The corridors of House Varyn whispered with unrest. The night air carried secrets through its stone halls—some unspoken, some undeniable.
Lucien knew he had little time left.
Varyn had chosen his battlefield, but Lucien wouldn't play by another man's rules.
He would rewrite them entirely.
---
### Elise's Warning
Lady Elise found him before the sun dipped below the skyline.
"You don't have long," she murmured, eyes shadowed with unspoken urgency. "Varyn won't hesitate anymore."
Lucien smiled—something sharp and knowing.
"He already has."
Elise's brow furrowed. "What have you done?"
"Turned his allies into mine."
---
### The Unraveling of Lord Varyn
By the time the evening feast commenced, Lord Varyn sat stiff-backed at the head of the grand table.
He looked at Lucien—not with suspicion, but calculated certainty.
The battle lines were drawn.
Then came the moment that shattered the fragile peace.
A single messenger entered the hall.
A sealed letter was placed in Varyn's hand.
The contents? Evidence of his own hidden betrayals—sent by an unnamed party but delivered straight into Lucien's grasp.
The lord's grip tightened around the parchment.
Lucien simply lifted his goblet. "A toast, my lord?"
And just like that, power shifted.