Father will kill us if we’re caught,” I murmur, my trembling voice betraying my building anxiety.My little sister merely lifts her index finger to her lips, amusement dancing in her eyes. “If we’re careful and quiet, Father will never find out,” Serena promises, reaching for my hand. My heart thumps wildly as she pulls me into a long-forgotten hallway that leads to a set of stairs in dire need of repair. “No one comes here,” she reassures me, “and this is the perfect vantage point. Don’t you want to find out if the rumors are true?”I hesitate before following her up the long winding stairs, unable to cast aside the unease I’ve felt all day. I’m used to sneaking around, and even when I’m not, I’m mostly ignored, my existence barely registering to the castle staff, let alone anyone else. It’s different for Serena—she’s almost always accompanied by her personal guard and her ladies in waiting. It won’t take them long to realize she isn’t in her bedroom. Then what? I’ll be punished for getting her into trouble, no doubt. I’m always the one to blame, even if I have no hand in her mischief.The wood creaks under my weight, and my breath hitches. “Nearly there,” Serena says, looking over her shoulder. She pulls me along the last remaining steps until we’re standing in front of a small window that overlooks the castle’s courtyard, the view stretching for miles beyond it.“There,” she whispers, raising a trembling hand to point out the unmistakable army marching toward us, each and every soldier dressed in an unnatural shade of black. They look as inhuman as they’re rumored to be. “It’s really him.”“The Shadow Emperor,” I whisper, my voice tinged with fear. I’d hoped the rumors were just that—rumors.“What do you think the Shadow Emperor is doing here? Why would he come here of all places—and without notice, too,” Serena whispers, excitement slowly bleeding from her voice, leaving nothing but the same fear that courses through me.I force a smile for my younger sister, uncertain how to answer her question truthfully, without causing her to descend into a panic. How am I to tell her that there is no positive reason for him to come here?The Shadow Emperor is the most powerful man in the world—the last alchemist in a world that has largely outlawed every form of both magic and alchemy following the plague that spread across the world five decades ago and killed hundreds of thousands of people, yet never a single magical being. It wasn’t long before a sorceress handing out potions to aid with some of the symptoms was blamed for the plague, and then another, until they were all burned alive for fear they’d summoned the plague to rid the world of those less powerful than them, or to profit off those wealthy and desperate enough for a cure.Though the plague is gone, they remain hunted. It is widely taught not only that they are deceptive, but that magic has begun to bring misfortune to its users and those around them. It is said that magic itself has turned against its users and cursed them, as repayment for bringing forth a plague that disrupted the natural order of life. Those who possess magic are to be reported to the authorities and condemned to a lifetime of captivity, where they can do no harm.noveldramaJust within the last decade, the Shadow Emperor has conquered most of the countries surrounding us, exploiting their natural resources and trade routes under the guise of creating magical safe havens. It’s not hard to guess what might bring him here, but it’s no easy feat explaining something like that to my sheltered sister, who knows nothing of politics, despite being only three years younger than me. I have often envied her naïveté, but today is one of those rare days that I don’t. “I dare not guess,” I tell her, being as truthful as I can be.She leans into me as we stare out the small window in the tower. I can see the Eldirian flags waving in the distance, a delegation drawing closer to our castle with every second that passes.Even from afar, it’s easy to recognize the Shadow Emperor’s uniform. He looks exactly as the history books portray him, his clothes darker than black ink, embroidered with gold that moves along his clothes, magically crafting the Eldirian insignia over and over again. I once heard that every bit of gold on his uniform is real gold, spun so thin that it could be used as embroidery thread, and I’m starting to believe it. A matching cloak flaps in the wind, his hood keeping his face hidden. There isn’t a single image of his face in any of our books, and I have always wondered how that could be possible. How can it be that no one has ever seen and documented his face?“His horse looks… demonic.”There’s fear in Serena’s voice, and I wrap my arm around her shoulder in reassurance. “The horse’s name is Sirocco. No one knows how old the Shadow Emperor is, and the same goes for his horse. They’ve always been mentioned together, and both first appeared in our history books over a hundred years ago. Sirocco has always been described as unnaturally black, with black eyes that lack any white. I thought it was an exaggeration, but it appears not.” I’ve never seen a horse like Sirocco. Rumor has it that he came straight from the underworld, alongside the Shadow Emperor.“They’re here,” Serena whispers, her voice shaky, the confidence that led her up here depleted. She grabs my hand, and I entwine our fingers, holding on to her tightly. If anything goes wrong, I’m taking my sister and getting her far away from here.We watch as my father and members of his court step forward to welcome the delegation from Eldiria. Even from all the way up here, I can tell that everyone is tense. But then again, how could they not be when receiving a man as unnatural as the Shadow Emperor? For years, I’ve been hearing that he’s a monster, a creature that escaped from the deepest crevices of the underworld. I can’t help but wonder if it’s true.My heart skips a beat when I spot Nathaniel standing behind my father. Deep concern for him eradicates every hint of butterflies when the Shadow Emperor’s soldiers come to a stop and begin to dismount. “Come with me,” Serena whispers as I watch Nathaniel disappear from sight, along with the members of my father’s court. He’s begun to shadow his father lately, in preparation for his own role as one of the kingdom’s strategic advisers, so it shouldn’t surprise me to see him here. Even so, I can’t shake this niggling feeling that it would’ve been better for him to stay out of the Shadow Emperor’s sight. “They’ve entered the castle far sooner than I expected. I was hoping to see more from here,” Serena adds. I hesitate, but she pulls me along before I can object. “We can try going through the kitchens. Their corridors lead to most rooms, including the throne room. That’s probably where Father will take them, isn’t it?”The staff gasp as we walk in, their outrage mostly reserved for my sister. They’re used to seeing me here, but never her. I’m invisible in this castle despite being a princess, but Serena is not. Where I am the one they fear and call cursed, she is the golden child. Quite literally, with her long blond hair. She’s light where I am darkness, she is grace whereas I leave destruction in my wake, and she’s a blessing, while I am without a doubt a curse on my kingdom. If I didn’t love her so dearly, I would despise her for it.I carefully push the service door ajar, just wide enough to see, but not wide enough to draw attention. Much to my surprise, Father isn’t seated on his throne. I have never seen him receive guests the way he does today, seated at a long table alongside everyone else, and I suspect that it’s because he knows he is powerless against the Shadow Emperor. He is not even attempting to assert his authority like he usually does, and his usual pride and arrogance are notably absent today. So is Nathaniel, much to my relief.“Who is that woman?” Serena whispers.I glance at the people at the table, my eyes settling on the Shadow Emperor. His hood still hides his face entirely, and even his hands are covered by black leather gloves. No part of him is visible, and it only heightens my curiosity. Is he truly as hideous as the books say he is? Could he really be a monster from the underworld?I struggle to tear my gaze away from him—it’s as though the air is buzzing around him, and my gaze remains fixed on him, as if I have no choice but to give him my full attention. My chest tightens, and the strangest sense of longing rushes through me as I draw a steadying breath. I bite down on my lip harshly and force myself to look away, my eyes landing on the woman seated next to him.“That is Elaine,” I whisper, taking in her jet-black hair and her piercing violet eyes. She doesn’t look much older than I am, but I’ve been reading about her conquests ever since I was twelve. “She is his most trusted adviser. She commands his army in his absence, and she’s the only woman in the world to have such a high-ranking position.” It’s hard to keep the awe out of my voice. In a world where women have no rights, Elaine has defied all odds.“She’s beautiful,” Serena sighs, and I huff. Elaine is so much more than her beauty. If what the books state is true, she’s a brilliant strategist and a powerful sorceress. I read that she once took on fifty men who raided her army camp and killed them all. She never leaves witnesses.Before I even realize it, my gaze is drawn back to the Shadow Emperor—Theon Felix Osiris is his name, but no one ever refers to him that way. I wonder if they do in person. I can’t see his face, but I can feel the energy surrounding him. I’ve never felt such power before. As far as I can tell, he hasn’t spoken a word, yet it’s clear that he is the most powerful man in the room.I jump when he turns his head in my direction, and for a moment I swear I can feel his gaze on me. It lasts only a moment, and a sudden sense of loss washes over me when his attention is drawn away.“Arabella!” Serena grabs my arm, her grip tight, and I turn to look at her in confusion, only to find that part of the wooden door is on fire.I gasp and try to use my dress to put the flames out, but that only makes it worse.“Cursed,” I hear one of the maids mumble under her breath as she rushes toward us, trying to douse the flames with a bucket of water. Shock crashes through me as I stumble back, my eyes roaming over the disarray the kitchen is in. It’s clear the fire spread quickly, and had the maid not been there to douse the flames, Serena and I would’ve been in danger.“Don’t listen to her,” Serena tells me. “I’ll ensure that you’ll never see her again. Come. Let’s go back to our rooms before Father finds out.” I snap out of it and let her lead me away.“She’s right,” I whisper as we round the corner, my heart heavy. “I’m cursed. Misfortune befalls me wherever I go, Ser. I’ll be the downfall of us all.”Serena shakes her head, but I think deep down she knows it’s true. She knows it as well as I do.