awakening in answer to its new mistress.
And the wind carried a promise:
> "When blood and destiny unite… even the gods must bow."
---