“Changed your mind so quickly?” Isolde stared at Aerial, noting the pallor in her face and the exhaustion etched into her features. It was as if an entire year had passed since their last meeting, not just a single day. 

“Take this.” Aerial tossed a small vial to Isolde. 

Isolde caught it, raising an eyebrow as she inspected the liquid inside. “So, you’ve realized you messed up, and now you want me to commit suicide? That’s your grand plan?” She shook her head in disappointment. “For your information, poison doesn’t work on me.” 

“That’s not poison,” Aerial sighed, her voice weary. “It’s your way out of here.” 

Isolde frowned. “Your Highness, that sounds suspiciously like what poison does.” 

“Why must you make everything difficult?” Aerial hissed, frustration flickering in her hollow eyes. “Listen, Isolde, I know I’m going to die. There’s no escaping it. So, I’ve decided to confess my crimes and help you. Consider it my last act of penance.” 

“What changed your mind overnight?” Isolde asked, her tone edged with suspicion. 

Aerial hesitated, glancing at the dungeon walls as though expecting them to close in. “Someone visited me,” she said quietly. “They made me realize I can’t outrun my fate. I tried everything to avoid death, but now I see it’s pointless. I may as well do something meaningful before the end. If I can’t escape, at least I can help you get revenge.” 

Isolde scrutinized her for a long moment, searching for deceit, but Aerial’s expression was devoid of the usual arrogance. All that remained was resignation. 

“So,” Isolde said at last, her voice heavy with skepticism. “What’s the plan?” 

“You’ll drink the potion,” Aerial explained. “It’ll stop your heart temporarily, making it look like you’ve been poisoned. When the guards find you, they’ll assume I killed you. They’ll arrest me and take me to the Emperor. While everyone’s distracted, your body will be swapped with a dummy, and a fire will break out in the dungeon. That will cover your escape. Someone is waiting for you outside the palace.” 

“And what do you get out of this?” Isolde pressed. “If you confess, you’re not just damning yourself—you’re destroying your entire family.” 

“I know,” Aerial said, her voice breaking slightly. “Just promise me one thing. Keep my sister safe.” 

For a moment, neither woman spoke. The only sound was the distant clinking of chains echoing through the dungeon. 

Finally, Isolde sighed. “Fine. I’ll play along.” She uncorked the vial, the sharp, herbal scent confirming it wasn’t ordinary poison. “But if this is some elaborate trap—” 

“It’s not,” Aerial interrupted firmly. “I have no reason to lie anymore. Just drink it. We don’t have much time.” 

Isolde raised the vial to her lips, keeping her gaze locked on Aerial. The liquid burned as it slid down her throat, and a heavy drowsiness swept over her. Her knees buckled, and she sank to the cold stone floor. 

Aerial knelt beside her, her voice low and urgent. “Stay still. Stop breathing—it’ll look more convincing.” 

The potion worked quickly. Isolde’s vision dimmed, her heartbeat slowing until it was imperceptible. 

“Guards!” Aerial’s panicked voice echoed through the dungeon. “Help! Lady Isolde has taken poison!” 

The heavy door creaked open, and two guards rushed in, their faces pale with alarm. 

“What have you done, Your Highness?” one of them demanded. 

“She forced me,” Aerial replied, her voice trembling. “She said she’d rather die than face execution. I couldn’t stop her.” 

The guards exchanged uneasy glances. One knelt to check Isolde’s pulse and stood with a grim expression. “She’s gone.” 

“Inform the Emperor,” the other ordered. “And arrest the Empress immediately.” 

A short time later, Aerial knelt before Emperor Leonidas, her expression emotionless. 

“Explain yourself,” the Emperor demanded, his golden eyes blazing with fury. “Why would you poison Isolde? What could you possibly gain from such madness?” 

Aerial raised her head. “Your Majesty, I despise you,” she said calmly. “Everything—my miscarriage, framing Lady Isolde, all of it—was my doing. Not even my family knew of my plans. It was all for one purpose: to see you suffer.” 

Leonidas’s face darkened, his fists tightening at his sides. “You admit this freely?” 

“I do,” Aerial replied, her voice steady. “Because I no longer care. Soon, I’ll watch you burn in hell—from the afterlife.” 

Leonidas glared at her. “Your confession aligns with the evidence brought by the Duke of Sable this morning.” 

Gasps erupted in the court, but Leonidas silenced them with a sharp gesture. “Guards! Take this traitor to the gallows. She will be executed at dawn. As for the Aurelius family, they are stripped of their titles and banished from the empire.” 

The Duke of Sable stepped forward and bowed. “Your Majesty, I humbly thank you for your justice.” 

Leonidas nodded. “We shall hold a grand funeral for Lady Isolde.” 

“I appreciate the honor, Your Majesty,” the Duke said coldly. “But don’t you think my loss deserves compensation?” 

“What do you want?” the Emperor asked, his frown deepening. 

“The Aurelius Dukedom,” the Duke said. “It should be absorbed into my territory.” 

Leonidas clenched his fists, his anger barely contained. Before he could respond, a guard burst in, pale-faced and panicked. 

“The dungeon is on fire!” he cried. “And Lady Isolde’s body—burned beyond recognition!” 

While the palace descended into chaos, Isolde awoke in a dimly lit tent. The scent of herbs and damp earth surrounded her. 

A familiar voice greeted her. “You’re awake.” 

To be continued....