Setting the Snare

Kaelith returned to his chambers, but sleep never came.

Seraphine was a masterful liar. Not through deception alone, but through control—through the way she turned his suspicion into her wounded innocence.

But she had made a mistake.

She knew exactly how to deflect his questions. Which meant she had prepared for them.

That was not the reaction of a woman caught off guard.

It was the reaction of a woman who expected to be hunted.

Kaelith poured himself a glass of wine, staring into the flickering candlelight. He had given her a warning tonight, and she would be more cautious now.

So would he.

A Different Approach

He needed a new plan. Watching her was not enough.

If he wanted to break through Seraphine's mask, he had to force her to make a mistake.

And that meant control.

Limit her movements. Control who she speaks to. Cut off her means of receiving messages.

But most importantly—make her believe she has won.

Kaelith smirked slightly. If Seraphine thought she had fooled him, she would grow careless. And that was when he would find what she was hiding.

He turned to the door, his voice calm as he called for his most trusted guard.

"Tell the steward that Lady Seraphine's meetings will now require my approval. And place a watch on every messenger in the castle."

The guard hesitated. "Do you suspect her of treason, Your Highness?"

Kaelith's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I suspect her of something."

And soon, he would find out what.