"Every decision I make, I make for this empire. But she... she is the reason I fight."
Ripped from her noble Venetian life and thrown into the heart of the Ottoman Empire, Cecilia Venier-Baffo refuses to be just another captive. Armed with intellige...
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- Cecilia Venier-Baffo -
The following morning
I hadn't slept.
Not for a second.
The oil lamps in my chambers had long since burned out, leaving only the ghostly silver glow of the moon spilling through the lattice windows. My thoughts churned, my heart beat with a slow, livid rhythm, and my hands trembled—not with fear, but with sheer, unbridled rage.
Safiye had dared to try and ruin me.
She had stolen from Hürrem Sultan. She had placed the blame on me. And worse, she had tried to poison the very air between me and the sultana. If it had worked—if I had been foolish enough to falter—I would have been left defenseless, without an ally.
She played her move well.
But not well enough.
Because I would not be the fool who simply reacted. No. That was Safiye's mistake—thinking she had won and underestimating the one she had wronged.
The game had changed, and I would not just sit back and let her play it alone.
I needed to gut her with her own sword.
And so, I spent the night crafting my trap—carefully, flawlessly, ensuring there was only one way for Safiye to walk into it.
I would not simply prove my innocence. I would make her admit to her crime herself.
And I would make sure Hürrem Sultan heard every single word.
By the time the morning light seeped through the palace, I was already dressed, already prepared, already two steps ahead.
Safiye was easy to lure. Too easy.
I had made sure to be seen speaking with Canfeda Hatun, whispering in hushed tones, my expression tense but unreadable. I had made sure to throw pointed glances in Safiye's direction, just enough to spark paranoia in her.
And when I accidentally let it slip that Hürrem Sultan had asked to see me?
Safiye took the bait like a starving animal.
She had no choice.
If she thought I was running to Hürrem to snitch, she would want to control the narrative. She would want to intimidate me before I had the chance to defend myself.
So when I made my way toward Hürrem's chambers, I was not surprised when Safiye followed.
The moment we stepped inside, I closed the doors behind us.
Safiye turned to me, arms crossed over her chest, her expression poised but her eyes sharp with suspicion. "What are you playing at, Cecilia?"
