The Obliteration Countdown

Crystal lamps lit the grand hall of the Imperial Palace. On the throne, Crown Prince Caspian lowered the Starlight Tiara onto Seraphina's hair. The court cheered for the empire's new darling. My fiancé did not look at me once. The sight would once have sent me running from the hall in tears. Tonight I stood among the guests and waited for the ceremony to end. A mechanical voice cut through the applause inside my head. [System Notification: Final affection target, Caspian, has dropped to critical levels. Main quest “Unwavering Devotion” is now declared a failure.] [Host obliteration sequence initiated. Countdown: 7 days, 0 hours, 0 minutes.] I had spent twenty-one years on that quest. The System ended it with one word: failure. Then the System spoke again. [As compensation for mission failure, a return protocol is available. If the host’s body dies within this world, the host will return to their original world. Terminal illness will be cured. A sum of 10 billion will be deposited into your account.] A laugh nearly escaped me. Death here would send me home with a cured body and 10 billion in my account. All I had to do was let this world finish killing me. Caspian finally noticed me. He left Seraphina beside the throne and crossed the hall with his jaw set. "Don't even think about it, Elara. Tonight is for Seraphina. If you dare cause a scene, I won't be as merciful as I have been." "A scene?" I asked. In my peripheral vision, the countdown flickered. *6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes.* I drew the small silver dagger from my belt. Caspian had given it to me years ago, along with a promise that he would always protect me. He had told me to use it whenever I was in danger. His eyes narrowed, assuming I meant to threaten Seraphina. "Put it down. Don't make me have the guards restrain you." I turned the blade toward my left palm. Our soul-bound marriage mark glowed beneath my skin. The bond tied our lives together and was said to be unbreakable. I put the point of the dagger against it and pushed. Pain shot to my elbow. I kept cutting around the mark until blood ran over my wrist and spotted the marble floor. The hall fell silent. The music stopped. Every eye was on me. I caught the edge of the cut skin and tore the mark free. Its gold light flashed twice, then went dark. I held it up long enough for Caspian to see, then dropped it at the toes of his polished boots. "Our engagement is over, Caspian. You're free." Caspian stared at the blood pouring from my palm. He stepped toward me and raised a hand, the same way he used to when I came back hurt from one of his assignments. Then Seraphina gasped behind him. "Caspian, she's scaring me." Caspian stopped. He pulled his hand back and turned on me. "You're insane." His upper lip curled. "You would mutilate yourself for a moment of attention? This pathetic little show changes nothing. Seraphina is the one I love." I pressed my ruined palm against my dress and walked away. If he wanted to call it a plea for attention, he could. The severed mark stayed at his feet. The first tie was cut. Six days left. Behind me, Caspian called to the guards. "Don't let her leave the estate. Find the Duke. His sister has lost her mind." My brother, Dorian. I had a bond to cut with him too.