She Dreamed Her Empire Would Burn, So She Set Out to Break Four Collars novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: The Throne

The throne room was full of torches and nobles in their nightclothes when Nimeriel walked in.

Her father sat on the white throne under a heap of furs.

She had not seen him upright in two months.

His face was the color of old candles, and his hands lay on the armrests.

Chancellor Veridian stood at his right shoulder with a scroll.

"Daughter," said the Emperor, and his voice came out dry and thin. "Come here."

She climbed the dais and knelt.

He laid a papery hand on her hair.

"The Tree has chosen sooner than we planned. The Festival will be held in twelve days, not forty. You will be bound as Warden at the end of it."

The hall rustled.

"Twelve days," she said.

"The Chancellor has prepared the rite."

She looked up at the Chancellor.

He smiled, kind and tired.

"There is no cause for alarm, Highness. The binding is a great honor. You will give your life to the Tree, and the Tree will give its life to the empire."

"My life."

"Your service." He said it smoothly. "The Warden does not marry, does not travel, and does not leave the Heartgarden. The collars will answer to you alone, forever, and no one will ever need to be afraid again."

Forever.

She felt the vellum stiff against her ribs.

If she took the Binding, the clause would be hers to read for eternity, and she would never be allowed to leave the garden to act on it.

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