The City Wall

I woke bound hand and foot.

A gag filled my mouth.

The room was dark, lit only by a few candles.

Selene entered after a long silence.

She lifted my chin.

“Awake?”

I glared.

“What do you want?”

She smiled.

“To see whether you perform well.”

Before I could make sense of that, she stuffed the gag tighter.

“Take her to the city wall.”

Rough hands dragged me out.

Cold night air struck my face.

When they pushed me onto the battlements, I saw black ranks below.

The Shen army.

Archers.

Spears.

Armor glinting in torchlight.

Then I saw him.

Adrian.

He stood at the front in bloodstained armor. His eyes were hollow, his face unshaven, exhaustion carved into every line.

When he saw me, something broke across his expression.

“Clara!”

For the first time in years, I saw clearly.

Not the betrayer.

Not the man who married my sister.

Not the general who hid truths.

Just Adrian.

My Adrian.

And in his eyes, there was no calculation.

Only terror.

Third Prince Cassian stood beside me, one hand near my hair.

“General Shen,” he called. “Shall we make a trade?”

I laughed.

Everyone heard it.

The sound cracked through the tension like a thrown cup.

“You?” I spat, once the gag was removed. “A traitor hiding behind women dares bargain with the protector of this realm?”

Cassian slapped me.

My mouth filled with blood.

“Shut up.”

“Why? Afraid they will hear the truth?” I looked down at the soldiers. “You have no strength to break the imperial guards, so you climbed the wall with hostages. You think a command seal can make you king? You are not a dragon. You are a rat wearing scales.”

Cassian’s face darkened.

I kept going.

“Adrian Shen is loyal to the realm. You are loyal only to your own hunger.”

Below, Adrian shook his head at me.

Do not.

He knew what I was doing.

Cassian had a knife pressed against my throat.

If Adrian ordered archers, I would die first.

Cassian was gambling on my value.

He had chosen well.

Adrian did not move.

He could not.

Then Cassian smiled.

“Bring him.”

My father was led onto the wall.

“Father?”

He did not look at me.

He bowed to Cassian.

“Your Highness, this commoner is late.”

My heart slowed.

Cassian laughed.

“Not late. Perfect.”

“Father, what are you doing?”

Cassian said, “Tell her.”

Father turned to me at last.

His eyes held no warmth.

“I was willing. If my service helps His Highness, what is one adopted daughter?”

Adopted.

The word struck like an axe.

“My wife gave birth to a dead child,” he said. “I feared she could not bear it, so I brought back a girl from outside. You.”

The wall swayed beneath me.

“I raised you. Now repay me.”

“What about Sister?”

His mouth tightened.

“I had only one true daughter. Evelyn.”

I looked down at Adrian.

He looked as shocked as I felt.

Cassian leaned close.

“Do you want to know how your sister died?”

My breath caught.

“The killer stands below.”

He pointed at Adrian for all to see.

Then whispered in my ear,

“Help me kill him. Take his command seal. I will tell you everything.”

I whispered back,

“If you do not tell me, you will never get the seal.”

“Clever.” He smiled. “But your mother is also in my hands. Think carefully.”

Mother.

Everything inside me went still.

No panic.

No tears.

Only a clear, cold line.

“All right,” I said. “Tell me what to do.”

Cassian loosened my bonds and slipped a dagger into my sleeve.

A moment later, his men staged a struggle.

A rope snapped.

I fell from the city wall.

In the instant before air swallowed me, I heard Cassian whisper,

“He will catch you.”

I believed it.