Chapter 2: The Bet That Shook the Empire

Fera lounged lazily on the cushioned bench of her private training grounds, the sharp scent of crushed petals and scorched earth in the air. Around her, a few enslaved mages – powerful, battle-worn men who had once sworn loyalty to other noble houses – stood obediently, awaiting her next command. She hadn't needed them today. No, today's entertainment had come from a far more thrilling challenge.

A bet.

Her lips curled.

It had been a casual suggestion, tossed at her with a mocking grin by one of the King's messengers. A jest, really. No one had expected her to take it seriously.

"Control the sons of the 1st Duke? Hah. Even your father wouldn’t dare."

And yet she had done it.

With her peculiar magic – the ability to amplify the magic of others to terrifying heights – and the binding contracts she had mastered in secret, Fera had cornered the proud sons of the 1st Duke during a military tournament. They had stood tall, noble, fierce—perfect in their arrogance. She challenged them to a duel, three against three. Her opponents? Three commoners already under her control.

The 1st Duke’s sons accepted. Why wouldn’t they? Facing what they thought were lowly servants, they expected an easy win.

They lost. Badly.

And the terms of the duel? Simple. Defeat meant submission.

With the entire court watching, she branded them—bound their magic, bent their will, and paraded them through the training grounds like trophies.

The rumors spread like wildfire. Fera, daughter of the 3rd Duke, had enslaved the 1st Duke’s heirs.

High in the palace, the King’s chambers buzzed with fury.

“She did what?” the King bellowed, his voice echoing against the vaulted ceiling.

His trusted advisor repeated the words carefully, afraid to provoke further rage. “Fera has publicly enslaved the three sons of the 1st Duke, Your Majesty. She used her amplification magic and controlled fighters already under her command. A legal duel, but… unethical. Dangerous.”

The King stood, pacing. “The balance between the Dukes is delicate. One ripple and it shatters everything. If the 1st Duke retaliates—”

He stopped mid-step.

“No. The 3rd Duke must answer for this.”

Fera’s father didn’t care.

When summoned to court, the 3rd Duke arrived leisurely, half-draped in furs and indifference. His laughter echoed across the hall when the King accused Fera of disrupting the noble balance.

“She’s young,” he said, waving his hand. “Let her play. It’s only magic. The boys were foolish enough to accept the challenge.”

The King stared at him coldly.

“You have spoiled her beyond measure. She now acts like she is above the law.”

“She is my only child,” the 3rd Duke replied. “And the most brilliant weapon this empire has.”

The King didn’t reply. But that same night, a private order was written, sealed, and sent to the 2nd Duke family.

To Nick.

Nick read the order in silence, his silver eyes darkening. The royal seal was unmistakable, and the wording was clear.

"You are to eliminate the 3rd Duke and his wife. The girl, Fera, is to be captured. Alive."

Nick had long kept himself apart from court politics, but he wasn’t naïve. This wasn’t just about punishing a family. It was a message. A reset of power.

He tucked the scroll away, stepped outside, and called his men.

Fera had no warning.

The 3rd Duke’s estate was heavily fortified, full of magical wards and loyal warriors. But no one expected a strike from the 2nd Duke family—the only neutral line.

It wasn’t war. It was an execution.

Fire rained from the skies, illusions shattered, and Nick moved like a ghost through the manor. He found the 3rd Duke in the grand hall, a stunned look on his face as his wife bled beside him.

Nick didn’t speak. His sword did.

By dawn, the once-mighty Duke and Duchess lay dead in the wreckage of their legacy. The estate burned.

Fera stood at the heart of the flames, the mark of her power flickering at her palms. She was screaming—not in grief, but in fury.

“You!” she spat, recognizing Nick. “You did this?”

“I did,” he said calmly.

She launched a spell. Her slaves moved to defend her, but Nick was already ahead of her power. He raised a single hand, muttered an incantation of ancient slave magic, and struck her heart directly.

Fera collapsed.

The bindings of her magic began to dissolve.

The soldiers of the 1st Duke arrived soon after, retrieving their sons—now free from her control. Their eyes never met hers. They said no words of gratitude to Nick, nor did they strike her. She was beneath their concern now.

Fera lay on the ground, half-conscious, as the last of her illusion of control crumbled.

A noble girl. A feared commander. A slave.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***