The night air was thick with tension as Lyanna sat on her throne, the flickering candlelight casting long shadows across the grand hall. Her mind, still reeling from the revelations earlier, couldn't focus on the business at hand. She felt trapped in a labyrinth of deceit, her trust shattered by those she had once relied upon. Her grip tightened on the armrests of her throne, her knuckles pale.
The soft creak of the door pulling open drew her attention. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Kalen's presence was unmistakable.
He stepped into the dim light, his expression unreadable. His usual sharp eyes now held a shadow of something darker—something she couldn't place.
"Your Grace," Kalen began, his voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of something unspoken.
Lyanna's gaze remained fixed ahead, but her heart raced. "What is it?
Kalen took a few steps forward before speaking again, this time lowering his voice. "There is more to this than Harwin, Your Grace. You need to understand that Sorin… He's not what you think."
Lyanna's pulse quickened at the mention of Sorin's name. She had been unable to shake the odd feeling that had lodged itself deep within her chest since the council meeting. Sorin had been loyal, a rock in her tumultuous world, and yet…
"What do you mean?" Lyanna's voice was barely above a whisper, the tension hanging thick in the air.
Kalen hesitated, then closed the distance between them, lowering his voice even further. "I believe Sorin is working with Lorian. He's been communicating with him in secret for weeks. I've intercepted some of their messages."
The words hit her like a physical blow, her heart sinking into her stomach. Sorin—her closest ally, the man who had been by her side since the beginning—was now a suspect. It was too much to bear.
"Are you certain?" she asked, the words escaping her in a breathless rush.
"I am." Kalen's gaze never wavered, his conviction clear. "I don't know how deep his betrayal goes, but I can't ignore what I've seen. Sorin is not the man you believe him to be."
Lyanna stood from her throne, her mind whirling, as if the room was spinning around her. How could this be true? Sorin had always been so loyal, so steadfast. There was no way he could betray her. He had been a part of her plans, her dreams.
But Kalen's words lingered in her mind, seeds of doubt planted deep in her soul.
"I have to see him," Lyanna muttered, her voice shaking slightly as the weight of the decision bore down on her.
Kalen stepped forward, blocking her path. "No. Not yet. He's dangerous now, Your Grace. You cannot face him alone."
Lyanna met Kalen's gaze, her expression hardening. "I will face him. I trusted him. I deserve answers."
Kalen's jaw clenched, but he didn't argue. He knew the storm brewing in Lyanna's eyes. The determination that had driven her since the death of her father, the same fierce fire that had built the empire she now ruled.
"Then I will be by your side," Kalen said, his voice low, a promise she hadn't expected from him.
The Confrontation
The palace corridors were eerily silent as Lyanna and Kalen made their way toward Sorin's chambers. The weight of the moment settled on Lyanna's shoulders, suffocating her with every step. She had built her life around Sorin's loyalty. She had trusted him with her deepest secrets, her plans, and her vulnerabilities. The thought of him betraying her, of turning on her for Lorian's gain, was a wound she didn't know if she could survive.
As they approached Sorin's door, Lyanna felt her heart pounding in her chest. Kalen stopped beside her, his hand briefly touching her arm.
"You're not alone," he said quietly, his tone soft but firm.
Lyanna nodded once, a signal that she was ready.
She pushed the door open, the hinges creaking in protest. Sorin was standing by the window, his back to them, looking out over the darkened kingdom below. The sight of him—so calm, so collected—only made the storm inside Lyanna's chest rage louder.
"Sorin," she called, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
He turned slowly, his gaze falling on her, and for a moment, Lyanna saw only the Sorin she knew—the man who had been her friend, her ally, her confidant.
But then, a flicker of something—something colder, more calculating—passed through his eyes.
"Your Grace," he said, his voice smooth, almost too smooth. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Lyanna didn't waste any time. "What is this about, Sorin? Why were you working with Lorian? Why the betrayal?"
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't step back. There was no fear in him, no regret. Just that same, unreadable calm.
"I've done what I had to do, Lyanna," Sorin said, his words carefully measured. "I did it for us. For this kingdom."
"Don't lie to me," she snapped, her voice growing louder. "You've been communicating with the enemy. You've betrayed me. You've betrayed everything I've worked for."
"I never wanted to betray you," Sorin said quietly, his gaze softening for the briefest moment. "But you have to understand—sometimes, in this world, alliances have to be made. Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices."
Lyanna's breath caught in her throat, the sting of his words cutting through her like a blade. She had never imagined that Sorin would justify his actions.
"So, I'm a sacrifice to you?" she whispered, the raw emotion in her voice impossible to hide.
Sorin's expression faltered, but only for a moment. "You don't understand, Lyanna. I did what I had to do to survive. And you did the same."
Her heart broke as the truth settled in. Sorin had never seen her as an equal. To him, she had always been a means to an end—a pawn in a dangerous game.
"Then it's over," she said, her voice cold. "I will not tolerate betrayal in my court. You're no longer welcome here."
Sorin's eyes flashed, and for the first time, she saw something akin to anger in them. "You'll regret this," he warned, his voice low, dangerous.
Lyanna turned away, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't afford to look back. She couldn't afford to feel anything for the man who had betrayed her.
As she walked away, the weight of her decision settled in, and the darkness in her soul grew just a little bit deeper