Page 78 of Haunted Crowns
Yori’s jaw clenched. "Do not lie to me."
Raphael inhaled through his nose, grip tightening on the table. He said nothing, but the twitch of his fingers and the hitch in his breath betrayed him.
Yori studied him for a moment, then sighed and let it go. He knew his brother too well to expect an apology. Silence stretched.
"You are worried about Seraphina," Yori said quietly.
Raphael’s expression darkened. "She is not just a threat to Stephan and Eris. If she succeeds, she could unravel everything—the Firstbloods, our rule, the foundation of the empire."
"She might," Yori said. "But we do not know that yet."
Raphael tapped the table, sharply, like a blade being honed. "We must consider all threats." He hesitated, then exhaled. "There may be a way to stop her interference."
Yori did not move, tension rippling through him. He already knew. Still, he asked, "What are you suggesting?"
Silence stretched before Raphael’s voice dropped, cold. "The Obedience Seal."
The silence that followed was suffocating. Yori’s fists curled against the chair. "No."
Raphael did not blink. "It would stop her from acting recklessly. It would ensure—"
"No." Yori’s voice cut like a blade. "Do you hear yourself?"
Raphael said nothing.
Yori stepped forward, voice taut. "The Obedience Seal destroys the mind. It strips away will. It turns the bearer into a shell."
Raphael’s tone stayed flat. "Only the weak succumb. Eris is strong."
Yori’s voice cracked like thunder. "I will not let you break her to control her."
Raphael dragged a hand down his face. "You do not know what is coming."
"Neither do you."
They stood locked in silence, two rulers, two brothers, divided by the same fear.
Then Raphael rose. "Fine," he said, voice clipped. "We will do it your way."
Yori exhaled, his shoulders easing. "Good."
But deep down, he knew Raphael had not let it go. And Raphael was not sure he should.
Hours passed in quiet work. They refined their approach to the Crimson Vow’s announcement and prepared for resistance. When they finally emerged, the corridors were hushed and dark.
Yori raked a hand through his hair. "I will have the guest rooms prepared for you and Lysenna."
Raphael nodded once. Then he paused. His eyes lifted toward the upper floor, to where the bedrooms lay. Stephan had not come down.
His jaw tightened. "He is still in her chambers." His silver eyes narrowed. "I will drag him out myself."
Yori exhaled, rubbing at his temple. "Let them be. They have earned this moment, whatever comes next."
Raphael’s mouth thinned. "She is a bad influence." His son would never have stayed the night if she had not coaxed him, not under Raphael’s roof, not without consequence.
Yori’s voice cut in, quiet but firm. "She is his future."
Raphael said nothing, because that was what unsettled him most. Stephan was his heir, shaped with ruthless precision, but with Eris, he became reckless, and Raphael hated that. Love made people soft, and softness got people killed.
