*EP 16: "THE KNIFE IN THE DARK"*
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_2 Days Later. Valerius Palace. 3 AM_
The war was "won".
But nobody slept.
Lisa sat on the floor of the war room. Surrounded by maps with red pins that were now crossed out.
Her hands were glowing. Faint. Gold.
She couldn't turn it off.
Arnold was asleep in a chair next to her. Bandages still on.
Darian was at the door. Not sleeping. Watching.
A sound.
Glass. From the east wing.
Darian's sword was out in 1 second. "Intruder."
---
_The Assassin_
He didn't come through the halls.
He came through the ceiling.
Mask. No crest. Council-trained.
Dagger dripping with blue-black poison.
He ignored Arnold. Ignored Darian.
He dropped straight for _Lisa_.
Because dead Obeila = the war is over for them.
Lisa moved.
Gold fire snapped up from her hands.
It caught his wrist. Burned through the cloak.
The assassin hissed. Threw a smoke bomb.
The room went black.
"LI SA!" Arnold roared, already on his feet.
In the dark, cold fingers grabbed Lisa's throat.
A whisper: "For Valerius."
Lisa didn't scream.
She remembered what Serena taught her.
_Breathe. Aim. Control._
She grabbed his arm.
Gold fire poured out of her chest. Not wild. Surgical.
It shot up his arm and lit the whole room white.
The assassin screamed and dove through the window.
Gone into the night. Cloak on fire.
---
_5 Minutes Later._
Dead guards in the hall. 3 of them. Throats cut.
Varek arrived with soldiers. Too late.
Arnold was holding Lisa. Checking her for wounds.
"Are you hurt? Did he touch you?"
Lisa shook her head. "I'm okay.
He was after me. Not you."
Arnold looked at the broken window. At the burn marks on the floor.
His jaw clenched. "Who knew we were sleeping in the war room?"
Darian: "Only Council. And 4 head servants."
Arnold stood. "Then the Council has spies in my own house."
---
_Dawn. The Throne Room._
Empty.
All 7 Council chairs. Empty.
They ran in the night.
On the Emperor's throne was one thing.
A letter. Sealed with Corvin's crest and Lisa's blood.
Arnold broke the seal.
> _You stopped 3 armies.
> But you can't stop a whisper.
> Tomorrow, every kingdom will know what she is.
> And they will come for her.
> You saved her tonight.
> You won't save her tomorrow.
> — C_
Darian crumpled it. "Cowards."
Lisa picked up a shard of the poison dagger.
Engraved on the inside: _For the Good of the Empire._
"They're not trying to kill me anymore," she said quietly.
"They're trying to make me the reason for a war."
Arnold took the shard. Crushed it in his fist until it turned to dust.
"No more hiding.
No more defense."
He looked at all of them.
"We end this.
We hunt the Council."
---
_That Night. Secret Balcony._
Lisa couldn't sleep. The gold under her skin wouldn't stop.
Arnold found her. Wrapped his cloak around her.
"I almost killed him," she whispered.
"And I didn't feel bad."
Arnold pulled her to him. "Good.
That means you'll live.
That means _we_ live."
He kissed her temple.
"Corvin wants them to fear you.
So tomorrow, we give them something else to see."
Lisa looked up. "What?"
Arnold's eyes were steel. "Tomorrow.
We walk into the Capital Square.
Emperor and Obeila. Together.
No guards. No lies.
Let them see us. Let _them_ choose."
---
_Council Hideout. Outside The City._
Corvin watched the palace from a hill.
Mercenaries and zealots behind him.
An elder: "The assassin failed."
Corvin smiled. "No.
He got close enough to scare her.
Scared people make mistakes."
He held up a new vial. Red.
Lisa's blood. From the cathedral floor.
"Phase 3.
Tomorrow when they show their faces...
we give the people a reason to riot."
_END EP 16_
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