Chapter 10: Whispers In The Walls
1016 Words
The smoke from the festival still lingered in the corridors of Varyne’s palace, not in scent, but in memory—haunting and unshakable. Selene stood by the arched window of her chamber, her fingers brushing the silk curtain aside. Below, the charred remnants of a celebration lay scattered, a symbol of how quickly things could burn.
The note she received from the masked stranger sat hidden in the inner lining of her gown drawer. She had memorized its contents, the warning etched into her mind: *“The danger lies not outside, but within your walls.”*
A knock came. Sharp. Intentional.
Selene turned as her hand reached for the blade hidden beneath her cloak. One of her ladies-in-waiting, Mira, entered, holding a small scroll.
“It’s from Thorne,” Mira whispered, glancing toward the door.
Selene’s breath caught. “From my mother?”
Mira nodded. “Delivered by a trusted rider. I saw the seal myself.”
She unrolled the scroll as soon as the door shut behind Mira. Her mother’s precise hand greeted her:
*“My dearest Selene,
Rumors swirl even in Thorne. I have heard of the fire, and worse still, whispers that not all your husband’s allies are loyal. Trust him as you must, but do not trust blindly. Varyne has always played the long game. Guard yourself.
—Lysandra.”*
Selene folded the letter slowly, her thoughts spinning. Just days ago, she’d wanted nothing more than to escape this marriage. But now, her instincts warned her to look deeper—and her mother had just confirmed that danger lurked beneath the crown she wore.
***
Kael paced the council chamber, the polished marble beneath his boots scuffed by his agitation. The fire had shaken more than the guests. It had stirred the court into a frenzy.
“Lord Malric,” Kael said coldly, “you were in charge of the northern perimeter. How did an outsider get in?”
Malric’s silver brow arched. “I oversaw the guards. If there was an intrusion, it likely came through the Thorne guests.”
Kael stepped forward, his voice lowering. “Be careful where you lay blame. The alliance stands.”
“Does it?” Malric countered. “Your people murmur that Queen Selene walks the halls at night whispering to shadows. We must be certain where her loyalty lies.”
Kael’s fists clenched. His instincts told him the real enemy was closer than Selene—someone using the tension between kingdoms to conceal a deeper plan. “We will investigate. Thoroughly. And if any man here seeks to ignite another war, he will answer to me.”
He dismissed the council and strode through the halls toward the eastern wing. It was time he and Selene stopped dancing around half-truths.
***
They met by accident in the library corridor. She wore a deep violet cloak, the color of Thorne’s twilight banners. He still wore his council robes, dark blue with golden embroidery—a lion coiled around a sword.
“Your council doesn’t trust me,” she said before he could speak.
Kael exhaled. “And yours sent you a letter warning you not to trust me.”
She narrowed her eyes. “How did you—?”
“I saw Mira slip it to you.”
Silence stretched between them, not hostile, but heavy. Charged.
“I don’t trust most of them either,” he said finally. “Lord Malric’s been trying to push me into war since I was seventeen.”
Selene glanced around. “Come with me.”
They slipped into a side room—one of the old map chambers that hadn’t been used since the unification talks. Dust covered the table, and faded flags of both kingdoms hung on opposite walls.
“There’s something I haven’t told anyone,” she said softly, pulling the note from her gown. “This was given to me during the festival.”
Kael took the parchment, eyes scanning the ink.
*“The danger lies not outside, but within your walls.”*
He folded it, the lines of his face tightening. “We caught a man trying to sneak into the western wing yesterday. He wore Thorne colors—but I’m certain he wasn’t one of yours.”
“Planted to turn us against each other.”
Kael nodded.
Selene stepped closer. “Someone wants this alliance to fail. And they’re willing to burn innocents to make it happen.”
A long silence passed before Kael finally spoke. “We need to be smarter than them. No more keeping secrets. No more second-guessing each other.”
She looked up at him, vulnerability flickering behind her regal poise. “Can you really trust me?”
He studied her. “Can you trust me?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But I’m willing to try.”
He smiled, just slightly. “Then we’re already ahead of everyone else.”
***
Later that night, Selene wandered the quieter halls of the palace, her thoughts too tangled for sleep. The shadows seemed thicker than usual, whispering things she didn’t want to hear.
A flicker of movement caught her eye near the west wing again.
“Mira?” she called.
No answer.
She crept forward, steps silent on the stone floor. As she turned the corner, two guards seized a figure in dark robes—caught near one of the sealed servant passages.
Kael appeared seconds later, sword drawn.
“Who are you?” he demanded.
The man spat at Kael’s boots. “The crown won’t save you. Not from what's coming.”
Kael exchanged a look with Selene.
“Put him in the dungeons,” he ordered. “Alive.”
***
That night, Selene sat alone in her chamber, rereading her mother’s letter. Outside, the wind howled like a warning.
Inside, the walls of Varyne whispered still. But now she wasn’t listening alone.
She folded the letter and looked toward the hall where Kael had gone.
Maybe, just maybe… they were beginning to wear the crown together.
—
- Writer
