Chapter 14: King Sey
The air in the grand hall was thick with tension, a palpable weight that pressed against my chest as I stood beside Arl. The map, now safely secured in a crystal case, lay on the obsidian table before us, its surface eerily dormant. The faint glow that once pulsed within its intricate lines had faded, leaving it as lifeless as a mere piece of parchment. Yet, I could feel its latent power, a quiet hum that seemed to echo in the back of my mind, waiting for the right moment to awaken.
Arl shifted uneasily beside me, his hand brushing against the hilt of his sword. His eyes darted toward the towering doors at the far end of the hall, as if expecting them to burst open at any moment. I didn't blame him for his unease. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of chaos—battles fought, alliances tested, and secrets unraveled. And now, with Sey's abrupt departure, the air felt charged with an unspoken dread.
"Your Majesty," Arl began, his voice low but steady, "we've fortified the perimeter as you ordered. The guards are on high alert, and the wards have been reinforced. If anyone tries to breach the castle, they won't get far."
I nodded, though my mind was elsewhere. Sey's absence gnawed at me like a splinter buried deep beneath the skin. He had saved my life, yes, but his motives remained as shrouded as the Veil itself. I couldn't shake the feeling that he was playing a game far beyond my understanding, moving pieces on a board I couldn't yet see.
"Thank you, Arl," I said, forcing a smile. "We'll need to stay vigilant. The map is our only hope, and if it falls into the wrong hands…"
I trailed off, the unspoken consequences hanging heavy in the air. Arl's jaw tightened, and he gave a curt nod. He understood as well as I did what was at stake.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the hall, sharp and deliberate, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned, my heart skipping a beat as the doors swung open with a resounding creak. A figure stepped through, silhouetted against the dim light of the corridor. For a moment, I thought it might be Sey, returning with answers—or perhaps more questions. But as the figure drew closer, I realized it was someone else entirely.
The man was tall and broad-shouldered, his armor gleaming with an otherworldly sheen. His eyes, a piercing shade of gold, locked onto mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. Behind him, a retinue of soldiers filed into the hall, their expressions grim and unyielding.
"Your Majesty," the man said, his voice deep and resonant, "I bring news from the Dragon Kingdom."
My stomach churned, a cold knot of dread forming in the pit of my stomach. The Dragon Kingdom had been silent for weeks, its borders closed and its people withdrawn. Whatever news this man carried, it couldn't be good.
"Speak," I said, my voice steady despite the unease churning within me.
The man's lips curled into a faint smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Sey, the Dragon Lord, has made an announcement. He has declared himself the new king of the Dragon Kingdom, effective immediately."
The words hit me like a physical blow, knocking the air from my lungs. Arl's hand flew to his sword, his body tensing as if ready to spring into action. But I remained frozen, my mind racing to process what I had just heard.
Sey, the enigmatic figure who had saved my life, who had fought by my side against the rebels, had crowned himself king. The implications were staggering. The Dragon Kingdom was one of the most powerful realms in the land, its armies unmatched and its resources vast. If Sey had taken the throne, it meant he now wielded unimaginable power—power that could either save us or destroy us.
"Why?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why now?"
The man's smile widened, though his eyes remained cold. "The Dragon Lord did not elaborate. He simply said that the time had come for a new era, one where the Dragon Kingdom would no longer remain in the shadows."
My mind raced, piecing together fragments of information, trying to make sense of Sey's sudden ascent to power. Had this been his plan all along? Had he been biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike? Or was there something more at play, a deeper game that I couldn't yet see?
"Your Majesty," Arl said, his voice tight with urgency, "we need to act. If Sey has taken the throne, it changes everything. We can't afford to wait for the map to awaken. We need to—"
"No," I interrupted, my voice firm. "We can't afford to act rashly. Sey may have declared himself king, but that doesn't mean he's our enemy. Not yet."
Arl's eyes narrowed, but he didn't argue. He knew as well as I did that we were walking a razor's edge, one misstep away from disaster.
The man before us inclined his head, his golden eyes glinting with something I couldn't quite place. "The Dragon Lord has extended an invitation," he said. "He requests your presence at the coronation ceremony, three days hence. He believes it would be… beneficial for both our kingdoms to discuss the future."
I hesitated, my mind racing. A coronation ceremony. A meeting with Sey. It could be an opportunity to gain answers, to understand his motives. But it could also be a trap, a ploy to lure me into his domain where I would be at his mercy.
"Tell Sey I accept his invitation," I said at last, my voice steady despite the turmoil within me. "But know this—if this is a trick, if he intends to betray us, he will find that I am not so easily manipulated."
The man's smile didn't waver. "I will relay your message, Your Majesty. Until then, I suggest you prepare. The Dragon Kingdom is not a place for the faint of heart."
With that, he turned on his heel and strode from the hall, his retinue following in silent formation. The doors closed behind them with a final, echoing thud, leaving Arl and I alone once more.
"This is a mistake," Arl said, his voice low and urgent. "You can't trust him. You know that."
"I don't trust him," I replied, my gaze fixed on the doors. "But I also don't have a choice. If Sey has taken the throne, we need to know why. And if there's even a chance he's willing to work with us, we have to take it."
Arl sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't like it. Not one bit."
"Neither do I," I admitted. "But sometimes, the only way forward is through the fire."
As the words left my lips, I couldn't shake the feeling that the fire was closer than I thought—and that it was already burning out of control.