With steady hands this time, she opened the letter and read:
"To the mistress of herbal and magical arts:
You have proven your mastery admirably when you used the herb, mixed with dark magic, to wreak havoc upon the city of Vania. The catastrophe that befell there was a powerful lesson, and now I ask of you a more perilous task: I want you to prepare a new quantity of this herb to be sent to another location. The target is secret, and no one should know of our plan. A secret individual will be sent to transport the herb safely."
The woman slowly folded the letter, her eyes filled with a complex feeling of guilt and power. She was fully aware of the destruction that had struck Vania due to her precise blend of herb and dark magic. She saw the faces of the victims in her memory as if they were pleading with her to stop, but she knew well that Empress Amefira would not accept refusal.
**Internal monologue between the woman and herself:**
- "I know what will happen, I know the havoc I will unleash again."
- "But can I oppose the Empress? Can I survive if I do?"
- "The Empress doesn't send a request, but an order. And whoever opposes her meets their end."
Slowly, she turned to the shelves of her laboratory, where all the ingredients of destruction were already present. She began working immediately, mixing the herbs precisely, adding touches of dark magic with deliberate movements, and watching the mixture transform into the substance she knew carried death to all who approached it.
After long hours of continuous work, heavy fumes rose into the air, and the scents of herbs intertwined with the smell of magic. The woman had prepared a small quantity of the herb, placed it inside a tightly sealed metal container, and wrapped it in a black cloth.
Before she could close her laboratory, she heard another knock on the door, this time more insistent. When she opened the door, she found a tall man wearing a black robe and concealing his face with a scarf. He spoke in a low, firm voice:
"I am the secret envoy from the Empress. Is the herb ready?"
The woman looked at him with sharp eyes and said clearly, "Yes, it's ready. But you know what it did to Vania. Do you know the havoc that will be repeated?"
The man ignored her words and said, "My mission is not to question or doubt. My mission is merely to execute."
She handed him the container carefully, and as she did, she asked him in a voice almost a whisper: "Tell me, where will this herb be used?"
He paused for a moment, as if the answer was too heavy to speak, then said, "In a place far from your questions."
As he left her laboratory, the woman felt a heavy burden settle in her chest. She returned inside and sat at her desk, looking at her notebook. Despite knowing the Empress's plans, she couldn't stop her hands from executing her orders, as if she were another chess piece in Amefira's mercilessly maneuvering hand.
---
**Empress** (in a soft voice as she pours tea from an ornate teapot): "I've noticed you've been very tired these days, dear. Is the pressure of work exceeding your capacity?"
**Emperor** (placing his hand on his forehead as if trying to ease a headache): "Things are getting worse. The army of the Sima Empire is approaching our borders rapidly, and Adonis will go there soon. Then there are disturbing reports of an epidemic outbreak in the city of Vania... I must send someone trustworthy to deal with that."
(He pauses for a moment, as if thinking aloud): "But who?"
**Empress** (raising her eyebrow subtly as she observes his face): "What about Adonis? Why doesn't he go?"
**Emperor** (sighing wearily): "Protecting the borders will require significant time and effort! And he's currently training the army on a crucial new strategy. The empire cannot afford to have all its responsibilities rest on his shoulders alone... But I cannot trust anyone else with this matter."
(He falls silent for a moment, then speaks with a bitter tone): "If Helibor were capable of leading the army, I would send him to the border."
**Empress** (placing the teacup in front of him, saying in a cold yet precise tone): "I will not send Helibor; he is not ready for that. The matter is too serious... But what if... Adonis completes his border duties within six days, and on the seventh day he goes to Vania?"
**Emperor** (shaking his head vigorously, his voice full of rejection): "That's impossible! That would exhaust all his energy to the last drop. He wouldn't last. No, I must find someone else."
**Empress** (sighing as if giving in, but her eyes gleam with cunning): "As you wish, send whoever you want. But before making any decision, drink this tea."
(She pushes the cup towards his hands): "It's specially made to give you relaxation... and perhaps greater clarity of thought."
**Emperor** (hesitates for a moment before taking the cup, gazing at the steam rising from it): "Sometimes I think solutions come with rest, but the burden is too great to be borne on my shoulders alone."
(He takes a sip of the tea, his eyes gleaming with exhaustion as he whispers to himself): "Can I really trust anyone other than Adonis?"