Chapter 23: The King's Banquet of Lies
The dining hall of the Royal Palace was suffocatingly silent. A massive, intricately carved round table sat in the center, laden with the finest meats and wines of the Empire. Enoki sat stiffly in his chair, his eyes fixed on the plate in front of him. Directly across from him sat King Ziro, his golden hair shimmering under the chandelier. Beside the King, Enoki's mother—the Queen—sat quietly, her eyes darting nervously between her husband and her son.
Ziro took a slow sip of wine, his yellow eyes piercing. "Listen to me, Enoki. This is the last time I'm telling you: stay out of my way."
Enoki didn't look up. "I'm not in your way. I haven't said a word to you."
"Your 'sympathy' for my brother and sister—Ren and Hana—needs to end," Ziro hissed, slamming his glass onto the table. "You have no business being kind to them. And above all, Ren must never find out that I am his brother."
Enoki finally looked up, a bitter smile twisting his face. "Brother? What kind of brother leaves his family to rot? You became the King and left them behind to die. What kind of elder brother are you? You even have spies following me like I'm a criminal."
"I did what was necessary for the Crown!" Ziro roared.
"Is that what you call it?" Enoki stood up, his chair screeching against the marble floor. "Let's talk about what's 'necessary.' You sent the Ferals to the village where Ren and Hana lived. You wanted everyone dead—your own mother, father, brother, and sister. You orchestrated the massacre so you could sweep in with your Vaners, kill the Ferals, and play the hero. The public calls you a God for 'saving' that village, but they don't know you're the one who burned it down."
The Queen gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Enoki, please..."
"And Hana!" Enoki continued, his voice echoing through the hall. "She was turning into a Feral because of your poison. Ren and I spent more than 30 Vers (days) fighting for her life. We bled for her while you sat on this throne, waiting for her to die. And even now, you're still hunting them."
"ENOUGH!" Ziro's Vane energy flared, cracking the wine glasses on the table. "Get out! Get out of my sight before I forget you are my blood!"
The Queen stood up, her voice trembling but firm. "Both of you, stop! Ziro, our son has finally come to visit us after so long, and all you can do is talk about your dark secrets? Enough of this madness!"
Enoki turned away, his cape swirling behind him. "Don't worry, Mother. I'm leaving. But remember this, 'My King'—the truth has a habit of coming out of the shadows. And when Ren finds out what you did... your throne won't be made of ice anymore. It'll be made of your own regrets."