Chapter 3: Kingdom Divided

The return journey to Khaliri was silent at first. Zayid lounged lazily on the silk cushions of their private carriage, unbothered by the chaos he had caused. Khamir, ever the dutiful prince, sat with his arms crossed, his jaw set in frustration.

But it was Amara who remained the most unreadable. Her hazel eyes flickered with a quiet intensity as the desert winds howled outside. The memory of Prince Cassius Aurelius still lingered in her mind—not just his striking looks, but the way he had studied her, the way he had tested her, like a warrior sizing up an opponent.

She had won this battle, but something told her that was far from the last time they would face each other.

The King's Wrath

By the time they arrived at the golden gates of Zafara, the grand palace was already alive with tension. King Rami al-Fadwa stood at the entrance, his face carved in stone-like anger as he watched his children approach.

"You dare to bring shame to this family?" His voice thundered through the courtyard as Zayid stepped out first, grinning like a fool.

"Father," Zayid said smoothly, "you worry too much."

King Rami's fury ignited. "I worry because my son—my own blood—was locked away in a foreign prison like a common criminal!"

Khamir stepped forward. "Father, we handled the situation. There was no damage to our relationship with Aurelia."

But Rami wasn't listening. His piercing gaze landed on Amara. "And you? You stood before their prince?"

Amara met her father's glare with an unshaken expression. "I did what was necessary."

For a long moment, the king simply studied her, his anger shifting into something else—calculation. He had always known Amara was different from most princesses. She was sharp, relentless, and unafraid to speak her mind. That could be either a great strength or a dangerous flaw.

Finally, he exhaled sharply. "This is the last time, Zayid. If you disgrace this family again, I will strip you of your title."

Zayid's playful smile faltered.

King Rami turned on his heel, disappearing into the palace. Queen Lailah, who had remained silent throughout, gave Amara a lingering look before following her husband.

Amara clenched her fists. She knew what that look meant.

They were beginning to see her as more than just a princess.

They were beginning to see her as a problem.

The Seeds of Jealousy

Meanwhile, in Aurelia, Prince Cassius Aurelius paced the stone floors of his war chambers.

His cousins, Lucian and Adrien, lounged nearby, their golden hair gleaming under the candlelight. Unlike Cassius, whose life was built on duty and war, his cousins were opportunists—always waiting for the moment to seize power.

"So," Lucian mused, his lips curling into a smirk. "This Khaliri princess… she unsettled you?"

Cassius shot him a glare. "Hardly."

Adrien chuckled. "Yet here you are, restless, after a mere meeting with her."

Cassius clenched his jaw. He wouldn't give them the satisfaction of admitting that Amara intrigued him. She was different—fierce in a way no Aurelian noblewoman was. But that didn't mean she was a threat.

Lucian leaned forward. "You know, cousin, the throne may belong to you now, but should you ever slip… there are those in Aurelia who would not hesitate to replace you."

Cassius's blue eyes darkened. He knew exactly what Lucian was implying.

His cousins wanted the throne.

And they were waiting for the right moment to take it.

A Dangerous Path

Back in Khaliri, Amara stood on her balcony, the night wind brushing against her dark curls.

She should have felt victorious. They had secured Zayid's freedom without bloodshed.

And yet…

Her mind kept returning to Cassius.

His sharp gaze, his unwavering presence, the way he had refused to yield so easily.

She knew better than to think of him as anything other than a rival.

But deep down, something in her whispered that this was only the beginning.