The storm had passed, but the castle still groaned from the night's wrath.
Liana stood in the ruined hallway behind the east wing. Debris was scattered across the floor, ancient paintings torn from their mounts, marble tiles cracked beneath her boots. But it wasn't the damage that stopped her breath.
It was the hidden door.
Half-exposed by a fallen tapestry and a collapsed beam, it shimmered with the faintest trace of moonlight. Carved into the stone was an insignia—a phoenix rising from a crown.
Her heartbeat thudded in her ears. That crest didn't belong to House Vorelli. It wasn't even on any royal seal she'd studied.
She reached out and pressed her palm to it.
Click.
The wall shifted, stone grinding against stone, revealing a narrow stairwell that twisted downward into darkness. Cold air rushed up from below, carrying the scent of damp parchment and something… older. Forgotten.
She hesitated. Every instinct screamed this wasn't safe.
But curiosity burned hotter than fear.
With only a single flickering lantern, Liana descended.
---
The stairs led to a small underground chamber. Dust danced in the air, thick as fog. Wooden shelves lined the walls, some collapsed, others still holding relics, scrolls, and sealed scroll tubes.
But it was the letter on the desk that caught her eye.
A letter, untouched by time, sealed with deep crimson wax.
Her name was written on the front.
"To Liana—When the truth begins to crack."
Her hands trembled as she broke the seal.
> "If you are reading this, then the web of lies spun around you has finally begun to fray. I am—was—your mother's blood sister. My name is Seraphine Rael. They buried me in silence, erased me from memory, because I knew too much about the throne you now stand so close to. Liana, you are not who they say you are. And the man you are beginning to trust... was once promised to me."
Her vision blurred as she re-read the words again and again. Aunt Seraphine? Erased? What throne was she referring to?
What did she mean… "the man you are beginning to trust"?
Leonidas?
She stumbled back, the letter trembling in her fingers.
---
Meanwhile, in the Council Chamber…
Leonidas stood before the Elders, his jaw clenched, face expressionless. Twelve men in crimson robes sat in judgment. Above them, the massive golden crest of the Kingdom of Eldharyn gleamed like a threat.
"Prince Leonidas," Elder Harkon intoned, "the time has come. You must choose between duty to the crown… or your entanglement with the orphan girl."
"She's not just—"
"—You were betrothed before birth to a daughter of the Eastern Empire. A sacred pact. Break it, and you will start a war."
Leonidas's eyes burned. "She's more than just an orphan. She may have royal blood—more royal than any of us."
Laughter rang through the chamber, sharp and bitter.
"Do not be foolish. A girl who cleans floors and hides in shadows? You would throw away peace for her?"
He didn't answer.
Because if he did… he might admit that he already had.
---
That night, Liana returned to her room, her body tense with questions and rage. She tucked the letter inside a pouch sewn into her dress, just as a knock came at her door.
It was Casian, the quiet knight.
He looked uncomfortable. "My Lady… Prince Leonidas requests your presence in the western courtyard. He says it's urgent."
Liana nodded, wary but intrigued. She grabbed her cloak and followed him through the darkened corridors, every footstep echoing like a drumbeat in her mind.
---
The courtyard was moonlit, cold, and empty—except for him.
Leonidas stood with his back to her, sword drawn, practicing strikes against the air. When he turned, his eyes softened. "You came."
"I always do," she said carefully.
He paused, studying her. "You're different tonight."
"So are you," she whispered, stepping closer. "Tell me the truth, Leonidas. Before I ask the wrong person and find it out the wrong way."
He froze. "What truth?"
She pulled the letter from her cloak and handed it to him.
His face paled as he read.
"Seraphine… Gods," he muttered. "They said she was dead before you were born."
"They erased her." Her voice trembled. "She was my mother's sister. Why would they hide her from me?"
Leonidas looked up, guilt flickering in his gaze. "Because they knew she stood in the way of their power. Just like you do now."
"So I'm a threat," she said bitterly.
"No. You're a spark," he whispered. "And they're afraid of fire."
---
The silence between them hung heavy until Liana whispered, "What else haven't you told me?"
Leonidas reached for her hand, hesitating. "The council gave me an ultimatum. End things with you. Or give up my claim to the throne."
Her heart stopped. "And?"
"I told them I needed time."
Liana pulled her hand back. "Time? You didn't say no?"
"I wanted to protect you!"
"No," she snapped. "You wanted to protect your place in line."
She turned and walked away, cloak swirling behind her, the weight of secrets and shattered trust pressing into her spine like knives.
---
But she didn't notice the figure watching them from the shadows above the courtyard.
A woman with pale gold hair and eyes like burning coal.
She smiled, revealing a pendant bearing the phoenix crest.
"Let the games begin," she whispered.