Chapter 66 An Emperor's Debt
Magnus
Rage simmered beneath my skin, controlled but constant, fed by failure. They had slipped through my grasp. Andreas and Elyndra. Both fools. Clever enough to delay me, but still fools. I had been close. Close enough to break him, to force every secret from his mind, to locate the boy, to secure everything I needed. And now that opportunity was gone.
I turned sharply, my focus locking onto Ryven. His calm expression remained unchanged. That composure irritated me more than anything else.
There was no urgency in him, no visible frustration, no sign that he understood the scale of what had been lost.
“You distracted me,” I hissed, my voice low. “You have no idea what you’ve cost me.”
Ryven did not flinch. He never did. His stillness was precise, his presence steady in a way that felt intentional. It contrasted sharply with the tension building in my chest.
“They were leaving,” he said evenly. “I intervened to prevent the Veilbreaker from destroying your mind entirely. It would have torn you apart.”
I narrowed my gray eyes, anger tightening my jaw. “I only needed a little more time. I could have forced Andreas to give me his secrets. I could have found the boy myself. Everything was within reach. And you chose to interfere.”
"Why is this boy so important?" he asked.
"Because he is leverage!" I spat.
“Using the Veilbreaker to force the boy’s location is reckless," he argued. "Abuse it, Magnus, and you will fracture. The Veil remembers. It leaves marks that do not fade. You will lose control of your own mind. History will not record you as a genius. It will record you as unstable, dangerous, and unfit to rule. No throne can survive that.”
I clenched my fists, tension running through my arms. He was correct. The Veilbreaker was powerful, precise, and effective—but it came with consequences. Every time I used it, I felt resistance. Every time I pushed deeper, there was strain. It was not limitless.
But the need to control the outcome, to find the boy, to locate the Binder, remained.
“Why are you even here?” I asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be trailing the girl?”
“Yes. I trailed her here,” he said. “I saw her leaving Dust atop a black horse with a man. They are heading back into the forest.”
“And you did not stop them?” I snapped, my voice rising.
“Of course not. Interfering would put me at risk with both the Enforcers and the Dustborn,” he said. “I saw you as I entered the gates, so I followed you instead. And I was right to do so.” He paused, then added, “Now tell me about Euphemia Mason. Who is she? Is she my mother? You told me my mother was a Lunaran brothel girl. That was a lie.”
“I will tell you who Euphemia Mason is once you deliver the girl,” I said without hesitation. “But we will change strategies. You will get close to the girl and the man she is traveling with. She is our path to everything.”
“You mean she is your path to everything,” Ryven said, his tone sharpening. “You ask the impossible, Magnus. She does not trust easily. She will never allow it.”
I stepped closer, my gaze fixed on him. “Impossible? You have already shown her kindness. You allowed her to escape once. She will remember that. She will believe you are on her side. If anyone can reach her, it is you.”
“She has the forest protecting her,” Ryven pointed out.
“You have roamed every part of Ashwood Forest,” I said. “You know its trails, its hidden routes, its safe passages. Use that knowledge. If I am correct, she is heading to Aetheria, and she will use the forest’s cover to travel there.”
“How do you know that?” he asked.
“She has no orb,” I said. “She cannot teleport without one.”
“She can acquire one through the black market,” Ryven countered. “That is how the Collectors obtain their travel orbs.”
I paused briefly, considering that. I would need to send scouts to monitor known vendors.
“Not without coin,” I said.
“The man she is with has coin,” Ryven replied. “But you are right. They escaped on horseback. They do not have travel orbs.”
I allowed a small, controlled smile. “Then we proceed as planned. You will approach carefully. Show her kindness. Protect her. Let her believe you are a hero. Let her trust you.”
“And how exactly am I supposed to do that?” he asked, doubt clear in his voice.
“You will help her escape an attack,” I said.
His eyes shifted slightly, calculating. “And then?”
“Once she trusts you fully,” I said, my tone steady, “I will strike. Precisely. Without error. Her trust becomes my weapon, and I will use it.”
He studied me for a moment, then nodded once. “You are relentless. Fine. I will have my raven scout the skies. If she is heading toward Aetheria, she will eventually leave the protection of the Cursed Forest. When that happens, I will send you a message so you can deploy the Enforcers.”
He raised his hand toward his orb.
“Ryven,” I said, stopping him. “Do not kill the Enforcers I send.”
“It will not be convincing if I do not,” he replied, then activated the orb. He vanished.
I did not respond. My thoughts had already shifted. The sword. The dragon. Those were the priorities. The girl and boy were important, but only as a means to an end. They could be used. And if necessary, removed.
A faint sound interrupted my thoughts. Movement. The scrape of metal. The shift of loose stone.
“Who is there?” I said, turning.
Elara emerged from the stairwell. The damaged skin on her face had been stitched back into place. The repair was crude but functional. Behind her stood an Imperial Enforcer.
The Enforcer bowed. “My Lord, we have orders to leave Dust.”
“Whose orders?” I asked.
“The Emperor’s,” Elara said. “All Enforcers are being deployed to Ashwood Forest to eliminate the rebel threat. My district has been compromised. They must be dealt with.”
I felt immediate tension. That would disrupt everything. Aldo needed to be warned.
“Go,” I told the Enforcer.
“My Lord,” he said hesitantly, “I am to escort you to the Emperor.”
“Fine,” I said, reaching for the orb at my neck.
Elara grabbed my arm before I could activate it. Her grip was firm. “If I find Sera first, she will be punished for her crimes.”
“You will not find her,” I scoffed, then activated the orb.
The rooftop disappeared. The palace halls replaced it instantly.
Cold marble floors stretched ahead. High ceilings, gold-lined walls, and evenly spaced lanterns created a rigid, controlled environment. I expected to arrive in my chambers. Instead, I stood before the massive doors of the Throne Room.
The Emperor had altered my destination.
Cyrus Vyra stood nearby. His posture was rigid, his expression neutral but tense. “Magnus,” he said. “The Emperor wishes to speak with you.”
I began walking forward, my pace slow. Each step echoed across the marble floor. “Can this be postponed until morning? I am fatigued.”
The strain at the back of my mind was real. The Veilbreaker had taken its toll.
“He insists,” Cyrus said. “Now.”
The doors opened.
The Throne Room extended outward, large and structured. Chandeliers hung overhead. The Emperor sat at the far end.
He still looked very young. Barely grown. A faint mustache, smooth features—but his eyes were sharp, impatient.
“Magnus,” he said immediately. “Tell me what has happened in the Dust District.”
I inclined my head slightly. “Your Majesty. A rebel girl incited the population. The riots are a direct result of her actions. She is a catalyst.”
His expression tightened. “I have heard talk of a Celestial,” he said. “That should be impossible. My ancestors eliminated all Celestial bloodlines. No one should rival the Emperor. Yet you say nothing about this. Why?”
“I have spoken to the Examiners,” I said. “They confirmed it was an anomaly. The girl is Dust.”
“And the transfers?” he pressed. “Boys aged thirteen to sixteen. Sent to Aetheria. Is that your doing?”
“Yes,” I said. “The girl has a brother. He is being used to draw her out.”
“And after you captured her?” he asked. “You intended to surrender her to me?”
“Yes.”
“You lie!”
Enforcers stepped forward from the shadows, weapons drawn.
I raised my hand. Energy gathered, low and controlled. “Stop,” I said. “You cannot arrest me.”
“I can,” he replied. “And I will.”
“You have forgotten what I have done for you,” I said. “Perhaps I should remind you.”
“Magnus, I am your Emperor.”
“And you remain in my debt.”
“I have repaid that debt by placing you on the council,” he said. “Now I will remove you.”
“I see,” I said, unbothered. “Then allow me to negotiate. Manifestus.”
Mist formed in the air, thick and controlled. It shaped into a clear image.
A bedchamber appeared. The Empress sat calmly, one hand resting on her abdomen, humming softly.
“I hear you are expecting an heir,” I said. Black smoke gathered in my hand. “I act, and the child dies.”
The Emperor’s expression changed immediately. “You would not.”
“I would,” I said. “I placed you on that throne and as long as you are emperor that debt remains. Understood?"
He signaled the Enforcers to stand down. “Understood,” he said.
The image vanished. The smoke dissipated.
“I hear you are sending forces to Ashwood Forest,” I added. “I hope they find the rebel we speak of. Now, may I go?"
He dismissed me without another word.
I turned and left the Throne Room.
The corridors were quiet. My steps remained controlled. My thoughts were already moving ahead.
Once inside my chambers, I wrote a note quickly. A warning to Aldo. Imperial forces were coming. He needed to prepare. He needed to burn the message after reading.
I stepped onto the balcony and released a soft caw.
A raven landed on the railing.
I secured the note to its leg. “Go quickly,” I said. “This is a matter of life and death.”