Elara was held there by the assassin as something close to a knife to the throat, but she did not flinch. Her eyes locked onto the cloaked figure in the doorway, the chill of the room amplifying with his very presence. The noblemen and women of her court stood frozen, their gazes darting between the assassin and their princess. Many of them with dread, others with stealthy reproach—no one could be believed now.
"Who are you?" Elara cried out, her voice clear and resolute, even as the tension built.
[M]By the mask, the killer's lips twitched into a grin, but it was masked. "I am but a humble servant of the Jade Lotus Sect," he said softly. "But I wonder, Your Highness, if you even know who serves you. or who does not."
His words were a veiled taunt, and Elara felt a flash of anger. Her court was one thing, one that could be infiltrated by the Sect, but one that was to be a toy by them, that was different. She took a hesitant step that way, her vision coming to focus on the tip of the blade hilt.
Enough," she said, her tone cold as steel. Powerful enough to understand that I am not able to yield to intimidation from the dark.
Just then the killer's neck crooked a sliver, as if he were giggling. "Brave words, Princess. But bravery does not win wars. Strategy does. And I believe you've underestimated your enemies... again."
He made a soft chuckle, and, as soon as maybe they could speak, he got closer, and the boots made no sound on the stone floor.
Elara's heart pounded in her chest. The assassin was closing in, but she remained still. She had no option but to play this risky game for the time being. Dealing with this man is a tragedy to the kingdom of arms in coming to arms. She needed more information. She needed to outwit him.
"You come here, taunting me, but offer no solutions," she said, forcing calm into her voice. "What is it you want from me?"
The killer's grin vanished and his monotone voice became colder, harder. "It's not what I want from you, Princess. It's what you want from me." He paused. "The Jade Lotus Sect does not kill without reason. . And you and your kingdom really matter to us, whether you know it or not. But the choice is yours. We offer an alliance."
A gasp rippled through the room. Elara turned to face the nobles. They looked genuinely afraid, but that did not compare to the rage building up in her own body. An alliance with the Jade Lotus? She could almost taste the poison in his words.
"You insult me," she said quietly, but there was an icy edge to her voice that cut through the room. Sure didn't I just betray my people for the sake of one empty vow, right?
Through the mask covering his face, the assassin's eyes burned in the open of the hood, his voice dripping with irony. "I think, Princess, you've been playing the game for far too long without realizing the rules. The Jade Lotus Sect always wins in the end. You're no different."
Just at the same time as she could answer, the gunman turned his body around and his cloak rotated on the sound of his being propelled away from the doorway. Pick either one Elara," he called over his shoulder. "Surrender now, or lose everything you've ever fought for. We will be watching."
Leaving the room behind, Elara froze, her mind a storm. The threat was real. The Jade Lotus Sect wasn't just a group of assassins and spies—they were strategists, manipulators who had woven themselves into the very fabric of her court. However, how could she tell them, while not revealing her own exposure? She could not tell anybody the truth unless she knew who had been handed over to somebody else.
"You cannot trust him, Princess," Lord Alistair's voice broke through her thoughts. He had been mute during the course of the encounter, but now he moved to the front of the room, his countenance white. The Jade Lotus Sect makes no allies, they make war. I fear your court is already compromised."
Elara turned her cold gaze on him. "I'm well aware of that. But we don't have the luxury of time, Alistair. Our kingdom is on the brink of destruction. The slues are closing in, and now there is this Sect to deal with, too.
Alistair lowered his voice. "Perhaps it's time to consider a more drastic approach."
Elara raised an eyebrow, her gaze sharp. "What do you mean?"
He moved into hearing range, yet speaking so softly that only she could keep up with him. And if the Jade Lotus Sect is already in the castle, we have to take it over. Let them believe we're at our weakest, and then strike before they can fully entrench themselves. You have allies in the north. I can get reinforcements sent with pretense of trade deliveries. When they get there, we are quick, we sweep the roosters, we take charge.
Elara's heart pounded as she considered his words. It was a hazardous scheme and to date at least it could have ended up in complete disarray. But if she didn't do anything, the Jade Lotus will have taken it all. The enemy would never hesitate to exploit her vulnerabilities.
All right," she said, her tone as crisp as the air outside. "Make the arrangements. But do not make me regret trusting you."
Alistair gave a brief bow and posture indicated an absence of the strain that must have been felt. "I will, Your Highness. I swear it."
Having stepped past to carry out her desires, Elara turned to stare back at the arrayed ranks of the court, her (silent) legions of admirers that had witnessed the exchange in an interlude of their own creation. There in, all of them could be the traitor, all of them could be the agent of the Jade Lotus Sect. However, for the time being, she could only think of the present danger.
She would be careful. She would be silent. And she would strike when the time was right.
she could trust no one. Not even her closest advisors.
War was not only reflected in the conflict for her realm, for her reign, war was waged. It was fought in the darkness, backstabbing and deception as lethal as any blade. And Elara would have to muster all of the will, all of the guile, to get it.