Chapter 9: The Price of Betrayal

Kael's grip tightened on her dagger.

Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out everything except the man standing before her-the warlord who had helped destroy her life.

He wasn't the one who had swung the blade that killed her family, but he had been there.

Watching. Ordering. Laughing.

And now he was here, looking calm, amused, unbothered by the blood on the stone floor.

Riven stood beside her, his sword still dripping red, his body tense.

But Kael barely registered him.

All she could see was the warlord.

And she was going to kill him.

The warlord sighed, dusting off his dark armor. "You know, Veyne, I was hoping we'd run into each other again. There's still a bounty on your head, you know."

Kael's fingers twitched near her second dagger.

"Come collect it, then," she said flatly.

The warlord chuckled. "Oh, I'd love to. But you're not the one I'm here for."

His gaze slid to Riven.

Kael's stomach twisted.

Riven, for once, didn't have a smirk on his face. His jaw was tight, his blue eyes dark beneath the illusion of black.

"Ah," the warlord mused. "You recognize me, don't you?"

Riven didn't respond.

Which meant yes.

Kael's heartbeat staggered.

What the hell was going on?

The warlord exhaled, shaking his head. "You shouldn't have come here, boy. You should have stayed in the palace."

Palace.

The word rang in Kael's skull.

She turned sharply to Riven, but he still wasn't saying anything.

And then-everything clicked.

The way he moved.

The way he fought.

The way he avoided every direct question.

She had seen someone fight like him before.

Not a mercenary. Not a thief.

A prince.

Kael's stomach plummeted.

She took a slow step back. "Tell me he's lying."

Riven exhaled. "Kael-"

"Tell me he's lying!"

Silence.

A cold, suffocating silence.

Kael's hands shook. Not from fear. From rage.

"You-" She swallowed, barely able to form words. "You've been lying this entire time?"

Riven finally turned to look at her. "Kael, it's not what you think-"

"It's exactly what I think," she spat.

Her breath was coming too fast now, her vision blurring at the edges.

She had trusted her instincts. She had been so sure she was chasing a lead from her past, that Riven was connected to something important.

And he was.

Just not in the way she wanted.

Because he wasn't just some criminal sneaking through the underground.

He was the prince.

The same prince whose family had turned a blind eye while the warlords took everything from her.

Kael's hand was on her dagger before she even realized it.

But before she could move, the warlord chuckled again.

"Fascinating," he murmured. "I thought you knew. But I suppose the prince is still keeping secrets, even from his little protector."

Kael's stomach twisted.

She wasn't his protector. She was his prisoner.

She just hadn't realized it yet.

The Fight Breaks Out

The warlord sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Well. This has been fun, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to take the prince with me."

Kael's grip on her dagger tightened.

"Over my dead body," she growled.

The warlord smiled. "That can be arranged."

And then-chaos.

Kael moved first, throwing her dagger.

It flew true, aimed straight for the warlord's throat.

He dodged just in time, the blade slicing across his shoulder instead of killing him outright.

He snarled, but Kael was already moving, drawing her second dagger.

The enforcers surged forward, swords gleaming in the dim light.

Kael ducked low, weaving between them like a shadow, her blade flashing as she cut through the nearest attacker's leg. He collapsed with a scream, and Kael was already pivoting, grabbing a fallen sword and hurling it toward Jorrik.

Jorrik caught it, cursing under his breath. "I liked it better when we weren't being hunted!"

"Shut up and fight," Kael snapped.

Riven had already engaged the warlord, their swords clashing in a furious blur of movement.

Kael had never seen Riven fight seriously before.

And gods, it was terrifying.

Every strike was precise, effortless, like he had been trained from the moment he could hold a blade. He dodged with grace, countered with lethal efficiency.

But so did the warlord.

And Kael knew-this fight wouldn't be won easily.

She turned just in time to see another enforcer charging her.

Kael reacted instantly, twisting to the side and ramming her dagger into his ribs. He choked, but Kael had already grabbed his fallen crossbow, spinning it in her hands.

One shot.

She took a breath.

Fired.

The bolt flew true, sinking deep into another attacker's chest.

Jorrik let out a breath. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."

Kael didn't answer.

Because she was already looking at Riven.

Because the warlord had just gotten the upper hand.

*The Price of Betrayal*

Riven's breath came fast as he blocked another brutal strike, but the warlord was relentless.

Then he made a mistake.

A small one. A tiny shift in footing.

The warlord saw it.

And exploited it.

He slammed the hilt of his sword against Riven's ribs, sending him staggering back.

Kael's body moved on instinct.

She reached for her bow, already nocking an arrow, her heart pounding.

But before she could loose it-

The warlord's blade was at Riven's throat.

Everything stopped.

Kael's hands shook.

"Step down," the warlord murmured. "Or I slit his throat."

Kael's heartbeat slammed against her ribs.

She didn't care about Riven.

She didn't.

But she needed answers.

And if he died-

She'd never get them.

Her arms lowered.

The warlord smiled. "Good girl."

Kael's vision blurred with rage.

But she couldn't move.

Because the warlord wasn't done.

He leaned close to Riven, his smile widening. "And you," he murmured, "should have stayed dead."

Kael's stomach dropped.

Stayed dead?

But she didn't get the chance to ask.

Because in the next second, something exploded.

And then-everything went dark.