Time slowed.
The dagger spun violently through the air, its silver blade catching the fractured sunlight pouring through the stained-glass windows.
Gasps erupted across the Great Hall.
"Your Majesty!" someone screamed.
But Seraphina did not move.
Not because she was frozen by fear—
…but because years inside the royal court had taught her something dangerous:
Panic kills faster than steel.
Just as the blade neared her throat—
A figure stepped between them.
CLANG!
The dagger struck metal instead.
Master Thorne.
The royal strategist stood before the queen with a drawn sword, the impact forcing him half a step backward. The dagger ricocheted across the marble floor, skidding beneath the council table.
Chaos exploded instantly.
Guards surged forward.
Nobles scattered in terror.
Several ministers shouted contradictory orders while soldiers seized Eveline before she could escape.
"Release me!" she screamed, struggling violently.
But the fear in the room had already changed.
Moments ago, Eveline had still possessed influence.
Now she looked like a cornered traitor.
Seraphina remained perfectly still atop the throne steps, though her pulse thundered beneath her calm expression.
Not from the attack.
From the words.
Why do you think your father chose you now?
Those words echoed louder than the screams surrounding her.
Alaric grabbed Eveline's arm roughly. "Have you lost your mind?!"
Eveline laughed.
Actually laughed.
And the sound chilled everyone.
"You still don't understand," she whispered.
"Enough," Seraphina said coldly.
The hall fell silent immediately.
Even restrained, Eveline's eyes burned with strange confidence.
Seraphina descended the steps slowly until she stood directly before her.
"Take her to the royal dungeon."
Eveline smirked. "You should kill me instead."
"Why?" Seraphina asked calmly.
"Because dead enemies keep secrets better."
That answer unsettled even Master Thorne.
Seraphina studied her carefully.
There was fear in Eveline's face.
But beneath it…
certainty.
As if she believed something worse was coming.
The guards dragged her toward the doors.
But before disappearing from the hall, Eveline turned once more.
And spoke the words that shattered the remaining calm inside Seraphina's chest.
"The late king was never protecting the throne…"
Her smile widened.
"He was protecting you."
The doors slammed shut behind her.
Silence consumed the chamber.
No one spoke.
No one breathed.
Because suddenly the question hanging in the air felt far more dangerous than treason itself.
What secret had the dead king hidden?
Hours later, rain battered the palace windows like ghostly fingers.
The council had been dismissed.
The nobles had fled.
Rumors were already spreading through the kingdom.
Attempted assassination.
Treason within the court.
The queen under attack.
But Seraphina cared about none of it now.
She stood alone inside the late king's private library.
A chamber untouched since his death.
Dust covered the shelves.
Ancient maps lay scattered across enormous wooden tables.
Candles flickered weakly against the darkness.
And standing near the fireplace—
Master Thorne watched her carefully.
"You believe her words," he said quietly.
Seraphina did not answer immediately.
She traced her fingers across the spine of an old royal journal.
"My father kept secrets from everyone," she finally replied.
"Kings often do."
"But not like this."
She turned toward him sharply.
"When he died, why was I crowned immediately?"
Master Thorne's silence lasted too long.
And Seraphina noticed.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You know something."
The strategist looked away briefly.
That alone was answer enough.
"Master Thorne."
His jaw tightened.
"There were… concerns before the king's death."
"What concerns?"
"The king believed the throne was in danger."
Seraphina frowned. "From rival kingdoms?"
"No."
His eyes met hers.
"From inside the royal bloodline."
The room suddenly felt colder.
Rain thundered against the glass.
Seraphina stepped closer slowly. "Explain."
Master Thorne hesitated carefully, as though each word carried consequences.
"Your father discovered evidence shortly before his illness worsened."
"What evidence?"
He looked directly at her.
"That someone within the royal family was not who they claimed to be."
Seraphina's breath caught slightly.
A hundred possibilities flashed through her mind.
"No," she whispered. "Impossible."
"The king ordered a private investigation," Thorne continued. "Only three people knew."
"And now?"
"One is dead."
"The second?"
Thorne's expression darkened.
"Missing."
A pulse of unease traveled through Seraphina.
"And the third?"
Master Thorne bowed his head slightly.
"The third is standing before you."
Lightning flashed outside.
For one terrifying moment, the entire library illuminated in white light.
And Seraphina realized something horrifying.
Her father had not rushed her coronation out of love.
He had done it out of fear.
Then—
A loud crash echoed somewhere deep inside the palace.
Both Seraphina and Thorne turned instantly.
Voices shouted in the distance.
Running footsteps followed.
Then a guard burst into the library, breathless and pale.
"Your Majesty!"
"What happened?"
The guard looked terrified.
"The prisoner…"
His voice shook violently.
"Lady Eveline is gone."