Liam chuckled, shaking his head “Don’t get used to it.”
She laughed and took the seat he offered, allowing herself to soak in the atmosphere. Everything about this moment—the hidden garden, the warm glow of the lanterns, the quiet night air—felt surreal, almost like a dream.
Liam took the seat across from her and poured them both a glass of wine “To a night with no interruptions,” he said, raising his glass.
Elena raised an eyebrow but clinked her glass against his “That almost sounds like wishful thinking.”
Liam smirked “Call it optimism.”
They sipped their drinks, the silence between them comfortable, filled with the distant hum of the water and the rustling leaves.
“So,” Elena started, setting her glass down “Why did you plan this date suddenly out of nowhere?” Her voice was calm but filled with curiosity.
Liam gave a mischievous smile as he s
The next day morning…Everyone of the staff members were busy in the place today.While some working staff were giving the final touches for the decoration in the palace, the others were preparing for the arrival of the guests, and the chefs were busy preparing the food.The Great Hall had been transformed into a place of reverence and beauty. Soft silver and black drapes cascaded from the towering pillars, symbolizing the colours of mourning. Silver lanterns, enchanted with an everlasting glow, floated gently across the hall, their light flickering like the whispers of souls long departed.The chandeliers, usually grand and golden, had been dimmed to emit a soft, bluish-white light, casting an ethereal glow over the gathering.At the centre of the hall, an ornate memorial altar stood tall, crafted from pure white marble and adorned with crystal roses. An enormous portrait of the young Aisha was framed and placed in the centre of the intrica
[Short Flashback…]The night before the ceremony…The palace kitchen was unusually empty tonight.The head chef and most of the kitchen staff had been called away for a final briefing by Butler Allen regarding the morning’s ceremony preparations. Only a handful of cleaning staff remained, busy organizing ingredients and cleaning up for the night.Hidden in the shadows near the entrance, Tressa smirked to herself “Perfect timing.”With careful, calculated steps, she slipped inside the kitchen silently.The scent of freshly cooked food lingered in the air, but she paid no attention to it. Her focus was solely on the large pot of vegetable soup, which almost everyone in the palace likes to have during dinner.From the folds of her sleeve, she pulled out a small glass vial filled with an odourless, colourless liquid— A poison that acts slowly and leaves no immediate trace.She
[Back to the present…]Tressa’s plan was set in motion, by the time the effects of the poison took hold, chaos would erupt.She traced fingers on the cool stone railing as she thought about Kira “If she had just kept quiet, if she had just listened instead of foolishly trying to play hero, none of this would have been necessary.”Tressa sighed dramatically, feigning regret “You really left me no choice, Kira.”But deep down, there was no guilt. Only satisfaction, “I will let you out once all of this is over my dear Kira, after all you are my only friend in this palace filled with hypocrites” Tressa whispered to herself looking at the looking at the people below.….Meanwhile…Elena still sleeping soundly in her room was woken up by the continuous knocks on her door.She woke up frustratedly and went to open the door angrily “Who is it?”
The guests had already started to fill up the Great Hall.Henry Beaufort stood tall beside Queen Elizabeth, his expression carefully composed as they exchanged formal pleasantries. It had been years since they last spoke, and though the tension was not visible to the guests around them, it lingered in the air between them like an unspoken truth.Meanwhile, Daniel Beaufort, crown prince of Alynthia—surveyed the Great Hall, his sharp golden yellow eyes scanning the growing crowd. The diplomatic smile on his face never wavered, but beneath it, his mind was racing.Where is Elena?He had been watching carefully since his arrival, expecting to see his younger sister among the attendees, but she was nowhere in sight.The Great Hall was already filling up. Nobles from all over Asterin and beyond had arrived, dressed in elegant mourning attire in honour of the ceremony. The soft glow of silver lanterns flickered overhead, casting an ethereal light on
On the other side Alisha walked back into the palace not stopping until she found an empty coriander. She stood there leaning against a wall and exhaled sharply, pressing a hand against her chest as if that would somehow calm the erratic beating of her heart.It had been years since she had last spoken to Daniel so closely, and yet… why did his presence still affect her this way?She closed her eyes, forcing herself to push aside the emotions that threatened to resurface. It was foolish. Whatever had once existed between them had been shattered long ago, buried beneath duty, loss, and the irreparable rift between their families.And yet, for a moment, when he had called her by her name instead of the formalities of their titles… it had felt like the past creeping back in, a whisper of something that no longer had a place in their present lives.No. She had far more pressing concerns now.Alisha straightened, pushing away from the wall
Elena walked down the corridor towards the Great Hall someone caught hold of her wrist and pulled her.Elena barely had time to react before she was pulled into a secluded corner, her back hitting the cool stone wall as a firm yet familiar grip held her wrist. She instinctively tensed, ready to fight back, but as she looked up, her sharp glare met a pair of piercing violet eyes."Liam," she exhaled, narrowing her eyes at him "What the hell are you doing?"Liam leaned in slightly, one arm resting lazily against the wall beside her "You told me last night that you wouldn’t be attending the ceremony," he mused, tilting his head "And yet, here you are all dolled-up and looking absolutely stunning, I might add."Elena scoffed, crossing her arms. "I changed my mind."Liam raised an eyebrow "Really? That’s all?"She sighed, rolling her eyes "Yes, really, contrary to what you may think, the world doesn’t revolve around you, Mr. Pri
Half an hour before…Tressa stood in a dark room speaking to Silva who had infiltrated into the palace with a hundred plus members of the Gantric Knights with the help of Tressa.“It’s been twelve hours since I poisoned them, it might start taking effect any moment now” Tressa said and then pointed at the stairs at the corner of the room as she continued “These stairs lead to secret passage that opens at the Great Hall.”She turned back to Silva “Be ready, as soon as you see people dropping, coffing up blood come in”“Got it” Silva said as he raised-up his thumb.“Okay then I will get going now will meet you upstairs” Tressa said as she turned to go back to the Great Hall.Silva watched as Tressa disappeared from his view, her footsteps barely making a sound against the stone flooring. A cold smirk appeared on his face as he made eye contact with his ma
Tressa turned towards the exit where the guests were heading to, as she lifted her hand, chanting a spell and then shot the light formed in her hand towards the exit door.As soon as the light hit the doors, they closed by themselves and a barrier appeared.Those people who could not stop on time hit the barrier head on and fell back due to the repulsive shock wave.“Who the hell is responsible for this?” Screamed the Seventh prince of Eldoria who had come here to represent his kingdom.“Step out you traitor” A noble lady from Dreadmoor joined in frustrated by all the chaos around as a black sword appeared in her hand.All the other nobles who were invited and was not poisoned joined them ready to kill who ever caused this, now not finding any other way. Tressa took a slow, deliberate step forward, the heels of her shoes clicking against the marble floor, the sound eerily calm amidst the rising panic. She tilte
Elena just sat there in a daze after Master Kai completed reciting the story as she processed the information inside her head. Master Kai also sat there dazing of thinking over the old memories.Knock, knock…The soft knocks on Elena’s room door brought them back to reality. As both of them turned towards the door they say Kevin peeking his head in through the slightly open door.“Master, Mr. Henery and Mrs. Elizabeth are waiting outside” Kevin spoke softly.“Just give us a minute” Master Kai replied with an expressionless face, to which Kevin just nodded in understanding and closed the door.Master Kai turned back to Elena as he opened his space ring and took out a jade slip. He handed it to Elena as he said “This was given to me by queen Zenobia before her death, she told me she would be reborn to complete the task that she had left to un complete and I should give this to her when she started rememberin
Her grief had transformed her. Hardened her. She had become relentless—a queen cloaked in vengeance. She tore through every clue, followed every trail, spilled blood with her own hands if it meant getting closer to the truth. Her enemies began to whisper of her not as a ruler, but as a storm.Yet after all the years of searching, she found nothing. The truth eluded her. Because the one she was looking for… had always been by her side.It was Ernest.The boy who had once followed her through gardens. The man who had stood at her side through war and loss. The friend who offered her support while hiding the truth.He had colluded with the dark forced, completely deviating from the path of spiritual power. He had mastered the dark power to the extent that he had now become their lord ruling over them.Earnest had watched Zenobia weep and rage and kill for answers he already held. He had whispered counsel while burying the past beneath car
The Queen Zenobia was still a princess when she got engaged to the Crown Prince of Alynthia, Richard Beaufort, but Ernest did not like it.He and the Queen were childhood friends, if I have to be truthful he had no other friends other than her.They grew up side by side in the quiet gardens and sunlit corridors of the palace, sharing secrets and laughter beneath the shade of old olive trees. Ernest, the son of the royal falconer, had always trailed behind her like a loyal shadow. He was kind, clever in his own rough-edged way, and he adored her—utterly and silently. But his place was always at her side, never in her world.Zenobia, on the other hand, had never seen him as anything more than her closest companion. Her confidant. Her safe place in a world that often felt too heavy for someone so young. She cared for him, deeply. But not in the way he hoped and she never pretended otherwise.When she met Richard Beaufort, everything changed.She
Not having the heart to scold Elena Master Kai Von turned to Liam as he breathed him “You brat why did you not inform me as soon as my dear disciple woke up?” Liam blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in attention “She just woke up,” he defended, raising his hands slightly “I was going to tell you, but then… well, we were talking and—”“Talking?” Master Kai’s voice lifted incredulously as he stood and turned to fully face him, his eyes narrowing with something between suspicion and fatherly protectiveness “Talking about what, exactly?”Liam opened his mouth, then closed it, cheeks flushing a bit “Just… some important things.”Kai narrowed his eyes further, clearly not buying it “Did not you tell you had dossed of, that’s why it got so late for you to open the door just now?”Liam blinked wide eyed, caught up in his own lies not know
Her eyes shimmered as she looked up at him, one hand slowly lifting to rest over the one still cradling her cheek “You’re not angry?” she asked, her voice a fragile whisper.Liam shook his head slowly “No,” he said simply, his gaze steady “I was scared. Worried. But not angry” He hesitated, then added, “I don’t need to know everything right away, Elena. I just need to know you. And I do.”His words struck something deep inside her, a place that had always braced for rejection, for suspicion, for betrayal—never for acceptance. Never for this.Elena closed her eyes for a moment, breathing him in—the steadiness of him, the strength he gave her without asking anything in return. When she opened them again, her voice was steadier “I don’t deserve this,” she said quietly.Liam frowned, not harshly, but like he hated hearing her say it “Don’t do that,” he
Elena breathed, each shaky inhale slowly growing steadier as Liam held her. His hand moved gently up and down her back, slow and grounding, letting her feel the rhythm of life—the simple, steady beat of being here, being safe.When the worst of the tremors passed, Liam shifted slightly, glancing down at her “You should rest a little more," he said softly, brushing a few strands of hair from her damp forehead "I’ll call Master Kai Von, just to make sure you’re okay as you have been unconscious for three days now."But the moment he started to move, Elena's arms tightened around him in a panic, her fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt like a lifeline “No,” she whispered sharply, her voice trembling but sure “Don’t go. Please... stay.”Liam froze, feeling the raw desperation in her voice, in the way she clung to him like he was the only solid thing left in a crumbling world. His heart twisted painfully at the thought of leaving her, even for a second.He let out a quiet, resigned
"Over my dead body," Richard snarled.Ernest’s smile widened cruelly "That my plan exactly."At Ernest’s signal, the cloaked men surged forward like a black tide.Richard rose, one arm still around Zenobia, and drew his sword in one swift motion, the steel catching the faint light of the enchanted forest.They clashed with a deafening ring of steel.Richard fought like a man possessed, fuelled by love and rage, his blade a silver blur. He felled two of the men quickly, moving with deadly grace—but there were too many, and he was alone.A sword slashed across his side—he staggered but didn’t fall.Another cut along his arm—his grip tightened stubbornly around his sword. Blood darkened his tunic, dripping into the moss, but Richard fought on, each movement slower, heavier.He could feel his strength leaving him. Zenobia was still unconscious on the grass behind him, unaware of the battle raging
A soft golden mist swirled around Elena, wrapping her in warmth and a strange sense of peace. She wasn’t sure where she was—but everything around her felt too vivid, too alive to be anything but real.She stood at the edge of an enchanted forest, where the trees rose high into the sky, their branches weaved with sparkling silver vines and glowing flowers that pulsed gently like stars. The air shimmered with magic, and the ground beneath her bare feet was soft, like moss spun from dreams.Laughter echoed through the woods—bright, musical, carefree.Ahead, a girl darted between the trees, her hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of dark silk. She wore a flowing white dress that fluttered like butterfly wings as she ran.Elena blinked in shock.The girl... looked exactly like her, but not quite.There was something different. An old-world grace to her movements, a wild, ancient light in her eyes."Zenobia!" cam
"There is only one person who might hold the key to this tangled truth," he said. His gaze locked onto Alisha’s, unwavering one "Your father, Edward."Alisha stiffened, a sharp breath tearing from her lips "My father…" she whispered, her mind already spiralling "But... he's been in a coma ever since—since that day."Master Kai nodded solemnly "I know. Ever since the accident where you lost Aisha, Edward has been trapped between life and death. His mind remains sealed. Even I have tried everything know but nothing has been able to bring him back."Henry looked away, his face shadowed with guilt and sorrow. Alisha pressed a trembling hand to her mouth, her eyes shining with unshed tears."But if he were awake," Master Kai pressed on, "he could tell us what truly happened that day after they fell of the cliff, where did that bright light appeared from and why he did not use his power to fly back up. The only one who may have seen... what n