Iplace the letter on the table in the throne room seconds before dawn and inhale shakily, terrified I missed the time window. I stand back and watch the letter, praying it gets to Elaine safe and sound.Just as I’m certain that I’m too late, the letter glimmers gold before it turns translucent, disappearing entirely within seconds. I breathe a sigh of relief and take a step back, my attention shifting back to the task I put on hold. I considered adding today’s predicament to my letter, but the last thing I want to do is worry Elaine and Felix over such an insignificant matter. A moment of panic aside, I didn’t feel like I was in any true danger.I sigh as I walk toward the large, heavy wooden doors at the entrance of the castle, pushing them open with a blast of air. I didn’t even realize that I’d refrained from using my powers since I got to Althea, subconsciously scared of upsetting my father. I haven’t heated my own baths to keep them warm for longer, or fueled the fireplace in my room, though those are things I’ve become accustomed to doing. He was never deserving of my thoughtfulness, yet I gave it to him out of familial obligation.My father’s calls for help seem to have attracted the entire court’s attention, and I smile when I recognize several faces that were lined up outside of my bedroom not too long ago. I snap my fingers the way Felix always does, sending them into the air, too, keeping them immobile.Several of the people still on the ground take a step back, and I take my time to look around, noting the fear they exude.“Those currently suspended in the air are guilty of treason. They conspired against their emperor and empress, attempting to imprison me in an effort to hide their plans to embezzle money from our empire.” I hear some people gasp, and I commit to memory those that look guilty.“My father built a cage meant to contain those who possess magic, but like many of you, he failed to understand that magic is not inherently evil. You need not fear what you do not know. Instead, take steps to educate yourselves on the new world we now live in. Times are changing in Althea, and those of you who adapt will thrive. Joining Eldiria has opened up many new avenues of trade—it has given us connections to parts of the world that would otherwise be entirely inaccessible to us. What you make of the opportunities you’re granted is entirely in your hands. Will you and your family thrive, or will you act out of fear, punishing not only yourself but also your loved ones? The choice is up to you, but it is a choice you must make.”I lower my father and his men to the floor, keeping them a touch above the ground and entirely immobile. “Let my father’s behavior be an example to you. There is a price to be paid for fear and ignorance. For years Althea has punished those who are different, and it ends now. Effective immediately, I am implementing a prison sentence for anyone who attempts to harm an innocent sorcerer or sorceress, or any other supernatural being, for that matter. An office will be opened where cases can be heard, and a Truthseeker will be employed. Truthseekers cannot speak a lie, and they discern truthfulness and falsehood with ease. Should you be found to be lying when your case is heard, your sentence will double.”I hear the grumbles around me, but I ignore them. Without protection, magic cannot flourish in Althea. Those who grew up fearing their power as I did will continue to hide their talents, robbing Althea of what it could be.“By my royal decree, my father, Rynhelm of Althea, is officially stripped of all titles. He will be imprisoned for his crimes, and the same punishment awaits those who aided him tonight.”Shocked gasps erupt all around me as I turn and walk back into the castle, my father and his men floating behind me. I walk straight to the gallows, not hesitating for even a moment.noveldramaI flick the door to a large cell open with a sharp gust of air and lean back as the men float in. I drop them to the floor seconds after I push the door closed.My father rises to his feet and pushes against the bars, trying to rattle them, it appears. “Release me at once, Arabella. I’m your father. I’m your king.”I stare at him, wondering how it ever got this far. Has he always been irresponsible as a ruler, and if so, why did the members of his court let him get away with it? Althea has always had elected officials that are meant to act as an opposing force to the monarch, creating balance in the way the country is governed. We appear to have failed our people in multiple ways.“No,” I tell him. “You severed all ties with me the moment you attempted to imprison me, and no, Father, you are no longer the King of Althea. As of today, you are barely an ordinary citizen—you’ve been convicted of treason. You’ll never see daylight again.”He has no idea what he almost did. If my connection to the elements outside had been fully cut off, the fires in Eldiria would have doused. I can still feel them burning brightly, but for a moment, they waned. Thousands of people have started to grow crops, and countless towns are still intact due to the presence of my magic. That could all have become undone, simply because my father wanted to get away with stealing from his country. Felix and I have had to sacrifice so much to get Eldiria to where it is, and he nearly undid months of work.“You cannot convict me,” he says. “There was no official judgment. I’ve not been given a chance to plead my case.” His voice wavers now, as though reality is finally sinking in.I reach between the bars and lift his diamond-and-ruby-encrusted crown off his head, placing it on my own instead. “I’m the Empress of Eldiria,” I tell him. “I can do what I want.”It’s obvious there’s no talking reason into him, and I will not expend any energy trying. Throughout my life I’ve repeatedly given my father chances he did not deserve. I can no longer continue doing so, not when I can clearly see that it’s not just me suffering from his actions—it’s our people, too.“Arabella?”I look up to find Nathaniel standing in the doorway, his expression guarded as he looks past me and into the cell. “What are you doing? What is all this commotion?”He genuinely looks confused, and it gives me a moment of consolation. At least he was not conspiring against me, too. It would pain me to imprison one of my oldest friends, but I’d do it if I had to.“They’ve been convicted of treason. They’ll remain there until I decide otherwise.” I follow his gaze, realizing that his father is in the cell, too, standing right next to mine. “Until I decide on a better monarch, I’ll be taking over my father’s duties myself.”He walks past me and pauses in front of the cell. I watch him, considering him for a moment. I can’t risk him or anyone else setting these men free.“Stand back,” I warn him, and he obeys. I look my father in the eye as I snap my fingers, engulfing the metal bars in flames until they burn bright red, before adding a sharp layer of air in front of it that’ll be impossible to penetrate—in case any of them are smart enough to realize that heated metal bends easier than regular metal. The only part I’ve left unaffected is the food window.“Just like the cage you tried to imprison me in, this cell is nearly impossible to escape. I invite you to try it, but know that you’ll be doing so at the risk of your lives.”I take one more hard look at my father before walking away, a small part deep inside finally at ease.