Raelis stepped closer, his voice softening slightly as he tried to reason with her. "It's not just about your strength, Seraphina. It's about power, control. Eldric has the crown, and with it, the authority to command the nobility. He could issue a royal decree forcing our hand. Do you think he wouldn't? I've seen his ambition growing, even as a child. He always wanted more—more power, more influence—and now he has it."
Seraphina remained silent, her gaze fixed on the floor. She understood her father's fears, but she also knew that this path he was walking would lead to ruin. Eldric had proven himself a capable ruler, not the weak, arrogant prince they once believed him to be. The people had begun to rally around him, and even some of the nobility were reconsidering their loyalties. Raelis's treason would not only be a dangerous gamble, but it could also spark a civil war that would tear the kingdom apart.
