The Crown's Deception

Chapter 5 – A Cage of Crowns

Steel glinted in the torchlight, each blade aimed with unwavering precision at Kael and Elara. The air between them was thick with the smell of oil and iron. The pounding of boots on cobblestone drowned out the sound of her own heartbeat.

“Drop your weapons,” the captain barked, his voice as sharp as the tip of his sword.

Kael’s dagger was still in his hand. He didn’t look panicked—he looked calculating. Too calm. Without a word, he flipped the blade in his palm and let it clatter to the ground.

Elara’s eyes snapped to him. “What are you—?”

He shot her a glance so quick and cold it silenced her. “Do as they say.”

She swallowed the protest burning on her tongue and lowered her small knife. Her wrists were yanked together by a rough length of rope before she could blink.

The captain stepped forward, his face shadowed under a black-plumed helm. “By order of the Throne, you are under arrest for treason and conspiracy against the Crown.”

Elara’s chest tightened. “Treason? I’m the—” She stopped herself. Revealing her identity now could mean disaster.

Kael’s expression didn’t flicker. He simply said, “We’ll come quietly.”

The captain smirked. “Oh, you will.”

They were marched through the narrow back streets, past shuttered windows and slinking shadows. No one dared look too long—the sight of Throne’s men was enough to turn spines to ice.

Elara tried to catch Kael’s eye, desperate for some kind of explanation, but he kept his gaze forward. It was as if she didn’t exist beside him.

When they finally reached the massive black gates of the inner compound, Kael’s lips moved. Barely.

“Trust me.”

Her pulse jumped. Trust him? Now?

The gates creaked open, and they were shoved into a torchlit corridor of stone. The air was damp, smelling faintly of mildew and old blood.

Halfway down the hall, the captain halted and turned to Kael.

“She’s not to go where you’re going.”

Elara’s stomach dropped. “What?”

Before she could fight back, a hooded figure stepped out from a side passage—a woman. Her presence was quiet but magnetic, with sharp features framed by dark braids. Her eyes flicked over Elara like she already knew her.

“This one comes with me,” the woman said, voice smooth as silk but cold as winter.

Elara was pulled away, her last glimpse of Kael showing him lowering his head—either in defeat or in careful concealment of a smile.

The ropes around Elara’s wrists bit into her skin as the hooded woman led her through a side passage. The soldiers did not follow. That alone made Elara’s chest tighten—why would Throne’s men leave her to a stranger without question?

The woman’s steps were measured, her cloak sweeping across the damp stone floor. Torches flickered in the walls, painting her features in shifting shadows.

Finally, they entered a narrow chamber lit only by a single lantern hanging above a wooden table. The woman gestured for Elara to sit.

“You may remove her bindings,” the woman said.

One guard stepped forward, slicing the ropes from Elara’s wrists before leaving without a word. The door slammed shut.

Elara rubbed her sore wrists, narrowing her eyes. “Who are you?”

The woman pulled back her hood. Her face was striking—high cheekbones, piercing eyes of a stormy gray, and lips set in a faint, unreadable smile.

“My name is Serenya,” she said smoothly. “And unlike the Throne’s men, I am not your enemy.”

Elara’s breath caught. She wanted to believe her, but everything screamed trap.

Serenya tilted her head, studying her with unsettling intensity. “You are far from the palace, Princess Elara Veyra. And yet… not far enough.”

Elara’s blood ran cold. She knows.

“You—how do you know who I am?” Elara whispered.

A faint laugh escaped Serenya. “Child, there are fewer secrets in Lysara than you imagine. Your escape caused ripples. Whispers travel faster than armies.” She leaned closer, eyes gleaming. “The real question is… do you even know who you can trust?”

Elara froze. “Kael—”

“Kael Draven?” Serenya interrupted, voice like a knife. “The man who led you here?” She smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You think he’s your protector? He hides more than you realize. His loyalties are… divided.”

Elara’s heart pounded. She wanted to defend him, but doubt coiled in her chest.

Serenya sat back, folding her hands. “The Throne will not hold you for long. Not if you listen to me. I can get you out, I can lead you to safety. But in return…” Her eyes locked onto Elara’s, sharp and unyielding. “You must abandon Kael Draven.”

The words struck like a blade. Abandon Kael? After everything?

Elara clenched her fists under the table. She remembered his quiet command—Trust me. But now Serenya dangled an escape in front of her, one that didn’t involve chains or soldiers.

For the first time since fleeing the palace, Elara realized the true battle wasn’t with swords or soldiers. It was with trust.