Evelynn stood in the center of the lavish parlor, her back straight, her chin tilted upward in defiance. The room was filled with murmurs—low voices, soft footsteps, and the occasional creak of the marble floors. But none of it mattered. None of it reached her. Her heart thundered in her chest as she locked eyes with the person standing across from her.
The Grand Inquisitor.
He was a tall man, dressed in a dark robe embroidered with golden symbols. His face was cold, emotionless, and his eyes gleamed with a disconcerting sharpness that unsettled everyone who met his gaze. He had the authority of centuries behind him, a figure who commanded respect and fear in equal measure. Evelynn had heard whispers of him, but she had never thought she would meet him like this, under such grave circumstances.
And yet, here she was.
It all started with a single, carefully planted scandal. A rumor—one designed to destroy everything she had built, everything she had fought for.
"You are accused of sedition, Evelynn Thorn," the Grand Inquisitor's voice boomed, breaking the silence like a thunderclap. "A crime punishable by death. The punishment of burning."
Evelynn's breath hitched, but she didn't flinch. She didn't show fear. Not now. Not in front of the people who had orchestrated this nightmare. Her life had always been one of survival, but this—this was beyond anything she had ever imagined.
"Sedition?" she asked, her voice steady, her eyes piercing through the Grand Inquisitor like daggers. "You accuse me of what exactly?"
He stepped closer, his cold gaze never leaving hers. "You have defied the authority of the nobility. You have questioned the rules. You have spoken against the Blood Oath and its members."
Evelynn's heart raced, but her mind was a blur of calculations. The Blood Oath. The secret society that controlled everything, the one that Lucas was so deeply involved with. She knew she had been treading dangerous ground ever since she discovered their manipulations. But she had never expected it to come to this.
"You lie," she said, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "I have never spoken against the Blood Oath. I have only asked questions. I have only sought to understand the truth."
"Truth?" The Grand Inquisitor sneered. "What truth do you think you understand, little girl? The truth of your position? Of your bloodline? Or perhaps you think you know more than those who've ruled for centuries?"
Evelynn felt a sharp sting in her chest, but she didn't let it show. She couldn't afford to be weak—not now.
"I know enough to see the rot in your system," she retorted, her voice growing stronger. "I know enough to see the lies you've fed the people."
A murmur rippled through the room. The nobles, standing in the corners of the parlor, exchanged nervous glances, but no one dared speak. They all knew how dangerous it was to oppose the Blood Oath. But they also knew that Evelynn had become a thorn in their side—a person who might actually have the courage to challenge their centuries-old rule.
The Grand Inquisitor's lips twisted into a cruel smile. "You will burn, Evelynn Thorn. The flames will cleanse this world of your treason."
There it was—the death sentence. The words that would seal her fate. Her mind raced. She needed a way out. She needed to survive. But there was no escape, not with the whole of the Blood Oath watching her every move.
Suddenly, the door to the parlor burst open with a force that made the room's occupants jump. A figure stepped through the threshold, their presence so commanding that even the Grand Inquisitor paused.
Lucas.
His jaw was clenched, his eyes dark with a storm of emotions. He strode forward, his gaze never leaving Evelynn as he made his way to the center of the room. The tension in the air was palpable. Every pair of eyes in the room was now on him, the air thick with anticipation. The grand drama had reached its crescendo.
"Evelynn Thorn is not a traitor," Lucas said, his voice a low growl, cutting through the tension like a blade. "She is not the one who deserves to burn."
The Grand Inquisitor looked at Lucas, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And you think you have the authority to speak for the Blood Oath, boy? You think you can defy the will of this council?"
"I don't care about your council," Lucas spat, his voice rising. "You have no right to accuse her of treason. If anyone should be punished, it is the ones who have been manipulating everything from the shadows."
A collective gasp rippled through the room. Even Evelynn, who had known Lucas to be defiant, was shocked at his open challenge. He was exposing the very heart of the Blood Oath. He was calling them out in front of their most powerful members. And for the first time in a long while, Evelynn felt a flicker of hope.
"You speak of shadows, boy, but you are blind to them," the Grand Inquisitor said coldly, his tone laced with venom. "You've already made your choice, haven't you? You've chosen to side with a traitor. You've chosen to risk everything."
"I don't care what you think," Lucas snapped, his voice full of defiance. "I will not let her die for your lies. I will not let you burn her. She deserves a chance at life."
The Grand Inquisitor's smile faltered for a moment before it returned, colder than ever. "You would risk everything for a woman? A woman who does not know her place? A woman who dares challenge the very foundation of our power?"
"Yes," Lucas said, his voice steady, unyielding. "I would risk everything. I'd burn it all down if it meant protecting her."
Evelynn's breath caught in her throat. Her heart, which had been filled with nothing but fear moments ago, now swelled with something else—something warm, something she hadn't allowed herself to feel for a long time: love.
"I will not stand by and let you execute her," Lucas said firmly, his eyes flashing with the fire of defiance. "You will not burn her. Not while I'm still standing."
The room fell into stunned silence. Every noble in attendance was frozen, their eyes darting between Lucas and the Grand Inquisitor, as if waiting for one of them to back down. But neither did.
"You are making a grave mistake, Lucas Blackwood," the Grand Inquisitor said, his voice low and menacing. "You are aligning yourself with a traitor, and in doing so, you seal your own fate."
"I'm not afraid," Lucas said, his voice full of conviction. "I'd rather die fighting for what's right than live as a puppet to your twisted game."
A heavy silence hung in the air as the Grand Inquisitor considered Lucas's words. His cold eyes flickered to Evelynn, and for a moment, she thought she saw something—something like regret or doubt. But it was gone as quickly as it came.
"You think you can defy the Blood Oath?" the Grand Inquisitor repeated, his voice full of menace. "You think you can change the rules?"
"I don't care about your rules," Lucas said, his voice rising with every word. "I care about her. I care about what's right. And I'm not letting you take her away from me."
There was a long pause, the room so silent you could hear the ticking of the grand clock against the wall. And then, to Evelynn's surprise, the Grand Inquisitor nodded slightly, his gaze hardening.
"You are a fool, Lucas Blackwood," he said coldly. "But you will not be the one to decide her fate. I will let the council speak. But know this: if you continue down this path, there will be no coming back."
With that, he turned sharply on his heel and swept out of the room, his robe trailing behind him like a dark stormcloud.
The tension in the room shattered in an instant. Some nobles began whispering amongst themselves, while others exchanged wary glances. But through it all, Evelynn only had eyes for one person.
Lucas.
He had just risked everything for her. He had openly defied the most dangerous man in the room to protect her.
And as their gazes met, Evelynn knew one thing for certain: this war was far from over. It had only just begun.