The weight of the Emperor's words about the southern village's destruction thundered through the small chamber. All eyes turned toward Frank, as if the accusation had already been sealed without being spoken. Yet the man did not move—he stood steady, as though he had expected this news.
Dan, with a tilted smile that dripped with mockery, spoke in a low voice that nevertheless carried through the hall:
> "I knew his return would bring fire… Wherever Frank goes, blood follows."
Barniella narrowed her eyes but held her tongue. It was not in her interest to spark a new conflict before everyone, especially since she knew this was no deed of Frank alone, but part of a greater spiral.
The Emperor gripped the letter until its wax seal trembled, then said:
> "Whoever did this doesn't merely want to burn a village… they want to set the entire kingdom ablaze."
---
Suspicion in the Shadows
Brand Al-Fryk stepped forward, his gaze sharp on Frank.
> "If you are innocent, prove it. The fire that consumed the village will soon lick at these walls. The people will not forgive an Emperor who harbors a traitor."
Frank drew a slow breath, then reached into his coat and produced the same stone he had studied in the carriage. In the light of the torches, faint glowing cracks traced across its surface.
> "The fire isn't wrought by men alone… I know this mark. It is the same that appeared twenty years ago, the night I was accused of treachery."
His words echoed like iron striking marble. Dan clasped his hands behind his back, coldly replying:
> "So, the curse returns? A convenient excuse. You hide behind ghost stories, Frank—none believe you but the dead you left behind."
Barniella bit her lip. After a moment's hesitation, she finally said:
> "No… he isn't lying. The stone bears witness. I saw it before—on that night."
Every head turned toward her. Even the Emperor leaned forward, his voice like a blade:
> "So, you knew as well? Why conceal it from me?"
Barniella lowered her gaze for a breath, then answered coolly:
> "Because no one would have believed it. And because the one behind it never vanished… they've been among us all this time."
---
A New Riddle
At that moment, commotion rose at the door. A soldier rushed in, bowed, and stammered:
> "My liege… we found a strange inscription among the ruins. Words carved into black stone."
He presented a small slab to the Emperor. The ruler lifted it and read aloud:
> "He who opens the door a second time shall find nothing but the ashes of his past."
Silence strangled the room. Frank shut his eyes, Barniella clenched her fist, and Dan's smile deepened.
The Emperor smashed the slab on the table, shattering half of it, and declared:
> "I will not wait for this darkness to consume us. Tonight—we uncover the truth."
---
The Midnight Confrontation
Night fell heavy over the palace. In a narrow chamber, Frank sat hunched, studying the stone in his hands. A quiet knock came; Barniella entered, tension in her eyes but calm in her words:
> "Do you know what the inscription means?"
Frank lifted his gaze, voice rough:
> "It means one of us… has reopened the door. The door we swore never to touch twenty years ago."
Barniella whispered:
> "Then it's Dan."
But Frank shook his head slowly:
> "Don't rush to blame. Sometimes the one you trust most is the one who betrays you."
---
The Emperor's Decision
In the throne room, the Emperor sat alone, staring at the broken slab. His voice was more to himself than to any ear:
> "Betrayal, blood, the door… The exile has returned, and with him, the shadows. If I do not seize the game now, I'll lose my crown before I draw my next breath."
He raised his head and commanded the guards to summon Frank, Barniella, and Dan together—at midnight.
---
The Gathering
The three entered the chamber, each taking a separate corner, the Emperor watching from his throne. A single torch burned, casting long shadows across the walls, mirroring the war within them.
The Emperor's voice cut through the silence:
> "The village burns. The inscription threatens us. The stone recalls a past unresolved. Tonight, I will know… which of you bears betrayal in your heart."
The flame flickered violently, as if the fire itself held its breath for what was to come.
---
Curtain of Chapter Ten: The shadows no longer lingered at the gates… they had entered the palace itself.