The palace of Everhart pulsed with a strange energy. It wasn't the usual bustle of servants and courtiers. This was different. Wherever Andy looked, he saw silver-rose sigils stitched discreetly into sleeves, nobles whispering Kayla's name with reverence, and servants bowing deeper when she passed.
It was as though the walls themselves bent toward her.
Andy clenched his jaw as he watched a maid place fresh lilies along the corridor. Not Everhart lilies, but roses—Kayla's symbol. "Too fast," he muttered. "She's weaving herself into every corner."
Nia read reports sprawled across her desk, her brow furrowed. Each parchment carried the same message in different words: loyalty shifting. Nobles who once toasted to her name now wrote praises of Kayla. Some even called her Everhart's true blessing.
"She doesn't fight us openly anymore," Nia said, voice cool but tight. "She doesn't need to. She's pulling strings, and every noble thinks they're acting by their own will. They don't even realize they've already been tied in her web."
Her fingers tightened on the edge of the parchment. "Even Father… spoke of her today. He called her a gift."
Andy's chest burned. "Then what do we do? If the House itself bends toward her—"
"We don't bend," Nia snapped. Then her voice softened. "We outplay her. We'll weave something stronger: truth. Strength. Bonds forged in fire, not honeyed words."
She reached for his hand across the table. For a moment, the storm in her eyes gave way to vulnerability. "But I'll need you with me. If she twists you again—"
Andy squeezed her hand tightly. "I won't break. Not now. Not ever."
The bells chimed, calling them to the morning council.
---
The council chamber glittered with gold, the long table lined with lords and advisors. But Andy hardly saw them. His gaze fixed on the figure at the head of the chamber.
Kayla.
Draped in pearl-white silk, she stood like a vision of purity. Her smile was serene, her eyes shimmering with warmth. Yet the way the room leaned toward her—the hushed awe, the reverent silence—sent a chill through Andy.
When she spoke, her voice was soft, yet it carried to every corner. "My lords, my ladies, I came not to divide, but to heal. Everhart has always been strong, but now we face storms that demand unity. And unity, I believe, begins here."
The chamber hummed in agreement.
A duke raised his goblet. "Well said, Lady Kayla. Truly, your presence here feels like providence."
Another nodded. "If the gods favor us with such grace, should we not embrace it?"
Nia's grip on her staff tightened. She rose smoothly, her gown flowing like silver fire. "Grace without trial is illusion. Unity is not given, it is earned. If we chase every glow, we will blind ourselves."
Kayla turned, her eyes shimmering with sorrow. "I would never wish to replace what is already sacred. But hearts are not bound by rules, Lady Nia. Sometimes, they remember truths that the mind cannot."
The nobles sighed. Some even smiled tenderly. Andy felt the weight of her words pressing into his chest—sweet, aching, almost believable. He shook his head sharply, forcing himself to focus on Nia.
Nia stepped closer to the table, her gaze sweeping the chamber. "Then let trial decide. Not illusions. Not honeyed words. When darkness comes, we will see whose bonds endure."
The words struck like a blade. Whispers erupted, some in awe, others doubtful.
Kayla's smile never faltered. She placed a hand delicately over her heart. "Then let me stand with you, Nia. Not against you. Together, we could make Everhart shine brighter than ever before."
For a heartbeat, the chamber was silent. Even Andy's chest wavered. The offer sounded so perfect, so flawless.
But when Kayla's eyes flicked toward him—soft, longing, almost pleading—he felt the frost beneath the honey. He gripped Nia's hand, lifting it for all to see. His voice rang loud and clear:
"Unity without truth is a lie. I choose Nia—not because of politics, not because of rules, but because she is my truth."
The chamber gasped. Nobles shifted, some scandalized, others whispering fiercely. A few looked at Andy as if he had just defied the heavens themselves.
Kayla's serene mask never broke. She smiled, sorrowful, as if wronged by fate. Yet Andy saw it—the faint crack of frost glinting in her crystal eyes.
The System thundered in his mind:
> [Bond Progression: 127% → 130%]
Public declaration reinforced.
Rivalry confirmed.
Warning: Divine interference escalating.
The council resumed, but the air had shifted. Loyalties had fractured, whispers had sharpened, and Kayla's presence lingered like a perfume too sweet to breathe.
The war of shadows had begun.
---