Chapter 4: The Gruesome Deadline
"What happens?" Elara breathed, her voice trembling. "What is the price?"
Kael looked at her, his eyes hard. "Failure is not a simple exile, Princess. If the clock strikes twelve and the throne sits empty, the ancient 'Blood-Debt' ritual begins. The assassins will not just kill you; they will draw the royal essence from your body to fuel the dark ritual that legitimizes the usurper. It is a slow, agonizing process where the blood is siphoned until the heart stops. You will die twice: once in spirit, and once in the flesh."
The realization hit her like a physical blow. She had wanted a normal life, a life of peace. But there was no peace in a land ruled by wolves. She dropped the tray. The sound of shattered crystal echoed like a gunshot. The assassins drew their blades, the steel glinting under the chandelier's light.
