Shadows twisted in the flickering torchlight as Cassie sprinted after the fleeing noble. Her boots pounded against the stone floor, the sharp echo swallowed by the chaos she left behind in the banquet hall. She kept her focus on the figure ahead—a streak of dark fabric and desperation darting through the corridors.

  The noble’s breathing was labored, audible even over the ringing in her ears. They veered left into a narrow passage, the sudden movement forcing her to adjust mid-step. Cassie followed without hesitation, the hilt of her blade steady in her grip.

  The air grew colder as the chase led them deeper into the palace's winding corridors. Ornate tapestries gave way to bare stone walls, their damp surfaces gleaming in the low light. Ahead, the noble stumbled but recovered quickly, throwing a glance over their shoulder.

  “You won’t make it out,” Cassie called, her voice carrying just enough venom to sharpen their fear.

  They didn’t respond, instead skidding into another turn. Her pulse hammered in her ears as she closed the gap, her steps relentless.

  The corridor opened into a small, secluded antechamber. The noble spun to face her, their back against the far wall. A faint smile tugged at their lips, defiant despite their heaving chest.

  “Impressive,” they said, their tone laced with contempt. “But you’re wasting your time.”

  Cassie raised her blade, its polished edge catching the faint glow of a distant torch. “You’ll tell me everything,” she said coldly.

  The noble laughed—a sharp, bitter sound that cut through the tension like a knife. “You think you’ve won something here? The wards are already falling. The kingdom is crumbling around you, and you’re too blind to see it.”

  “Who’s behind this?” Cassie demanded, taking a step closer.

  Their eyes gleamed with a strange satisfaction. “It doesn’t matter. Even if I told you, it’s already too late.”

  The wall behind them shifted with a low groan. Cassie’s instincts flared a second too late. A hidden mechanism clicked, and part of the stone slid away, revealing a dark passage teeming with armed figures.

  Steel glinted in the dim light. Cassie threw herself backward as the first conspirator lunged, their blade slicing through the air where her throat had been.

  The noble used the distraction to slip into the passage.

  Cassie cursed under her breath and pivoted to block a second attacker. The force of their strike jarred her arm, but she held her ground, her movements precise and measured. Her blade sliced across their shoulder, and they crumpled with a cry.

  Another figure loomed, wielding a mace. Cassie ducked as the weapon swung toward her, the rush of displaced air brushing her cheek. She retaliated with a quick thrust to their abdomen, her blade finding its mark.

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  The antechamber became a blur of movement. She was outnumbered, each enemy more coordinated than the last. Her breath came in short bursts as she dodged and struck, her body moving on instinct.

  A third attacker closed in, their dagger aimed at her ribs. Cassie parried, the clash of steel reverberating in the enclosed space. She twisted her wrist, forcing their blade downward, and drove her knee into their stomach.

  She needed to retreat. The passage was too narrow to maneuver effectively, and the noble was slipping further away.

  Her eyes darted to a small sconce on the wall. An idea sparked.

  As the next attacker charged, she sidestepped and shoved them into the sconce. The impact sent it clattering to the ground, the flames licking hungrily at the tapestries nearby.

  The fire spread quickly, smoke curling into the air. Her enemies hesitated, their movements faltering as the heat intensified.

  Cassie burst through the smoldering remains of the antechamber’s exit, her lungs heaving as she emerged into a broader corridor. Smoke curled behind her, the dull roar of the fire swallowing the shouts of her remaining pursuers. She didn’t look back.

  The noble was gone, their shadowy figure swallowed by the winding corridors, but Cassie couldn’t afford to dwell on her failure. The words they’d left behind echoed in her mind: The wards are already falling. The kingdom is crumbling around you.

  A tremor underfoot forced her to steady herself against the wall. Dust rained from the ceiling as a deep, resonant sound reverberated through the palace. It wasn’t thunder—it was something worse.

  Cassie swore under her breath and broke into a sprint. The twisting hallways seemed alive, shifting and groaning as the foundation of the palace shuddered. The air grew warmer as she drew closer to the banquet hall, though whether from the fires she’d set or the escalating battle ahead, she couldn’t tell. The faint clash of steel and cries of battle reached her ears, and her pace quickened.

  When she finally burst into the grand hall, she was met with utter chaos.

  Queen Lyssandra stood at the center of the storm, radiant and unyielding. Her golden shield flickered like the sun, deflecting the blows of a would-be assassin. With a commanding gesture, she summoned a spear of light, its brilliance piercing through the dim haze. The assailant collapsed in a heap, their weapon clattering to the marble floor.

  Cassie’s gaze darted to the far end of the hall, where Theodoric and Dietrich were cutting down attackers with a grim efficiency. Guards swarmed around them, a thin but resolute line of defense between the remaining nobles and the chaos beyond.

  “Cassie!” Theodoric shouted, spotting her through the fray. He deflected a strike aimed at his side and gestured toward her with his blade. “Where’s the noble?”

  “Gone,” she called back, forcing her way through the melee. “And they weren’t alone. The palace is crawling with conspirators.”

  “We noticed,” Dietrich quipped, sidestepping an attacker’s blade and dispatching them with a precise thrust. “They’re targeting the wards.”

  Cassie’s blood ran cold. She hadn’t wanted to believe the noble’s warning, but now the signs were undeniable—the tremors, the smoke, the sheer coordination of the assault. “If the wards fall—”

  “The entire city falls,” Lyssandra interjected, her voice sharp. She hurled another spear of light, its impact sending a shockwave through the hall. “Cassie, can you find the breach?”

  “I’ll try.” Cassie hesitated, her gaze lingering on the queen. “But you’ll need to hold this hall.”

  Lyssandra nodded, her expression steely. “We’ll manage. Go.”

  Cassie turned on her heel, darting toward the nearest exit. The sounds of battle faded behind her, replaced by the distant, ominous groan of the palace crumbling around them.

  The wards were failing, and time was running out.