The entire hall was staring at Kael.
Nobles in fancy clothes. Ladies with painted faces. All the bastards who used to bow to his father.
Now they were here to watch him fall.
Kael stood at the bottom of the steps, fists clenched. His cousin Julian sat in his father's chair like he belonged there.
"Kael Voss," Julian called out. "Get up here."
Kael climbed. Each step hurt.
Julian looked perfect. Perfect hair, perfect smile. The kind of face people trusted.
Kael wanted to break it.
"Closer," Julian said.
Kael stopped a few steps down.
"You know why you're here," Julian said.
"To watch you steal my birthright."
The crowd gasped. Julian's smile got wider.
"Steal? Strong word." Julian stood. "Let me tell you what happened. Your father died three months ago. Hunting accident, right?" He looked at the crowd. "Except we all know the truth. He killed himself."
Kael's jaw clenched.
"Drowned in debt. Shamed by his own failures. Too weak to face reality." Julian walked down the steps. "And you think you should inherit his mess? You're eighteen years old and useless. The Council agreed with me. You're unfit."
The nobles laughed.
Julian picked up a silver medallion from the throne. Kael's family crest. The one his father wore every day.
"Here's the deal," Julian said. "Kneel. Swear loyalty. Stay as my ward. Or refuse and leave with nothing."
Everyone waited.
Kael looked at the crest in Julian's hand.
"No."
Julian raised an eyebrow. "No?"
"Go fuck yourself."
Julian's hand cracked across Kael's face before he could blink. Pain exploded through his skull. Then Julian grabbed his hair and yanked down hard.
Kael's knees hit the marble. The impact sent shockwaves up his legs.
"There we go," Julian said, breathing hard. "This is where you belong."
Kael tasted blood. The nobles watched like it was entertainment. Some looked uncomfortable but nobody moved.
"Look at him," Julian told the crowd. "The last true Voss. On his knees where he belongs." He leaned close. "Should've taken the deal, cousin."
Julian stood and put the family crest around his own neck.
Something dark twisted in Kael's chest. Not anger. Not hate.
Pure murder.
He wanted Julian dead. The thought didn't scare him.
It felt right.
"Guards," Julian called.
Two armored men grabbed Kael and hauled him up.
"Take him to the gates. Strip him of everything valuable." Julian smiled. "It's raining outside. What a shame."
They dragged Kael through the hall. Nobles looked away. Lady Ashford, who'd been his mother's friend, had tears in her eyes.
But she said nothing.
The doors opened to pouring rain and thunder.
"Wait," Julian called.
Kael felt a flicker of hope.
"Give me his ring."
The hope died.
A guard twisted the silver ring off Kael's finger. His father's ring from his sixteenth birthday.
The guard brought it to Julian. Julian held it up, then dropped it casually into his wine glass.
"Better. Get him out."
They threw Kael into the rain. He stumbled, soaked instantly. Behind him, the doors of Voss Hall slammed shut.
Kael stood there staring at the closed doors.
Lightning flashed. In that brief light, he saw three figures in dark cloaks near the gate.
Assassins.
Of course Julian wasn't done. He wanted Kael dead.
The smart move was to run.
Kael was done being smart.
He walked forward toward the cloaked figures.
They moved to intercept.
The rain poured harder. Lightning split the sky.
Kael Voss walked into the darkness with nothing left to lose.
* * *
END OF CHAPTER 1