Chapter 10
Nyxar returned to Seraphine’s side.
In my past life, I had done everything to preserve his dignity. I shielded him from the clan’s judgment, upheld his pride both in public and behind closed doors. But Seraphine was not the type to care for such things.
She mocked him openly, shredded his worth without restraint. And of course, the clanspeople followed her lead.
Compared to the life he had known beside me, his days now were really shitty.
Father soon summoned me to the altar. Before the entire clan, he bowed his head and offered a formal apology. He then forced Seraphine-her pride visibly fracturing-to kneel before me.
“Althea,” she said smoothly, “I won’t deny I was wrong. But Father is getting old. The Phoenix Court can’t go long without a successor. Do you really think the heavens would preserve you, even if it meant letting the whole clan fall?
“Let’s put this grudge behind us. The future of the Phoenix Court matters more than either of us.”
Her words, righteous and composed, moved more than a few people. Uncertain murmurs rippled through the crowd, and soon the persuasion began.
“Princess Althea,” one elder said carefully, “your mother, the former crown princess, sacrificed herself to protect us from the demon beasts. Lately, they’ve grown restless. If we delay in naming a new heir, and our clan leader’s strength continues to weaken… If they attack, we’ll crumble.”
“Please,” another said, “let the succession ceremony go on. Give it to Princess Seraphine.”
I stayed silent.
I caught the fleeting glance exchanged between Seraphine and Father, and I understood everything.
“Father,” I said softly, “Mother was right. You’ve never had vision. You’ve spent all these years scheming to crown the daughter of your beloved first love. You were even willing to lie to the entire clan.”
His face darkened. “Althea, mind your tongue.”
I raised my hand. In an instant, the divine refinement levels of every Phoenix clansman shimmered into view.
Yes, Seraphine’s power shone bright, but she wasn’t unmatched. There were others with strength that eclipsed hers.
“You’ve always planned to make her heir,” I said. “But in the Phoenix Court, succession is determined by strength, not by bloodline. Mother only helped you ascend because she feared civil unrest. But now-years later-you’ve grown too attached to the seat to let it go.”
A murmur went through the crowd.
Then someone asked, cautiously, “So… even I might be able to inherit the Phoenix legacy?”
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“Of course,” I answered.
Ignoring Seraphine’s seething glare, I raised my voice.
“The Phoenix Court will hold a competition. Whoever wins by strength alone shall be the next leader.”
A cheer erupted across the courtyard. Only Father and Seraphine stood pale-faced, their carefully built illusions unraveling.
That night, Franz clung to me as usual.
“Althea…” He nuzzled his head into my chest like he could never get enough.
I sighed, reaching out to pull him closer. But just then, the world tilted.
Something was wrong, terribly wrong.
The protective barrier around the Phoenix Court, the one my mother had sealed with a fragment of her very soul had shattered.
“That’s impossible,” I whispered.
No demon beast, no matter how powerful, should have been able to breach it.
Not unless…there was a traitor.
Franz and I rushed out.
The clan was in chaos.
High-level demon beasts had invaded.
A fledgling Phoenix, barely ten, was pinned beneath the foot of a boar-beast. She was moments from death.
I summoned my power and struck clean through the demon beast’s neck.
Blood sprayed across the child’s face. She fled into my arms, sobbing.
“Princess Althea… I almost died… Mother and Sister-they drew the beasts away to protect me…”
I handed her to Franz, ordering him to hide her safely.
Then I followed her direction, sprinting toward the danger.
When I arrived, her mother and sister were surrounded, barely clinging to life.
I leapt into the fray-saved one, then the next… and another…
Each rescue drained more from me. I was at my limit.
And then, I saw Seraphine and Father.
Seraphine knelt beside me.
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Chapter 10
She raised her hand, and a sword pierced my chest.
She had fallen. Her once-golden eyes were now pitch black, warped by corruption.
She smiled, triumphant.
“Althea, so what if you’re the embodiment of divine will? Once you’re dead, I’ll reclaim my rightful place on the
throne!”
