CHAPTER 219: THE HUNT AT MIDNIGHT

[Imperial Palace—Corridors of Midnight—LAVINIA’S POV]

The sound of armored boots echoed like thunder behind me. Each step, each clang of steel, was a drumbeat pounding in my skull—reminding me that this was no longer a tea party, no longer a game of words and whispers.

This was war.

My war.

...but also—

WHY IN ALL SAINTS’ NAME WAS THERE A WHOLE DAMN ARMY BEHIND ME???

I swear, my hands actually shook as I sat perched stiffly on my horse, sword at my waist, cloak too heavy for comfort. Marshi padded loyally beside me, his massive tail swishing with battle-ready energy. And behind us... an endless sea of gleaming helmets and banners. Rows upon rows of imperial knights. An entire battalion. Maybe two. Maybe the whole empire, for all I knew.

I turned my head slowly, like a woman staring into her own doom.

Yep. Definitely the whole army.

Before I could scream into my saddle, Papa’s stallion came galloping up, regal and terrifying as always. He slowed at my side, wine-red cape snapping in the midnight wind, and gave me the most casual look in the world.

"Alright, Lavinia," he said, as if he were merely suggesting a morning stroll. "Lead the army."

I choked. Loudly. "Papa—"

"Yes?" His tone was smooth, utterly unbothered.

"We are going to House Everett," I hissed, jabbing a finger toward the gates. "We need, at most—AT MOST—twenty knights. Not... not... THIS." I waved at the thousands of soldiers marching behind me like I’d accidentally declared war on an entire continent. "Why, in the name of all saints, is there a whole army standing behind us?"

Before Papa could answer, Theon trotted up on his horse, his grin far too wide for this ungodly hour. "Because, princess," he said cheerfully, drawing out the words like a bard delivering a punchline, "this is your first hunt."

Ravick nodded proudly with Theon. Rey was amused.

Then Theon stretched out one arm with theatrical flair, gesturing at the glittering wave of armor and steel behind me. "And they all want to witness your first Hunt, Princess."

. . .

. . .

I blinked.

Then blinked again.

My mouth opened. Closed. Then opened again like a fish gasping for air.

"You—you mean to tell me," I sputtered, "that half the imperial army decided to wake up at midnight, strap on armor, and trot out here... just to watch me arrest one man?!"

Theon’s grin widened. "Not just a man, princess. The hidden emperor."

I trembled—not with rage, but with sheer, jaw-dropping disbelief. "Oh Saints above..."

Marshi let out a proud little growl, as if agreeing with Theon. Papa smirked into his reins like this was the most natural thing in the world. And the entire army? They were watching me. Me. Like some kind of hero marching into legend.

Except I didn’t feel like a hero.

I felt like a girl who just wanted to crawl back into bed, eat cake under my blanket, and not lead a small continent into battle at midnight.

With a heavy sigh, I slid down from my horse and marched right in front of the army.

Hundreds of knights. Hundreds of expectant eyes.

"Alright—listen to me," I announced, lifting both hands dramatically. "We are just going to arrest a man. One man. Not lay siege to a kingdom, not storm a dragon’s den, not topple the heavens themselves. Just... one... man."

I jabbed a finger toward the glowing city beyond the gates.

"So, please, I only need twenty knights to surround the Everett mansion. The rest of you can..." I waved them away like unruly children. "...go back to your beds. Or training. Or whatever terrifying things you do when you’re bored."

Their faces fell instantly—like a thundercloud had rolled across the entire legion. Rows upon rows of armored men looked as though I had just cancelled their birthday party and eaten the cake myself.

I couldn’t help it—I smiled. "I know, I know... you’re all excited. You want to see the big moment. But trust me when I say this—there will be plenty of chances to watch me make history later. For tonight, this is work, not theater. So—back to your stations."

And just like that, like disappointed schoolboys shuffling out of a festival, row after row dispersed—until only the first two lines of knights remained.

Papa let out a long sigh behind me, the kind that sounded like it carried centuries of tyranny and parental frustration all at once.

"You should have let them witness it," he muttered. "Our knights simply wanted to see your first hunt."

I swung myself back onto my horse, settling into the saddle with the air of someone who had made her decision and would not budge an inch.

"I know I have the best people in the empire to serve me, Papa," I said, glancing back at the few knights who stayed. "But that doesn’t mean I’ll turn a midnight errand into a festival parade. What matters is efficiency, not spectacle."

Then I leaned closer, lowering my voice just enough for him to hear, a mischievous grin tugging my lips. "And besides... I’ll make sure they witness plenty more in the future. That much, I promise."

I straightened, tugged the reins, and gestured toward the moonlit streets.

"So let’s go. The longer we stand here talking, the more time Everett has to smell trouble and run. And wouldn’t that be boring?"

***

[House Everett—Later—Midnight]

House of Everett’s was in chaos.

The estate, once glittering with silk banners and perfumed lamps, now choked under the iron weight of boots and blades. Our people had poured into every corridor, Ravick’s voice barked orders like thunder, Rey’s shadow cut through the night, and Theon and other knights sealed off every gate. By the time Papa and I dismounted, the once-proud mansion looked less like a noble house and more like a captured fortress.

And there—amid the sea of armor and drawn steel—Marquess Everett fell to his knees before us. His hands shook, his jeweled rings rattling together like tiny bells of guilt.

"Y-Your Majesty..." His voice cracked, high-pitched and desperate. "What... what crime have we done to deserve this sudden storm from the Imperials?"

Papa smirked. A cold, cutting thing that had no humor in it—only cruelty. He unsheathed his sword with deliberate slowness, the steel catching the torchlight, and pressed its edge to Everett’s throat.

"How amusing, Marquess," he murmured, his voice low but ringing across the courtyard. "To shelter a traitor under your roof... and then dare to ask me what crime you’ve committed."

The Marquess’s body quaked. Sweat dripped down his brow as he stammered, "Y-Your Majesty, w-with all due respect... I truly—I truly do not understand what you mean—"

I stepped forward, my boots clicking against the marble steps. The crowd of knights parted as though the night itself made way for me.

"You don’t understand?" I asked softly, tilting my head. "Or do you mean you hope to convince me that you don’t understand?"

He swallowed hard. I let the silence hang long enough for the sound of armor shifting to press down like a storm on his chest. Then, at last, I let the words fall:

"We’ve found him." Everett flinched, his pupils snapping wide.

"We’ve found the Hidden Emperor, Marquess."

His lips twitched, fumbling for an answer. "Th-that... that is wonderful news, Princess, but how—how does this have anything to do with—"

I cut him off, turning from him like he wasn’t even worth the air I breathed. I began climbing the grand staircase, my voice carrying like the toll of a death bell:

"Because the Hidden Emperor is your adopted son." I stopped at the landing, my gaze snapping toward his chambers.

"Caelum."

The name itself was a blade.

Gasps rippled through the estate like the crack of lightning. Everett choked on his breath, nearly collapsing under the weight of it.

Behind me, Marshi padded up the steps, loyal and silent, his presence a steady anchor.

And then Papa’s voice rose, a roar of imperial decree that rattled every windowpane:

"Arrest everyone in this house."

Screams followed instantly. Servants tried to scatter, only to be yanked back by armored fists. Knights dragged noble sons and daughters from their beds and silenced every protest with the bite of steel.

I stepped towards the Chamber door and...Of course, when I reached the door, it was barred shut.

Behind me, Rey’s voice drawled, calm despite the pandemonium. "Do you want my help?"

I glanced at him, then back at the stubborn wood. My lips curved into something sharp."No. Marshi is enough for this."

At my side, Marshi’s crimson eyes glowed faintly. I gave him the smallest nod. He raised his paw, divine fire curling over his fingers, and with a low hum, the heavy doors ignited. Wood split and warped, flames devouring it to ash in seconds.

The chamber was revealed in a rush of smoke and sparks.

But when I stepped inside—My stomach dropped.

The balcony doors were flung wide open, curtains whipping in the midnight wind. The room was empty.

"DAMN IT—HE ESCAPED!!!"

My voice cracked through the chamber like lightning, echoing over the screams still tearing through the estate.

And the hunt... had only just begun.