He stood silently next to a much shorter man who introduced himself as Lord Vikar Varek.
I needed to know his name.
Who was he?
I was about to turn away when something flashed next to the tall man.
Another skinny man, standing near the Violet banner… he wasn't supposed to be there. He looked anxious, shifting from one foot to the other, darting his eyes around nervously.
And right beside him stood the widow, Lady Nysha.
Her silver-like hair fell just beneath her long ears, and her face was so familiar, like someone I knew.
My eyes snapped back to the skinny man.
Sweat was glistening across his forehead, and his dark eye sockets made him look haunted.
Something was wrong with him. Then I saw his hand dipping into his pocket.
He pulled out a knife.
"Look, behind you!" I shouted, pointing directly at him.
Every head in the court turned toward me instead.
"No, not me! Him!" That's when I realized I had interrupted the ceremony, not helped it. But it was too late to care.
The skinny man let out a guttural cry and lunged at the silver-haired woman.
"Arghh!!"
Everything happened fast.
The tall man who had been watching me finally tore his gaze away. He dashed forward in three powerful strides, slapping the knife from the man's hands.
The knife slipped from the attacker's hand and clattered loudly to the floor.
Lady Nysha stumbled back in shock.
Without further ado, the tall, beautiful man grabbed the attacker by the neck, lifting him effortlessly to deliver a blow to his forehead.
The skinny man went still.
The room buzzed with panic.
Members of House Evermoor scattered behind their lady, guards reached for their swords, and gasps filled the hall.
"There's an assassin in court!" someone barked.
General Loric in full army regalia appeared like smoke. "Everyone, to the inner courtroom. Now."
He pointed toward a massive brown gate—thick enough that even fifteen men would struggle to break it down.
I looked up at the banister and saw my mother and brother were already gone, no doubt rushed into the throne room where they'd be safe behind locked doors.
Typical for royals to save themselves first before wondering what happened to the rest of us.
Evangra appeared at my side, sounding urgent. "We need to find you a chair."
"Couldn't you just stay quiet for once?" Nephroma hissed under her breath. "Now everyone's attention is on us."
"I think they're more focused on Lady Nysha," I muttered. "She was nearly murdered in front of the entire court."
Syrr clicked her tongue. "This place is dangerous."
"With the King's sudden death, what did you expect?" Nephroma shook her head. "I pity the Queen."
But I didn't. Not one bit. If this could happen right under her nose, then she was more than capable of defending herself. Or worse, maybe she didn't care.
Suddenly, someone cleared their throat behind us. It was a young woman.
Syrr pulled out her knife without hesitation.
The woman flinched and took a step back. "I mean no harm!"
Syrr bared her teeth. "State the reason for your presence at once."
"I was sent by someone," the woman stammered. "They wish to remain anonymous, but they asked me to extend their thanks. Whatever you need, I've been instructed to provide it."
Evangra didn't miss a beat. "Great. We need a wheelchair."
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/-Unknown-/
Lord Nysha clutched her necklace with shaky hands. She had almost been killed. What would happen to her house if she were slaughtered like a rat in court?
Her gaze flicked toward Lord Vikar, who was now scolding Malric, his guard.
Lady Nysha closed her eyes. When she opened them, the fright was gone. She should've known Lord Vikar wanted her dead.
"Lady Nysha, I was worried about you."
Lady Nysha froze. Was that the Queen's voice she heard behind her? She turned immediately, bowing her head. "Queen Isolde…" Her eyes flicked toward the Black Throne. "You're not on the throne."
The Houses had all entered the inner courtroom, but General Loric wasn't stupid.
His men thoroughly searched anyone who didn't belong to the noble families. Every outsider was scrutinized before being let in.
Queen Isolde's face was unreadably blank. Even when she tried to smile at her distant cousin's show of concern, her lips didn't move.
"Someone tried to kill you in my court, and you're worried about me?"
Lady Nysha was a little lost for words. "It's an honor to be acknowledged by the Queen herself."
Queen Isolde nodded. "Watch how justice is delivered on your behalf. Let this serve as a warning to those who killed my husband and still think they can hide behind silence." With that, she turned and began walking toward the Black Throne.
As she passed, everyone bowed.
The girl in the wheelchair, who had been quietly fascinated by everything and everyone, felt a little sick. Her life had always been hell… just in different shapes and sizes—but this was new.
An assassin in the court.
It made her suspicious of even the nobles standing beside her. With her head still bowed, she noticed the deep black and silver cloak trailing the ground in front of her.
The Queen was passing.
But then, Queen Isolde stopped. Right in front of a young girl in a wheelchair.
The chair bore the raven insignia, faint but still there… only one person ever had access to that chair. And that person was dead. Queen Isolde swallowed hard and continued toward her throne without a word.
"All hail Queen Isolde Raventhorn, Mother of All Kingdoms."
"All hail Prince Cedric Raventhorn, Prince Heir to the Throne."
"All hail Prince Daemon, Prince of the Castle Court."
A hush fell. The murmurs died slowly as Queen Isolde, and her two sons sat.
Up close, she was no less striking. Sharp high cheekbones. Small, focused eyes. On anyone else, those eyes might've seemed too small, but on her, they made everything else look colder.
It wasn't her beauty that caught attention, it was the way her eyes never showed emotion. No one could tell what she was thinking. And that, more than anything, unsettled Lady Nysha.