Seraphina's POV
"Tomorrow at dawn? That's impossible!"
My voice echoed through the library as panic clawed at my throat. Adrian stood frozen, still holding that blood-stained letter like it might bite him.
"We need a plan," Vesper said, her masked face turning toward me. "Now."
"There is no plan!" I wanted to scream, to throw something, to burn something. "We can't rescue Lucian in twelve hours! We're not ready! I'm not ready!"
"Then he dies." Adrian's cold words hit like a slap. "Unless you suddenly become powerful enough to storm Inquisition headquarters alone."
Finn burst into the room, breathing hard. "I heard shouting. What's—" He saw our faces and stopped. "Oh no. What happened?"
"Lucian's execution," I choked out. "Tomorrow morning."
The cheerful mask Finn always wore cracked. His freckled face went pale, and for once, he had no jokes. "We have to save him."
"How?" I spun toward him, tears burning my eyes. "Tell me how! I can barely light a candle with my magic! Yesterday I tried to summon flames and nearly passed out! I'm useless!"
"Stop it." Vesper grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at her. "Lucian didn't spend two weeks training you because you're useless. He trained you because he believes in you."
"Well, he shouldn't!" The words burst out before I could stop them. "Everyone who believes in me dies! My parents believed in me, and they're dead! My whole village—"
"Is gone because of Evangeline, not you," Vesper interrupted firmly. "And Lucian isn't dead yet. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and start thinking."
Her words stung, but they also cleared my head. She was right. Crying wouldn't save Lucian.
"The execution is public," Adrian said, studying the letter. "Dawn at the Grand Plaza. They're making a show of it—executing the 'Silver-Eyed Devil' as a traitor."
"Public means crowds," Finn said slowly, his brain working. "Crowds mean chaos. Chaos means opportunity."
"Chaos means getting ourselves killed," Adrian countered.
"Maybe." Finn's grin returned, sharper than before. "But it also means we might actually pull this off. If we're smart about it."
Captain Ironheart entered the library, his mechanical footsteps heavy. "I heard the news. What are your orders?"
That's when it hit me. They were all looking at me—waiting for me to decide.
"Me?" I squeaked. "I'm not the leader!"
"Lucian's captured," Vesper said quietly. "Someone has to lead. And you're his sister."
Half-sister, I wanted to correct. But looking at their faces—even Adrian's cold expression held a hint of expectation—I realized they needed this. They needed hope.
I took a deep breath, trying to channel even a fraction of Lucian's confidence.
"Okay." My voice shook, but I kept going. "Finn, you're our distraction expert. Can you cause chaos at the execution?"
His eyes lit up. "Can I? Oh, Sera, you beautiful genius! I've got smoke bombs, stink pellets, and this amazing powder that makes people sneeze uncontrollably! I've been dying to use it!"
"Good. Captain Ironheart, you're our muscle. If things go wrong, you get Lucian out by force."
The tin soldier nodded. "Understood."
"Adrian..." I hesitated. He scared me almost as much as Evangeline did. "I need you to find us an escape route. Somewhere the Inquisition won't expect."
"The sewers," he said immediately. "They run under the entire city. Disgusting, but effective."
"Perfect. Vesper, you're with me. We'll need your memory magic if—" I stopped, a horrible thought occurring. "Wait. If Lucian's been in Inquisition custody for two weeks, they might have already taken his memories. They might know everything about us."
The room went silent.
"Then we're already dead," Adrian said flatly. "They'll be waiting for us."
"Or," Vesper said slowly, "Lucian hasn't told them anything. He's stronger than you think, Sera. Memory extraction is painful. Most people break in days. But Lucian?" She shook her head. "He survived the Purge of Flame as a child. He's survived this long by being smarter than everyone else. Have faith in him."
I wanted to. But the image of Lucian being tortured made my stomach twist.
"We leave in two hours," I decided. "Pack light. Weapons only. And everyone—" I looked at each of them. "Thank you. For helping me save him."
"He saved us first," Finn said simply. "This is just returning the favor."
The next two hours were a blur of preparation. I strapped knives to my belt, packed the few supplies we'd need, and tried not to think about all the ways this could go wrong.
I was checking my weapons for the third time when someone knocked on my door.
"Come in."
Vesper entered, but this time without her mask. I'd seen her real face before—she was my sister, after all. But seeing her now, looking so worried, made everything feel more real.
"Are you scared?" she asked.
"Terrified," I admitted. "What if I mess up? What if my magic doesn't work when we need it? What if—"
"What if you succeed?" Vesper interrupted gently. "Sera, I've been watching you train these past two weeks. You're not the same girl who arrived at this estate. You're stronger now. Braver."
"I don't feel brave."
"Brave people never do." She smiled sadly. "They're just too stubborn to quit."
She handed me something—a small vial filled with glowing blue liquid. "This is a memory restoration potion. If we rescue Lucian but he's been damaged by their torture, this might help repair his mind. Keep it safe."
I tucked it carefully into my jacket. "Vesper? If something happens to me—"
"Nothing will happen to you," she said fiercely. "I didn't spend three months searching for you just to lose you again."
A horn sounded outside—Adrian's signal. It was time.
We gathered in the courtyard. Everyone was ready, armed, determined. Even Adrian looked almost human as he checked his weapons.
"Remember the plan," I said, trying to sound confident. "Finn creates chaos. Ironheart grabs Lucian. Adrian leads us through the sewers. Vesper and I provide backup. We get in, get Lucian, and get out before the Inquisition knows what hit them."
"And if everything goes wrong?" Adrian asked.
"Then we improvise," Finn said cheerfully. "It's kind of our specialty!"
We moved through the dark streets toward the capital, keeping to shadows. My heart pounded so hard I thought everyone could hear it. In a few hours, Lucian would either be free or dead.
And I would either be a hero or a failure.
We reached the edge of the Grand Plaza just as the sky began to lighten. Dawn was coming.
That's when I saw it—the execution platform in the center of the plaza. And chained to a post, barely conscious, was Lucian.
Even from a distance, I could see the bruises on his face, the blood on his clothes. They'd hurt him. Badly.
Rage exploded in my chest, and flames danced across my fingertips.
"Easy," Vesper whispered. "Wait for the signal."
But then something happened that made my blood run cold.
A figure in Inquisitor robes climbed onto the platform. When she pulled back her hood, I saw my aunt Evangeline's cruel smile.
"Good morning, citizens!" Her voice magically amplified across the plaza. "Today we execute a traitor! But first—" She looked directly at where we were hiding, her eyes finding mine across the crowd.
My breath stopped.
"First," Evangeline continued, her smile widening, "I'd like to invite his dear sister to join us. Yes, Seraphina—I know you're here. I've known since you entered the city. In fact—" She gestured, and Inquisition guards appeared from everywhere, surrounding the plaza.
Surrounding us.
"I've been counting on it."
Vesper grabbed my arm. "It's a trap. We have to run!"
But I couldn't move. Because Evangeline had just pulled out a knife and pressed it to Lucian's throat.
"You have ten seconds to show yourself, Seraphina," she called out sweetly. "Or I kill him right now. Ten... nine... eight..."