Chapter 385: The Cost of Betrayal

Chris Blackwood

The palace was never truly quiet. Even in the dead of night, there was movement—guards changing shifts, servants tending to unseen duties, whispers slipping through the corridors like ghosts.

But tonight, there was something else in the air.

A storm was coming.

And Skylar was at the center of it.

I sat in my study, sipping my whiskey, staring into the flames dancing in the fireplace. Ethan's report had already reached me. Lady Celeste Whitmore.

A trusted noble. An ally—or so we had believed.

And now, a traitor.

I had given Skylar control over this situation, but that didn't mean I would sit back and play the role of an idle king. This was my empire. My family. I wouldn't let a single crack form beneath our feet.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Enter."

The door swung open, and Skylar stepped inside. She was calm, composed, but I knew her well enough to see the fire burning beneath the surface. She was ready for war.

"Celeste," she said simply.

I leaned back in my chair. "So, it's confirmed."

She nodded. "She's the only one whose movements don't align. She had access, she had motive, and more importantly—she had the arrogance to think we wouldn't notice."

I smirked. "I assume you have a plan?"

Skylar crossed the room and placed her hands on my desk. "We don't just eliminate her. We make an example of her."

I tilted my head. "And what do you propose, my Queen?"

Her eyes gleamed. "A public downfall. Strip her of her title, her influence, everything she holds dear. Let every noble see what happens to those who defy the Blackwoods."

I studied her for a moment, letting the weight of her words settle. She had stepped into her power fully now. And I had no intention of stopping her.

"Then do it," I said. "But be careful."

Skylar arched a brow. "Afraid I'll lose control?"

"No," I murmured. "Afraid you'll enjoy it too much."

A slow smirk curled her lips. "Then you shouldn't have handed me the knife."

I chuckled, lifting my glass in a silent toast. "Just don't miss when you strike."

She turned to leave, but I spoke again.

"And Skylar," I said, my voice low.

She glanced back.

"Make it hurt."

Her smile deepened. "Oh, it will."

As she disappeared into the hall, I exhaled, swirling the amber liquid in my glass. This was only the beginning.

Celeste had played her hand.

Now,it was time to show her what it meant to go against a Blackwood.