Pain.
That was the last thing I remembered before everything faded into nothingness. The weight of the chains, the cold dungeon walls pressing against my bruised skin, and the deafening cheers of the crowd as I was dragged to my execution. The sharp bite of betrayal had cut deeper than any blade.
And then, just before the darkness consumed me completely rage.
But now… I was breathing again.
A sharp gasp tore from my lips as my body jerked awake, my chest rising and falling in a desperate rhythm. My lungs burned as though I had been drowning and had just surfaced for air. But how? I had felt the noose tighten. I had felt the life drain from my body.
Then why was I alive?
Frantic, I reached for my throat. Smooth. Unmarred. No rope burns, no bruises. My fingers trembled as they traced my skin, my heart hammering against my ribs.
The scent of roses and sandalwood filled my senses a familiar fragrance, one I had not smelled in years.
I turned sharply, my gaze sweeping across the room. Lavish velvet drapes framed the massive bed, their deep violet hue embroidered with golden phoenix patterns. The wooden vanity stood untouched, its glass reflecting the soft glow of candlelight. The intricate gold designs on the walls shimmered under the warm light of the chandelier above.
My chamber.
No. That was impossible.
I had been thrown into the dungeons. Stripped of my title, my dignity, and my life. I had died.
My body lurched forward, and I staggered toward the full-length mirror standing in the corner of the room. My bare feet made no sound against the cold marble floor as I reached out, my fingers trembling.
The woman staring back at me was young not the broken, bloodstained traitor who had knelt before Kaelion, pleading for her life.
Her auburn hair cascaded down her back in soft curls, not the tangled mess it had been in the dungeon. Her emerald eyes, once dulled by heartbreak, now burned with clarity. The sharp angles of her face, the smoothness of her skin it was as if time had reversed itself.
And then it hit me.
This was the night of the Imperial banquet.
The very night Kaelion met Selina Vaughn.
The very night my fate had been sealed.
A sharp knock on the door jolted me from my thoughts.
"Your Majesty, it is time to prepare for the banquet," a voice called from outside.
I froze. The banquet.
It was happening again.
The memories rushed in like a tidal wave, drowning me in a past I had already lived through once. I remembered how I had walked into that hall, naïve and blissfully unaware. I had smiled at Kaelion, believing our love was unshakable. I had laughed, thinking my position as Empress was secure.
I had been a fool.
Because that night, Selina had entered the court for the first time.
She had curtsied before the Emperor, her golden curls glistening under the chandelier's light. Her soft, honeyed voice had been laced with poison, each word carefully chosen to make her appear innocent and fragile.
Kaelion had been enchanted.
And I his Empress, his wife had been blind to the web she was weaving.
But not this time.
This time, I would not stand quietly in the shadows while she stole everything from me.
I turned toward the door, my fingers curling into fists. My nails dug into my palms, the pain grounding me in reality. I was no longer the foolish woman who had pleaded for love and loyalty.
I had died once.
And in death, I had learned one truth kindness was weakness.
I inhaled deeply, pushing away the last remnants of my past self.
"Prepare my dress," I commanded, my voice steady, cold, and laced with newfound purpose.
A brief pause. Then, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The footsteps faded down the corridor, leaving me alone in the silence of my chamber.
I turned back to the mirror, meeting my own gaze.
This time, I would not beg for Kaelion's love.
This time, I would make him regret ever betraying me.
This time, the game began on my terms.
And I would burn them all if I had to.