Chapter 36 – Shadows in the Veil
Grayhaven's night air was heavy with torchlight and chatter. Keal and Valenys walked quietly through the cobbled streets until they reached the inn the adventurers had recommended. A humble place, two floors, smelling faintly of roasted meat and spilled ale.
Inside, the innkeeper gave them rooms without suspicion.
When they entered the chamber, Valenys immediately dropped to one knee at the foot of the bed, head bowed low in silent devotion.
Keal stared at her, expression unreadable. "…Valenys. What exactly are you doing?"
"My place is at your feet, my king," she said firmly, her crimson eyes unwavering.
A silence hung in the air. Keal raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the bedframe. "You expect me to sleep while you kneel there like a statue?"
Her answer was immediate. "Yes."
He exhaled slowly, suppressing the faintest smirk. "No." He patted the space beside him. "Sit. That is an order."
Valenys hesitated, then moved closer. She sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, like a soldier ready to spring into battle. The space between them was almost nonexistent.
"…Closer than I intended," Keal muttered dryly.
Valenys tilted her head. "Did I misinterpret, my king?"
He gave her a side glance. "Apparently." His voice softened slightly. "Relax. Not every order is a battlefield."
For a moment, her fierce exterior faltered. She lowered her shoulders, almost human, though the fire in her eyes never dimmed.
It was then that the mark of Astrili burned faintly on Keal's hand. Her voice echoed directly in his mind.
"My king. The training of the new fighters is complete. They will be ready for battle soon."
"Good," Keal replied calmly. "For now, keep watch on the kingdom. Do not let their banners fool you—what hides behind them may be sharper than their swords."
Astrili acknowledged with a soft hum before fading.
Not long after, shadows stirred in the corner of the room. A cold voice slipped from the darkness.
"My king," Nyx whispered, her figure melting into form. "I have searched the noble halls and the royal bloodlines… and I have found something."
Keal's eyes sharpened. "Speak."
Nyx lowered her head. "Not all of the royal families are loyal to themselves. Something—someone—is pulling the strings from behind. I could not yet determine how many are bound to this power, but their whispers run deep."
The silence in the room was chilling.
Keal leaned forward, fingers steepled. "So the roots run beneath the crown."
Nyx nodded. "Yes, my king."
For a long moment, Keal's thoughts were distant. His mind drifted back to the strange woman he once encountered—the one who had warned him: "The royals are not what they seem. When the time comes, you will choose… save them, or let them burn."
Valenys turned toward him. "What will you do, my king? Crush them now? Or wait?"
Keal's lips curved faintly, a shadow of amusement at her directness. "Neither. We will walk among them."
He stood, his dark cloak shifting like smoke. "Tomorrow, I take a position as a scholar within their prestigious academy. Knowledge is the gate through which kings and nobles invite strangers. With Valenys at my side as my assistant, we will thread ourselves into their trust."
Valenys arched an eyebrow. "You—a teacher?"
His cool tone never faltered. "Every kingdom bows to a different god. In this one, it is knowledge. Let us see what they reveal to a humble historian."
Nyx's smirk was hidden beneath her shadows. "And if they learn who you are?"
Keal's gaze was sharp, cold as the void. "Then their city will become their grave."
That Night
As they prepared to rest, Astrili's mark pulsed again, more urgent this time.
"My king. We have received information. You must return to the castle soon. There is… something you must see."
Almost at the same instant, Nyx's tone darkened.
"My king… I discovered something else. The power behind the royals—it is old. Older than the kingdoms themselves. And it is not human."
The room's air grew heavier, shadows curling at the edges.
Keal's eyes narrowed as the memory of the woman's cryptic warning returned in full force. The choice she spoke of was no longer distant.
Save them… or let them be destroyed.
He closed his eyes, leaning back against the bedframe, the weight of the decision pressing but never breaking him.
"…It seems," he whispered, voice smooth and chilling, "that this kingdom will show me more entertainment than I expected."
And with that, the room fell to silence, only the faint sound of the city outside reminding them of the fragile world that still believed it was safe.
End of Chapter 36