The crowd erupted into applause, with some guests bowing deeply. A middle-aged man stepped through the grand doors, his wife at his side and his children a respectful step behind. The king advanced onto the balcony until he reached the railing; the entire hall was spread out before him.

  He slowly scanned the room with his eyes. Then he raised one hand.

  The applause faded, and silence rolled through the hall like a held breath.

  The king lowered his hand and smiled warmly.

  "Good evening, my dear guests," he began. "We—"he gestured to his family beside him—"welcome you to this ball. It is our honor to celebrate this festival with you, and we hope that the coming year will be one of harmony and peace for our empire.”

  He lifted the crown he held and presented it to the hall.

  "This symbol is my inheritance," he continued, his voice steady. "But it is also a promise to my people. It is a promise that I will never allow anything to disturb the well-being of this empire. That is what this crown stands for. That is why it exists.”

  He placed the crown back on his head, opened his arms slightly, and smiled once more.

  “So enjoy yourselves,” he said. "Look forward to our celebration at the turn of the year, as we do every year."

  With that, he turned and descended the stairs with his wife. Instantly, nobles gathered around him, voices eager, faces alight, seizing the rare chance to speak with a king who seldom appeared in public.

  The hall soon returned to its former rhythm of laughter, music, raised glasses, and easy conversation.

  Only Kael remained still.

  His gaze lingered on the king’s retreating figure, his brow furrowed.

  I thought he would be different, Kael admitted to himself.

  Of course, the king could not show his true self to the public. Kael understood that. Yet, the warmth in his voice and the calm authority in his posture hadn’t felt false.

  It hadn’t felt like a mask.

  Kael grimaced slightly.

  Odd.

  Kael was startled when someone tugged on his sleeve. He turned around and saw Lia standing beside him, worry etched into her face.

  "Everything alright?" she asked quietly. "You've been standing there ever since the king arrived."

  Kael blinked, then smiled faintly. "Yes, I was just moved by his speech. And his presence. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him in person.”

  Lia nodded, her expression softening. "I know what you mean. I’ve only seen him a few times, but whenever he speaks, I feel safe.”

  Kael nodded in agreement, though something inside him remained unsettled. "Let's go back to Zaros," he said, eager to change the subject.

  She agreed, and together, they left the dance floor.

  On their way back, Kael felt it. As if an unmistakable weight was pressing against his back. He turned slightly and met two gazes.

  The Prince and the Princess were watching him.

  Kael frowned.

  The prince's stare was cold but not as he had expected. There was no fury or jealousy, only disdain. It was the same look he would give to any commoner who dared step too close to a world that was never meant for them.

  The princess, however, lingered longer with her gaze. Measuring. Possessive. It was like someone studying something he already owned, merely deciding which cage would suit it best.

  Kael’s unease deepened. He quickened his pace, gently guiding Lia through the crowd until the press of bodies swallowed them from view.

  After refilling their glasses, they returned to Zaros, who was still leaning against the wall where they had left him.

  He burst into laughter the moment they joined him. "That was incredible," he announced, slapping his thigh. "You should've seen the nobles' faces! I swear, some of them were about to combust.”

  Kael chuckled, and Lia joined in. Soon, all three of them were laughing together—easily, unguardedly, and familiarly.

  Time slipped by unnoticed.

  Kael spent it talking with Zaros and Lia, drinking, eating, and affectionately mocking the nobles including Zaros’s father and Lia’s parents. For a while, the weight in his chest eased.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  He didn’t notice Cassandra speaking with her parents near the king.

  He didn't notice how often their gazes drifted toward him.

  It was only when Zaros was in the middle of recounting a disastrous date, complete with exaggerated gestures and dramatic pauses, that Kael glanced up.

  Cassandra was approaching them.

  She had a composed posture and wore the familiar polite smile she showed to the world.

  But this time, Kael sensed something beneath it.

  Zaros fell silent the moment he noticed Kael and Lia stop laughing. He turned around, his eyes widening slightly. He took an instinctive step back, positioning Cassandra before all three of them.

  She let her gaze drift briefly over Zaros and Lia before making a flawless curtsy, her dress gliding smoothly over the floor.

  "Lord Lorne, Lady Ashenrose," she said politely. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

  Zaros waved a hand dismissively. "You don't have to be so formal. We're all students here."

  Cassandra smiled serenely. "Then I suppose I should say that I wanted to meet you in a more personal way." Her golden eyes shifted to Kael, lingering for a moment longer than necessary. "You are his closest friends, after all. I hope we will grow accustomed to one another."

  Kael met her gaze, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

  Lia, however, frowned. "Why should we?" she asked sharply. "This is nothing more than a political arrangement between the two of you and one that only applies to tonight."

  Cassandra tilted her head and rested her fingers lightly against her cheek. Her expression softened into something that looked like compassion but wasn't.

  "Jealousy," she mused. "A rather unpleasant emotion. But I can understand it when it comes to him.”

  The words landed like a slap.

  Lia’s eyes widened. Kael and Zaros stared at Cassandra in disbelief.

  "Wait, that's going too far—" Kael began, lifting a hand.

  But Lia didn’t explode. Instead, she stepped forward, still a head shorter than Cassandra, but with straight posture and a steady, resolute expression.

  “So what?” Lia said calmly. “I don’t deny my feelings. Even if he can’t return them, I know one thing for certain: he will always be there for me.” Her gaze hardened as she looked at Cassandra. "You, on the other hand, are only standing beside him because you know how to exploit his kindness."

  For the first time, Cassandra’s composure wavered.

  Her eyes narrowed; she was clearly caught off guard by the confidence of the girl she had dismissed as overly emotional.

  Kael exhaled quietly. Watching them argue over him felt wrong. Unnecessary and humiliating.

  Before he could step in, Cassandra leaned closer to Lia and whispered something in her ear.

  Lia froze.

  Her breath hitched. Her hands began to tremble.

  Slowly, she looked up at Cassandra, tears forming in her eyes. "That can't be true," she whispered, her voice fragile and on the verge of breaking.

  Cassandra straightened, her polite smile firmly back in place. "You know it is."

  Kael and Zaros stared, rooted to the spot by shock.

  Without another word, Lia turned and ran, pushing past guests and disappearing through the exit of the grand hall, her skirts rustling.

  Zaros’s expression darkened instantly.

  "I'm going after her," he told Kael, his voice tight with anger. Then he turned to Cassandra, his gaze sharp. "This isn't over. You owe us an explanation.”

  With that, he followed Lia out.

  Kael remained where he was, watching them vanish into the crowd. His face was calm—controlled—but inside, something twisted violently, threatening to tear free.

  He turned back, and the moment he saw Cassandra’s smile, something in him snapped.

  He grabbed her by the shoulders, shoving her back against the wall hard enough to make the stone bite into her spine but not hard enough for anyone nearby to notice.

  "Why?" he hissed, his voice low and trembling with restrained fury. Their faces were only inches apart. “Why are you ruining everything?”

  Cassandra’s smile vanished.

  In its place settled something cold. Distant. Calculating.

  "I know you're working with the rebels," she said quietly.

  His heart sank at her words.

  "I know you met them in the Outer District."

  Kael staggered back a step, his breath catching. His thoughts scattered.

  “What—how?” he stammered.

  She studied him, unimpressed. “Do you truly think I’m a fool?”

  She stepped closer, lowering her voice even further. "Your behavior. Your movements. Your refusal to bow to what this empire calls 'order.' It was all there.” Her eyes sharpened. "At first, it was only suspicion."

  She paused.

  "I didn't return home during the holidays."

  Kael’s eyes widened.

  “I stayed,” she continued calmly. “At the academy. Disguised. Watching.” Her gaze never left his. "I did exactly what you did. I helped with preparations, blended in, and stayed invisible. The difference is that I never let myself be seen."

  She leaned in, her lips close to his ear.

  "For days, you did nothing. I almost dismissed the thought." A breath. "Then you entered the administrative building at night and only reappeared once the students were allowed inside."

  She straightened slightly. "There must be a hidden passage in the basement. One that leads outside the academy."

  Her eyes met his.

  “Am I wrong?”

  Kael forced himself to breathe. Slowly. Carefully.

  "You have no proof," he said at last. "Only assumptions."

  Cassandra shrugged. "Perhaps."

  Then her tone hardened.

  "But assumptions can be tested." She tilted her head. "I could have Augs arrested." His shop could be searched. Even the most carefully hidden passageway can't survive explosives from the Motarith mines." There was a pause. "The king would be very interested in putting down this rebellion if someone showed him how."

  Kael said nothing.

  She didn’t know about tonight. That was the only reason he was still standing.

  He swallowed. “Then why?” he asked. “Why didn’t you expose me?”

  For the first time, something in Cassandra cracked.

  Her fingers tightened in the fabric of her dress. "Because I don't know who to trust anymore," she said quietly.

  She looked away. “All my life, I was told the rebels murdered my sister. My parents— My family. Everyone.” Her voice faltered. "And I believed them."

  She shook her head slowly. "But now, it doesn't make sense. None of it does.”

  She looked back at him, her eyes burning. "I need the truth. I need to know who killed her."

  Kael’s anger ebbed and was replaced by something heavier.

  "I understand," he said softly.

  Then, his frustration returned. “But why this?” He gestured sharply around them. “The lies about the prince? What you said to Lia? Us? This whole charade."

  Cassandra exhaled and let out a quiet, humorless laugh. "Because everyone else was too easy," she said lightly. Seeing his expression, her tone shifted. "And because it was necessary."

  She stepped closer again. "You will understand at midnight."

  She brushed a light, almost mocking kiss against his cheek.

  "So don't even think about leaving before then," she murmured. "Or I may reconsider my mercy. Is that clear, my dear?"

  Before he could answer, she turned away, already smiling again and perfect, melding back into the crowd as if nothing had happened.

  Kael remained where he was, his back against the wall and his pulse hammering, while the music resumed, glasses clinked, and the ball continued.

  Everything was unraveling.

  And the theft hadn’t even begun yet.