Chapter 59 – The King’s Gambit

Seraphina had known fear before. The cold, creeping kind that settled into her bones when she first stepped into Adrian's world of deception and power. But this was different.

This was the kind of fear that came when a trap had already been sprung, and the only thing left was to see who would survive.

She walked beside Adrian through the grand halls of the palace, their footsteps muted against the polished marble. The summons had come at dawn—Aldric wanted a meeting. But Seraphina knew better. The king was not simply summoning them; he was calling them to account.

The guards flanking the throne room door stiffened as they approached. Their hands rested lightly on their swords, the tension in their stance unmistakable.

Adrian's grip on her hand tightened, just for a moment. A silent warning. Stay close. Be ready.

She met his gaze and gave a small nod.

The doors swung open.

Inside, Aldric sat upon his gilded throne, draped in the heavy weight of his royal finery. But Seraphina's gaze did not linger on him.

Laurent stood beside the throne, whole and untouched, his expression filled with smug satisfaction.

Seraphina's pulse thrummed. He should not be here.

Laurent was supposed to be on the run, stripped of power and hunted by Adrian's men. Instead, he stood with the ease of a man who knew he was protected.

"Your Majesty," Adrian greeted, his voice cool.

Aldric did not return the pleasantry. His sharp gaze swept over them, lingering on Seraphina for half a second longer than necessary. Not with suspicion. With calculation.

"You have been busy, Duke Valemont," the king said at last. "Hunting down traitors. Delivering justice."

Adrian inclined his head. "It is my duty."

Laurent's lips curved into a smirk. "And yet, here I stand."

Seraphina clenched her fists. Something had shifted. The game was no longer the same.

Aldric steepled his fingers. "Justice is a delicate thing, Adrian. It is not always about punishment, but about balance. Laurent, despite his… missteps, is still of value to this court."

Seraphina's stomach twisted.

"You're protecting him," she said, her voice steady.

Aldric sighed, as if dealing with a child who did not understand the complexities of power. "I am ensuring stability."

Adrian's expression did not change, but Seraphina could feel the fury simmering beneath his composed mask.

Laurent exhaled dramatically. "You act as though I'm the villain here. But, tell me, Lady Valemont, have you never played a dangerous game yourself?"

Seraphina met his gaze, unflinching. "The difference is, Laurent, I don't lose."

Laurent chuckled. "Ah, but I wonder. Do you even know what game you're playing?"

She frowned, but before she could speak, Aldric did something unexpected.

He stood.

The room stilled.

Slowly, deliberately, the king descended the steps of his throne. He did not look at Adrian. He looked at her.

Seraphina's breath caught.

There was something unnerving about the way he studied her, his piercing gaze dragging over her features as if searching for something hidden just beneath the surface.

Then, he murmured, "You look just like her."

Seraphina's fingers curled at her sides.

Evelyne.

The name was never spoken lightly in Adrian's presence.

Laurent's smirk deepened, his amusement clear. But Seraphina knew better—he was watching for her reaction.

There was no need for feigned ignorance. She had known since the moment Adrian first uttered it in the shadows of their estate. She looked like Evelyne Valemont, the last Duchess of Valemont, Adrian's mother.

It was a resemblance she could not escape, and one Adrian could not ignore.

She felt the tension in Adrian's body beside her, though he did not move. He had expected this moment. So had she.

But what neither of them had expected was Aldric bringing it up now.

Seraphina lifted her chin. "Yes, I do."

Laurent let out a soft whistle. "No denial? My, how refreshing."

Aldric tilted his head, his lips curving in something that was not quite a smile. "You are aware, then, of what such a resemblance means."

Seraphina held his gaze, unflinching. "It means you're afraid."

Aldric's expression did not change, but the weight in the room thickened.

Adrian spoke then, his voice controlled but edged with steel. "If you wish to make a point, Your Majesty, I suggest you do it quickly."

Aldric sighed, shaking his head. "Always so impatient, Adrian." His gaze flickered back to Seraphina. "Do you truly know who Evelyne was, my dear?"

Seraphina's nails bit into her palms.

The way he spoke of Evelyne—as if she had been a stranger, a forgotten relic of the past—it was deliberate.

Seraphina did not answer.

Laurent chuckled, stepping forward. "Oh, but of course she doesn't. No one does. Because those who seek to remember Evelyne Valemont…" He paused, watching her reaction. "…end up dead."

Seraphina felt Adrian shift beside her. Not much. Just enough for her to know he was on the verge of violence.

Aldric sighed again. "Laurent, must you be so dramatic?"

Laurent grinned. "Am I lying?"

Silence.

Seraphina exhaled, slowly. "Is that a warning, Your Majesty?"

Aldric smiled. "It is advice."

Adrian's voice was like ice. "It sounds more like a threat."

Aldric studied him, then leaned back against his throne. "Think of it how you will. The past is a graveyard, Adrian. Some things should stay buried."

Seraphina did not look away from him. She held his gaze, even as something cold coiled in her stomach.

She had always known there was more to Evelyne's death than what was spoken. But now, for the first time, she understood the truth.

Evelyne Valemont had not simply died. She had been erased.

And if Seraphina wasn't careful, she would be next.

Aldric clapped his hands together, breaking the tension. "Now then, let us put unpleasant talk behind us. You and your lovely wife should enjoy the festival tonight, Adrian. It would be a shame if you were absent."

A dismissal.

Adrian hesitated for only a second before inclining his head.

Seraphina followed him as they turned to leave, her mind racing.

But before they could step through the doors, Laurent's voice stopped them.

"Oh, and Seraphina," he drawled, "be careful. Some faces are worth killing over."

Seraphina did not look back.

But as the doors shut behind them, one thought burned in her mind.

Evelyne Valemont had been murdered and now they were watching her, waiting to see if she would make the same mistake.