𝐈'𝐦 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 (𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃)

Chapter 56: The Sins of the Empress

The warehouse crouched at the base of Argent Mountain like a rotten tooth.

It had been abandoned for years, its stone walls stained black from old smoke, the roof half collapsed where ivy had clawed through. The wind moved through the cracks with a low, empty sound. From the outside, there was no sign of life.

But I knew better.

The warehouse was exactly where Leon's letters had said it would be, exactly where Leon and I had planned it months ago.

Xavier and I slipped through the trees and stopped at the treeline. He picked me up by the waist and helped me down from the horse.

The wind pulled at Xavier's cloak as he stood beside me. "You're sure about this?"

I nodded, eyes fixed on the heavy wooden door. "Hide. Don't move unless you think I'm going to die. If it comes to that, intervene. Otherwise, stay out of sight until Arsen and his knights arrive."

Xavier exhaled sharply. "You always ask too much from me."

I finally turned my head, giving him a small, dry smile. "And you always listen to me in the end anyway."

Xavier stared at me for a long moment, jaw tight, but he nodded. Always so obedient.

"Be safe, Calypso. I'll be close."

He melted back into the trees without another word.

I stepped forward alone. The cold bit my cheeks. I stopped in front of the door and raised my fist.

Two knocks.

A pause. Then two more.

Our agreed code.

For a long moment, there was only silence. Then I heard it—a shuffle of feet, a whisper too low to make out. Someone inside was moving—another voice, low and urgent, saying not to open the door.

The wood groaned before the voice finished and the door swung open on rusted hinges.

Leon stood there, torchlight flickering behind him. He looked tired, his coat dusty from travel, but as soon as he saw me, he gave me a warm smile and stepped aside without hesitation.

"Your Majesty," he said quietly. "You're on time."

Inside, the warehouse smelled of damp earth and old grain. Constantine and Phoebe were there, huddled near the back where a few crates had been pushed together for shelter.

They looked worse for wear. Constantine's coat was torn at the shoulder, Phoebe's hair was a mess, and both of them had the hollow look of people who hadn't slept in days.

When they saw me, the color drained from their faces. For a second they looked like they were seeing a ghost.

Phoebe scrambled back against the wall, hands shaking. "Your—Your Majesty," she stuttered.

Constantine moved fast, stepping in front of her as if his body alone could shield her. His eyes darted from me then to Leon, and when they landed on Leon, the betrayal there was sharp enough to cut.

"You," Constantine hissed. "You brought her here."

Leon closed the door behind me with a heavy thud and set the bar across it. "Better for the empire," he said simply. "I owed it to her."

Phoebe was shaking her head. "No, no, you promised—"

"I promised to keep you safe," Leon said. "This is how."

Constantine's hands were clenched so tight his knuckles were white. "You've doomed us all."

I moved slowly into the center of the room, then stopped a few paces from them, close enough to see the fear in Phoebe's eyes and the fury building in Constantine's.