The King’s Game

Evelyn had faced plenty of threats in her time as a knight—bandits, assassins, rival swordsmen who thought they could outmatch her.

But nothing—not even the thought of fighting a dragon with a wooden spoon—had ever made her stomach drop quite like hearing that she and Damien had been summoned by the king himself.

And Duke Valwick's smug smirk only made it worse.

The man knew this was a trap, and worse still—he wanted to see how they would escape it.

Damien's fingers brushed lightly against Evelyn's wrist—a brief signal.

Stay calm.

Evelyn breathed in sharply, forcing herself to keep her expression neutral as she faced the duke.

"We would be honored to meet His Majesty," she said smoothly, though every fiber of her being screamed otherwise.

Damien's lips twitched in amusement, though he hid it well. "Yes, how could we possibly refuse such an invitation?"

Duke Valwick's gaze lingered on them both, his sharp green eyes peeling apart the layers of their deception, searching for a crack in their story.

Then he smiled. "Splendid. The king expects you tomorrow at noon."

With that, he turned on his heel, disappearing into the sea of nobles.

Evelyn barely had a moment to process the impending disaster before Damien leaned in, voice low and laced with amusement.

"Well, love, you certainly know how to escalate things."

She dug her nails into the fabric of her dress. "This is your fault."

He chuckled, a deep, satisfied sound. "Technically, you're the one who started this. I'm merely… enhancing the experience."

Evelyn turned to glare at him, already imagining the number of ways she could strangle him with a napkin.

Before she could unleash her very justified fury, a noblewoman approached, all bright smiles and veiled curiosity.

"Oh, Lady Evelyn, Sir Damien, I must say, the two of you make such a striking pair."

Evelyn bit back a groan. Here we go.

The remainder of the banquet was a slow, agonizing death.

The nobles swarmed them, eager to gossip about their so-called romance.

"Tell us, Lady Evelyn, when did you realize Sir Damien was your true love?"

Evelyn, who had been mid-sip of her wine, nearly choked.

Damien, the absolute menace, barely concealed his grin as he leaned closer, playing the part of a doting lover perfectly.

"Oh, you know," he said smoothly, "it took a while for her to admit it, but eventually, my charm won her over."

Evelyn stepped on his foot under the table.

He didn't even flinch.

"And who confessed first?" another noblewoman asked, hanging onto every word like this was the most fascinating story of the century.

Damien placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "She did. It was incredibly moving."

Evelyn smiled sweetly. "I recall it differently."

Damien tilted his head, smirking. "Careful, darling. It wouldn't do to argue in front of our esteemed company."

Sir Edric, a knight from Evelyn's division, chuckled into his drink, watching the exchange with open amusement. "Well, I must say, Lady Evelyn, I never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Nor did I," added Lady Marianne, a noblewoman known for her sharp tongue and keener observation. "This is simply delightful."

By the time the banquet finally ended, Evelyn's patience was razor-thin.

As soon as they stepped outside, she turned to Damien with a glare sharp enough to cut through steel.

"You are insufferable."

He grinned. "And yet, here you are, deeply in love with me."

Evelyn exhaled deeply, forcing herself to walk away before she actually stabbed him.

But she barely took two steps before Damien's voice turned serious.

"The king won't just summon us for a casual meeting," he said, lowering his voice. "We're caught in something bigger."

Evelyn knew that.

The question was—what game were they now playing?

The next day, Evelyn and Damien arrived at the royal palace, escorted into the throne room by guards clad in silver armor.

King Aldric sat upon his gilded throne, his piercing gaze settling on them the moment they entered. Beside him stood Lord Garrick, the king's chief advisor, and Lady Annalise, the high priestess.

Damien bowed. "Your Majesty."

Evelyn followed suit, keeping her posture firm and composed.

The king studied them for a long moment before finally speaking.

"So… you two are to be wed."

Evelyn's entire body stiffened.

What?

Damien, the bastard, didn't even look fazed. "Indeed, Your Majesty."

The king leaned forward, eyes narrowing slightly. "And why, pray tell, did I hear of this union from the whispers of the nobility rather than from you directly?"

Evelyn's mind raced.

If they hesitated now, if they slipped up even once, the king would see right through them.

So she did what she did best.

She fought back.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," Evelyn said, "Damien and I wished for our engagement to remain private for some time. Our work often places us in dangerous positions, and we wanted to ensure that we would not be used as pawns before we had secured our future together."

Damien glanced at her, amusement flickering in his eyes—but also approval.

The king studied her for a long moment before finally chuckling. "A strategic answer."

He turned to Damien. "And you? You are the kingdom's most elusive knight, yet you have chosen to wed a woman who has been your greatest rival for years?"

Damien's smirk softened into something almost sincere.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," he said smoothly, "why would I not choose the one person who has never once feared me?"

Evelyn blinked, momentarily caught off guard.

Even the king seemed mildly impressed.

Lord Garrick frowned, shifting where he stood. "It is a rather… unusual pairing."

Lady Annalise nodded. "The goddess values honesty above all. I assume this match is built upon truth?"

Damien smiled easily. "Of course."

Then the king's expression turned serious. "Very well. If this union is as true as you claim, then you will both undertake a task for the crown."

Evelyn felt her stomach tighten.

Here it was.

The real reason for this summons.

"A neighboring kingdom has begun to move its forces," the king continued. "We need eyes inside their borders. You two will infiltrate their ranks and retrieve vital intelligence."

Evelyn stiffened. "Infiltrate?"

The king's gaze darkened. "As a married couple."

Silence slammed into the throne room.

Evelyn felt her breath leave her body.

Damien, for the first time, actually looked surprised.

"You mean to send us into enemy territory…" he trailed off. "As husband and wife?"

The king nodded.

"Prove to me that your bond is real," he said. "And serve the kingdom in the process."

Evelyn couldn't speak.

This was no longer just about avoiding Lord Byron.

This was about survival.

And whether or not they liked it—

They were in this lie together.