Chapter 2

Three months later.

Father's mourning period was not yet over when the imperial capital fell into chaos.

After the defeat on the northern frontier, the vassal prince raised his army in rebellion under the pretext of purging the emperor's court.

The Imperial Guard broke at the first blow.

The night the imperial city fell, the sound of killing carried all the way from the Vermilion Gate to the Duke Protector's house.

When Cyril knocked at the door of my courtyard, I had just tucked the military tally Father left me into my robe.

He was dressed for night work, the black hem of his clothes stained with blood, and he knelt before my door. "My lady, let me get you out through the secret tunnel."

I gave a small nod and followed him toward the back garden.

The tunnel entrance lay behind the rockery. Apart from me, the legitimate daughter, and Cyril, no one knew where it was.

The way was black enough that I could not see my own hand, so I gripped the corner of his clothes and made myself keep walking.

He moved fast. Even his footsteps were shaking.

I thought the strain was getting to him, and I was about to say something to steady him.

But I never expected that, when we reached the entrance, he would stop.

"My lady, I'll take you only this far," he said coldly. "From here, let these six brothers escort you. I have to go into the palace and bring the second young lady out!" With that, Cyril gave a low whistle.

And then.

The other six shadow guards Father had left behind sprang out of the dark.

I looked at him blankly and asked, "You're throwing me away to save her?"

He kept his eyes down, his voice heavy, cold as if steeped in ice. "The second young lady is also of His Grace's blood. I cannot stand by and watch her die. My lady, you have always understood what is right. I know you can see the difficulty I'm in..."

I laughed. The sound broke into small, cold echoes against the narrow mouth of the tunnel, freezing to the bone.

"Understand? Cyril! My father pulled you out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. He taught you how to fight, he gave you a chance to live, and before he marched out he entrusted me to you. Is this how you repay the Duke Protector's house?"

He looked up at me suddenly, a smear of blood still uncleaned at the corner of his eye.

There was even something wounded in his voice. "The second young lady was gentle to me from my earliest days. She's trapped in the palace now, and I can't watch her die. My lady, you are clever, and every one of these six brothers can take on ten men. They'll get you safely to the southern lands! Please, my lady, forgive me!"

I stared at that cold face I had known for more than ten years and felt only that it was utterly a stranger's.

Once I had simply thought his nature was cold. Only now did I see clearly. It was never coldness. He had given his whole heart to my half-sister, Gloria Pruitt.

I did not argue with him again. I only waved my hand. "Fine, go! But think it through. Know the price of walking away."

Cyril seemed not to have expected me to agree so readily. He froze for a moment, then said, "I willingly accept whatever punishment comes!" and turned and ran back toward the palace, scrambling in his haste.

I watched his figure disappear into the dark, and what little regard I had left for him burned down to ash.

I turned to the six shadow guards. "If any of you want to leave, you may go now, on your own."

The six of them dropped to one knee together, the black hems of their clothes brushing the damp flagstones.

Their answer left no room for doubt. "His Grace raised us for ten years. We are loyal only to the true daughter. In life we are the lady's men, in death we are the lady's ghosts!"

I pressed the military tally in my robe, still warm from my body, my throat tight, and bowed deeply to them. "Thank you! When we've come out of this alive, I will repay what you've given me!"