Hated by her lineage, Iliya Dalaminai dwells in self isolation, awaiting the day her cousin marries so she might escape the Throne.
Feared by the Gods, Sorein Chakrine's crown is mainly a relic put on display at royal ceremonies to ward off evil.
Wh...
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"Rise," the Queen of Solraidas said, standing at the head of the table.
Sorein had been nervously awaiting the evidentiary hearing, and the twisted feeling in his gut only worsened when he read the pensive looks on the faces of the High Court.
Elive appeared the most troubled, biting her lip and quickly releasing it.
Sorein stood next to Levias, also passing uncertain glances around the room. Tension was palpable, though he couldn't be sure it had to do with him. Not when all eyes seemed to settle on Ezre.
"We are here on behalf of the commonwealth of Chiori Faire and the allegations that follow," she continued, lifting a script. "Affiliation with forbidden practices, manslaughter, desecration of a holy temple, and conspiracy for treason."
His jaw locked in frustration, eyes glaring holes into the thin slip of paper.
A low rumbling filled the room for a moment, creating a brief pause before Queen Elive cleared her throat. "For the record, how do you plead?"
Sorein exhaled through his nose.
"Not guilty," he answered softly.
He could be firm. He could assert himself without the callous nature they all anticipated.
If nothing else, so he might be allowed to look Iliya in the face one last time.
Levias nodded and began scribbling in a folder.
"Then let the processions–"
An explosion shook the courtroom.
The Queen of Solraidas collapsed as the floor beneath them quaked, a crevasse peeling open down the center and leading toward the Aphyre.
"Is everyone alright?" Destry asked, tugging at her blouse.
The next shudder rippled through the entire building, a blast sounding beneath them.
Sorein smelled smoke mingling with hellfire bleeding in from the corridor outside.
Then an alarm went off, the shrill sound alerting the Estate that the wards were compromised.
An image struck him. The entrance to Nioreir beneath the Grand Archive sat directly below them. Frozen in shock, he watched as the room broke out into chaos. Several pairs of eyes landed on him.
Here.
Away from the explosion.
"Alert the Guard, secure the perimeter," Ezre snapped, marching to the doors. "The Aphyre has been breached, we must prepare the Infirmary."
Sorein's body betrayed him completely, petrified. Ears still ringing from the blast and feet firmly planted on the floor as he began to panic.
Another battle would be the death of them for sure, and with little access to his mana, he would be a fool to–
