As the third attempt to eliminate his brother unfolded, Alexander waited, his stance resolute and expression unyielding.
The glittering lights of the grand ballroom cast a warm glow over the elite gathering, yet his attention was razor-focused, every muscle taut in anticipation.
When a guard finally approached and whispered urgently, "They are in," Alexander's gaze shifted sharply to meet the guard's eyes.
Without hesitation, he ordered, "Kill them on the spot," his voice ice-cold as he raised his chin slightly.
His eyes momentarily drifted to his father, the king, and his mother, the queen consort, standing regally across the room.
He wondered, almost bitterly, if perhaps this decisive action would finally force his father to recognize his worth.
As the guard melted back into the shadows, Roy stepped up, his face set in a sour expression.
Alexander's demeanor softened only slightly as he regarded Roy, but he kept his face carefully unreadable.
"Ale, what was that?" Roy's voice was laced with frustration.
"What do you mean?" Alexander replied, keeping his voice level.
Roy's eyes searched his face. "Even after all these years, you're still going to deny having feelings for me?"
A flicker of annoyance crossed Alexander's face, and he shook his head slightly.
"Roy, I really don't have time for you right now," he said, moving to leave.
But before he could step away, Roy seized his arm, pulling him back with surprising force.
The pull caught the attention of a few curious guests nearby, and Alexander had to steel himself, schooling his features into a pleasant smile as he spoke through gritted teeth. "Roy, what are you doing?"
Roy's gaze didn't falter, his words quiet but firm. "Ale, I like you, and I know you like me too."
Alexander felt his resolve weaken for a fraction of a second. "I do," he admitted, voice low. "I really do. I'm going crazy right now; you have no idea how much I want to be with you." His smile didn't waver as he glanced around the ballroom, maintaining appearances, "But right now isn't the time for us. I have far more pressing matters to handle, so please let go of me."
With a sigh, Roy released him, finally satisfied with the admission, however small.
It was enough for him to know that Alexander's feelings ran deeper than he let on, even if they couldn't act on them. Not yet.
Meanwhile, within the depths of the palace's royal memorial, Maverick and Lani moved cautiously through the dimly lit hall.
They approached the resting place of the late queen's crown.
As Maverick extended his arm to remove the glass case that protected the crown, Lani's eyes widened.
A tiny red dot hovered on Maverick's head—a sniper's laser.
"Mav!" Lani hissed, yanking him down with a force fueled by panic, just as a bullet whizzed past them, embedding itself into the wall behind.
The muffled sound of the silenced gunshot rang in their ears as the room was abruptly flooded with light, revealing a cadre of armed royal guards with weapons pointed at them.
"Kill on the spot," came a voice over the crackling radio on one of the guards.
Maverick's expression steeled as he pulled a gun from his coat, a weapon even Lani hadn't known he carried.
With a swift, precise shot, he struck the closest guard, the resounding echo of gunfire filling the memorial hall and setting off the palace's alarm system.
Red warning lights flared to life, illuminating the halls and plunging the entire palace into chaos.
Back in the ballroom, guests erupted in panic as sirens blared, and guards sprang into action, forming a protective ring around the royal family.
The king's stern voice boomed, ordering the guests to follow the guards out of the ballroom and toward a secure location.
Alexander's jaw clenched, fury bubbling within him as he realized his meticulously planned attempt to eliminate his brother was unraveling into disorder.
In the royal memorial, Maverick was a blur of motion.
He shattered the glass case with one quick, decisive strike, grasping the late queen's crown in one hand while pulling Lani along with the other.
Together, they darted through the corridors, desperate to find an escape route.
Their hurried footsteps echoed against the polished marble floors as a squad of royal guards pursued them, the distance between them shrinking rapidly.
As they raced through the narrow hallways, Lani's foot caught on a loose stone, sending her tumbling to the ground.
She cried out, clutching her ankle, the pain sharp and immediate. "Mav!" she called out, struggling to rise.
Maverick slowed, glancing back with a conflicted expression.
His eyes darted from Lani's stricken form to the approaching guards, who were closing in by the second.
He hesitated, his gaze lingering on her, before a grim resolution settled over his face.
Without a word, he turned and bolted down the corridor, leaving Lani behind.
Lani's heart shattered, the betrayal cutting deeper than the pain in her ankle.
She watched as Maverick disappeared around the corner, his footsteps fading into the distance.
Anger flared within her, pushing through the hurt, as the guards reached her.
In her eyes, Maverick's retreat burned like a brand, a cold reminder of her abandonment in her moment of need.
The guards wasted no time in surrounding her, guns drawn. "Hands in the air," one commanded, voice laced with authority.
Left with no choice, Lani raised her hands, the weight of her anger and despair mingling with her fear as they moved to restrain her.
She couldn't comprehend how quickly the night had spiraled out of control, nor how quickly Maverick had chosen his escape over her.