The palace was never truly silent. Even in the stillness of the late hours, whispers moved through the corridors like unseen spectres. Alina had grown accustomed to the ever-present hum of secrets, but tonight, there was something different in the air—something heavy, something watching.
She had spent the past day unravelling her own thoughts, trying to make sense of the tangled truths and half-lies surrounding Prince Sheen. Yet just as she had begun to doubt her own accusations, the world around her had shifted again.
And now, she was being watched.
She was returning from an errand in the eastern wing, her basket filled with parchment meant for the royal archivists. The halls were mostly empty, the last of the courtiers retiring for the night. Yet as she turned a corner, a shadow stepped into her path.
She froze.
A man stood before her, draped in the elegant robes of a high-ranking court official. His face was partially obscured by the dim torchlight, but the sharp glint of intelligence in his eyes sent a prickle of unease down her spine.
"Servant girl," he said softly, his voice almost too casual.
Alina lowered her gaze, as she had been taught. "My lord."
The official stepped closer. "You have been asking too many questions."
Her breath caught. The statement was not a threat, but it carried the weight of one.
"I don't understand," she said carefully.
He chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth. "You misunderstand the court, little one. You believe it to be a place of rulers and laws." He leaned in slightly. "It is not."
Alina's fingers tightened around the handle of her basket. "Then what is it?"
"A battlefield."
The word sent a cold chill down her spine.
The official's expression remained unreadable. "You have drawn attention to yourself. A dangerous thing, in times like these."
Alina swallowed. "Why are you telling me this?"
The man studied her for a long moment before finally murmuring, "Because not all battles are fought with swords."
With that, he turned and disappeared down the corridor, leaving only a lingering warning in his wake.
Alina stood there, her heart hammering.
She had been so focused on uncovering the truth about Prince Sheen, on deciphering whether he was truly a tyrant or merely a man surviving a cruel court, that she had forgotten something even more dangerous.
The palace was full of other players.
And now, one of them had just made her a target.