The air in the underground passage felt heavy and damp.
Every step they took echoed softly against the old stone walls, creating faint reverberations that accompanied their journey towards the heart of the palace.
Light came only from the small torch Arman carried.
The flame flickered each time a thin draft flowed through the gaps in the stones.
This passage was clearly very old.
Some parts of the walls were cracked, and the ceiling was thick with cobwebs.
Lara walked in the middle of the group.
Ahead, Iskandar moved carefully, his eyes always watching every corner of the passage.
Behind them, Kadir walked silently, his hand remaining on the hilt of his sword.
Arman led the way.
"This passage leads to the royal kitchen's storage room," he whispered.
"After that, we can enter the inner corridor of the palace."
Lara looked at the long passage ahead of them.
"How much further?"
"Not far," Arman replied.
"Three or four more turns."
They walked for several more minutes.
The passage would sometimes narrow, sometimes widen into small spaces that seemed once used for storing supplies.
On one wall, Lara saw traces of old carvings.
The royal symbol.
But parts of the symbol had been eroded by time.
"This passage has existed since the time of the old kingdom," Arman said softly.
"Used to send food or goods to parts of the palace without going through the main hall."
Iskandar suddenly stopped.
He raised his hand, signaling for everyone to halt.
Lara instantly tensed.
"What is it?" she whispered.
Iskandar pointed to the floor.
Ahead of them, the stone floor looked slightly different from the rest.
Cleaner.
Newer.
Arman approached.
His expression changed.
"A trap."
Kadir frowned.
"A trap?"
Arman nodded.
"This floor has been opened before."
He knelt and tapped the stone gently.
A hollow sound came from beneath it.
"A pitfall."
Iskandar looked around the passage.
"This is recent."
Arman stood up.
"Correct."
He looked at them seriously.
"This wasn't here the last time I passed through."
Silence fell in the passage.
Lara felt something cold creeping up her spine.
"Nafisa," she said softly.
Iskandar nodded.
"She already knows."
Kadir crossed his arms.
"And she's waiting for us inside the palace."
Arman examined the side of the wall.
There was a narrow gap along the edge of the passage.
"We can still get past this trap," he said.
"Along the edge."
He moved first, pressing his body against the wall and stepping carefully along the narrow stone edge.
Iskandar followed after him.
Then Lara.
She held her breath as she passed over the suspicious section of the floor.
If she made one wrong step—
she might fall into the pit below.
But finally, they all managed to get past it.
When they reached the other side of the passage, Kadir looked at Arman.
"If this was recently installed..."
Arman nodded.
"It means someone told Nafisa about this passage."
Iskandar looked ahead into the dark passage.
"Then there's a spy."
Lara felt a new tension in her chest.
"Among who?"
No one answered.
They only looked at each other.
The possibility was too dangerous to mention.
If Nafisa knew about this passage—
it meant someone from their own network might have leaked information.
Arman finally said softly,
"Let's continue."
But their steps were now far more cautious.
The passage turned twice before finally starting to incline upwards.
The air changed, becoming slightly warmer.
A sign that they were getting closer to the palace kitchen.
Iskandar stopped again at the end of the passage.
Ahead of them were stone stairs leading up to a wooden door.
Arman whispered,
"Above that is the kitchen storage room."
He looked at Iskandar.
"Usually empty at night."
Kadir raised an eyebrow.
"Usually?"
Arman sighed.
"Now... I'm not sure."
Iskandar slowly climbed the stairs.
He stopped in front of the door.
Then he placed his ear against the wood.
A few seconds passed.
Then he whispered,
"Someone's there."
Lara tensed.
"Guards?"
Iskandar shook his head slowly.
"Not many."
Arman frowned.
"There shouldn't be anyone there."
Kadir smiled thinly.
"Seems Nafisa really has been waiting for us."
A tense silence enveloped the narrow staircase.
Behind that wooden door—
there might be another trap.
Or even troops ready and waiting.
Lara felt her heart pound hard.
But she knew they were too far in to turn back.
She looked at Iskandar.
"We open it."
Iskandar nodded.
He grasped the handle of the wooden door slowly.
Then—
with one swift motion—
he pushed the door open.
The kitchen storage room lay before them.
Oil lamps were lit in several corners of the room.
And in the center of the room—
four guards stood waiting.
Their swords were already drawn.
As if they knew someone would come from the underground passage.
One of the guards smiled coldly.
"Lady Nafisa was right."
He raised his sword.
"You would come this way."
Lara felt her blood surge.
The trap had been waiting for them.
And this time—
they had no way to retreat.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ᨶ႒ᩚ°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
The wooden door swung wide open.
Warm air from the palace kitchen flowed into the underground passage, carrying faint scents of spices and firewood.
But nothing felt warm in that room.
Four guards stood in the center of the kitchen storage room.
Their swords were already drawn.
The oil lamps on the walls cast a yellow light that made their shadows appear larger and more menacing.
Iskandar stopped at the threshold.
His eyes immediately calculated the enemy's positions.
Four people.
A narrow space.
And the passage behind them was the only way to retreat.
One of the guards stepped forward.
"Lady Nafisa said you would surely come through this passage."
His smile was cold.
"And it turns out she was right."
Kadir exhaled shortly.
"She really prepared everything."
Arman stared sharply at the guard.
"If you already knew we were coming..."
He narrowed his eyes.
"...why only four people?"
The guard smiled.
"Because you won't be leaving this room."
Iskandar didn't wait any longer.
He stepped forward quickly.
His short knife glinted under the oil lamp light.
The nearest guard raised his sword.
The clash of metal immediately echoed in the cramped room.
Kadir moved to the right side.
His sword lunged swiftly, forcing one of the guards back a few steps.
Arman took a position near the door to ensure no one else came from the kitchen corridor.
In a matter of seconds, the storage room turned into a small battlefield.
Lara stood a few steps behind.
Her eyes followed every movement.
She knew she couldn't just stand and watch.
But a real battle always felt different from training.
The sound of metal clashing.
Hurried footsteps.
The heavy breathing of the fighters.
All of it felt so close.
One of the guards spotted Lara.
His eyes narrowed.
"The little princess is over there."
He moved towards Lara.
His sword was raised.
Lara tensed.
But before the man could get closer—
Arman cut him off.
Their swords met with a loud clash.
Arman pushed the man away.
"You're not her match," he said briefly.
On the other side of the room, Iskandar was fighting two guards at once.
His movements were fast and precise.
The short knife in his hand moved like a shadow.
In one sharp motion, he brought down one of the guards.
But the other guard was still attacking fiercely.
Kadir finally finished his fight first.
He kicked his opponent's sword away, then brought the man down to the floor.
"Iskandar!"
He turned to help.
Two against one didn't last long.
Seconds later, the last guard also fell.
The room fell silent again.
Only the sound of their heavy breathing could be heard.
Lara looked around.
Four guards.
All of them were down.
But something felt strange.
Too easy.
Iskandar seemed to be thinking the same thing.
He looked towards the kitchen door warily.
"This is too quiet."
Arman walked over to one of the fallen guards.
He checked the man's pocket.
Then his expression changed.
"There's something."
He pulled out a small scroll.
Thin paper tied with a red thread.
Iskandar took it.
He opened the scroll slowly.
Elegant handwriting was visible on the paper.
Lara could see it from where she stood.
The message was very short.
But enough to make the room feel colder.
Iskandar read it aloud.
"Welcome to my palace."
Kadir frowned.
"She even wrote a message for us?"
Iskandar continued reading.
"If you have made it this far..."
He paused for a moment.
His eyes narrowed.
"...then our game has just begun."
Arman took a long breath.
"She deliberately let us in."
Lara felt tension creep into her chest.
"Why?"
Kadir answered softly.
"Because we're walking right into her plan."
Silence filled the room again.
The oil lamps on the walls flickered gently from a draft coming from the kitchen corridor.
Iskandar folded the paper again.
"She wants us to go deeper."
Arman nodded.
"Which means something bigger is waiting inside the palace."
Lara looked at the kitchen door.
Beyond that door was a corridor leading to the palace's main hall.
The place where Nafisa likely was now.
She took a deep breath.
"Then we continue."
Iskandar looked at her.
"Princess..."
Lara shook her head slowly.
"If we stop now, we'll never know her plan."
Kadir smiled faintly.
"And we're too far in to turn back."
Arman extinguished one of the oil lamps to make the room slightly darker.
"Then we move quickly."
Iskandar opened the kitchen door slowly.
The palace corridor was visible outside.
Silent.
But a silence that felt suspicious.
They exited the storage room one by one.
Their footsteps echoed again on the palace's stone floors.
And the further they walked—
the more they realized something.
The palace felt too quiet.
As if all its inhabitants had vanished.
Or perhaps—
were waiting for them somewhere.
And in a high room in the center of the palace—
Nafisa stood before a large window.
In her hand was a cup of red wine.
A guard had just reported something.
"They have entered the palace, Lady Nafisa."
Nafisa smiled faintly.
"Of course."
She sipped her wine slowly.
"Let them keep walking."
The guard looked hesitant.
"Shall we not stop them?"
Nafisa looked at the long corridor outside the room.
Her eyes were cold.
"No."
She whispered softly.
"Because soon..."
Her smile grew thinner.
"...they will find something they were never meant to see."
And deep inside the palace—
Lara and her friends walked ever closer to that secret.
Unaware—
they were already in the midst of the web Nafisa had prepared.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ᨶ႒ᩚ°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
The palace corridor felt different that night.
The oil lamps were still lit along the marble walls, but no servants walked by carrying trays, no sound of guards' footsteps that usually patrolled.
Too quiet.
Lara's footsteps and the three behind her echoed softly on the wide stone floor.
Every sound felt louder than usual.
Iskandar walked in front carefully.
His eyes kept moving, observing every corner.
"This is strange," he said quietly.
Kadir walked beside Lara.
"Yes."
He stared at the long, empty corridor.
"There should be more guards after the commotion at the tower."
Arman nodded.
"It seems they deliberately pulled the guards from this area."
Lara looked ahead.
"So we would go deeper."
No one argued.
They walked past several corridor intersections.
The palace's high walls were filled with paintings of kings and queens from the past.
Those faces from the past stared at them from within golden frames.
As if watching their every step.
Finally, Arman stopped in front of a narrow passage branching off from the main corridor.
The passage was darker.
Only one oil lamp burned on the wall.
"This way," said Arman.
Iskandar frowned.
"I don't remember a passage here."
Arman looked at the stone wall.
"Because most people don't know about it."
He pointed to the end of the passage.
"There's an old room there."
Kadir crossed his arms.
"What kind of room?"
Arman took a short breath.
"The old royal archive room."
Lara raised an eyebrow.
"Archive?"
Arman nodded.
"Old documents. Royal records. Maps of the territory."
He paused for a moment.
"And secrets that were never announced to the public."
Silence fell among them.
Iskandar stared at the passage.
"Why would Nafisa want us to find that place?"
Arman did not answer.
They began walking along the narrow passage.
Their steps felt more cautious now.
The oil lamps on the walls flickered softly as they passed.
At the end of the passage stood a large wooden door that looked far older than the other doors in the palace.
Thick dust clung to its surface.
Arman stopped in front of the door.
"This is the place."
Iskandar checked the door handle.
Not locked.
He looked at the others.
"We go in."
The door opened with a long creak.
The room beyond it was very spacious.
Tall wooden shelves stood, filling almost the entire room.
They were filled with document scrolls, old books, and yellowed archive boxes.
The air inside the room felt heavy with the smell of old paper.
Lara stepped in slowly.
She looked around in awe.
"All of this... royal records?"
Arman nodded.
"Mostly."
Iskandar walked to one of the shelves.
He took a scroll and opened it slightly.
Ancient writing was visible inside.
"Documents from the previous king's era."
Kadir walked deeper into the room.
His eyes swept across the tall shelves.
"But why would Nafisa want us to come here?"
Lara was thinking the same thing.
She walked to the large wooden table in the center of the room.
On the table were several documents that looked newer.
As if someone had just been examining them.
Lara opened one of the documents.
Her eyes immediately narrowed.
"This..."
Iskandar approached.
"What?"
Lara pointed to the writing on the paper.
"This is a map of the kingdom's territory."
Arman looked at it too.
But something was different.
Several areas on the map were marked in red.
Kadir stared at the map seriously.
"Border territories."
Iskandar nodded.
"Where the royal troops are usually stationed."
Arman opened another document on the table.
His expression changed.
"This is a list of troops."
He looked at them.
"Royal troops stationed outside the palace."
Lara felt something cold in her chest.
"Why are military documents in the archive room?"
Arman answered quietly.
"Because someone moved them here."
Kadir crossed his arms.
"And that someone is definitely Nafisa."
Iskandar picked up another document.
Then he stopped reading.
His eyes narrowed sharply.
"This is impossible."
Lara turned quickly.
"What?"
Iskandar showed the writing on the document.
"Orders for troop relocation."
Arman read the last line.
His expression turned rigid.
"Most of the royal troops were moved from the capital... two weeks ago."
Kadir understood immediately.
"That's why the palace feels empty."
Lara looked at them one by one.
"So..."
Iskandar finished her sentence.
"...Nafisa deliberately sent the troops out of the city."
Arman nodded slowly.
"To weaken the palace's defenses."
A heavy silence filled the archive room.
Lara stared at the map with red marks.
One by one, pieces of Nafisa's plan were becoming clear.
"She doesn't just want to seize power," Lara said quietly.
"She's preparing a coup."
Kadir looked at the documents on the table.
"And not just inside the palace."
He pointed to the border territories on the map.
"This looks like coordination with troops outside the city."
Arman took a deep breath.
"That means there's someone outside the kingdom working with her."
Iskandar stared at the room's door.
"And she deliberately let us find all of this."
Lara looked at the documents again.
"Why?"
No one answered.
But before the silence could last long—
a soft sound came from the outer passage.
Footsteps.
Several people.
They stopped right outside the archive room door.
Lara felt her heart pound hard.
Iskandar immediately extinguished the oil lamp near the door.
The room became darker.
The footsteps outside grew clearer.
Someone stopped right in front of the door.
Then—
a voice they knew very well sounded from outside.
Calm.
Cold.
And full of conviction.
"Interesting."
Nafisa.
Her voice echoed softly in the passage.
"So you found this room faster than I thought."
Lara tensed.
Iskandar gripped his knife tighter.
Outside the door—
the shadows of several guards were visible under the light of the corridor lamps.
And Nafisa stood before them all.
Waiting.
As if this meeting had been planned from the very beginning.
And this time—
they couldn't escape easily.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･ᨶ႒ᩚ°❀⋆.ೃ࿔:･
The archive room suddenly felt much narrower.
The footsteps in the passage stopped right in front of the old wooden door. The shadows of several people were visible under the light of the oil lamps from the outer corridor.
Iskandar stood slightly in front of Lara.
His short knife was ready in his hand.
Arman took a position on the other side of the room, his eyes sharply watching the door.
Kadir stood calmly, but his hand was already on the hilt of his sword.
The silence lasted only a few seconds.
Then the wooden door slowly opened.
Light from the corridor immediately entered the dim archive room.
And there—
Nafisa stood.
Her long black dress fell gracefully to the stone floor. Her hair was combed neatly back, making her face appear even colder and untouchable.
Behind her stood six armed guards.
Enough numbers to make anyone think twice about fighting.
But Nafisa herself did not look like someone facing enemies.
She looked calm.
As if all of this was merely a meeting she had long anticipated.
Her eyes immediately fixed on Lara.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Princess Lara."
Her voice was soft.
But there was something sharp behind it.
"I must admit... you are far braver than I expected."
Lara did not answer.
She stood straight in front of the archive table, staring at Nafisa without blinking.
Nafisa stepped into the room.
Her guards remained standing at the door, blocking the exit.
Iskandar moved slightly, positioning himself between Lara and Nafisa.
But Nafisa only smiled seeing that.
"No need to be so tense."
She looked at Iskandar.
"I didn't come to kill anyone tonight."
Kadir snorted softly.
"How amusing, coming from someone who just set traps all over the palace."
Nafisa turned towards him.
Her smile widened slightly.
"Ah, Prince Kadir."
She bowed her head a little, as if offering a greeting.
"I almost forgot you were here too."
Kadir did not return the gesture.
His gaze remained cold.
Nafisa then walked slowly to the large table in the center of the room.
Her eyes swept over the open documents.
"So... you've seen it."
She touched the kingdom map with her fingertip.
The red marks on the border territories were clear under the lamplight.
"A rather interesting plan, isn't it?"
Arman stepped forward slightly.
"This isn't a plan."
His voice was firm.
"This is treason against the kingdom."
Nafisa laughed softly.
The sound echoed strangely in the room full of old documents.
"Treason?"
She raised an eyebrow.
"A very dramatic word."
She then looked at Lara again.
"Do you think so too, Princess?"
Lara finally spoke.
"Moving troops out of the city... weakening the palace's defenses..."
She pointed to the map.
"...and collaborating with outside parties."
Her gaze was sharp.
"If that's not treason, then what is?"
Nafisa stared at her for a long time.
Several seconds passed in silence.
Then she smiled again.
"Change."
The word came out so simply.
As if it were very straightforward.
"This kingdom has been running on old ways for too long."
She walked slowly around the table.
"Weak kings... corrupt advisors... and nobles who only think of their own power."
Iskandar clenched his fist.
"And you think you can fix it?"
Nafisa turned.
"I don't think."
Her eyes glinted coldly.
"I know."
Silence once again enveloped the archive room.
Lara stared at the woman before her.
For the first time, she realized something.
Nafisa truly believed in what she was doing.
This wasn't just ambition.
This was obsession.
"So you want to seize the throne," Lara said quietly.
Nafisa shook her head.
"No."
She looked directly into Lara's eyes.
"I want to save this kingdom."
Kadir laughed shortly.
"With a coup?"
Nafisa looked at him without emotion.
"Sometimes a kingdom needs to be destroyed... before it can be rebuilt."
Arman stepped forward again.
"And you think the people will accept that?"
Nafisa did not answer.
Instead, she picked up one document from the table.
She lifted it slightly.
"Have you read everything?"
Iskandar narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
Nafisa pointed to another document on the table.
"The last page."
Lara looked at the document open before her.
She flipped through several pages.
And then—
her eyes stopped on one line of writing.
Her breath caught.
Iskandar approached.
"What is it?"
Lara pointed to the writing with a trembling finger.
The name written there was very clear.
Lara Valenoria.
Below that name was a long note about the royal bloodline.
And one sentence that made her blood feel frozen.
The rightful heir to the throne.
The room fell silent.
Kadir read the writing too.
His eyes widened.
"This..."
Arman stared at Lara with a shocked expression.
Iskandar also seemed speechless.
But Nafisa only smiled.
As if this was the moment she had been waiting for.
"Now you understand."
She stepped closer.
"Why I let you find this room."
Lara stared at her with eyes still full of confusion.
"What does all of this mean?"
Nafisa stopped a few steps from the table.
Her eyes did not leave Lara.
"Because, Princess..."
Her voice was soft.
But every word was heard very clearly.
"...this game was never just about power."
Her smile grew thinner.
"It's about who truly has the right to the throne."
And for the first time that night—
Lara realized that she might be in the middle of a secret far larger than she had ever imagined.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ᨶ႒ᩚ°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
The archive room felt more silent than before.
All eyes were fixed on the document open on the table.
That name was still clearly visible on the ancient page.
Lara Valenoria.
And below it was written a sentence that shook everything.
The rightful heir to the throne.
Lara stared at the writing for a long time.
As if her mind refused to accept what she was seeing.
"This is impossible..."
Her voice was almost a whisper.
She lifted her gaze towards Nafisa.
"You forged this document."
Nafisa smiled faintly.
"If I wanted to forge it... I wouldn't keep it in the oldest royal archive."
She pointed to the tall shelves around the room.
"Most of the documents here date from before your father was born."
Arman walked closer to the table.
He took the document carefully.
His eyes traced the writing, line by line.
His expression changed.
"This... is genuinely a royal record."
Iskandar looked at him.
"Arman?"
Arman nodded slowly.
"The ink, the seal, even the writing style..."
He took a heavy breath.
"...everything is authentic."
Kadir looked at Lara with an unreadable expression.
"That means..."
He paused for a moment.
"...you're not just a princess."
Lara felt her heart beating faster.
"No."
She shook her head.
"This doesn't make sense."
Nafisa stepped closer.
Her steps were slow, but full of conviction.
"This kingdom has many secrets, Lara."
She stood by the side of the table.
"Your father was not the first king to hide something from his people."
Lara stared at her sharply.
"Stop talking as if you know everything."
Nafisa looked directly into her eyes.
"Because I do."
Silence enveloped the room again.
The oil lamps on the walls flickered softly.
Their shadows moved faintly among the shelves of old documents.
Iskandar finally spoke.
"If this document is real..."
He looked at Nafisa.
"...why are you showing this to us?"
The question hung in the air.
Nafisa did not answer immediately.
She walked slowly around the table.
Her fingers touched the edge of the open document.
"Because the truth has a very interesting power."
She stopped in front of Lara.
"You want to know who you really are."
Lara clenched her fists.
"I already know who I am."
Nafisa shook her head slowly.
"No."
Her eyes were sharp.
"You've only just begun to find out."
Arman looked at another document on the table.
He opened the next page.
His eyes suddenly widened.
"There's something else here."
Everyone turned.
Arman read the writing slowly.
"A note about... the royal bloodline."
He swallowed.
"And a secret order from the previous king."
Iskandar approached.
"What order?"
Arman read the final sentence in a low voice.
"If the true heir is found..."
He paused.
His eyes moved to the next line.
"...the throne must be returned to the rightful blood."
The room fell silent again.
Kadir looked at Lara.
"So that's why."
Lara frowned.
"Why what?"
Kadir turned towards Nafisa.
"Why she hasn't killed you."
Nafisa smiled faintly.
"Prince Kadir is always quick to understand things."
Iskandar hardened his voice.
"Explain."
Nafisa looked at them one by one.
"If I killed Lara now..."
She pointed to the document.
"...I would only create a martyr."
She walked slowly towards the door.
"But if the entire kingdom knows who she truly is..."
Her eyes returned to Lara.
"...then the game of power changes completely."
Lara stared at her angrily.
"You want to use me."
Nafisa shrugged.
"Every great change needs a symbol."
Iskandar stepped forward.
"You're not leaving this room."
The guards at the door immediately raised their weapons.
Tension filled the air.
Arman reached for his sword.
Kadir also prepared himself.
But Nafisa only smiled thinly.
"If I wanted to fight..."
She glanced at the six guards behind her.
"...I would have brought more people."
Iskandar narrowed his eyes.
"Then why did you come?"
Nafisa opened the door a little wider.
Cold air from the corridor entered the archive room.
"Because tonight is only the beginning."
She paused at the threshold.
"The full moon is only three nights away."
The sentence made Arman tense immediately.
"The royal ceremony..."
Nafisa nodded.
"All the nobles will gather in the main hall."
She looked at Lara one more time.
"And on that night..."
Her smile slowly reappeared.
"...this kingdom will know who the true heir to the throne is."
Iskandar stepped forward.
"Stop!"
But Nafisa had already turned.
Her guards moved to follow.
In just a few seconds—
they had vanished into the dark corridor.
The old wooden door closed again with a soft sound.
The archive room fell silent once more.
Lara still stood in front of the table.
Her eyes were fixed on the open document.
That name felt so much heavier now.
Iskandar looked at her with concern.
"We have to inform the king immediately."
Kadir shook his head.
"No."
Arman turned to him.
"Why?"
Kadir stared at the document on the table.
"Because if Nafisa is right..."
He looked at Lara.
"...then this secret could destroy the kingdom before we have a chance to stop it."
The oil lamps flickered again.
Their shadows moved slowly on the walls.
And for the first time since all of this began—
Lara realized something terrifying.
Their enemy might not be just Nafisa.
But also the truth about the throne itself.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ᨶ႒ᩚ°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･