I nod, trying to push away all of my reeling thoughts and messy emotions. In this moment, I have a Conclave vote to win.
The Hall of Houses feels smaller now with only six House leaders present. The planets drift solemnly overhead, and chairs are grouped under each House. The delegates cluster throughout the room, their formal robes bearing House colours that seem muted in the dim light. The empty spaces where Lord Evander and Isolde should be standing overwhelm me with complicated emotions – grief, fear, betrayal. The Saturn delegates gather in the corner of the hall, leaderless, their heads bowed down in grief. The Venus delegates are nowhere to be seen, assumed to be removed and interrogated.
Cardinals Benedict and Maria stand together on a dais in the middle of the room, their white and silver robes pristine despite everything that’s happened. They’re some of the only survivors of the Cardinal council, and the weight of that shows in Cardinal Benedict’s rigid posture, in the way Cardinal Maria’s hands grip the edge of the podium. Guards line the walls – more than usual, their visored helmets hiding their faces. I wonder how many of them are Architect operatives who simply haven’t been activated yet.
Cardinal Marcus stands in front of the dais, a holographic display next to him showing fragments of recorded conversations. The Mercury communication network logo glows in the corner – Lady Tavia’s people provided the evidence. Isolde’s voice, clear and damning, fills the chamber as her confessions play for all to hear.
“The Architects gave me purpose ... we have people embedded in every major institution...”
I take my seat beside Zevran, my formal gold robes feeling tooheavy. Around me, the other House leaders settle into their places. Lord Castor’s arm rests in a sling decorated with Jupiter’s storm colours, while his good hand grips the armrest of his chair with white-knuckled intensity. Lady Tavia sits with perfect diplomatic posture despite the bandage visible at her temple. Lady Nerida’s sea-green hair catches the light from the holographic display, making her look almost ethereal. Commander Kaelix slouches in their seat with studied casualness, but their electric blue eyes track every movement in the room.
I’m hyperaware that I’m listening to evidence of my own near-murder. Around the circle, faces harden as the scope of Isolde’s betrayal becomes clear. The holographic clip ends with Isolde’s voice cutting out, and a loud static fills the room. Bile sits in my throat, as I realize I’m the only person in this room that knows what really happened next.
“The organization Lady Isolde referenced represents a systematic threat to our stability,” Cardinal Marcus explains after the recordings end. “Based on these confessions, they’ve been infiltrating our institutions for years.”
He turns to face us all.
“We must assume some operatives remain in place. The system is vulnerable, and we need unified leadership now more than ever. The remaining House leaders will now cast their votes for Solar Sovereign.”
The formality of the moment feels wrong. We should be mourning Lord Evander properly, hunting Architects, securing the arena. Instead, we’re voting on who gets to rule over a broken system.
Lord Castor is the first to rise, his large stature commanding immediate attention from everyone in the room. “Jupiter values strength above all else. Lady Cyra has shown strength consistently since the very first trial. Even in that maze, when she chose to trust us, she showed me a kind of courage I’d never seen before. She made herself vulnerable to make all of us stronger. That’s the kind of leader worth following into any battle.” His face breaks into a small smile. “Jupiter supports Lady Cyra.”
Lady Nerida is next to stand, her Neptune blue robes flowing likewater as she moves. “The currents have been unclear for so long, showing me fragments of possible futures without coherence. But when I look at Lady Cyra...” She pauses, her shifting ocean blue and green eyes focusing on me with unsettling intensity. “The visions align. She represents not just change, but healing – the kind that reaches deep enough to mend what seemed permanently broken. House Neptune supports Lady Cyra, daughter of the Moon and Sun.”
Lady Tavia’s voice carries authority despite her small stature. “Mercury believes in building bridges where others see only divides. Lady Cyra took seven people with completely different worldviews and helped us find common ground when it mattered most. She listened before she spoke, adapted instead of demanding others change. That’s true leadership. House Mercury casts its vote for Lady Cyra of the Sun Kingdom.”
Commander Kaelix stands, and the energy in the room shifts immediately. Their electric blue eyes sweep what’s left of the assembled Cardinals with contempt.
“I’ve spent my life fighting systems that protect power instead of people,” they begin. “Lady Cyra grew up healing in slums the rest of us never see. She knows what it costs when resources flow toward maintaining hierarchies instead of saving lives.”
They pause, and I feel tension coiling in my stomach. I know that look. They’re about to detonate something.
“But there’s something else you all need to know,” Commander Kaelix continues, their voice carrying across the chamber. “Something that proves exactly why we need new leadership. The Cardinals planned to sabotage the third trial.”
The room erupts.
“What?” Lord Castor is on his feet, his good hand slamming against the table. “What do youmean, sabotage?”
“Impossible,” Cardinal Maria says sharply. “Commander Kaelix, these accusations are?—”
“Not accusations. Facts.” Commander Kaelix’s voice cuts through the noise. “The third trial was being designed to fail. The Cardinals wanted us divided, fighting among ourselves, so they could step in and claim we were unfit to govern without their oversight.” CommanderKaelix turns to face Cardinal Benedict directly. “You’ve been losing central authority for years. This Conclave was your chance to reassert control. But if we actually succeeded, if we proved we could govern ourselves, you’d lose what little power you have left.”
The other House leaders are on their feet now, voices rising in anger and disbelief. Lady Tavia’s eyes are blazing. Lord Castor looks ready to tear someone apart with his bare hands.
“Order!” Cardinal Benedict’s voice booms across the chamber. “I demand order!”
The noise subsides slightly, but the fury remains palpable.
“These areseriousallegations, Commander Kaelix,” Cardinal Benedict says, his face flushed with anger. “Do you have proof? Or are you simply trying to undermine the Cardinals’ authority with conspiracy theories?”
“It came from Venus’s intelligence operatives,” I say quietly, and every eye turns to me.
I stand slowly, my heart pounding. “Their intelligence networks,” I continue. “Lady Isolde discovered the Cardinals’ plan and warned me before...” I pause. “Before everything happened. She had sources inside the Cardinals’ administrative structure, people loyal to the Houses.”
Cardinal Benedict’s expression hardens. “Venus intelligence… fromthe same woman who just confessed to being part of a terrorist organization? Who orchestrated attacks and infiltrated our institutions?” He turns to address the other House leaders. “Don’t you see what’s happening here? Lady Isolde was manipulating you – turning you against the Cardinals with these false accusations so the Architects could seize power in the chaos!”
“That’s convenient,” Lord Castor says dangerously. “Blame everything on the missing traitor.”
