Elara went completely still. The Emperor’s expression turned to stone.
"Explain," the Emperor said, his voice deadly quiet. "Now."
Sera pulled out a sealed folder—different from the one she’d shown before. "Three years ago, Second Princess Lera discovered evidence of corruption in the First Consort’s faction. She was planning to present it to you, Your Majesty. But before she could, she died. The official story was sudden illness requiring exile for recovery. In reality, she was poisoned."
"Who killed her?"
"First Princess Eleana. She ordered it. I have proof." Sera opened the folder. "Witness testimony from the servant who administered the poison. Financial records showing paynt from Eleana’s accounts. And most damning—Lera’s final letter, written the day before she died, which she gave to for safekeeping."
She pulled out an aged letter, the paper yellowed but the handwriting still clear.
The Emperor took it with shaking hands and read:
Dearest Sera,
If you’re reading this, I’m probably dead. Eleana has been making threats. Her people have been following . I fear she’s planning sothing.
I’m giving you evidence of the First Consort’s corruption—bribes, illegal trade, manipulation of imperial appointnts. I was going to present it to Father tomorrow, but I don’t think I’ll survive that long.
Keep this evidence safe. Use it when the ti is right. And please, tell Father the truth about what happened to . Don’t let them pretend I just got sick and left.
I love you, sister. Be careful. Eleana is more dangerous than anyone realizes.
—Lera
The Emperor’s hands trembled as he set down the letter. "My Second Daughter has been dead for three years. And no one told ."
"I couldn’t, Your Majesty. Not then. I was too weak, my position too uncertain. If I’d revealed Lera’s murder, Eleana would have eliminated next. So I helped maintain the fiction—kept sending letters pretending to be from Lera in exile, maintained the charade that she was alive and recovering." Sera’s voice was steady but strained. "I’ve carried this secret for three years, waiting until I was strong enough to expose the truth without getting killed for it."
Elara spoke up. "Why reveal it now? Why not keep the secret longer?"
"Because with our alliance, I’m finally strong enough to survive the revelation. And because Eleana needs to be eliminated completely. The First Consort’s arrest damaged her, but she still has supporters, still has resources." Sera looked at the Emperor. "If we expose that she murdered Lera three years ago AND frad it as natural illness with imperial approval, it destroys her credibility utterly. No one will support a princess who murdered her own sister and manipulated the Emperor himself into covering it up."
"I didn’t cover it up," the Emperor said, his voice cold. "I was deceived. Soone in my dical staff falsified Lera’s health reports. Soone in my administrative office processed the marriage and exile docuntation. Soone made believe my daughter was alive when she was already dead."
"Yes, Your Majesty. And I have evidence of who those people were. All of them connected to the First Consort’s faction. All of them following Eleana’s orders." Sera spread more docunts across the table. "Complete conspiracy. Dozens of people involved in hiding a princess’s murder from her own father."
The Emperor stood and walked to the fireplace. For a long mont, he just stared into the flas.
"Lera was gentle," he said quietly. "Kind. She reminded of her mother—my third wife, who died in childbirth. Lera inherited her compassion, her desire to help people." His voice cracked slightly. "I thought she was alive. Recovering. I thought I’d see her again soday."
"I’m sorry, Your Majesty," Sera said. "I should have told you sooner. But I was afraid."
"You were smart to be afraid. If you’d revealed this three years ago, Eleana would have killed you too." The Emperor turned back, his face hard. "But now? Now we’re strong enough to destroy her completely."
He pulled out his imperial seal.
"Formal investigation into Second Princess Lera’s death. All evidence to be examined by the Imperial Justice Council. First Princess Eleana is commanded to appear and account for her actions under oath and magical verification." He stamped the docunts with sharp, angry motions. "And I want everyone involved in the cover-up arrested. The doctors, the administrators, the servants—everyone. They helped hide my daughter’s murder. They face the full penalty of imperial law."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Sera said.
"Elara," the Emperor said. "You’ve been quiet. What do you think of this revelation?"
Elara had been processing the information thodically. "It’s strategically sound. Exposing Lera’s murder achieves multiple objectives: destroys Eleana’s credibility, eliminates her from succession, and purges the First Consort’s remaining supporters from imperial administration. The timing is optimal—Eleana is already weakened by her mother’s arrest. This finishes her completely."
"You don’t seem bothered that your sister has been dead for three years and you never knew."
"I never t Lera. She was gone before I returned to the palace. I have no emotional attachnt to mourn." Elara paused. "But I recognize the murder was unjust and that Eleana should face consequences. Personal feelings are irrelevant to that assessnt."
The Emperor almost smiled. "You really are the most practical person in this palace." He looked at both of them. "Proceed with the investigation. Expose everything. And when Eleana falls, I want it to be comprehensive. No rcy. No political compromise. She murdered my daughter and lied to my face about it for three years. She deserves everything that’s coming to her."
"Understood, Your Majesty," both princesses said.
.
.
.
The imperial decree went out the next morning:
BY IMPERIAL COMMAND:
New evidence has erged regarding Second Princess Lera Blackwood, who was believed to be living in exile for health recovery. Investigation reveals that Second Princess Lera died three years ago under suspicious circumstances. Her death was concealed through conspiracy involving multiple palace officials.
First Princess Eleana Blackwood is summoned to provide testimony under oath and magical verification regarding her knowledge of and potential involvent in Second Princess Lera’s death.
All parties with relevant information are commanded to present themselves for questioning.
The official fiction of Second Princess Lera’s continued existence is hereby ended. Imperial mourning will be observed for the daughter we have lost.
—His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Zhao Blackwood
The palace exploded into chaos.
Nobles who’d been receiving "letters from Lera in exile" suddenly realized they’d been corresponding with a dead woman. Officials who’d processed her marriage and exile paperwork realized they’d been manipulated. And everyone who’d believed the official story felt betrayed.
But the worst reaction ca from those who’d known the truth all along.
The First Consort, already in detention for Lin i’s murder, collapsed when she heard. Her daughter had murdered another princess and she’d helped cover it up. The charges against her just multiplied exponentially.
Eleana’s remaining supporters abandoned her in hours. No one wanted to be associated with a princess who’d murdered her sister and hidden it for three years with imperial deception.
And Eleana herself...
.
.
.
Elara received the eting request that afternoon.
Fourth Sister,
Eleana has requested private eting with you. Claims she has "information about threats to your life" that she’ll only share in person.
Obviously desperate. Obviously dangerous. But thought you should know.
—Sera.
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