CLANG!
The first deep bell of the Imperial Palace echoed through the Grand Ballroom.
CLANG!
A second ring closely followed.
The enormous crystal chandeliers suspended from the vaulted ceiling trembled faintly, scattering fragments of golden light across the polished marble floor.
The orchestra fell dead silent. Conversations withered one by one. Hundreds of nobles turned in unison toward the raised imperial platform.
At the center of it all sat Emperor Rhysand. His dark imperial robes were embroidered with intricate silver threads, and the crown atop his head gleamed beneath the chandeliers. Beside him sat the Empress, her expression unreadable as she surveyed the sea of aristocrats.
To their left was the Second Prince and First Born Princess.
Callistius and Aurora.
To their right was the Crown Prince.
Adrian.
And right beside him — Rosearia.
She could feel the weight of their eyes. So many eyes. Some curious. Some suspicious. Some openly hostile. Rosearia fought the urge to sigh.
So much for staying unnoticed.
Aldric, standing a short distance away, looked like he was having the time of his life. He had been smirking ever since they entered the hall.
He definitely knows something.
Rosearia narrowed her eyes at him.
CLANG!
The third bell sounded.
Emperor Rhysand rose from his throne. Immediately, every noble in the room lowered their heads in respect.
"Honored guests." The Emperor’s voice boomed across the vast expanse of the hall. "Tonight, the Imperial Palace opens its doors to celebrate the prosperity and unity of our great Empire."
Polite, rhythmic applause filled the room. Rosearia clapped along. Once. Twice. Then she stopped, lowering her hands.
That’s enough.
"We welcome representatives from the northern territories, the Suncrest Kingdom, the border packs, and the noble houses who have traveled from every corner of the Empire," Emperor Rhysand continued, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "This gathering is more than a simple celebration. It is a reminder that our strength does not lie in a single throne, a single kingdom, or a single bloodline."
Several nobles nodded in solemn agreement.
Then Emperor Rhysand offered a tight smile. "Tonight, we will also witness the strengthening of one of the Empire’s most vital alliances."
Rosearia’s eyes flicked toward Adrian. He didn’t react. Not even a flinch.
Beside him, however, Princess Hazel’s smile widened. The Princess of Suncrest had clearly been waiting for this exact moment. Her golden gown shimmered beneath the lights as she stepped forward, her chin held high. Whispers immediately rippled through the crowd.
Hazel glided toward the center of the platform and curtsied gracefully. "Your Majesty."
Emperor Rhysand nodded. "Princess Hazel."
Turning toward the audience, Hazel projected her voice, sweet as honey — and twice as thick. "Tonight is a joyous occasion for both Suncrest and the Imperial Family. It has long been known that our nations share a bond of deep loyalty and mutual respect."
"Shared a bond?" Rosearia almost smirked. "What an elegant way to spell ’political transaction.’
"And it is my greatest honor," Hazel announced, her voice rising, "that this bond shall soon become one of blood."
The ballroom erupted into a frenzy of hushed speculation.
Hazel turned toward Adrian, her eyes softening into a practiced expression of devotion. "The Crown Prince and I have been promised to one another for many years. And tonight, before the eyes of the entire Empire, I pray that our marriage alliance will finally be formally recognized."
Silence descended. For one breathtaking second, nobody dared to breathe.
Then — applause. The nobles began to clap, some with genuine enthusiasm, others simply following the herd.
Rosearia studied Adrian. He hadn’t moved a muscle. His expression was a stone wall.
Hazel’s smile grew triumphant. She took a step toward him and extended her delicate, gloved hand. "Your Highness... shall we?"
Adrian looked down at her hand. Then at the Emperor. Then, calmly, he laced his hands behind his back.
"No."
The applause died instantly. Hazel’s expression froze. Somewhere in the crowd, a noble choked on his breath.
Oh.
Aldric covered his mouth, but Rosearia could clearly see his shoulders shaking with laughter behind his fingers.
Adrian’s tone remained utterly flat. "I have no intention of marrying Princess Hazel."
Dead silence. Absolute. Suffocating.
Hazel stared at him, her voice dropping to an insecure whisper. "Your Highness..."
"I believe I made my statement clear," Adrian repeated evenly. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
Emperor Rhysand’s face darkened. "Adrian." The single word rattled with an imperial warning.
Adrian turned to face his father. "Father."
"You would refuse a royal marriage alliance in front of our honored guests?"
"I am refusing a marriage," Adrian corrected smoothly. His gaze cut back toward the crowd. "I am not refusing an alliance."
A wave of low murmurs rippled through the ranks.
Emperor Rhysand’s jaw tightened. "Do you understand what your words imply?"
"Yes."
"Then perhaps you understand the consequences."
Adrian’s icy-blue eyes hardened. "I do."
Hazel’s hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Her regal facade was cracking, her voice trembling with suppressed fury. "Is there a reason, Your Highness?"
Adrian looked at her coldly. "I simply do not wish to marry you."
Gasps echoed across the hall.
"How shameless..." someone whispered from the crowd.
"The Crown Prince cannot simply discard the High Princess of Suncrest like this!" another hissed.
Rosearia stood quietly beside Adrian, feeling the heavy pressure of an impending political disaster.
Suddenly, Hazel’s sharp eyes whipped around, locking onto her.
Here it comes.
"Is it because of her?" Hazel spat the words as she pointed a trembling finger straight at Rosearia.
The room went dead quiet once more.
Rosearia blinked and pointed at herself. "Me?"
Hazel let out a bitter, mocking laugh. "Who else?!" She swept her eyes over Rosearia with total disdain. "She appears out of nowhere, possesses no family name, holds no noble standing — yet the Crown Prince rejects a royal engagement the moment he brings her into the palace!"
The aristocrats seized on the scandal, their murmurs growing louder.
"She’s the unknown woman from earlier..."
"Didn’t His Highness introduce her as his personal guest?"
"Just who is she?"
Hazel’s gaze cut into Rosearia like a blade. "Perhaps Your Highness should explain to everyone why this... woman is so important."
Adrian’s aura turned dangerously lethal. "Choose your next words carefully, Princess."
Hazel stiffened at the threat, but pushed on. "I merely asked a question!"
"And I answered it."
Rosearia observed the clash with quiet fascination. Adrian wasn’t even pretending to consider Hazel. That meant one of two things. Either he truly didn’t care about the diplomatic fallout — or he had a card up his sleeve that no one else knew about.
I should look into this later.
"Enough!" Emperor Rhysand’s command crushed the noise in the room. His stern gaze pinned Adrian down. "You are my son and the Crown Prince of this Empire. But you will not humiliate our guests under my roof."
"I haven’t humiliated anyone."
"You rejected a royal engagement before the entire Empire!"
"I rejected an engagement I never agreed to in the first place."
A few older lords audibly sucked in their breath at the insubordination.
Aldric finally let out a quiet snort of laughter. It wasn’t loud, but in the dead silence, it carried effortlessly.
The Emperor snapped his eyes toward him. "Is something amusing, Duke Aldric?"
Aldric offered a smooth, effortless smile. "Not at all, Your Majesty. I simply admire the Crown Prince’s... refreshingly direct honesty." He flicked a mocking glance toward Hazel.
Emperor Rhysand raised a hand, cutting off the Duke, before turning his imposing presence onto Rosearia. "And you."
Rosearia straightened her spine. "Your Majesty?"
"Who are you?"
Hundreds of eyes locked onto her again.
Rosearia offered a flawless, polite smile. "Rose."
"That is not what I asked."
"I am afraid that is all I remember," she replied smoothly.
"Convenient," Hazel spat.
Rosearia turned to face her, tilting her head. "Is something wrong, Princess?"
"You expect us to believe that mindless lie?"
"I don’t expect anything," Rosearia said with a gentle, terrifyingly calm smile. "I merely answered the question."
Hazel opened her mouth to tear into her, but paused. Something in Rosearia’s serene eyes chilled her to the bone. She couldn’t tell if the woman was genuinely clueless — or secretly mocking her from an untouchable height.
Rosearia turned back to the Emperor. "If Your Majesty wishes to dig deeper into my identity, I am afraid you will have to ask my family."
"And who might that be?" the Emperor demanded.
Rosearia smiled. "They are known as the Dark Triad."
She said it proudly, as though announcing the names of royalty.
Hazel looked ready to scream. "This is absurd!" She turned toward her father, the ruler of Suncrest. "Father! Are you truly going to stand by and allow this insult?!"
The King of Suncrest — a tall, imposing man with streaks of silver running through his dark hair — had remained silent the entire time. Now, he slowly stood.
"My daughter," he said softly.
"Father, look at them—"
"Enough." The King’s voice held the weight of absolute authority. He glanced toward Adrian, then met Emperor Rhysand’s eyes. "Perhaps tonight is not the proper time to finalize a marriage that one party clearly refuses to enter," the King stated calmly.
Hazel stared at her father in sheer betrayal. "Father—!"
His gaze snapped toward her, cold and stern. "Do not embarrass Suncrest any further."
Hazel’s lips parted in shock. Her face burned with humiliation, but under her father’s glare, she lowered her head. "...Yes, Father."
Rosearia took mental note of the interaction. "Interesting." The King of Suncrest was completely unbothered. He wasn’t surprised by Adrian’s rejection at all — which meant he had anticipated it.
Definitely something to remember.
Suddenly, the orchestra struck up a grand, sweeping melody, breaking the suffocating tension.
Emperor Rhysand slowly took his seat back on the throne. "Let the celebration begin."
Gradually, the nobles fell back into their routines. The political storm was pushed beneath the surface, masked once more by loud music, fake laughter, and flowing wine.
Rosearia let out a soft exhale.
Adrian leaned in slightly toward her, his voice low. "Are you all right?"
She looked up at him. "I’m fine."
"You’ve been staring at everyone."
"I was observing."
"Why?"
She offered a small smile. "Because everyone in this room seems to be hiding a secret."
Aldric glided over, stepping beside them. "Finally, someone who understands!"
Rosearia glanced at the Duke. "You seem particularly entertained tonight."
"I am."
"Why?"
Aldric’s grin widened, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Because tonight just became infinitely more interesting—"
SHING!
A razor-sharp sound sliced through the music.
Rosearia’s eyes snapped wide. Something was cutting through the air — fast. Unbelievably fast. A silver blur flashed beneath the light of the crystal chandeliers, speeding toward Adrian in a deadly trajectory.
Straight for his neck.
Before her conscious mind could process the threat, Rosearia’s body moved. Her hand shot forward like lightning.
SNAP!
The deadly projectile came to a dead halt — clutched firmly in her bare palm.
Silence instantly reclaimed the ballroom, thicker and more total than anything the marriage rejection had managed to produce.
Horror washed over the crowd.
Rosearia stared down at the lethal steel arrow trapped between her fingers.
Then, very slowly...
She looked up.
Every noble, knight, and royal in the ballroom was staring at her in absolute shock.