Chapter 96: Preparing the Grand Political Maneuver

Kaelian stood at the towering window of his secluded chamber within the palace, eyes fixed on the sprawling city below, awash in the golden hues of the setting sun. The royal court was a living beast—alive with whispers, lies, and conspiracies—but soon, everything was about to change. Tonight was the eve of his greatest play, a move so audacious that it could either crown him the invisible master of the realm or crush him beneath the wheels of history.

His mind raced faster than the fading light outside, weaving countless strands of plots, alliances, and betrayals into a single, ruthless strategy. The years of careful cultivation—the friends he had forged, the enemies he had deceived, the forbidden magics he had risked—all converged toward this moment. He was no longer the helpless bastard prince scorned by blood and title. Tonight, he would set the board.

"Kaelian," a low voice interrupted the silence. The door creaked open, and Dorn Valek stepped in, his sharp eyes gleaming with cautious anticipation. The political mastermind had become an uneasy ally, their pact born of necessity and ambition.

"You summoned me," Dorn said, closing the door behind him.

Kaelian turned, a faint smirk touching his lips. "The time has come, Dorn. The court trembles on the edge of chaos, but chaos is a ladder I intend to climb. The Queen's grip is weakening, Théor's faction fracturing. We must strike before others can react."

Dorn nodded slowly, weighing every word. "And the secret we uncovered last week? The letters from the northern lords?"

"That's the key," Kaelian said, stepping closer to the heavy oak table where a map of the kingdom was spread. "If I play this right, we isolate Théor's supporters, turning them into scapegoats for treason. The northern lords will march to my side once their concerns are addressed. Our timing must be perfect."

The thrill of power surged through Kaelian's veins, but beneath the cold calculation, a shadow lingered. The echoes of his past life, of betrayal and death, reminded him that one false move meant oblivion.

He glanced toward a small locked chest in the corner of the room. Inside lay the forbidden grimoire, its pages humming with dark magic he had barely mastered. Tonight, he wouldn't need to wield that power openly, but knowing it was there—hidden—gave him an edge none could suspect.

Dorn approached the table, fingers tracing the network of alliances Kaelian had painstakingly drawn. "Your plan is bold. But what of Lyssa? She's growing suspicious among the healers and lowborn factions. Her loyalty is invaluable, but her presence is a risk."

Kaelian's expression darkened. "Lyssa is my anchor. Without her, I am nothing but a pawn. I will send a coded message tonight, instructing her to disappear temporarily. Let suspicion fall elsewhere."

The room's atmosphere thickened as they prepared their final moves. Every servant in the palace, every noble at court, was a potential spy or saboteur. Trust was a luxury Kaelian could no longer afford.

Suddenly, a soft knock echoed through the chamber door. Kaelian motioned Dorn to silence. The door opened just a crack, and a young servant slipped inside, eyes wide with fear.

"Your Highness, urgent news," the boy whispered, handing Kaelian a sealed letter embossed with the royal insignia.

Kaelian broke the seal quickly. The letter was brief but devastating: a faction of nobles loyal to Théor had uncovered part of Dorn's alliance with Kaelian. They were mobilizing to expose the conspiracy during the upcoming Council meeting, hoping to crush Kaelian before his plan could unfold.

Kaelian's heart pounded—not from fear, but from the exhilarating danger of the game.

"Prepare my guards," he ordered coldly. "Tonight, the shadows will move faster than the dawn."

Dorn's eyes flickered with concern. "This complicates matters. We may need to accelerate the timetable."

Kaelian's lips curled into a cunning smile. "Or use their own haste against them."

**

Later that night, cloaked in darkness and silence, Kaelian slipped through the winding corridors of the palace toward the Council chambers. His mind ran through every contingency, every potential trap.

The air smelled of cold stone and tension. Outside the heavy doors, he overheard whispered voices—plots being spun like webs.

"Let them come," he thought. "They underestimate me."

He activated a subtle enchantment, a faint shimmer around him that cloaked his presence from magical detection. The magic was risky; overuse could drain his strength, but survival demanded the gamble.

As he entered the chamber, eyes turned sharply toward him. The nobles were gathered, their faces masks of suspicion and hostility.

Prince Théor rose, sneering. "So, the bastard dares show himself before the Council. Tell us, Kaelian, is this another one of your tricks to hide your true intentions?"

Kaelian's gaze was calm, but steel-hard. "I come not to hide, but to reveal. It seems some here have secrets darker than my own."

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

Théor's sneer faltered. "You insult the crown!"

"Is it insult or truth?" Kaelian countered, producing a parchment. "I hold proof of conspiracies to overthrow the kingdom. Alliances forged in shadows—by those who claim loyalty."

The room erupted into chaos, nobles shouting accusations and denials.

Kaelian's voice cut through the storm: "If we are to survive, we must cleanse the court of traitors. I propose a vote to investigate these claims immediately."

He watched as eyes flickered between fear and greed. The balance of power was shifting.

Amid the uproar, a hooded figure slipped through a side door, unnoticed. Kaelian's sharp gaze caught the movement—a shadow among shadows. His mind raced. Was this friend or foe?

**

Back in his chamber, hours later, Kaelian and Dorn pored over the outcomes. The vote had passed, but the investigation could take weeks—time he might not have.

"We must control the inquiry," Dorn warned. "If Théor's allies infiltrate the investigation, all is lost."

Kaelian nodded. "I will send discreet agents. We will expose the traitors before they can strike."

Suddenly, a low rumble shook the palace. Magic flared outside the windows, and the faint scent of smoke seeped in.

"An attack," Dorn said grimly. "They grow desperate."

Kaelian's eyes blazed. "Then we meet desperation with resolve. Tonight, the court's game changes forever."

**

As the chapter closed, the palace was engulfed in turmoil—political machinations colliding with open conflict. Kaelian stood poised at the eye of the storm, ready to wield his genius like a blade.

Would he survive the coming storm? Or would the weight of power finally crush the boy who once was nothing?

Only the shadows knew.

**

End of Chapter 96.

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