Seraphina's POV
The palace gates slam shut behind me with a sound like a death sentence.
I clutch the Emperor's letter tighter, my knuckles white. Four hours until the ceremony. Four hours to figure out who wants me dead.
"My lady." Commander Aldric helps me down from the carriage. "I'll escort you to your chambers. You'll have time to prepare before—"
"No." The word comes out sharper than I intended. "I need to see the other brides. Now."
His scarred face frowns. "That's not protocol. The brides aren't supposed to meet until the ceremony—"
"Where are they being kept?"
"The Lotus Garden, but—"
I'm already walking. Commander Aldric curses under his breath and hurries after me.
"My lady, you can't just barge into the Lotus Garden! The other noble families will protest. You haven't even been officially announced—"
"The Emperor already announced me this morning, didn't he?" I glance back at him. "The whole empire knows I'm his chosen bride. So technically, I outrank every other girl here."
Commander Aldric stares at me like I've grown horns. Good. Let him be confused. I don't have time to be the shy, scared girl everyone expects.
I have a killer to catch.
The Lotus Garden is easy to find—I just follow the sound of angry female voices.
"—absolutely ridiculous! Why would the Emperor choose some nobody before even seeing us?"
"I heard she's from a minor noble family. Barely even counts as aristocracy."
"Maybe she used dark magic. How else would she catch his attention?"
I push open the garden doors and nineteen heads snap toward me.
Nineteen beautiful, perfectly dressed noble daughters. Each one looks like they stepped out of a painting. Silk gowns, jeweled hair pins, faces painted with expensive makeup.
And they're all staring at me like I'm a bug they want to crush.
"Well, well." A girl with red hair and emerald eyes steps forward. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes. "The infamous Lady Ashford. We were just talking about you."
"I heard." I walk into the garden, keeping my head high even though my heart pounds. "Nice things, I hope?"
Several girls laugh mockingly.
"I'm Lady Catherine Marlowe." Red-hair gestures to herself with a fan. "Daughter of the Duke of Silverpeak. And you are?"
"You already know who I am."
"We know your name." Catherine circles me slowly, looking me up and down. "But we don't know how a girl with silver hair and no connections managed to seduce the Emperor before the selection even started."
The other girls murmur agreement. I can feel their jealousy and anger like physical things pressing against my skin.
One of them could be the killer. Maybe all of them want me dead.
"I didn't seduce anyone," I say calmly. "The Emperor chose me. I don't know why."
"Liar." A blonde girl with cold blue eyes joins Catherine. "I'm Lady Victoria Ashton. My family has served the imperial house for generations. I was supposed to be Empress. Then you showed up and ruined everything."
"If you were supposed to be Empress, the Emperor would have chosen you," I point out.
Victoria's face turns red with rage. "You little—"
"Ladies!" An elderly woman in gray robes appears in the doorway. "Enough fighting. Lady Seraphina, you shouldn't be here yet. Please return to—"
"I'm staying." I turn to face the old woman. "I want to meet the other candidates before the ceremony."
The woman's eyes narrow. "Most irregular. But if you insist..." She claps her hands twice. "Everyone, form a line. If Lady Seraphina wants introductions, we'll do this properly."
One by one, the girls introduce themselves. Noble daughters from every corner of the empire. Some are friendly, most are hostile. I try to memorize faces and names, looking for clues.
Who's the killer? Who wants me dead?
Then I see her.
A girl standing in the back, away from the others. She has black hair and pale skin, and she's watching me with the strangest expression. Not angry or jealous.
Afraid.
Our eyes meet and she quickly looks away.
"That's Lady Elena Frost," Catherine says, noticing my stare. "From the Northern Territory. She hasn't spoken a word since she arrived. Completely useless."
Something about Elena bothers me. The way she won't meet my eyes. The way her hands shake slightly.
Before I can approach her, bells start ringing throughout the palace.
"The ceremony begins in one hour!" the elderly woman announces. "Everyone to your preparation chambers immediately!"
The girls scatter, whispering and shooting me dark looks. But Elena lingers, staring at me with those frightened eyes.
I start walking toward her—
"My lady." Commander Aldric appears at my elbow. "We need to prepare you for the ceremony now."
"Wait, I need to talk to—"
But Elena is already gone, disappearing through a side door.
Commander Aldric practically drags me to a luxurious chamber. Servants swarm me immediately, pulling off my travel clothes and replacing them with a ceremonial gown.
"The white and gold dress is traditional for the Emperor's chosen," a servant explains as they tie silk ribbons. "You'll stand at the center while the other candidates form a circle around you."
"And the wine ceremony?" I ask carefully.
"Oh yes! Each bride drinks from the imperial chalice to show acceptance of the Emperor's choice. It's very symbolic."
My stomach drops. So all twenty of us will drink from the same cup.
But the Emperor's letter said the poison would be in the wine. If we're all sharing one chalice, how does the killer make sure only I die?
Unless the poison isn't in the wine itself.
Unless it's on the cup.
Specifically on the part of the cup that touches my lips.
"Who prepares the chalice?" I ask the servant.
She blinks, surprised by the question. "The High Priestess, of course. She's the only one allowed to touch it before the ceremony."
"Where is she now?"
"In the Temple of the Moon, blessing the wine. Why do you—"
"I need to see her. Now."
The servant looks panicked. "But my lady, the ceremony starts in less than an hour! Your hair isn't done, your makeup—"
"Now!" My voice comes out harder than I intended. "Please. It's important."
Commander Aldric appears in the doorway. "Is there a problem?"
I pull him aside and whisper quickly about my suspicions. About the poisoned cup. About needing to check the chalice before the ceremony.
His face goes pale. "If you're right... if someone has corrupted the High Priestess..."
"Then we need to stop this ceremony before it starts."
We rush through palace corridors, Commander Aldric clearing the way with his sword. The Temple of the Moon looms ahead, its silver doors glowing in the sunset.
I burst through the doors—
And freeze.
The High Priestess lies on the floor, blood pooling around her. The ceremonial chalice sits on the altar, already filled with wine.
"No," I whisper. "No, no, no—"
"She's still alive!" Commander Aldric kneels beside the priestess, checking her pulse. "Barely. Someone attacked her."
The priestess's eyes flutter open. She grabs my dress with a bloody hand and rasps: "The... cup... switched..."
"What? What do you mean switched?"
"Not... the imperial chalice..." She coughs blood. "Replaced it... with cursed one... all of you... will die..."
My blood turns to ice. "All of us? You mean all twenty brides?"
She nods weakly. "Poison... activated by... moonlight... once ceremony starts... everyone drinks... everyone dies..."
"Who did this?" I grip her hand. "Who gave you the cursed chalice?"
The priestess's eyes focus on something behind me. Her face fills with terror.
"Her," she whispers.
I spin around.
Elena Frost stands in the temple doorway, no longer looking frightened. Now she looks cold. Empty.
And she's holding a knife dripping with the priestess's blood.
"I'm sorry," Elena says flatly. "But you all have to die. It's the only way to save him."
"Save who?" I demand.
Elena's lips curve into a sad smile. "My brother. The real heir to the throne."
Behind her, the temple bells begin to ring. The ceremony is starting.
And somewhere in the palace, nineteen innocent girls are walking toward their deaths.