The Vaid Empire

Vaid Empire: Conquest

Chapter 98

20th of Silla, 19 AVE. 

Kingdom of Lian, Praith. 

A tiny crack was the first hint of the events to come. It was a subtle sign of the great change that loomed upon the horizon. The moment it was noticed, Lalian knew his life would forever change. 

Healers were summoned, yet little could be done but to let nature take its course. House Vaid gathered before the throne of Praith as archers searched the skies for danger. The legion surrounded the edge of the circular platform. Black smoke billowed in the distance, the remnant of a recent raid, though the war was far from Lalian’s mind. As he supported the green egg in his hand, watching the shell gradually break, he felt little but joy squeezing his heart. The time had come. 

“Much fanfare for a simple egg,” Nafalya whispered as they watched, surrounding the Lanthian couple as she held Atrix to her breast. “Curious.” 

Only Vixin heard her over the mutterings of the others. Standing beside her sister, she frowned with a whisper of her own. “We celebrate loyalty, not an egg. Lalian deserves this.” 

Nafalya eyed their father with an amused smirk. The God Emperor loomed over the couple from the throne. “So you say.” 

Having remained at Dominax’s side for several days, Falin stood next to the throne, an eager student of all the knowledge of governance he had to offer. A hand upon her midriff hinted at her pregnancy, one hybrid beginning to take form as another sought to hatch from its egg. Having given birth herself mere days ago, Nafalya savored the new emptiness of her womb, her body light and agile once more. 

Irith eyed her daughter from across the ring of royals. She watched with a frown as Atrix suckled. It had been a swift birth, and already the child had been relinquished to the care of slaves. Another woman nursed her grandchild, for a bastard could not claim a prince’s milk. She wanted to fight, to demand the child be kept in their possession as she had with Enilax, yet her battles had to be precise and careful. 

She held Zela’s hand on one side and Arinax’s on the other. The prince watched with fascination as the egg slowly shattered and cracked. He wanted a closer look, yet Irith held him back. 

Anthara’s heart pounded as she heard the first cry squeak from inside the broken egg. Fear before battle was natural, yet never had she felt such terror. She was a mother. A tiny hand pushed from an opening, green skin pale and wet. The egg crumbled as her son broke free. Tears trickled down her once proud face. “He’s a strong one.” 

The royals cheered as Lalian lifted the newborn, weeping as fiercely as the child in his grasp. Brushing away fragments of the shattered shell, he cradled their son in a protective hold, already prepared to stand before the world itself should it threaten his child. 

Congratulations came forth with beaming smiles, a flicker of hope resting before them in a dark and dangerous place. When The God Emperor descended the throne, however, they quickly parted to make room. Dominax clasped his friend’s shoulder, peering down at the newborn with pride. 

“Th…thank…” Lalian tried to say through his tears of joy. 

Anthara attempted to conceal a trembling in her voice as she finished her mate’s sentence. “Thank you…God Emperor.” 

“May he bring you peace, my friend,” Dominax offered in a somber tone that surprised many. He kept his voice low and sincere. “There are few gifts worthy of what you deserve. Perhaps this boy is enough.” 

Lalian nodded frantically, daring to reach over and clasp Dominax’s forearm. The observing guards appeared stunned, for few were permitted to touch The God Emperor unprompted. Once more their respect for the strange Lanthian man grew in silence. 

As the couple tended to their new child, the royals approached in turns. Even without the powers of her children, the paternity was obvious to Irith as she beheld Lalian’s son. The God Emperor had granted his friend a great gift yet left his own features plain for all to see. A perfect hybrid, the pale green boy regarded her with a face all too familiar. Once, she would’ve swooned at the sight of a new little Dominax. 

Arinax gazed at the child with utter fascination. The tiny wings twitching and stretching for the first time on display was a marvel to his silver eyes, something to study and document. In their time in Praith, he had never seen a Lanthian with black hair, yet the captivating hybrid shared his dark strands. 

His niece thought differently. As the prince was reluctantly led away, Jinilya regarded the hybrid with a scornful grimace. “What a creepy little thing.” 

Irith led the twins away, blending into the rear of the group as Vixin quietly reprimanded her daughter. She bent down when Zela reached up for her to listen to what the girl had to say. “Mother, may I carve a portrait of him?” 

A shake of her head diminished the girl’s eagerness. “This isn’t the time.” She watched as disappointment quickly faded as a tiny creature with fluttering wings caught Zela’s attention, and she permitted her daughter to chase after it, knowing the ring of guards would contain her. 

Alone, away from the ears of the others as they talked loudly ahead, Arinax touched his chin in the way he always did when attempting to work through a particularly vexing quandary. Knowing her son well, Irith knelt upon one knee to regard him. “What’s on your mind, child?” 

Her soothing voice nearly coaxed the truth, yet he held back. Only when she pressed him further did he confess his thoughts in a quiet tone. “The hybrid…the child, I sense him. If father has a new son…” He looked around, unwilling to speak until he was certain only his mother could hear. “Will he take my place?” 

“Of course not,” she replied, perhaps too loudly, waving away a glance from Cendra before lowering her voice. “You know your father has many sons, yet none but you are his legacy.” 

Arinax touched his chin once more, stroking it. “He could be Vaidimated. Or Knight Kunir. Or Prince Fonax, King Galis, or-” 

“None shall ever replace you, child.” She offered a reassuring kiss. When she saw his frown deepen, she tilted her head. “You don’t want to be replaced, do you?” 

So much rested behind such young eyes. Alone with his mother, Arinax dared to shrug. 

Irith’s lips tightened. “Don’t you want to be The Prince Upholder of Vaidrin?” 

Arinax looked away. 

“If not the heir, what?” 

It was a dangerous question, igniting dangerous hopes. Despite his solemn expression, she watched a silent light of curiosity fill his gaze. “An explorer, or a sailor, or a gardener, or an architect like Lord Lalian, or…” He trailed off in thought before blushing. “There is much to see and do.” 

An uneasy pain gripped Irith’s stomach as she watched the light fade from his eyes. They both knew the impossibility of such dreams. Wordlessly, she pulled him closer. 

22nd of Silla, 19 AVE. 

Kingdom of Lian, Praith. 

“Cilith, I once again march into battle, uncertain if I’ll return. Tempian is deep into Lathian territory, and far better men than me have been defeated by less. Should I fall, I want you to know that I will always-” 

Vixin closed the message cylinder with a grimace, her guilt rising in her throat. She knew the rest, having read it a dozen times since Clin’s departure. The girl would receive his message, of course, for Vixin would uphold her word, yet she remained reluctant to part with the cylinder. Once more her gaze traced the symbols as regret threatened to strangle her. “Clin, forgive me.” 

As she remained at the desk in her private quarters, Yisi rested upon the bed nearby, cradling their new daughter. The girl suckled at her mother’s breasts, the only sight that pulled Vixin’s attention from the cylinder. With an elbow on the desk Vixin supported her head with a hand as she managed to smile. 

Yisi returned the expression with a scowl. “Will it ever be satisfied?” 

Vixin chuckled. “She may take all the time she requires.” Crossing the room, she joined them upon the bed. “You’re doing well, Yisi. Have patience.” 

Something rested behind her lover’s gaze, a quiet weariness, yet before Vixin could pry a question from her lips, she turned at the feeling of a familiar presence approaching. A knock tapped quietly upon the door a moment later. 

Offering Yisi an apologetic glance, curiosity carried her swiftly across the room. She knew who stood outside, though why? Almost nervous to discover the answer, she opened the door. 

In the darkness of the hallway, Cendra regarded her with a clipped nod. “Vixin.” Peering over at Yisi, she cleared her throat. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.” 

Vixin’s cheeks flushed red, though she did her best to present a calm demeanor, leaning in the doorway. “It’s very late. Either you need something, or you’ve finally come to kill me.” 

The joke struck too sharply at reality for either of them to laugh, and Cendra lowered her eyes with a hint of shame. “Not quite, dear sister.” She reached back and brought forth a message cylinder. “I assume you know nothing of this, then?” 

Taking and opening the cylinder, Vixin inspected the inscription inside. “Retrieve Vixin. Come to me. Tell no one.” 

“I discovered it upon my bed.” Cendra pointed. “It bears The Concubine Empress’s royal seal.” 

“Irith?” Vixin tapped her lips with a finger, perplexed. “It’s not like her to send messages in the shadows.” 

Still without answers, Cendra touched her sword. “Shall I go alone?” 

Vixin shook her head. “No. Whatever this is, we’ll face it together.” 

Cendra straightened, poorly masking a faint smile. “By all means, then.” 

After Vixin said a swift goodbye to Yisi, receiving a wary frown, she joined her sister in the hall. To her surprise, she discovered Truthseekers in place of guards, standing like silent statues in the darkness. 

“Yes, I know.” Cendra eyed them wearily. “Whatever this is, Nafalya is involved.” 

They slowly made their way through the building. Having been expanded during their time in Praith, the wooden halls of the temporary stronghold were decorated with hanging banners of House Vaid, as if the crescent moon of their family would hold back the raids. 

Strolling together, Vixin ventured to take Cendra’s arm. To her relief, she found her sister willing once more, permitting the close touch. Long had Vixin been an elder sister, assisting with Irith’s children. Though Cendra was only days older, she couldn’t help but savor her protective presence, walking with a smile that was all too fragile. A thought of Clin’s message unraveled her joy. 

“What happened to Jinilya was an abomination,” Cendra said to break the silence. “Hardly have I had time to tell you, though my Knights have ensured the population shall always remember their mistake in daring to lay a hand upon your girl.” Her prideful posture seemed to sink a moment later. “Before much of them marched, of course.” 

“Jin is a strong girl. She’ll move on in time,” Vixin replied with sorrow at the memory. “You should’ve been permitted to march with them. Father’s decision was hardly fair.” 

Cendra grimaced. “No. His decision is one I’ve earned.” She saw no need to give voice to the true extent of her agony. 

Making their way to the top level of the modest building, the sisters halted before the door to Irith’s new quarters. Silent Truthseekers stood at either side, expressionless masks identical. Only the alluring shape of them beneath their revealing white robes offered any variation, and Vixin snuck a glance while Cendra offered little interest in their unsettling observers. The princesses shared a look, separating before Cendra moved to knock, only for one of the hooded women to push open the door. 

Stepping inside, two pairs of silver eyes opened wide, sisters blushing at the sight before them, the door quickly shutting behind to conceal the deed inside. Ahead, Irith and Nafalya waited, a sensual moan easing from their younger sister’s lips. 

Seated upon the end of the bed, legs parted to allow Nafalya to sit between her thighs, Irith looked up with a gentle smile to greet her stepdaughters. Dressed in little more than thin silks, her hand was nestled between Nafalya’s parted thighs, a finger dragging over the damp fabric of the princess’s white thong. “Ah, you received my message. Thank you, Cendra.” 

Nafalya had clearly sensed their approach, regarding her stunned sisters with an amused curiosity. She seemed to toy with them, sensual lips curling into a smirk as Irith’s finger dragged slowly, gliding between the faint outline of her lower lips as the fabric clung to her loins. She had relinquished her flowing skirt and belt of throwing knives, though her hood remained, the soft silk of her top hardly concealing her breasts. 

“I…” Cendra blushed deeply, looking away. “Forgive us. We’ll go.” 

“No,” Irith said, reaching out as if to stop them. “Please, there is no shame among family. Come. I didn’t merely summon you both to talk.” 

Vixin eyed her younger sister with more curiosity than she cared to admit, yet with Cendra at her side, she felt strangely out of place. “What is this, Irith?” 

The Concubine Empress presented a gentle calm, knowing they could sense her need. It wasn’t a desire for their flesh, but something greater, a moment that threatened to slip away when Cendra stepped back. “Please, come closer. I didn’t mean to shock you. I know you three have never been particularly close, yet tonight I had hoped to finally correct that.” Her fingers brushed the top of Nafalya’s thong, venturing beneath. “As a family.” 

Vixin bit her lip, yet Cendra was a moment delayed, eyes widening further when she understood her meaning. 

“The mighty Cendra is…ahh…speechless?” Nafalya moaned as her mother’s fingers continued their gentle explorations. “How curious.” 

Though Cendra scowled, Irith interrupted before she could reply. “Watching you two together these past months has brought me greater joy than I can express. I’ve wanted nothing more than for you to be united, and now that you’ve begun to heal, I never want to see you two slip apart again.” 

There was an urgency to her voice, a subtle tone buried beneath her calm words. Vixin glanced at Cendra. No hesitation would’ve kept her from such an offer, for she was no stranger to Irith’s touch, yet the memory of her elder sister’s disgust restrained her hand. “Cendra the hypocrite,” she thought to herself, an echo of a memory that tasted sour. That hateful sister no longer existed. She wanted to keep her buried. 

“I want us to be a family, truly, united and firm. I want nothing to stand between us. No pride, guilt, or hatred.” Irith kissed Nafalya’s neck. “I will not force either of you to stay, yet if you do, I promise that tonight shall bind us closer than ever before. I have dreamt for many years that we’d stand together as one.” 

Vixin stepped closer, and Cendra stepped back. The elder sister straightened proudly. “I want no part in this.” 

“Please, Cendra.” An urgent need filled Irith’s blue gaze once more. Her dream was slipping away. “I know what you seek. Let me grant it to you.” 

The statement made Cendra grimace. She saw the distance now between herself and Vixin, several steps away. 

Nafalya watched like a silent predator entertained by her prey. Clearly having been informed of her mother’s intentions prior to their arrival, she appeared uncaring either way. If they remained, she’d find carnal satisfaction. If they departed, she’d find amusement. She merely watched while savoring her mother’s touch. 

Vixin met Irith’s pleading gaze before turning back to her elder sister. After all these years, did she want Cendra’s touch? Memories couldn’t help but bubble from the past, moments she would rather forget. Yet as she saw the urgency in her stepmother’s expression, she felt them melt away to ash. Perhaps there was hope. Perhaps, if Cendra truly wished to start anew, she wouldn’t forgo an opportunity to make amends. 

Nafalya looked disappointed as Irith removed her fingers. They appeared wet in the flickering candlelight. The Concubine Empress maneuvered to stand and approach, taking Vixin’s hands gently in hers. “You too, child. Long ago, I presented the same offer. You saw the value in remaining with me and your father. Now, I hope you’ll remain once more.” 

Feeling slick fingers that had been inside her little sister mere moments ago, warm to the touch, Vixin bit her lip. Without Cendra in the room, nothing would’ve held her back. With her elder sister watching, however, she was dismayed to feel a flicker of the shame she had once felt, an echo of a much younger Vixin that had been weary of displaying her desires. 

“This is madness.” Cendra turned to leave with a scowl, only to pause at the sound of Irith’s voice. 

“You girls may live for centuries. I am mortal,” Irith said in a tone that revealed a subtle sorrow. “The lives of us ordinary humans shall be but a blink to you in time.” The truth choked her, yet it was all that kept her stepdaughter from departing. “I must know that you shall stand together long after I am dust.” 

Vixin peered at Cendra’s back as Nafalya approached. The words coaxed a memory of Rosila. In the wake of her mentor’s death, who stood beside Yisi but Vixin, her sister? Who else could they rely on but their kin? She remembered Cendra’s blade during their dueling sessions, wielded with a burning hatred. She remembered the warmth of her arm as they strolled together. Did she truly want to risk returning to the animosity they had shared, or to seal their fragile new bond? “You’re far from old, Irith. You have ample time, yet if this is your wish…” She regarded Cendra. “Perhaps there is wisdom to her desires. Perhaps we should stay.” 

A royal hand touched the door, feeling the hard wood as Cendra bit her lip. Irith had seen her in the arms of The God Emperor, yet what of…Vixin? 

“The luxury of kinship is quite simple. You’ll never need to endure defeat alone,” Cendra remembered Clin’s words as they had trained their Knights together. The sting of being denied a command remained, as sharp as a dagger to her gut. With the majority of their Knights away, who stood at her side now? Did she truly wish to bear her shame alone once more? An opportunity to solidify her promise to mend their rift waited behind. With a weary sigh, she closed her eyes, a lonely yearning resting in her core. “I’d make a fool of myself.” 

She felt Irith grasp her slender shoulder. Turning around, she looked away as her stepmother caressed her cheek. Irith offered a gentle smile and soothing words. “Merely follow my lead.” 

Vixin’s silver eyes burned with interest as they coyly ran up her younger sister’s form. “This is what you want, Nafalya?” Clasping the girl’s delicate chin, Vixin’s fingers caressed her sensual features. “Is this your aim as well?” 

“She speaks to me as if my nature is any different,” Nafalya said to herself with a sly smirk. 

“So be it.” Vixin’s words revealed her need, a desire hardly held back as she pressed their lips together. She savored the taste of their kiss, as familiar as she expected. 

Cendra’s cheeks flushed red at the sight and darkened further as Irith mirrored their kiss. Pulling back, she recognized a hint of fear driving her hesitation, scowling at herself. 

“I said I know what you seek. Please, trust me,” Irith said. 

“The company of women is a matter I’ve hardly considered.” Cendra didn’t retreat when Irith moved closer. It was a half-truth, for she could appreciate the aesthetic beauty of other female forms, certainly. She had even regarded the reflection of her own body with great pride more times than she cared to admit. Yet while Vixin moaned at the mere taste of Nafalya’s lips nearby, Cendra’s preference had always been the masculine scent of a man. 

Irith shook her head. “I don’t speak of lust, child. I know what you lost.” Sympathy flavored her accented words before she attempted another kiss. Cendra didn’t pull back, letting their lips meet until Irith uttered a gentle breath, pressing her forehead to her stepdaughter’s. “I cannot replace Briza, yet I’ve done all I can.” 

Cendra’s legs felt weak as she was embraced. Knowing Vixin was nearby, she straightened, finding that her words were trapped. When Irith began to lead her away from the door, she didn’t resist. 

A hand ran over Nafalya’s curves as Vixin explored her sister, delighting in every tantalizing detail. The younger princess was more cautious, however, merely holding her hips. “It’s settled, then. Why waste another second?” 

Nafalya seemed to follow her lead as she was guided towards the bed. Undressing, Vixin eyed Cendra with hesitation as she prepared to remove her leotard. Her elder sister seemed to ponder, then looked away with a nod so faint, Vixin almost thought she had imagined it. Carefully, she let her outfit flutter to the floor. 

“I’ve watched you from afar. I’ve sensed your deeds nearby.” Nafalya regarded her naked body with an amused grin. “I suspect there is much you may teach me.” 

“More than you know.” Vixin brushed her sister’s round breasts, moving the thin fabric of her top aside. “Firstly, you won’t need this.” 

The hood was respectfully folded and discarded as Nafalya revealed her chest fully. Her robes had left very little hidden, yet the sight of candlelight dancing across the soft skin of her entirely bare breasts coaxed a dampness between Vixin’s thighs, pressing close. 

Irith chuckled, pleased at her girls’ pleasure as royal lips met and royal tongues dueled. As she began to undress Cendra, however, the eldest grabbed her hand. “There is nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve seen the full of you before.” Breaking from her half-hearted resistance, she slowly removed her stepdaughter’s outfit, stripping away the white and gold plates of armor decorating her breasts. Cendra covered her chest with an arm, and Irith chuckled once more. “Pride has always been your enemy, yet now, when your beauty is something tangible to celebrate, you shy away.” 

“Be done with this,” Cendra snapped at her, harsher than she intended. She sunk her head in an apology, only to blush as her outfit fell away, revealing her form. Only her white and gold boots remained, protecting her up to her knees. 

Vixin glanced over as Cendra covered herself with her hands. She had seen her elder sister naked before, of course, yet now, observing her without the deep bitterness that tainted her sight, she couldn’t help but acknowledge her alluring figure. Her rival, her foe, her hated sister stood before her, and Vixin was astonished when she felt a tingle of desire in her loins. When Cendra glanced up to meet her gaze, they both looked away. 

“Such a beauty,” Irith said as she ran a finger up her stepdaughter’s toned abdomen. Cendra slapped it aside gently. “I suppose it’s only fair to join you.” The Concubine Empress removed her silks gracefully until she was as bare as the others. 

Nafalya felt Vixin’s trace the top of her thong, the only concealing garment remaining among the group. Easing onto her back atop the bed, she parted her legs, granting her sister a close view of her somewhat hidden prize through the soaking strip of fabric. 

“A northern design, correct?” Vixin asked as her finger dragged over the thong, biting her lip at the damp sensation. 

“A northern thong to guard the lips of a northern woman’s daughter,” Irith added in her smooth accent. “Hesin didn’t know how fitting his choice was.” 

Nafalya squinted. “North and south have been made one. My loins are fully of The Empire.” She slowly slid the thong down her thighs, taking her time. With a kick, she flicked the revealing garment away, parting her legs once more with pride at the irresistible weapon between her flexible thighs. 

Presented with the sight of her sister’s sweet lower lips, almost a copy of her own, Vixin caressed Nafalya’s thigh. Her fingers quivered as they grew near. Yisi carried as much of their father’s blood as any member of House Vaid, yet as she looked into Nafalya’s silver eyes, a legitimate and Vaidimated sister, she felt her dampness leak down her leg with dripping temptation. 

Cendra hesitantly followed Irith onto the bed. Still covering herself as she rested on her back, her stern lips tightened as her stepmother gradually pulled away the arm protecting her chest. 

A gentle hand glided across the fair skin of her stepdaughter as Irith eased onto her side, pressing her body close to Cendra’s. The position granted her a view of all three of her daughters upon the bed. Hand hovering over Cendra’s chest, she waited for approval. The princess looked away in shame, biting her lip as she pondered, only to nod. Finally, Irith carefully cupped one of the young woman’s breasts, feeling the perky shape of her soft mound resting in her palm. She shivered with taboo desire, kissing her stepdaughter’s elegant neck. 

Vixin’s lips parted in a breath of arousal as her fingers brushed over Nafalya’s lower lips. The labia of her sister waited at her fingertips, tracing perfectly shaped folds. Her advanced nose could smell the fertile scent of her damp loins, sweet and utterly intoxicating. When she could bear no more, she glided two fingers inside, easing into her greedy tightness. 

As Nafalya moaned sensually, Cendra felt panic beating in her chest. She shouldn’t be here. How often had she ridiculed Vixin for delving into taboo deeds with their kin when the temptation had burned just as strongly inside of her? Shame of her past twisted her stomach, yet Irith’s soothing voice offered the future. 

“What perfection you are.” Irith nearly worshiped the breast in her grasp, a finger tracing over its round surface. When the digit dared to drag over a firm nipple, pink and sensitive, she watched Cendra wince. “Relax, sweet girl. Blood binds the three of you, and a love for your father binds us all in this room.” 

Nafalya chuckled to herself, a subtle sound that mixed with her moans. All of them had felt The God Emperor’s cock. All of them had felt his seed in their wombs. They had each carried his child in their bellies, some more than others. Enjoying the skillful touch of her sister, she knew she’d never permit Cendra’s foolish shame to taint her, reveling in every incestuous movement of the fingers rubbing where she craved them most. 

“I don’t know what I’m doing,” Cendra confessed. As the eldest of her sisters, the statement made her feel far younger than she cared to admit. In many ways, she was a virgin in such matters. 

Irith guided her thighs apart, running her hand slowly up her stepdaughter’s thigh. The ultrasoft skin beneath her touch easily outmatched the finest silk upon Magnius, a sensation she could never tire of. “There is nothing to do but to enjoy yourself.” Though the leg quivered as she crept upward, a warning, she didn’t stop. 

Every instinct demanded Cendra to clench her legs shut and cease the exploring hand’s gradual march. Instead, holding back her fear with a stern grimace, she waited with anticipation that threatened to strangle her. An inch away from her loins, then less, she felt seeking fingers drag out her patience until she thought she’d go mad, her lips finally parting with a silent gasp as she felt them brush her most intimate treasure. Only then did she clench her thighs shut, yet by then it was far too late. The sensation of another woman’s touch tracing her lower lips was utterly bizarre, forcing her to cover her mouth with her hand. 

Vixin almost giggled at the sight of her elder sister’s ordeal, yet she thought better of it. “She’s trying,” she thought to herself, returning her attention to the divine body beneath her. She settled between Nafalya’s parted thighs, her hand between them, digits working inside her delectable tightness as their tongues dueled. Her younger sister was no stranger to Irith’s soft touch, she knew, yet Vixin’s needs weren’t as gentle. 

Hand trapped between strong thighs, Irith’s fingers merely played with their discovery, teasing the princess until a reluctant moan eased into the hand covering her mouth. 

Cendra wanted to melt with shame, feeling her hips subtly buck against her will as a determined finger defied the resistance of her tight lower lips and pushed inside. A whimper revealed her pleasure, a sound she despised the moment it escaped her stern grasp. Gradually surrendering, her thighs eased until Irith could move freely. 

A seductive smile decorated The Concubine Empress’s kind features. Her fingers moved carefully, exploring the firstborn of her love for the first time. She knew how precious Cendra was to Dominax, understanding why he protected her. She didn’t let the bitterness at a thought of Arinax taint her enjoyment. The gorgeous body beside her was an oasis of pleasure in a sea of her misgivings, and for the moment, the only certainty she possessed was of the affection she felt for the royal women in her bed now. 

Nafalya licked Vixin’s tongue before her elder sister departed her mouth, moving downward. She granted her body a kiss every few inches, making her way down between her legs. A needy purr escaped Nafalya as she felt Vixin near her loins, an amused moan oozing smoothly from her lips when she finally arrived. 

Enthralled by the addictive taste of her sister, Vixin’s tongue playfully glided between the flawless labia before her. Her moist folds were as familiar as Yisi’s, knowing their shared blood called to each other. The vagina of her kin was a feast waiting for her lips. The deep lure she felt offered no alternative but to devour it without mercy. 

Cendra gripped the sheets as Irith’s fingers massaged her most sensitive internal area. Only Vixin’s presence prevented her from crying out. When The Concubine Empress maneuvered to kiss her nipple, the sensation of her tongue gently flicking the pink bud made her thighs part without her notice. 

Nafalya closed her eyes, focusing upon every movement of Vixin’s tongue. Her sister was a true master. As a deep euphoria pulsated between her legs, Nafalya sought to enjoy every second, every lick, every incestuous flick of her tongue. She wanted to learn such a tantalizing skill, trying to remember every action that sent a burst of pleasure aching through her loins. 

The light shimmered across the gold plates decorating the shins of Cendra’s boots. Her legs sat wide apart, her head back as royal strands of black hair trickled over her slender shoulders. She fought her pleasure, permitting a moan, and blushing when she peered over at Vixin, almost hoping her sister had vanished. Instead, Vixin’s silver eyes glowed as she lapped hungerly at their younger sister’s wet sex. 

To witness her elder sister’s pleasure was a strange thing after so many bitter years. Now, Vixin’s gaze glittered with an involuntary hope. Memories of mistreatment demanded to maintain her hatred. She had every right to despise Cendra, every justification to seek her suffering. Instead, her eyes held an offering, a softness, remembering the warmth of her arm. 

Irith’s tongue licked before she suckled at Cendra’s breast, making her stepdaughter’s back arch with an uncertain moan. Her hand explored and massaged the young woman’s body. Every inch was perfection, but more importantly, every inch was that of the girl she had vowed to love as her own. She remembered the night Cendra had come to her after Kisrin, weeping, begging for help. Had she done enough? The girl had been rebuilt into a woman, yet a woman chained to her father’s throne. 

Vixin’s efforts bore fruit when, after mere minutes of her eager work, Nafalya’s silver eyes rolled back as her hips began to buck. A breath seized in the girl’s throat, only to escape as a pleasured gasp as her deadly body was enraptured by an orgasm. Vixin continued to greedily lap at her sister’s juices. She was delighted to see every subtle twitch and contraction of the girl’s loins throughout her long climax. 

“You are…ahh…an artisan,” Nafalya said in her sensual voice as she recovered from her finish. Only the sensation of their father’s cock compared to such a tantalizing ecstasy, continuing to feel tiny pulses of pleasure echoing through her body. She reached down to seize Vixin’s chin, guiding her face to meet her gaze. “Yet I’ve seen enough.” A devious smile played across her lips. “My turn.” 

Though reluctant to forgo the taste she had swiftly grown addicted to, Vixin was all too curious to see what her younger sister was capable of. Incestuous juices trickled down her pretty features as she maneuvered to Nafalya’s side. The girl had been all too happy to submit to her tongue, yet when Vixin neared, she was taken off guard as her younger sister forced her onto her back, handling her with sudden vigor and a deadly gaze as she seized command. 

A submissive whimper couldn’t help but escape Vixin’s lips as the girl held her down, making her heart flutter and her labia quiver with excitement at the unexpected switch of their dynamic. In a contest of power, she suspected she’d have the upper hand. Physically, however, she was no match. Her sister had relentlessly trained her seductive body into a flexible weapon. At her mercy, she chuckled as Nafalya kissed her deeply, tasting her own juices remaining on her lips before beginning to make her way down Vixin’s body. As if mirroring her earlier actions, Nafalya paused every few inches to grant her body a tantalizing kiss that coaxed her anticipation further. 

Cendra watched the pair, blushing when Vixin moaned. Despite her reluctance, she refused to admit her disappointment when Irith departed her breast, having grown accustomed to the bizarre sensation against her wishes. When her stepmother took her hand in hers, however, her panic returned like a tidal wave as it was guided between The Concubine Empress’s thighs. “N…no. I’d rather not embarrass myself.” 

“Trust me.” Irith continued to guide her gently. 

Heart racing, Cendra gasped as her fingertips brushed the dampness between the woman’s legs. She felt her own loins contract around the fingers buried inside her. 

“It won’t bite, sweet girl.” Irith tasted Cendra’s pretty lips. A deep feeling of peace found her as she guided Cendra’s fingers inside herself. 

Panic was clear upon Cendra’s stern face, yet she didn’t retreat. Testing a few movements, she felt foolish. “Irith…” 

Vixin was stunned to see her elder sister’s hand, wondering if Clin would laugh at knowing his mate had experienced a female lover. Her amusement softened at the thought of the man. “Forgive me, Cendra.” 

The speed at which Nafalya had acquired the intricacies of her new skill impressed Vixin as the girl followed her example, attempting to replicate her motions. Though she had much to learn, Vixin found herself moaning, her hips moving in reaction to her pleasure. 

Struggling, Cendra couldn’t quite read Irith’s expression for signs of her success, for The Concubine Empress’s features offered a sensual motherly affection. She didn’t want to fail her. She didn’t want her fingers to prove inadequate. 

Irith’s breath was warm against her stepdaughter’s lips as she moaned softly, her own fingers sliding in and out of the princess lovingly. “You’re doing well, Cendra. There’s nothing to prove here.” A thought of her as a mere huntress far from the throne prodded at Irith though the haze of her enjoyment. It was an echo, a memory of her fool’s dream, and she saw Cendra without her intricately detailed boots, wearing only a simple loincloth in a simple hut. Would she be happier, or would her nature demand more? She bit her lip in thought, feeling lost once more. 

As Vixin enjoyed the mouth of her younger sister, she pondered the past. She pondered the future. “Our grandchild shall be fearsome,” Cendra had said. The memory echoed in her mind. Despite their years of strife, despite every misdeed they had inflicted upon each other, she dared to reach over. Cendra’s free hand awaited her touch. When she grasped it, feeling a nervous flutter inside her chest, she turned her head to meet Cendra’s gaze. 

Uncertainty lingered between them, yet Cendra didn’t pull away. Finally, when she offered the faintest hint of a smile, Vixin felt a deep relief burst inside her chest, a sigh turning into a moan as she closed her eyes. 

The touch coaxed a longing that had been buried deep, and Cendra felt a heavy weight leave her shoulders. She wasn’t alone. 

Irith smiled at the sight of their hands, a faint dampness touching her blue eyes. She kissed Cendra with a consuming pride for her stepdaughters, the moment lingering, the family she had eternally craved made whole. 

Nafalya’s tongue flicked back and forth over Vixin’s clit until the feminine muscles of her elder sister’s body began to tighten and clench. 

“Be…ready…ahh…Nafalya…” Vixin tried to warn the girl. “I’m…a…” 

She already knew. Ample rumors and tales of her sister’s sexual exploits had spread widely about the court and throughout The Empire. Nafalya let none escape her notice. She knew Vixin was a squirter. 

Body seizing, Vixin cried out as Nafalya brought her to her finish. Entertaining herself, the younger woman continued to lick, trying to coax out as much of her sister’s ample juices as she could manage, as if testing herself. Silver eyes closed, her gorgeous face was utterly drenched in Vixin’s passion. 

Cendra felt her sister’s grip tighten, blushing as she held Vixin’s hand throughout the intensity of her orgasm. Her own approached despite every attempt of her willpower to hold it back, yet Irith’s fingers would not be satisfied until she was. 

“Go on, sweet girl. Cum.” Irith caressed her cheek. “There’s nothing to fear. Cum like your sister.” 

Every prideful instinct fought to defy her, yet Cendra’s body burned and tingled. There was no stopping the inevitable. Her end approached. 

A haze of pleasure flowed behind Vixin’s gaze when she had recovered enough to glance over, eyes meeting Cendra’s. Shame darkened the firstborn’s cheeks. Vixin merely nodded, squeezing her hand. 

Stern lips parted with pleasure as her aching loins submitted to their need. Cendra’s body tightened, restraining a cry until she could bear no more, defeated by an orgasm that ripped through her being. 

Vixin’s chest rose and fell with gentle breaths as she savored the aftermath of her own finish. She watched Cendra’s pride falter, succumbing to a deep ecstasy pulsating inside her loins. 

Irith was delighted by Cendra’s orgasm, fingers gently massaging the young woman’s vagina until her spasming slowly came to an end. “Good girl.” She regarded Vixin with a thankful smile. “You as well.” 

With the world spinning around her, Cendra eased, unbelieving what had occurred. Her fingers were guided out from between Irith’s thighs as the older woman sought to press herself closer, satisfied merely by wrapping her stepdaughter in a tight embrace. 

Nafalya’s face dripped with the proof of her new skill as she maneuvered to join them, resting at Vixin’s side. 

“Well done…though you still have much to learn…” Vixin teased, granting her a playful kiss. 

They remained together, the scent of their juices and pleasure mixing into a sweet aroma that filled the room. The Truthseekers outside concealed their secret with silence, yet had anyone known of the sight waiting inside the room, any citizen of The Empire would have risked their life for a mere glimpse of the royal women lounging together. 

A moment felt like an eternity that Irith never wanted to leave behind. Surrounded by the family she had fought to build, she reached over to grasp Cendra and Vixin’s interlocked hands as they remained together, sighing with utter satisfaction, not born of sexual relief, but a deeper peace that radiated through her body. 

The night was a brief reprieve from her concerns. As it neared its end, Irith thought of Arinax’s words. “There is much to see and do.”  

“I had a dream recently,” Irith said softly through their combined haze of pleasure. She hesitated before continuing, yet the words would not stay inside. “I imagined we were free of the throne, free of our titles. I imagined a second Nitri, a place where we could live as a family, united.” 

They listened closely. Nafalya’s curious eyes studied her mother silently. 

“It was a simple existence, far from the glory and glamour of our lives now, yet it was…” She searched. “Happy.” 

“Are you not happy, Irith?” Vixin ventured to ask. 

The Concubine Empress smiled. She squeezed their hands. “Of course. Yet it was…simpler.” 

Cendra swallowed, almost fearful to speak. Her shame had drained away by the feeling of Vixin’s hand, yet to make a noise would remind herself that she was present among them. “A second Nitri would share the fate of the first.” 

Irith gave a somber nod. “Perhaps it was only a fool’s dream.” She remembered Arinax’s bruises. “Perhaps not.” 

Though Nafalya remained silent, her gaze cold, Vixin attempted to lighten the mood with a chuckle. “Either way, father would never relinquish this life. He’ll die a royal or see the world burn.” 

She knew she was right. “Would you?” Blue eyes searched her stepdaughter’s face. “Would you relinquish your titles should the opportunity present itself?” 

The question echoed Yisi’s words to flee, yet she shook her head. “An impossible thought.” 

“What is life without glory?” Cendra asked, finding her strength. “What would we be without House Vaid? Without The Empire beneath us?” 

“An explorer, or a sailor, or a gardener, or an architect,” she heard Arinax’s words in her memory. “Free.” 

Nafalya said nothing, silver eyes cold and narrow. 

“You fought for years at father’s side to build The Empire. We all have.” Vixin leaned on her side to face her, the bare curve of her feminine hip an alluring hill. “What’s on your mind? Why do you speak of freedom now?” 

Knowing she was overstepping, seeing the concern in Vixin’s gaze, Irith gave a wave of her hand. “Curiosity, nothing more. The Empire is our home.” She shrugged. “As I said, it was a fool’s dream. I’d rather savor this moment than spoil it with impossible notions.” 

They remained in silence for a moment until Irith maneuvered to grant each of them a final kiss for the night. 

“Thank you for this,” she said softly. “I’ve watched you three grow into the women you are now. Seeing what you’ve become, what you’ve fought to make of yourselves…” She swallowed hard. “I’m honored to call you my daughters.” 

Savoring their time, they knew the sunrise would bring chaos. For the moment, however, they were a family, united. 

23rd of Silla, 19 AVE. 

Kingdom of Lian, Praith. 

The morning air was peaceful as Irith waited. Looking out across the vast jungle, she could almost forget the fires that had claimed several buildings during the night, the result of the latest raid. War surrounded Praith, yet another raged inside her. 

Arinax quietly peered down at the long fall beneath them as he grasped the railing of the walkway. He knew what approached, of course, for a grand group of guards cleared a wide path, marching towards them. The God Emperor sought his son. 

“Be brave today,” Irith said, though in truth, the reminder was more for herself. Her own guards parted and bowed. 

Dominax stepped forth. “It’s time.” He offered a summoning hand to the boy. “Come, son.” 

Irith’s grasp remained upon his young shoulders, holding him back. “What’ll occur today? What’ll be done during his training?” 

“What’s necessary. He’ll return tonight.” The glow of his cold eyes dimmed as he stepped closer. A wave of his hand commanded the guards to spread out, granting them space. “Whispers speak of what you did last night.” His gaze almost appeared human. “Regardless of our disagreements, thank you.” 

“Cendra and Vixin are as precious to me as they are to you, my love.” 

He nodded. An onlooker would see the towering God Emperor in his armor from afar. Up close, she saw a hidden softness to his eyes, a rare sight, an echo of the man she loved. “You are, and have always been, worthy as the mother of my children.” 

Her bitterness remained, fingers tight on Arinax’s shoulders, yet the words coaxed an urge to embrace him. She held back the temptation, though softened her expression. “We’ve built wonders together, haven’t we, Dominax?” 

“Indeed.” He despised the distance between them. 

“Is it…” She hesitated. “Is it possible to put this all aside? Is it possible to make peace?” 

Dominax eyed the boy. She received her answer. 

“I still love you, you know. I always have. For Cendra, for Vixin, and for the children we created together.” Irith felt a dampness in her blue gaze. “For them, proceed cautiously.” 

“For them, I hold no other option. Arinax is their future.” He reached out once more. “Release him.” 

Irith’s fingers dug into her son’s shoulders. Back against the railing, she sighed. An agony filled her as she let go, and Arinax took a nervous step to his father’s side. 

*** 

“Resist. Push through my power and strike me with your own.” 

The deep voice of The God Emperor oozed through the darkness of the jungle. Kneeling, skin alight with webs of electricity from Dominax’s fingertips, Arinax cried out. 

They were alone among the trees, far from the city as Truthseekers patrolled unseen in a wide circle. Here, however, the only danger was the boy’s weakness. Dominax grimaced. “Fight, Arinax. Fight for the future of all I’ve built.” 

“I’m not…strong enough…” Arinax whimpered. The electricity crackled, carefully controlled as to leave no physical damage, yet his agony was all too real. 

“A lie. I sense your potential. Seize it.” Dominax slowly paced through the darkness. “You’re far stronger than you know.” 

Arinax tried his best to summon his powers, to cast aside his father’s electricity. He tried to rise, only to wince and collapse back to his knees. 

“You are The Prince Upholder of Vaidrin. My boy, you uphold not only The Empire, my legacy, and the imperial throne, but the lives of our family as well.” Dominax’s tone offered no mercy, yet a deep sorrow tainted his words. “When I am dust, who shall defend them? Who shall maintain the order that protects them from chaos? I lay a heavy burden upon your shoulders, as heavy as my own, though we must endure. You must fight.” 

Gritting his teeth, Arinax thought of Zela, of his elder sisters, of their children, of his…mother. Didn’t he want to protect them? Didn’t he want to be the man his father needed? Fear burned deep in his core, yet he fought to stand again. The pain was more than he could bear as he struggled to concentrate, gathering his will. A trembling hand reached out, electricity sparkling at his young fingertips. Meeting his father’s power, his pain ceased for a mere moment as he fought to push back The God Emperor’s will, electricity meeting electricity. 

“When chaos finds you, you shall face it alone.” The words oozed through the darkness. “Fight it. Survive. Protect our legacy. Uphold your duty.” 

Duty. Arinax cried out in agony as his power faltered, his protection instantly dissolving before he received a blast of his father’s lightning that ripped deep through his soul, sending him backwards. 

It was a mere hint of The God Emperor’s power, a carefully controlled taste, yet it stung deeper than any pain he had endured. Body falling limp, he stared at the darkness above, his strength utterly burned away as he took shallow breaths. 

Dominax knelt beside him as it began to rain. Rather than ire or disgust, the boy saw only sorrow in The God Emperor’s glowing gaze. “The world takes much, my son. It will not take you.” 

*** 

“Mother?” 

The soft voice came from Irith’s side. Looking down at Zela lying beside her, she followed the girl’s gaze, realizing she had picked at her fingernails until they were bloody. Concealing her hands beneath the sheets of the bed, she tried to smile. “It’s time to rest, sweet girl.” 

“They’re coming,” Zela replied quietly. She peered at the door in the darkness of her mother’s sleeping quarters as the sound of rain pounded the rooftop above. “I’m scared.” 

“Your dreams?” Irith held her close. “They aren’t real.” 

Zela shook her head. “No. Worse.” 

A knock at the door a second later startled her, yet Irith commanded them to enter. “Come in.” 

A pair of Truthseekers obeyed as they emerged through the dark doorway. Hauling something in their grasp, Irith’s eyes widened as she realized they carried Arinax, handling the boy with exceptional caution as they made their way towards the prince’s bed. A single misstep risked their execution, they knew, as they gently placed their royal ward into his bed against the wall. 

Jumping to her feet, Irith crossed the room in a few frantic strides as the thin shroud she wore fluttered behind. “What happened? Is he breathing?” 

One of the women nodded. The gentle tone of her voice was the only hint of emotion behind her mask. “He lives, my lady, yet he requires rest. His training took much from him.” 

Biting her lip until she felt it would bleed, it required every ounce of her strength to present a noble calm. “Thank you for his safe return. You are dismissed.” 

The Truthseekers were never ones to linger unwanted. Swiftly departing, the room fell silent as the door was sealed. 

At the side of his bed, Irith reached down, almost afraid to see her son. Their words held true, for Arinax’s soft breaths were but a faint whisper, yet he was alive. She quickly lit a candle and set it upon the desk nearby before daring to peel back his sheets. He appeared unharmed, his limbs limp, until she rolled up the sleeve of his black tunic. The fabric was damp from the rain outside. Grimacing at the sight of new cuts and bruises, she carefully pulled the sleeve back down. 

“Mother?” Zela asked from behind. 

Irith waited at his side. She touched his chest, feeling it rise and fall weakly. Fear eased, hardening, solidifying. She stared at his battered form for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she nodded. 

“Alright, Dominax.” 

Her gentle hand tightened into a fist as she rose. 

“Mother?” Zela asked once more. 

The shroud fell from her shoulders. She didn’t bother to pick it up as she retrieved her outfit. Dressing herself, her long skirt flowed from her hips as she picked up her sword. Candlelight trembled over its gleaming white surface as she peered at the blade, blue eyes hard with determination. She sheathed the weapon on her belt. 

“What’s going on?” Zela stood beside her mother’s bed, wrapped in a sheet. 

Irith rushed to the desk, nearly yanking the drawer free as she forced it open. Snatching three blank message cylinders, she began to scribble. Her hand moved quicker than her thoughts, frantic words spewing messily upon wood. There was no time to delay. “Dress yourself. Hurry.” 

She thought of Enil as she wrote. She had lost her family long ago. She wouldn’t lose them again. 

She marked the first message for Cendra’s eyes only, the second for Vixin’s. Finishing the third, her etching sloppy yet legible, she marked it for Nafalya. 

Zela grabbed her favorite golden bracelet, a gift from King Foin, yet Irith took it from her hands. “No, child. Where we’re going, you must not draw attention to your high birth. Take only the essentials.” 

“Where are we going?” 

Irith pulled a black cloak from a drawer, and it fluttered as she brought it over her shoulders. She found a smaller one of white silk and pulled its hood over the girl’s head, hearing the rain. “A fool’s dream.” She had failed her son for years. No longer. 

The room fell to darkness as the candle extinguished from a gust of air. Heart nearly stopping, Irith whispered into the black void around her. “Dominax?” No answer came. Cursing her fear, Irith relit the wick. They were alone. “We must retrieve Enilax from the slaves. If we move quickly, they won’t suspect-” 

Her words were cut off as she peered at the desk, noticing that one of the cylinder’s was missing. Rushing forth, she searched the floor, behind the desk, under the bed, cursing when she found nothing. The drawer was empty, and it would take far too long to summon another blank cylinder. Snatching the remaining two marked for Cendra and Vixin, she gritted her teeth as she hurried to Arinax’s side. She was out of time. 

Hauling his battered body from the bed, she wrapped her cloak around their forms as she held him tightly. Hesitating, she eyed his dagger where it rested beside his bed, The Dagger of The Heir. Carefully, she slid it into the rear of her belt, concealing it beneath the cloak. 

Pausing at the entrance, she knew there was no going back now. If she waited, she risked Dominax sensing her intentions. Her decision was made. Opening the door, she marched to meet whatever fate lay before her. 

The guards made no move to stop her as she stormed through the dark hallways, her intentions hidden. She found Cendra’s quarters and slid the first cylinder underneath, pausing for only a moment as hope quickened her heart. She did the same at Vixin’s door. They had made their desires clear, yet if she could persuade them, offering directions where to find her far from Praith, a tiny chance that they’d join her remained. It was a dangerous risk born from desperation, she knew, yet there was no other option. 

She found Nafalya’s room empty. “The princess departed long ago,” one of the guards explained, and she cursed under her breath, feeling her panic rising. She couldn’t stop now. She couldn’t slow. She had to keep moving, every moment risking her failure. She merely hoped Cendra or Vixin would share their message with her, the only tiny hope she could cling to as she forced herself to leave behind the room with a wince of agony, hoping she’d see her firstborn again. 

Rain poured heavily as she made her way outside, ensuring Zela followed closely behind. Water flowed over the walkways and fell over the side, every step splashing as she ran through the darkness. It clung to them, the night air warm and humid. 

Many of the legionaries had sought shelter from the rain, leaving the streets deserted, save for patrols, yet she remained in the shadows, far from the bioluminescent bulbs above doorways and alleyways. 

She had to reach Enilax. Never would she leave her first grandchild behind. Making her way frantically through the city, drowning in rain, she sought the slave’s quarters far at the edge of Praith. 

When she finally arrived, her blood froze. Stepping onto the only bridge leading to Enilax, she saw the six guards blocking her path, phantoms in the darkness ahead. Their swords stood ready, moonlight trickling through the trees and rain. 

“Nafalya?” Irith pulled her hood back in horror, seeing her firstborn waiting behind the men. “What is this?” 

The hooded princess said nothing behind her mask. Instead, she merely raised her hand, the missing message cylinder held loosely between two fingers. Irith’s heart sank. 

“Release The Prince Upholder,” one of the men demanded, then added a harsh “My lady.” 

“Call them off,” Irith commanded her daughter. She fought to keep the fear from her voice. The unconscious boy in her arms was her strength, knowing they couldn’t retreat. Not now. 

Nafalya remained silent, rain dripping down her white mask. 

Heart pounding, Irith turned around and gently lowered Arinax to the ground. She watched Zela hold her brother’s head from the wooden planks. She kissed her daughter’s forehead a final time, meeting the girl’s eyes. “Stay behind me.” 

Facing her foes, she unclasped the cloak and discarded it. Her hand found the hilt of her blade, sliding it slowly from its sheath. Moonlight glowed from its surface as the others prepared. With a long breath, she closed her eyes. “For Arinax.” 

Blades clashed as she rushed forth. The ring of white steel echoed through the night. The six men came as one. 

Rain flicked from her sword as she slashed, severing an arm. The injured man stumbled back in horror, betrayal tearing across his features. They were only doing their duty, she knew, yet so was she. Nothing would stop her. 

Her sword danced with the savagery of a desperate mother. Decades of experience drove her hand. As she blocked a clumsy strike, realizing the men before her were mere recent recruits, only her skill kept her from their blades, outnumbered. 

A man roared, ready to pierce her side while her blade was busy cutting through his companion, yet he hesitated. She was The Concubine Empress, mate to their God Emperor, the mother of The Empire’s heir. He prepared to commit an act that was utterly forbidden, absolute treason in any other circumstance, had she not made a traitor of herself. For The Prince Upholder, he drove his blade forth, yet his moment of hesitation proved to be his undoing. Moving too late, her blade slashed deep across his brow. 

Irith held them back, never letting them take a single step towards her children. Loyal servants of The Empire fell to her frantic blade one by one. Pain erupted through her arm as she was cut deep by a lucky stab, yet she never slowed. 

She would not rest. She would not surrender. 

Irith knew she was no match for her daughter, nor would she fight her. She expected Nafalya’s electricity to put her down with a single blow at any moment. Instead, the princess merely paced behind her men, prowling. 

When two men remained standing, Irith moved aside from a stab, her sword swiping across her foe’s throat. She roared, a scream of desperation, crashing into the final man and knocking the blade from his hand. A panicked push sent him toppling over the side of the bridge, and she fell to her knees in exhaustion. Peering defiantly at her daughter, she drove her blade into the wood as rain poured down her injured body. “Finish this or let me pass!” 

Nafalya’s silver eyes regarded her in silence. She tossed the cylinder down at Irith’s knees. “This will destroy father. You’d take everything from the man you claim to love.” 

Slowly rising, Irith cautiously approached her daughter. When she reached her, wishing to see her face, she slowly removed her mask. Nafalya made no move to stop her. Seeing her pretty features, a face she had raised from birth, her tears mixed with the rain pouring down her cheeks. “He’s left me no choice. If anything remains of the man I loved, he’ll understand in time. Come with us. Please.” 

Silent eyes glowed in the darkness. 

“You could’ve summoned your Truthseekers. You knew I’d be no match against them, yet you chose mere boys.” Irith caressed her cheek. “I have to think that counts for something.” 

Pretty features concealed her thoughts as Nafalya eyed her younger siblings. 

“We’re out of time. Please, sweet girl.” Irith wasn’t certain she could leave her. The strength that drove her blade threatened to falter. “Come with me. We’ll live free of the throne, free of war, of death, of pain.” 

“I am father’s shadow.” The statement was a warning. 

“You’re my daughter. That’s all you need to be.” 

“You won’t stop this, then?” 

Irith shook her head. “Never. There’s no going back now.” 

Nafalya assessed the trio. She saw Irith try to stop the bleeding from the cut on her arm as a deep crimson dripped. “You’d hold Arinax and Enilax yourself?” 

Peering at her wound, the statement sounded preposterous. “If I must.” Her gamble seemed evermore impossible. 

A decision was made behind her silver eyes. “Take the twins. Bring them to the jungle floor,” Nafalya commanded. The smallest hint of an emotion Irith couldn’t discern twitched upon her pretty lips. “I’ll retrieve Enilax and Atrix. I’ll find you in the trees.” 

Joy threatened to choke Irith as she embraced her firstborn. “I’m so proud of you, my beautiful girl.” 

Nafalya swallowed, standing stiffly. “Go. Quickly.” When Irith reluctantly turned to depart, the princess stopped her and hesitated. “You’ve been my mother. For that, you have my gratitude.” 

Irith granted her a kiss. “I shall see you again soon.” 

While her mother collected the twins and her cloak, she watched her go. As Nafalya retrieved the message cylinder and put on her mask, Irith didn’t see the tears that began to trickle from the quiet girl’s eyes. 

Rushing, bleeding, Irith wrapped the boy in her cloak once more, concealing the dagger at her back. 

They hurried to find the top of one of the many new makeshift staircases that descended far to the ground below. Guarded heavily, she knew there’d be no way to slip past the legionaries unseen. Her titles were her weapon, the final time she’d be able to use them. She pulled down the hood of her cloak when they stopped her. “Step aside. Now.” The confusion on their faces revealed they knew nothing of her treason. “Your Concubine Empress has granted you an order. Move aside or The God Emperor shall know of your interference in a personal matter of House Vaid.” 

“You’re injured, my lady. May I send an escort to accompany you? The God Emperor has commanded that no member of House Vaid may walk without sufficient-” one of the guards was cut off. 

“You know nothing of this matter. The God Emperor has sent me alone for a purpose.” She nudged her cloak as if to emphasize her point. “One would hope you wouldn’t dare to question his judgment in this.” 

Horrified, they made no move to stop her as she hurried down the steps. They watched her, suffering in the rain as she left them all behind. 

It was a long descent, the staircase winding back and forth. She could feel the rickety steps creaking beneath her, and she heard Arinax groan as his eyes fluttered. 

“Rest, child. We’re nearly safe.” Irith held him tightly to her chest. He had grown much, yet no matter how sore or strained her arms became, her wounded hold never weakened. 

The jungle below was darker than the city, a wet stretch of darkness dotted with occasional glowing plants. It was madness to rush out, uncertain of what waited ahead. She knew what waited behind, however. Hope was all that drove her forth. Hope and desperation. 

“Zela…I need your eyes,” Irith said, fighting her exhaustion as mud clung to her feet with every step. “Can you feel them? Can you sense the creatures out there?” She’d give her final breath to defend them if necessary. She only needed to survive until Nafalya found them. With every grueling step, however, the madness of her plan made itself clearer and clearer. 

Trudging through the mud and rain, she followed her daughter. Even Zela’s limited senses, in comparison to her siblings, was far more than Irith could hope to see. The girl led her through the darkness and away from danger she would’ve stumbled blindly into. She was her beacon, her guide, her hope in the darkness. 

When she saw the glowing pair of eyes ahead, her hope died. 

Silver eyes peered at her, waiting. The silhouette of a vengeful ghost stood in her path. 

“You’d take my son.” The glowing eyes stepped closer. “You’d take my heir.” 

The booming words shook her to her bones, yet she stood her ground. When Dominax stepped forth into the shimmering moonlight, Irith held Zela back. “I’d save your son from your hand.” 

Wearing only his one-suit and white cloak, Dominax tossed a message cylinder into the mud. “And Cendra? Vixin? Would you save them too?” 

Irith eyed the cylinder, marked for Nafalya’s eyes. The sting of betrayal cut her deeper than the gash on her arm, suppressing an urge to vomit. The girl was her father’s shadow indeed. “The throne nearly destroyed them already.” 

When she retreated a step, his commanding hand reached out. “No further. You won’t take them.” 

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, she closed her eyes. When they opened, burning with determination, she slowly lowered Arinax to the ground once more. The boy stirred, groaning, his silver eyes fighting to open before he lost consciousness once more. She granted the twins each a loving kiss. “Be brave,” she said softly, watching Zela tend to her brother. 

Keeping the children behind her, she reached back. Dominax squinted as she unclasped her sheath from her belt. The sword remained concealed as she dropped it into the mud. There’d be no point in fighting a duel she could never win. Instead, she lowered her hood and brought the cloak behind her shoulders, revealing herself, showing him the woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago. Her long skirt dragged in the mud as she carefully approached. “If there’s anything left of the man I love, please, let us go. Let me save the thing you fear to lose above all else. Let me save our family.” 

“You’d drag them to ruin. You’d leave them vulnerable to chaos.” He watched her careful steps. “That cannot be allowed.” 

“I’d save them from the curse upon our family that is your throne!” She was within arm’s reach. 

Silver met blue, agony facing agony. “What’s become of us?” 

“All that you have made us.” 

The glow of his eyes seemed to dim. “You cannot go. Everything we’ve built together shall be undone.” 

“What we built together rests behind us in the mud.” She risked his wrath by taking his hands. “Dominax…my love…the memory of the family you lost is destroying the one in your grasp now.” 

He grimaced. She could see the man he had once been behind his silver eyes. “The path you seek shall be their end once more.” He stared at her wound, a reminder of her fragility. He could not keep her safe without all of Magnius bowing to his feet. “You stood at my side in the ruins of Nitri. Don’t go.” 

The pain in his tone was a rarity she had almost forgotten he was capable of. The fury let her eyes, pleading with what remained of him. “Come with us. Before it’s too late.” 

Disgust crept across his lips. “It is far too late. The world rests in my grasp.” His grip tightened. “A being of my nature cannot live as an ordinary man.” 

“Even when clinging to power drives away all you care about? When the only future you see demands the breaking of your son?” 

His expression hardened. “All I do is to save him, the upholder of the legacy we bled for. I’ll protect him until my end.” 

“As will I.” 

At a standstill, rain poured heavily around them, threatening to drown the world. 

There’d be no victory in debate. Irith pulled him into an embrace, feeling the man she had been at the side of for decades. “Please, my love. If you won’t come, let us go.” 

He held her close, clinging to her. “I shall endure no further losses.” 

The dagger at her belt felt heavier than it was. “Will you never stop?” 

A subtle glow returned to his eyes. “Never.” 

Tears trickled down her cheeks. She reached back, gripping the unseen blade. “I have loved you, Dominax. You gave me the world. Don’t destroy it.” She carefully brought the blade to his back as they held each other. “Let us go…” 

“Don’t do this. Don’t force my hand,” he said into her ear. The voice of the mighty God Emperor was but a whisper. No crown stood atop his head. No intimidating armor decorated his form. For the first time in far too long, he was but a man. “Don’t go.” 

Her dagger trembled as she sobbed. His hand left her back. The blade stood ready. She needed only to drive it into his back. “I must. Forgive me, my love.” 

“Don’t.” The dagger waited. 

Clenching her eyes shut, left with no choice, she squeezed the hilt. With a final breath, for her son, for her family, for all they had built together, she steadied her hand. “For all the years we’ve shared together, I will save all you care about. I promise.” The sharp tip dripped with rainwater. “Goodbye, my love.” 

A blade met flesh. She uttered a gasp. 

“Irith.” 

A sharp agony tore through her back. Breathless, the air seized in her lungs. The clean blade dropped limply from her grasp. Staggering back, she saw a bloody dagger in Dominax’s hand. 

He dropped the blade, horror burning in his eyes. He caught her as she began to fall, slowly lowering her to the ground as blood flowed from her back and pooled in the mud. 

“Dominax…” 

He cradled her head. She seemed to glow in the moonlight. 

“Save him…” she fought to say, tasting blood. “Save our son…” 

Dominax grasped her hand, feeling her grip weaken. His own tightened, as if his strength could keep her alive. “I shall. Hold no doubt that I shall, my love.” 

She muttered a final breath. He gently closed her deep blue eyes. 

He was a mere shadow, an echo of a man. He should’ve screamed, roared, letting his power erupt to rip the horrid jungle around him to pieces. Instead, he was empty, a void spreading through him, consuming his core. 

Rain cascaded down her pretty features in his lap. His hands fell limply at his sides. The world had slipped from his fingers, discarded by his own hand. 

“Mother?” 

Dominax peered up to see Arinax struggle to his knees nearby. Zela cowered behind him. 

“You…killed her…” 

The words were a dagger to his heart.  

“You…you killed my mother!” Arinax screamed, thrusting his hands forth. 

An empty husk, Dominax had no time to react as a string of lightning raged towards him. Caught off guard, he was sent hurling backwards as the blast took him squarely in the chest. 

On his back, drenched in mud, Dominax felt the rain on his face. He groaned as he rose, hands lifting. When the next blast came, he was ready. 

“You killed her!” 

He met the boy’s power with his own, strings of lightning rippling through the air. Electricity glowed brightly as the will of a father stood against his son’s. Arinax screamed with rage, power radiating from his fingertips. 

The world seemed to shudder and recoil from their power. The rain evaporated between them as their lightning danced and pushed. Dominax witnessed the potential he had sought to coax from the boy, threatening to destroy him, yet his own stood firm. The empty void inside began to fill with rage, driving the beam of electricity emitting from the boy’s fingertips back inch by inch. 

“I killed her…” 

He stepped closer. Arinax was forced to step back. The boy screamed, his concentration boiling with hate. 

“I killed her!” 

Dominax roared with agony, his power overmatching the boy’s. His lightning tore through the air, ripping through Arinax’s defenses as the trees seemed to tremble in fear. It struck Arinax in the chest, sending him rotating backwards through the air. 

Realizing what he had done, his powers evaporated as Dominax rushed forth. Zela screamed as he grabbed his son’s tunic, the fabric smoldering. 

“No…” 

He gripped the boy’s hand, sensing his faint breathing, his strength torn away. Dominax lifted him from the mud. The boy would live, yet he hung limply in his arms. 

His world was unraveling, peering back at Irith’s corpse. 

“Forgive me.” 

He needed to get Arinax to a healer. He had to ensure her loss wasn’t meaningless. 

“Forgive me.” 

The light of his life had been extinguished. 

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