*Chapter Ten: The Edge of Betrayal*
The palace corridors were quiet but heavy with unspoken suspicion. Every glance felt loaded, every whisper a potential trap. Maya moved through the halls with cautious determination, the weight of the conspiracy pressing down on her like a vice.
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In the council chamber, she faced the trusted few—the ones who'd pledged loyalty. Their eyes, however, held shadows, and Maya knew some secrets remained hidden beneath their calm facades.
"We have little time," she began. "The traitor's closer than we think. We need to act fast."
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Cassian's jaw tightened. "But how do we identify who's deceiving us when the lies are layered so deeply?"
Ash spoke quietly but firmly. "We watch, we wait, and we test them."
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Maya nodded, formulating a plan that balanced subtlety with boldness. She would draw out the betrayer, forcing their hand without exposing her own.
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Meanwhile, the absence of Talia gnawed at her resolve. Each moment the girl remained captive tightened the knot in Maya's chest.
That evening, during a private meeting with her closest allies, Maya revealed a risky tactic—planting false information to lure the enemy into revealing themselves.
"It's dangerous," Cassian warned, "but it might be the only way."
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As they prepared, Maya wrestled with the realization that not everyone around her could be trusted—including those she once held dear.
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Outside, the kingdom simmered with unrest. Rumors of rebellion and betrayal fed the growing unrest among the nobility and commoners alike.
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Back in her chambers, Maya stared at her reflection in the mirror. The woman looking back was a far cry from the naïve girl who had once dreamed of a simple life.
She was a fighter—a villainess rewriting her own fate.
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The night deepened, shadows lengthening, as the trap was set.