Alessia stood outside the grand ballroom, her posture straight, her senses alert. The royal banquet was in full swing, with the kingdom's nobles gathering in their finest attire. King Aric sat at the head of the table, his expression calm but distant, while Queen Verena remained at his side, serene as ever. Princess Ilina, ever the picture of grace, wore a faint frown.
As a new member of the royal guard, Alessia was accustomed to the formalities of these events, but tonight felt different. There was an undercurrent of tension in the air, a quiet but persistent feeling that something was not right. She scanned the room, noting the subtle exchanges between the courtiers: a brief glance here, a stiffened posture there.
Her eyes fell on the royal advisor, Lord Thorne, who lingered near the back of the room, his sharp eyes taking in everything. There were whispers of his influence—some said his power extended beyond the throne itself, that he had his hands in every royal affair. Alessia had no reason to doubt the rumors. She had seen him in action—his quiet authority, his ability to sway decisions without a single word.
The clink of silverware snapped her out of her thoughts. A servant had dropped a platter, and the sound echoed through the room. The noise immediately quieted the crowd, but Alessia's gaze narrowed on the servant. The look in their eyes wasn't embarrassment or fear; it was something else. Fear of what? She couldn't say, but it sent a chill down her spine.
"Just a mistake," Garvin, a fellow guard, muttered beside her, his tone dismissive. "Nothing to worry about."
But Alessia wasn't convinced. She turned her attention back to the banquet, her gaze flitting between the royals and the nobles. The conversation resumed, but the atmosphere had shifted. King Aric was speaking to the court, his voice measured and calm, but his eyes kept darting toward Lord Thorne. There was something in his gaze—something Alessia couldn't quite place.
Lord Thorne was always there, lurking in the shadows, his presence commanding even in silence. Alessia had seen him bend the ear of the king more than once, but tonight, something was different. His eyes, usually calculating and cool, now seemed to shimmer with an almost palpable energy. Magic? The thought flickered in her mind, and her skin prickled in response.
The banquet continued around her, but Alessia couldn't shake the feeling that something was slowly unraveling. The courtiers laughed and chatted, but their words lacked warmth. Alessia watched them closely, her instincts screaming at her to trust no one. She felt the weight of the air pressing down on her chest as though the room itself were holding its breath.
A quiet voice broke her focus. "Alessia," came a smooth tone from behind her. It was Lady Marwen, one of the kingdom's most influential nobles. Her smile was pleasant, but her eyes held an edge. "I trust everything is in order?"
Alessia bowed her head. "Yes, my lady. All is well."
Lady Marwen's smile didn't waver. "You seem… distracted. Has something caught your attention?"
Alessia met her gaze, unsure of how to respond. "I was simply observing."
"Observing," Lady Marwen repeated softly. "Be careful what you see, my dear. Some things are not meant to be known."
The words were cryptic, but Alessia had learned early that Lady Marwen always spoke with hidden meaning. Her tone was casual, but the underlying warning was clear. Alessia's unease deepened as she watched the noblewoman move away, her expression unreadable.
A subtle shift in the room caught Alessia's attention next. A nobleman at the far end of the room—one she didn't recognize—stood, his face pale. He whispered something to Lord Thorne, who nodded, his eyes gleaming. Alessia's heart skipped a beat. There was something in the exchange—something unspoken—that didn't sit right with her.
Alessia's instincts screamed at her to act, but she had been trained to remain silent, to keep her thoughts and suspicions to herself. And yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was standing at the edge of something far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.
She took a deep breath, forcing her mind to focus. The evening's festivities were far from over, and the palace was filled with the kingdom's most powerful figures. To act rashly now could invite suspicion, even worse, danger.
Another shift in the crowd caught her attention. A movement in the shadows, too swift to be easily tracked. She turned toward the back of the room, where a pair of guards stood in silence. One of them, a tall man with a thick beard, was watching the crowd closely, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
He didn't belong here.
Alessia's eyes narrowed. He wasn't one of the regular guards stationed at the banquet. And yet, he didn't stand out—he blended in with the others, his expression neutral, his posture unremarkable. But Alessia knew what it meant when someone blended in too well. She moved closer, her steps quiet, as she closed the distance between them.
She had seen this man before, on the castle's upper floors, in places where she wasn't meant to be. A shadow in the hallways, always out of sight, but always watching. Alessia's heart began to race.
Before she could approach him, a voice cut through the tension.
"Alessia," came King Aric's voice, firm yet kind. She snapped to attention, instinctively straightening her posture. The king was approaching, flanked by his advisors. "There is a disturbance in the east wing," he said, his voice low, as though meant only for her ears.
Alessia's pulse quickened. "Your Majesty, what disturbance?"
"Nothing for concern yet, but I trust you will keep an eye on it," he said, his eyes narrowing as he glanced toward Lord Thorne. "The castle is never as safe as it seems."
Alessia nodded sharply, but as she turned away, she couldn't shake the king's words. The palace was never as safe as it seemed. The shadows had long been creeping at the edges, and now they had begun to move.
As she moved toward the east wing, her heart pounded in her chest. Whatever was happening tonight, it was no accident. And Alessia was about to walk straight into its heart.