Princess Seraphina couldn't sleep.
She sat beside the enormous window of her chambers, staring over Aurelis.
The palace was silent.
But her mind wasn't.
Every few minutes, she heard it.
That voice.
Quiet.
Distant.
Yet impossible to ignore.
"Seraphina."
She stood.
"Who's there?"
Nothing.
She walked toward the mirror.
Her reflection stared back.
Then the voice returned.
"Turn around."
Seraphina turned.
Nobody.
Her heart began beating faster.
"Show yourself."
Silence.
Then—
"Kneel."
Her knees suddenly weakened.
She dropped.
Her eyes widened in terror.
"What..."
The door burst open.
Two royal guards rushed inside.
"Your Highness!"
Seraphina looked at them.
"I'm fine."
The guards hesitated.
"Are you certain?"
"Leave."
They obeyed.
The door closed.
Seraphina remained on the floor.
She understood something now.
Someone had entered her mind.
But how?
She hadn't seen anyone.
Nobody had touched her.
Nobody had threatened her.
Then she remembered the drink.
The strange feeling.
The voice.
Her eyes widened.
Across the city, Elias stood in the abandoned apothecary.
Seydric, Kael, and Lyra stood around the table.
"So," Kael said, "we succeeded."
Elias didn't answer.
Lyra watched him.
"Didn't we?"
Elias looked at the black book.
"Yes."
Seydric frowned.
"You don't sound convinced."
"I'm convinced."
"Then what's wrong?"
Elias slowly looked toward the palace.
"The king."
Kael's expression changed.
"What about him?"
"He hasn't reacted."
Silence.
Lyra understood first.
"You think he knows?"
"I think he suspects something."
Seydric crossed his arms.
"Then why hasn't he done anything?"
"Because he's waiting."
Elias looked at the maps.
"And so am I."
Inside the palace, the king stood alone in his study.
King Aldric Valemoor stared through the window.
He had ruled Dregmoore for twenty-three years.
He had survived wars.
Rebellions.
Assassination attempts.
Political conspiracies.
He knew how power worked.
And tonight...
Something had changed.
His daughter had behaved strangely.
The royal intelligence division had reported several unusual movements throughout the palace.
Nothing significant.
Nothing they could prove.
But Aldric felt it.
Someone had touched his kingdom.
Someone had entered his palace.
Someone had reached his daughter.
He turned toward the shadows.
"Find them."
A royal intelligence officer bowed.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"And don't alert the princess."
The officer hesitated.
"Why?"
The king's expression hardened.
"Because if someone has managed to reach my daughter..."
He looked toward the palace windows.
"...I want to know what they intend to do with her."
Meanwhile, Seraphina remained alone in her chamber.
The voice returned.
"Stand."
She stood.
"Open the door."
She did.
She walked into the corridor.
Two guards immediately approached.
"Your Highness?"
Seraphina looked at them.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then—
"Leave me."
They hesitated.
"But—"
Seraphina looked directly at them.
"Leave."
They obeyed.
She walked through the palace.
Nobody stopped her.
Nobody questioned her.
Because she was the king's daughter.
And nobody realized that the greatest weapon Elias had planted inside the royal palace wasn't a weapon at all.
It was a person.
A person with access.
A person with influence.
A person who could walk through places Elias never could.
Seraphina reached the palace balcony.
She looked into the darkness.
"Are you there?"
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then Elias's voice entered her mind.
"Yes."
She shivered.
"Who are you?"
Silence.
Then:
"Someone who wants to show you the truth."
Seraphina's expression hardened.
"What truth?"
Elias looked toward the palace from the distant rooftop.
He could see the golden towers.
The royal banners.
The walls separating the privileged from everyone else.
He smiled faintly.
"Not yet."
Seraphina heard him.
"What?"
"You will learn when you're ready."
The connection faded.
Seraphina stood alone beneath the moonlight.
And somewhere far away, Elias folded his maps.
He had accomplished what he wanted.
He hadn't conquered a city.
He hadn't defeated an army.
He hadn't killed a king.
He had done something far more useful.
He had placed a piece on the board.
And the king didn't even know what game they were playing.
Elias looked toward the black book.
For once...
It whispered only one word.
"Good."