"Where do you think the attacks came from?"
Emperor Rhysand’s voice cut through the stifling quiet of his private study.
He glared across the mahogany table at Duke Aldric, who was sitting cross-legged on an armchair, casually popping sweet grapes into his mouth as though the palace hadn’t just survived a bloody, barrier-shattering assassination attempt.
Aldric chewed slowly before offering an innocent shrug.
"I haven’t the slightest idea, Your Majesty."
Rhysand’s expression turned thunderous.
"Then what do you know?"
"That whoever planned the assault knew the palace grounds better than your own Royal Guard," Aldric replied softly, his playful tone dropping into something far colder.
Adrian stood near the hearth, leaning his broad back against the heavy desk. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, his jaw set in a hard line.
"They weren’t mindless mercenaries. Every movement was calculated to maximize chaos."
"Obviously," Rhysand snapped, pulling the ink-stained reports closer.
Adrian’s dark gaze scanned the parchment.
"Three shadow-blades. Three high-value targets."
Aldric stopped chewing.
"The Emperor."
Adrian pointed a gloved finger to the second section.
"Me."
Then to the third.
"And Rose."
A suffocating silence descended over the room, broken only by the quiet crackle of the hearth fire.
"This assault leaves only two possibilities," Rhysand said, his voice dropping into a low rumble. "Either an outside force has spent years mapping this palace..."
"Or someone sitting at your inner table sold the royal family out," Aldric finished softly.
The air in the room instantly grew heavy.
Adrian’s pupils contracted.
"An insider..."
"And there is one more anomaly," Aldric added, tapping his finger against his knee.
"The assassin sent after Rose."
Adrian’s head snapped toward him, his aura surging with sudden, volatile magic that made the mana-lamps flicker.
"What about him?"
"He was different from the other two."
Rhysand raised an eyebrow.
"Different how?"
"I observed the clash," Aldric explained, his eyes darkening. "The strike sent at you, Adrian, was meant to decapitate. The strike sent at the Emperor was laced with instant dark poison."
He paused.
"But the assassin targeting Rose..."
Aldric’s gaze sharpened.
"His movements weren’t designed to kill her."
Adrian’s knuckles turned white against his arms.
"Then what was he doing?"
"He was probing her."
Rhysand slowly leaned back.
"Explain."
"He was testing her reactions. Forcing her to dodge. Measuring her speed and balance."
Aldric’s fingers tapped against his knee.
"Every time she shifted, he altered his stance to draw out another response."
Silence gripped the room.
Rhysand stared at him.
"You believe an assassin was sent into a high-stakes palace raid simply to test a supposedly fragile girl?"
"I’m saying it didn’t look like an execution," Aldric countered. "It looked like an evaluation."
Adrian said nothing.
But his mind immediately raced back to the bloody floor of the grand ballroom.
Rose catching a lethal arrow with her bare hand.
Rose moving faster than elite Imperial Knights.
Rose stepping between a blade and Princess Hazel without hesitation.
Rose wielding a sword as though she had done it a thousand times.
And then...
That absurdly sweet, innocent expression she had worn afterward.
As if she had suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be helpless.
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
"She is hiding something," he muttered.
"Obviously," Aldric drawled. "The girl unleashes lethal combat instincts while wearing a ballgown, then faints."
Rhysand looked between them.
"Do either of you believe that girl is connected to the conspirators?"
"No."
Adrian’s answer came instantly.
"I believe she is a target of whoever is operating in the shadows. But she possesses memories and combat instincts she refuses to reveal."
"A dangerous game for her to play," Rhysand declared.
He rose from his seat.
"Regardless, I will not allow shadow factions and hidden identities to cripple this Empire."
He placed both hands against the table.
"Tomorrow morning, I will officially announce to the High Council that the position of Crown Prince is open to competition."
Adrian’s expression hardened.
"Father..."
"Five eligible candidates will be named."
A faint, humorless smile curved Adrian’s lips.
"You actually listened to my stepmother’s scheming."
Rhysand ignored the comment.
"Rumors of instability are already spreading through the noble factions. You know the weight of the throne, Adrian."
His voice hardened.
"You have taken your position for granted because of your birthright. That ends now."
Adrian’s eyes darkened.
"You are opening my title to vultures?"
"I am opening it to a trial of worthiness," Rhysand corrected coldly. "If you are worthy to rule this Empire, then prove it."
He looked directly at his son.
"Crush the four who dare stand against you."
Rhysand slid a piece of heavy parchment across the table toward Aldric.
"Duke Aldric."
Aldric instantly straightened, his playful aura vanishing.
"Your Majesty?"
"Investigate this crest."
Aldric’s golden eyes swept over the intricate black crest.
"Dig until you find the throat of whoever wears it," Rhysand ordered. "Quietly. If the High Council realizes an unknown faction has infiltrated the capital, panic will paralyze the courts."
Aldric folded the parchment and slipped it smoothly into his inner coat pocket.
"Consider it done."
"Dismissed. Both of you."
Rhysand rubbed his temples.
Aldric rose from his chair.
Adrian followed.
As they stepped out of the Emperor’s private study, the heavy doors closed behind them.
The corridor outside was silent save for the rhythmic clacking of their boots against the polished marble.
The Prince was radiating an aura so icy it practically froze the air around him.
"You’re terribly quiet."
Adrian continued walking.
Aldric grinned.
"And don’t lie. You’re not thinking about the throne right now."
Adrian stopped dead in his tracks.
"Aldric."
"I haven’t even said her name yet."
"Your face said it."
Aldric burst into a rich laugh that echoed through the corridor.
"You’re getting entirely too easy to read, Adrian."
Adrian resumed walking at an aggressive pace.
"Drop it."
"You didn’t deny it."
Aldric caught up effortlessly.
Then, for once, his expression became serious.
"All jokes aside... Do you trust her?"
Adrian slowed.
They reached the grand balcony overlooking the Imperial gardens.
Moonlight spilled across the marble railing.
Adrian stared into the darkness below.
"I trust that she isn’t my enemy."
Aldric waited.
Adrian’s expression hardened.
"But she is hiding truths that could destroy her..."
He paused.
"...or us."
Aldric’s playful smile disappeared.
"Then we’d better find those answers before someone else does."
Adrian glanced at him.
Aldric sighed.
"Come on. Let’s head back to the fortress."
* * *
Deep within the inner sanctuary of the Imperial Palace, Empress Giana’s dress rustled softly as she glided down the moonlit corridor toward her son’s quarters.
Without knocking, she pushed open the heavy doors of Prince Callistius’s room.
The chamber was dimly lit by a single mana-lamp.
Callistius stood motionless beside the floor-to-ceiling window, his tall silhouette bathed in pale moonlight as he stared out over the sprawling capital.
"What occupies your thoughts, Callistius?"
Callistius turned sharply.
A charming smile appeared on his lips.
"Mother."
He glanced at the open doorway.
"I didn’t hear you come in."
"You didn’t even hear the door."
Giana walked farther into the room.
"What if an assassin slipped inside intending to kill you?"
Callistius smiled.
"Then I should be grateful that you aren’t an assassin."
Giana gave him a look.
"That is not the point."
Callistius chuckled.
"Mother, what brings you to my room?"
He turned fully toward her.
"Because I’m certain you didn’t come here simply to scold me."
"You’re right."
Giana’s expression became serious.
"Your father has made his move."
Callistius’s smile disappeared.
"About Adrian?"
"Yes."
She walked toward the desk.
"Tomorrow morning, he will officially announce that the position of Crown Prince is open to five candidates."
Callistius’s eyes darkened.
Giana looked directly at him.
"And I expect you to be ready."
Callistius’s smile widened.
"I am."
Giana’s gaze fell upon a folded piece of parchment resting on his desk.
Curiosity flickered across her eyes.
She picked it up.
"What’s this?"
Before Callistius could answer, she unfolded it.
Her expression changed.
A detailed charcoal sketch of a young woman stared back at her.
Giana’s brows knitted.
"Who is this girl?"
"The woman I intend to court."
Giana slowly lifted her eyes.
"You?"
"Yes."
"You actually have someone you like?"
Callistius laughed softly.
"Is that so difficult to believe?"
"Very."
Giana looked back at the portrait.
"Her name?"
"I don’t know..."
Giana’s eyes narrowed.
"She looks familiar... she is from that disgraced family."
"Her family background is irrelevant."
Callistius stepped closer.
"She caught my interest."
"Callistius, courtship and marriage are not things to be taken lightly."
"I know."
"You need someone with a powerful standing. Someone who can strengthen your position."
"Someone like Princess Hazel?"
Giana nodded.
"Exactly." Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Callistius’s expression remained calm.
"Mother, I know what I’m doing."
His voice lowered.
"Investigate her first."
He held her gaze.
"After that, if you still believe she is unsuitable, I’ll listen."
Giana studied her son.
There was no hesitation in his eyes.
He had already made his decision.
Finally, she folded the portrait and slipped it into her sleeve.
"Very well."
Giana turned toward the door.
She paused.
Then looked back at him.
"But remember, Callistius..."
Her voice became quieter.
"People rarely step into the Imperial Palace without a motive."
Callistius’s smile faded slightly.
"I am well aware."
Giana left.
The door closed behind her.
Callistius returned to the window.
His eyes drifted toward the distant lights of the capital.
And despite his mother’s warning, one thought remained stubbornly lodged in his mind.
Her.
He didn’t understand why.
But he wanted to see her again.
* * *
Back at the Dark Triad Fortress, the heavy atmosphere had settled into an unusual calm.
Anthony stood perfectly still near the grand entrance hall, his silhouette dark against the obsidian pillars and the black marble fountain at its center.
Rosearia sat on the couch, waiting for Adrian and Aldric. Asmodeus had slipped away earlier, leaving her all alone.
"They have arrived," Anthony said.
"How do you know they’re approaching already?" Rose asked.
He bowed his head respectfully. "My species possesses exceptional auditory senses, Lady Rosearia." He paused, his eyes glittering slightly. "I can hear the cadence of Duke Aldric’s footsteps from quite a distance."
Rosearia blinked. "That is... oddly useful."
Anthony nodded. "I have found it so."
Rosearia got up from the couch and quickly went to open the door.
Aldric stepped through first.
The moment his golden dragon-eyes landed on Rosearia, his brooding expression shattered into heat.
"Rose!"
Before Rosearia could react, Aldric scooped her off her feet, his powerful arms wrapping around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest in a tight, possessive embrace. The searing dragon heat radiating from his body soaked straight through her clothes, sending a flush down her neck.
"Aldric!" Rosearia gasped, her hands resting against his broad shoulders as she struggled slightly. "Let go! I can’t breathe!"
"I missed you terribly," he growled low, burying his face against the sensitive curve of her neck, inhaling her scent like a man starving. "Hours without seeing you is an eternity."
Rosearia couldn’t help laughing, though her heart pounded against her ribs at his closeness. "You are being ridiculous."
"I know."
Then a voice like frost came from behind them.
"Put her down."
Aldric slowly turned his head, his arm remaining firmly locked around Rosearia’s waist.
Adrian stood just inside the doorway. His posture was impeccably calm, but the air around him had grown thick and heavy with suppressed aura. His dark eyes were fixed with lethal intensity on the exact spot where Aldric’s hand gripped Rosearia’s hip.
Aldric’s grin slowly widened, sharp and taunting. "Why?"
"Because you’re crushing her."
Rosearia blinked, her voice breathy. "I’m not being crushed..."
Adrian ignored her completely. "Aldric."
"Fine." Aldric stepped back just enough to set her feet on the ground, though his thumb lazily brushed against her hip before he let go. He leaned toward her ear, his hot breath tickling her skin. "Someone seems jealous."
"I heard that," Adrian said coldly.
"What is wrong with the two of you?" Rosearia asked, looking between them.
"Nothing," Adrian said.
Rosearia narrowed her eyes. She didn’t believe either of them.
Adrian walked toward her. Every movement was slow, calculated, and terrifyingly magnetic. Rosearia’s breath hitched as the Crown Prince closed the distance, his overwhelming presence trapping her between him and the fountain.
"Adrian?"
He stopped directly in front of her, so close she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. For a moment, he said nothing.
Then his hand rose. His long, calloused fingers gently touched her cheek, sliding down to frame her jawline with a possessiveness that made her skin tingle.
Rosearia froze. The warmth of his palm against her skin made her heart stumble wildly.
"You frightened me." His voice was low, devoid of his usual royal composure.
Rosearia stared at him, pinned under his dark gaze. "I didn’t mean to."
"I know." His thumb slid over her cheek and lightly brushed her bottom lip, pulling it down just enough to reveal the flash of her teeth before resting there. "That’s what makes it worse."
Her breath caught, her lips tingling where his thumb lingered.
Adrian’s gaze remained locked onto hers as his hand lowered, his fingers trailing down her throat, over her collarbone, until they barely touched the fabric covering her injured arm.
"You saw that arrow coming," he whispered, his voice dropping to a harsh rasp. "And you caught it."
His fingers tightened slightly around her wrist, pulling her hand up until her palm was pressed flat against his chest. Beneath her fingertips, his heart was hammering at a frantic, wild pace.
"You saved Hazel. And then you fought an assassin." His dark eyes burned into hers, swirling with an emotion that set her blood on fire. "And I couldn’t reach you fast enough."
Something in his expression changed. For the first time, Rosearia saw something beneath the Crown Prince’s untouchable exterior.
Fear. Real, desperate fear.
"Adrian..."
His fingers laced through hers, trapping her hand against his heart. "Don’t do that again."
Rosearia tried to smile, her breath coming in short, uneven hitches. "What? Save someone?"
"Put yourself between death and everyone else." His gaze sharpened, dropping to her mouth before snapping back to her eyes. "You don’t have to be the one who gets hurt."
Rosearia went quiet, mesmerized by the intensity in his face.
Adrian leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he murmured, "And if you insist on being reckless..." A faint, dangerous edge entered his voice, sending a shiver down her spine. "At least let me be reckless with you."
Rosearia’s heart skipped a beat.
Before she could answer, Aldric made a loud, deliberate coughing sound.
"Wow."
Rosearia immediately looked toward him, her face burning. Aldric was leaning back against a stone pillar, an enormous, wicked grin on his face, though his dragon eyes were dark with unshielded hunger.
"I suddenly feel like I’m intruding," Aldric said.
Adrian turned his head, giving him a murderous look. "Then leave."
Aldric laughed, stepping forward until he was right on Rosearia’s other side, trapping her effectively between the two of them. "Absolutely not. Why should you get her all to yourself when she almost died on my watch too?"
"You are all acting strangely tonight," Rosearia managed to say, her pulse racing as she felt the overwhelming heat of both men suffocatingly close.
A low, smooth laugh echoed from the dark shadows near the archway.
Asmodeus stepped forward into the moonlight, his movements dripping with sinuous, dark grace. He had remained silent until now, but his crimson eyes were burning as they swept over Rosearia, taking in her flushed cheeks, her swollen lips, and the wild, rapid beat of her pulse.
"Are they?" Asmodeus purred, stopping directly in front of her.
Without breaking eye contact with Adrian or Aldric, Asmodeus reached out, his gloved fingers softly tracing the line of her jaw, tilting her chin up. His touch was cold as ice, a sharp, intoxicating contrast to the searing heat of the other two.
"You’ve driven them both out of their minds, Rose," Asmodeus murmured, his voice a velvet dark promise that vibrated through her. "Look at them... ready to tear the world apart just because you bled."
Rosearia backed up a half-step, her lower back hitting the marble edge of the fountain.
All three men closed the distance together.
Adrian’s hand slid around her waist from behind, anchoring her flush against his chest, his chin resting against her shoulder. Aldric leaned in close, his heavy hand resting on the marble beside her hip, his dragon heat wrapping around her like a blanket as his breath stroked her sensitive neck. Asmodeus stood right in front of her, his glowing eyes locked onto her mouth, his thumb gently catching her chin to keep her looking right at him.
Rosearia was completely trapped between three lethal men, held like the most precious treasure in the world.
"You smell like sweet temptation tonight," Asmodeus whispered, inches away. "And you haven’t pulled away from a single one of us."
"Because she knows she belongs right here," Aldric murmured into her ear, lips grazing her skin.
Adrian’s arm tightened possessively around her ribs, his chest rumbling against her back. "So tell us, Rosearia..." His low, intoxicating voice sent heat racing through her. "Which one of us are you going to let take you to bed to recover tonight... or do you prefer we share?"