The armed imperial soldiers intercepted Julian before he could successfully guide his younger brother across the raging river.“Stop right there, or the boy dies!”Julian spun around so sharply on his heels that Tomas stumbled awkwardly against his shoulder. Three imperial soldiers blocked the narrow wooden bridge behind them, their dark black armor glistening beneath the heavy downpour. One of them held a loaded crossbow aimed directly at Tomas's chest, while another held up a polished silver badge bearing the thirteen-starred crown of the empire.Julian felt his palm begin to burn with intense heat. He tightly closed his fingers around his hand, desperately hoping that the strange golden symbol would remain hidden beneath his skin. The searing sensation had followed him ever since he fled the execution platform, growing progressively hotter whenever raw fear threatened to overwhelm him. He had no clear idea how he had managed to stop time, and he understood even less about the terri

“Your Majesty, you cannot possibly expect us to accept this absolute madness!”Lord Cassian's voice thundered through the council chamber before Empress Aurelia had even finished reading the final lines of the mysterious letter. He stood tall beside the long black table, pressing one palm heavily against the parchment as though he could physically force its written words to vanish into thin air, while the assembled noblemen and women exchanged uneasy glances with one another. Beyond the tall glass windows, cathedral bells continued to toll ominously across the capital city, announcing the unprecedented thirteenth stroke that no living citizen had ever heard in their lifetime.Julian Vale stood under the hostile gaze of a dozen suspicious aristocrats, still struggling to process the unfamiliar ancient name Aurelia had whispered at the end of the previous hour. The empress had steadfastly refused to repeat the name aloud, and now, having summoned her council in great haste, she seemed e

The palace servant lunged directly at Julian before he could even reach the balcony doors.Julian barely managed to turn aside as a bright steel blade flashed beneath the assassin's sleeve, cutting violently through the fine fabric of his formal coat. He stumbled backward against the cold stone railing, and the folded note slipped from his fingers, fluttering silently into the dark gardens below. The attacker advanced without making a sound, his golden eyes fixed intently on Julian's exposed throat.“Your mother sends her regards,” the man whispered in a hollow tone.Julian grabbed a silver serving tray from a nearby table and swung it with all his strength at his attacker's head. The loud impact rang out across the stone balcony, but the servant barely staggered. Instead, he seized Julian viciously by the collar and slammed him back against the railing hard enough to drive every breath from his lungs.Pain exploded across Julian's injured shoulder, and the golden scar on his palm beg

“Make everyone leave the room immediately,” Julian demanded, his voice cutting through the panic.Aurelia stared up at him, pressing one hand firmly against the makeshift bandage beneath her gown while the imperial physician struggled to stop the bleeding. Around them, guards were dragging the assassin's lifeless body away, frightened nobles crowded the exits in a desperate hurry, and Lord Cassian was already shouting above the noise, declaring that the sudden attack proved Julian was far too dangerous to remain at court.“Your Majesty, I insist that the prisoner be examined before his body is removed!” Cassian declared, stepping into her line of sight. “We must determine whether this attack was connected to the forbidden magic your fiancé has unleashed upon the empire.”“The prisoner is dead,” Julian snapped, glaring at the nobleman. “Unless your physicians can somehow question corpses, I suggest you stop pretending this is an investigation.”Cassian's face darkened with rage. “You f

The moment the thirteenth chime finally faded into silence, Julian Vale felt an invisible set of fingers close tightly around his throat.He could still draw air into his lungs, yet the phantom sensation was so utterly convincing that he clawed frantically at his neck and staggered backward against the stone. Across the gallery floor, the imperial guards dropped to their knees as an oppressive, unseen force pressed them firmly against the cold marble. Even Lord Cassian completely lost his stoic composure, grabbing the edge of a shattered display case just to keep himself upright.Aurelia, however, refused to kneel.She stood tall beside Julian with her slender fingers locked tightly around his hand, staring directly down the long corridor that led to her private chambers. The haunting voice that had emerged from beneath her bedroom had sounded exactly like Julian, but there had been something horribly, deeply wrong with its cadence. It carried no human warmth, no natural hesitation, a