Side chapter part 4

The shadowy figure stepped forward into the moonlight, revealing a man cloaked in dark, intricately woven armor.

His face was sharp and angular, his expression cold as stone. His eyes, an unnatural shade of silver, locked onto Alyndra like a predator sizing up its prey.

The guards behind him parted, giving him space, their posture tense as though they feared him as much as they obeyed him.

"Who are you to interrupt me in my own palace?" Thalindra's voice cut through the silence, icy and authoritative.

Her body shifted slightly in front of Alyndra, a move so subtle it almost seemed protective. Almost.

The man bowed stiffly, his movements rigid and devoid of respect. "Your Highness," he said, his voice deep and gravelly, "forgive my intrusion, but I come on behalf of the council. We have reason to believe this...guest of yours is not who she claims to be."