Chapter Two "Under the King's Watch"
1055 Words
Lian did not awaken to a particular sound; she awoke to emptiness itself.
The magical restraints had vanished from her wrists—no echo of snapping, no spark, no pain… only that strange sensation of absence, as if her body had forgotten itself for a moment.
She rose slowly, her legs still holding the chill of the stone beneath them, as though the dungeon had stubbornly left its mark.
At that moment, four guards entered the room.
Their faces were rigid, their eyes never meeting hers.
They did not indicate a path, nor explain a direction. There was only one command, spoken in a calm voice that left no room for discussion:
“Follow us… now.”
She left her cell without looking back.
She refused even a courtesy glance at the place she had just left.
The corridors stretched long and upward; the deeper she went, the darker they became, as though the palace had not been built of stone, but of a silent black authority that demanded submission from all who passed through.
For the first time, she noticed the servants—men and women bowing instinctively as the guards passed.
No one lifted their head. No one breathed audibly.
Symbols were carved deeply into the walls: a broken crescent, intertwined shadows, eyes without pupils… strange faces, forms of animals she had never seen before, yet somehow familiar, as if glimpsed before.
The guards stopped at a side door, modest compared to the grand halls they had just traversed.
One of them opened the door and gestured for her to enter, with a soft movement that concealed a familiar cruelty:
“This is where you belong.”
The room was small, clean, and deliberately ordered.
A narrow bed, a wooden wardrobe, a high window revealing only a distant sliver of sky… no restraints, no warmth.
Lian removed her torn cloak slowly, not out of modesty, but as if peeling away the last layers of captivity from her body.
Clothes lay on the bed—simple and soft—but they revealed her vulnerability even more than the tattered rags ever had.
Chosen fragility could sometimes be more dangerous than imposed ruin.
She dressed and sat on the edge of the bed.
She felt the room surround her, breathing with her, as if studying her new form.
She did not feel mercy in being here after leaving the dungeon; it felt more like being moved from one cage into a wider one, yet still alone.
His voice returned to her mind, calm and decisive, as she remembered:
“You will remain under my watch.”
It was no ordinary sentence; his words defined her fate.
Time passed, though she could not tell how long.
A soft knock interrupted the silence.
A girl entered, carrying a basin of water and a cloth. She paused when she saw Lian, then said, with a cheerfulness that did not reflect reality:
“Are you the new girl?”
Lian did not answer immediately, studying her face first. It was kind, but her eyes knew when to stop questioning.
The girl smiled broadly:
“My name is Maria. I’ve been here for seven years, and I know everything about this palace.”
Lian nodded once, curtly, as if she had nothing to offer:
“My name is Lian.”
Maria placed the basin and sat opposite her, maintaining a measured distance, then said in a low voice:
“Don’t worry, Lian. This wing is safe… as safe as anywhere here can be.”
“Safe?” Lian repeated slowly, with sarcasm.
Maria smiled, devoid of humor:
“Meaning no screams… no blood… no trouble.”
Lian recalled his last words, realizing she had never truly been safe.
A moment of silence fell.
Then Maria added, as if tossing a stone into still water:
“But this wing is always under the King’s watch.”
Lian did not ask how she knew.
She had already understood, confirming her suspicion.
Maria continued:
“The King and his brother always come here to carefully choose their concubines… and the girl who is chosen spends the night with him.”
Lian now understood why she was here. She steadied herself and said coldly:
“Because to him, you’re just a night… one he will forget.”
Maria tensed, then corrected her misconception:
“No, Lian. Every girl here hopes the King will choose her for a night. Our fates can change after just one night.”
Lian frowned, confused:
“What do you mean?”
Maria explained:
“Any girl who sleeps with the King for a night is taken to another palace, in another world—stronger, greater, better.”
She sighed, drifting into thought:
“They say they live the life of royalty there, with personal attendants and high status.”
Then, with sadness for her own fate:
“And those who are not chosen remain here for the rest of their lives.”
Lian spoke quietly, with a bitter edge:
“I don’t think this cruel King would do that for a woman who spent one night with him.”
Maria’s fingers clenched in her lap, then she said in alarm:
“Has the King of Shadows seen you?”
Lian answered simply:
“Yes.”
No explanation was needed.
Maria exhaled slowly:
“Then keep silent… just watch. He may take an interest in you, and interest means desire.”
Lian raised an eyebrow:
“And what does that mean?”
Maria glanced toward the door before answering:
“It means you have entered his thoughts.”
A slow shiver ran down Lian’s spine.
After Maria spoke her final words, she left, leaving Lian alone with her thoughts.
She stood by the narrow window.
The courtyard below was quiet.
She saw Prince Kyle among his guards, laughing and speaking, surrounded by an air of familiarity.
She recognized him from the way his guards called to him. He seemed natural, nothing like Azar… yet dangerously handsome.
By chance, he lifted his gaze toward her window… something in his look made her stomach tighten, a strange sensation gripping her.
A knock at the door broke her reverie.
A maid she had never seen entered, her features rigid, and spoke in a formal tone:
“The King requests your presence tonight.”
- Writer
