"And you," Theron said, his voice steady, "as a Violet… will sit on that throne."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto hers.
"With me."
A pause.
"As my wife—when I become King of Tarvisium… and Durand."
His eyes searched hers, intensely, as if trying to uncover something buried deep within—greed, ambition, desire… any spark that might align with his vision.
But Amara remained still.
Unmoving.
"You have been a Crown Princess for far too long, Amara," he continued, his tone softening just enough to resemble persuasion. "It is time for you to become a queen."
His words lingered between them, heavy with promise.
Or perhaps—
With expectation.
As if he believed that somewhere within her, there existed a part that would want this.
That would accept it.
"No… never," Amara said, her voice trembling despite her resolve. "I will never betray my own kingdom."
"Betray?" Theron repeated, a faint smile touching his lips. "Who says you are betraying it?"
He leaned back slightly, his tone smooth, almost persuasive.
"You would simply be claiming what is rightfully yours."
Amara shook her head, her hands tightening at her sides.
"That throne belongs to Seraphina," she argued, her voice steadier now, clinging to reason. "If you wish to take over Durand, you could marry her. She carries Violet blood as well."
For a moment, Theron said nothing.
Then—
"You are right," he admitted calmly. "I could have chosen Seraphina."
His gaze shifted.
"But then…"
He gestured lightly toward Kai.
"…what would become of the promise I made?"
All eyes followed the motion.
Kai sat still, his gaze lowered to the marble table, his expression unreadable.
"To grant him justice," Theron continued, his voice quieter now, yet no less firm. "To avenge his mother."
The air grew heavier.
And though Kai did not speak—
His silence said enough.
"What revenge are you talking about?"
Amara's brows drew together, confusion clouding her expression as she looked between them. The tension in the room pressed against her, making it harder to breathe.
Her gaze lingered on Kai.
There was something in his silence… something heavy, unresolved.
And for a brief moment—
It felt as though she had stepped into a story far older than her own.
Kai's voice cut through the stillness.
"She should see it for herself."
His brows drew together, his tone firm, leaving no room for argument.
"Then she'll understand."
He rose from his seat.
The movement was quiet, yet it drew every eye in the room. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the door opposite the one Amara had entered through.
He opened it.
And stepped out.
Beyond it stretched a magnificent hall.
One by one, the men stood, their chairs scraping softly against the floor as they followed him without hesitation.
Amara remained where she was for a brief moment.
Watching.
Trying to make sense of everything.
Then her gaze drifted past the doorway.
The hall was nothing like she had expected.
And suddenly—
She remembered the gates she had passed earlier.
From the outside, everything had looked old… rusted… forgotten.
But inside—
It was entirely different.
Like stepping into a hidden world.
A place disguised as ruin—
Yet built like a small, beautiful castle.
And now…
She was being led deeper into it.
Braylon's towering figure stepped in front of her, his presence overwhelming—completely at odds with the fragile space Amara felt trapped within.
She didn't even notice him approaching.
Not until—
His hand closed around her arm.
Cold.
Unyielding.
The sudden force sent a sharp jolt of pain through her body, stealing the breath from her lungs. His grip was iron-like, firm enough to make it clear—
There was no escaping it.
Amara's eyes widened, shock quickly giving way to anger.
"Let go of me!" she hissed, her voice low but fierce as she tried to pull away.
She twisted, struggled, pushed against him with what little strength she had left.
It wasn't enough.
Braylon didn't even react.
His hold remained steady, unmoved by her resistance.
Pain flared where his fingers pressed into her already bruised skin, forcing a quiet gasp past her lips. Her breath grew uneven, her chest rising and falling too quickly.
Her pulse raced.
Every nerve in her body screamed in protest.
But Braylon—
Did not loosen his grip.
Braylon's face remained unreadable, his cold demeanor untouched by her struggle. When she tried to pull away, his grip only tightened, sending a sharp wave of pain through her arm—enough to make her head spin.
For a fleeting moment, it almost felt as if he took pleasure in it.
But then—
There was something else in his eyes.
Not cruelty.
Not enjoyment.
Something colder.
Something necessary.
He wasn't doing this for himself.
He was following orders.
Doing what had to be done.
Yet Amara couldn't understand that.
All she felt was the pain—
And the growing dread of why she had to be dragged into whatever dark scheme they were planning.
After walking for several minutes, they arrived at a massive brown gate that loomed like a silent sentinel.
Its surface was worn, marked by time and age, the wood etched with faint cracks and fading patterns. Without hesitation, Kai stepped forward and retrieved a golden key from his pocket. It caught the dim light for a brief moment before he slid it into the lock.
Click.
The sound echoed softly.
With a slow creak, the heavy gate opened, revealing the unknown beyond.
One by one, they stepped through.
Amara lingered.
Her heart pounded against her chest as she stared at the threshold, her hesitation clear. Something about the place felt wrong—too quiet, too still.
Then she stepped forward.
The air that met her was cold.
Unnaturally cold.
It seeped into her skin, sending a faint shiver down her spine. She had expected an empty hall—but the way the wind moved through the space, low and hollow, made it feel anything but empty.
It felt…
Occupied.
Even in its silence.
As she stepped fully inside, darkness swallowed her whole.
The chamber was pitch black—thick, suffocating, almost alive. The air turned colder with each passing second, biting against her skin and sending a sharp shiver down her spine.
Amara tensed.
The silence was overwhelming.
All she could hear was the faint rhythm of her own breathing… and the quiet creak of the old structure settling around them.
And in the next moment—
The chamber shifted.
Moonlight spilled through a nearby window, sharp and silver, cutting through the darkness like a blade. It spread across the room in a pale glow, pushing back the shadows as if they had never belonged there.
The space revealed itself.
Clear.
Unhidden.
And far more real than before.
Amara blinked, her eyes slowly adjusting to the light.
Unexpectedly it was a vast, luxurious chamber.
Rich tapestries draped the walls.
Elegant furniture stood arranged with careful precision.
Everything spoke of wealth.
Of power.
But more than anything—
It was the sheer scale of the room that struck her.
Her gaze shifted instinctively toward the source of the light.
The window.
And then—
She saw it.
A portrait.
Hanging beside the window.
Perfectly framed by the silver light.
Amara froze.
There was something about it.
Something wrong.
It was the only object in the room that seemed… alive.
Her breath slowed, her body going still as her eyes locked onto it.
As if pulled by something unseen.
And no matter how hard she tried—
She couldn't look away.
She stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat as she tried to process what lay before her. The world around her seemed to blur, the air growing heavy with an unspoken tension.
Then—
She noticed him.
Kai stood just beyond the threshold, his back straight, his posture rigid. He faced the portrait with an intensity that made her heart pound.
He wasn't just looking at it.
He was… confronting it.