The palace ballroom glittered beneath hundreds of floating crystals.
Music echoed through the enormous chamber.
Nobles laughed.
Wine flowed.
Servants moved between tables.
At the center of it all stood Princess Seraphina.
The king's daughter.
She was surrounded by guards.
Elias watched from somewhere far beyond the palace walls.
He didn't need to be inside.
Not yet.
"Seydric."
A whisper came through the crystal.
"You're approaching the western corridor."
Kael walked calmly through the palace.
"Three guards."
"Two."
Kael glanced ahead.
"Three."
"The third isn't a guard."
Kael narrowed his eyes.
A man in noble clothing stood near the corridor.
He was watching everyone who passed.
"Royal intelligence?"
"Yes."
Kael's hand moved toward his sword.
"Don't."
Kael stopped.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Walk past him."
"He'll recognize me."
"Exactly."
Kael understood.
He walked forward.
The intelligence officer looked at him.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, Kael expected an alarm.
Instead, the officer simply looked away.
Kael continued walking.
"Why didn't he react?"
Elias answered.
"Because I made sure he had a reason not to."
Kael stopped.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
A pause.
"I simply gave him a more important problem."
At that exact moment, shouting erupted from the eastern wing.
The officer immediately turned and hurried away.
Kael smiled.
"You're becoming annoying."
"I've been told."
Lyra moved through the servants' corridors.
Nobody noticed her.
That was the advantage of being invisible.
She carried a tray containing crystal glasses.
One of them contained the Veil Seed.
Her target was only a few meters away.
Princess Seraphina.
Lyra entered the ballroom.
Then stopped.
The princess's personal attendant was standing beside her.
The woman inspected every drink before Seraphina touched it.
Lyra looked at her tray.
Then at the attendant.
Then at Seraphina.
"Problem," she whispered.
Elias answered immediately.
"I know."
"How?"
"I expected her."
Lyra smiled.
"Of course you did."
The attendant approached.
"You. Bring that tray here."
Lyra obeyed.
The woman examined every glass.
One by one.
Then she stopped.
"This one."
Lyra's heart skipped.
The attendant picked up the glass containing the Veil Seed.
She stared at it.
Lyra waited.
The woman suddenly handed it back.
"Take this to the eastern table."
Lyra blinked.
"What?"
"The princess doesn't drink from that glass."
Lyra looked at the glass.
Elias spoke.
"Don't move."
Lyra waited.
"Why?"
"Because she just saved us."
Lyra frowned.
"How?"
"Look at the glass she's carrying."
Lyra watched.
The attendant had accidentally taken the wrong glass.
The princess's original drink was now in her hand.
Lyra smiled.
"That wasn't part of your plan."
"No."
"So you're finally admitting something went wrong?"
"Yes."
Lyra waited.
"Then what?"
Elias answered calmly.
"Now we use the mistake."
Lyra understood.
She followed the attendant.
A servant bumped into the woman.
The glass fell.
It shattered.
Everyone looked.
Lyra immediately stepped forward.
"I'll replace it."
The attendant nodded.
Nobody questioned her.
Lyra took another glass.
The Veil Seed was already in her hand.
She poured the drink.
Walked toward the princess.
And placed the glass in her hand.
"Your drink, Your Highness."
Seraphina smiled politely.
"Thank you."
She drank.
Lyra walked away.
The moment she reached the servants' corridor, Elias spoke.
"Done."
Lyra exhaled.
"That was too close."
"No."
"What?"
Elias's voice became quieter.
"It was exactly close enough."
Far away, Seraphina placed the glass down.
She suddenly felt a strange sensation.
Like something had awakened beneath her skin.
She looked around.
Nobody seemed to notice.
Then a whisper entered her mind.
"Seraphina."
Her eyes widened.
She looked toward the ballroom doors.
Nothing.
The whisper came again.
"Listen."
She froze.
Meanwhile, Elias stood on the rooftop.
The wind moved around him.
He looked toward the palace.
"Phase two complete."
But he wasn't smiling.
Because something had changed.
The book inside his coat had begun whispering.
And this time...
It wasn't speaking to him.
It was speaking to her.