Kael turned slowly, his sword still resting in its sheath, his emerald eyes locking onto the source of the voice.
Princess Aveline stood at the edge of the crowd, her golden armor catching the sunlight, a visible symbol of authority.
"Arrest him," she repeated, her tone cold and absolute.
Kael's jaw clenched, but his face remained calm. He tilted his head slightly, as if analyzing her from a distance.
The crowd began murmuring, their whispers like the rustling of leaves in a storm.
"Your Highness," Kael said, his voice even but carrying a weight that demanded attention.
"Before your guards make their move, might I ask what crime I'm being arrested for?"
Aveline stepped forward, her royal cape flowing behind her. Her piercing gaze swept over the scene—Evelyn's disheveled state, the bruised and unconscious men lying on the ground, and Kael standing tall amidst it all.
"You're surrounded by injured men. That alone speaks volumes."
Kael raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Does it? And what exactly does it say, Princess?"
"That you were responsible," she replied without hesitation, her voice laced with the confidence of someone accustomed to being right.
Kael chuckled, a low, dry sound that silenced the crowd. He folded his arms across his chest.
"Interesting. I didn't realize royal judgment was passed without hearing the full story. Or do you make decisions based on Appearance alone?"
Aveline's eyes narrowed, but she didn't respond immediately. Her silence only emboldened Kael.
"Allow me to enlighten you, Your Highness," Kael continued, his voice growing sharper.
"Those men attacked her." He gestured toward Evelyn, who was clutching her arm and glaring at the unconscious figures.
"I stepped in to stop them. So, if defending someone from being struck down makes me a criminal, by all means, arrest me. But do it knowing you're condemning the wrong person."
The crowd buzzed with whispers, some voices rising in Kael's defense. Evelyn stepped forward, her voice trembling but resolute. "He's telling the truth! They—"
"Silence," Aveline snapped, her tone cutting Evelyn off. She looked at Kael again, this time with more scrutiny.
"Even if what you say is true, you took matters into your own hands. That's not how justice is served in kingdom."
Kael's smirk vanished, replaced by a cold stare. "Justice?"
"Now that you've seen the truth, Princess, let's talk about what justice in your kingdom will do to someone who assaults a girl in broad daylight."
Aveline froze mid-step, turning back to face him.
Her composure remained intact, but the subtle tension in her expression betrayed her inner turmoil. "What are you implying?"
Kael took a slow step forward, gesturing toward the unconscious young man sprawled on the ground.
"He's the son of the Ravenswood family, isn't he? One of the most influential families in your kingdom. Surely, the law applies to him too."
The crowd, sensing a renewed spark of drama, stopped in their tracks, their attention snapping back to the confrontation.
"Or," Kael continued, his tone laced with bitter amusement, "does justice bend for the powerful? Will this man walk away because of his family's name, while others are punished for much less?"
Aveline's jaw tightened, her gaze shifting momentarily to the man Kael had struck down. The logic in his words cut through her initial assumption.
One of the guards, emboldened by the tension, stepped toward Kael. "You'll watch your tone when speaking to the Princess—"
Kael's hand shot up, halting the guard mid-step.
"Or what? You'll arrest me for speaking the truth?" His gaze flicked to Aveline. "Go ahead. Prove to everyone here that power matters more than justice."
She knew the implications of his words, and the weight of the crowd's expectant silence bore down on her.
"You think I'd let him go unpunished because of his family?" she retorted, her voice steady but edged with frustration.
"I don't think anything, Princess," Kael shot back, his tone unyielding.
"But everyone here is watching. They're waiting to see if the kingdom's justice stands for the innocent or kneels to the privileged."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the onlookers, emboldening Kael further.
Aveline's eyes narrowed. "You assume much for someone who just questioned my judgment."
Kael's smirk returned, colder this time.
"I don't assume, Princess. I state facts. If your judgment was swift enough to condemn me for doing the right thing, it should be even swifter to condemn him for doing the wrong one."
Evelyn, emboldened by Kael's words, stepped forward.
"He's right. That man and his lackeys left me to die in the labyrinth, and today, they tried to hurt me again. If Kael hadn't been here..." Her voice trembled as she trailed off, but her gaze burned with determination.
Aveline looked at Evelyn, then at the unconscious Ravenswood heir, her expression unreadable. For a moment, she seemed to weigh her next words carefully.
Finally, she spoke, her voice cold and resolute. "Guards, take him into custody."
The crowd gasped, and Kael's smirk deepened, but he didn't say another word.
.....
The tense atmosphere dissipated as Princess Aveline leaves the sight.
The crowd began to murmur among themselves, some watching Kael with newfound respect, while others whispered quietly about the audacity of his defiance.
Suddenly, the low hum of a sleek, polished black car broke through the murmurs.Heads turned, captivated by its elegant design and glossy finish, clearly a luxurious model that wasn't often seen in this area.
As the car rolled to a smooth stop, the tinted window lowered with an almost theatrical grace.
Behind the glass was Amelia, her fiery red hair cascading over her shoulders, perfectly complemented by her dark sunglasses.
"Come on, Kael," Amelia said coolly.
"Bye then see you later" Kael said while giving a parting glance at the Evelyn.
Opening the door, he slid into the plush leather seat beside Amelia, shutting the door behind him.
"Hii," Kael greeted her casually, leaning back into the comfort of the seat.
Amelia lifted her sunglasses slightly, her sharp eyes scanning him briefly.
"What happened back there?" she asked, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and mild exasperation.
Kael shrugged. "Nothing"
"Nothing?" Amelia raised an eyebrow.
"How was it? Did you find what you were looking for?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah, something like that," Kael replied, keeping his tone light.
"Kael," Amelia said, a faint smile curling her lips.
"Congratulations on awakening your fire element."
Kael froze for a moment, his eyes darting to her in surprise.
She noticed? he thought to himself. Then again, this was Amelia, the enigmatic Black Shadow leader. Expecting anything to escape her notice was naive.
Kael composed himself quickly, giving a calm nod. "Thank you," he replied.
Amelia chuckled softly, adjusting her sunglasses.
"Don't look so surprised. I don't need to see flames to feel the shift in your aura."
As then car glided smoothly down the cobblestone streets.
Kael rested his head against the window, his thoughts swirling. He couldn't shake what had just happened.
There were two reasons he'd confronted Roderick back there, and he knew them well.
The first was simple: in the novel he had read, Roderick Ravenswood grew into a monster who would torture and kill countless innocent people.
While the Ravenswood family wasn't entirely evil—Roderick's own father had executed him upon discovering his atrocities—Kael couldn't let those tragedies unfold.
If stopping Roderick early meant changing the future for the better, so be it.
The second reason lingered deeper within him.
There was something about Roderick that simply pissed him off. Kael couldn't put it into words, but the mere sight of him stirred a visceral anger that demanded action.
Shaking his head slightly, Kael closed his eyes and exhaled.
He had biggest challenge ahead—and thats challenge is to give a long explanation of what happened in labyrinth to his mother...
___