The palace was quieter than it had ever been. Aurelia could feel it in the air—an odd stillness, as if the entire building were holding its breath, waiting for something to give. The echoes of footsteps on the polished marble floors seemed unnaturally loud, reverberating through the grand hallways, as if the very stones had become sensitive to the mounting tension in the air.

  She walked with purpose, her heels clicking against the floor in sharp, rhythmic succession, each step deliberate and filled with the weight of her decision. The council had called for a meeting, and she knew it was no longer a formality. They had begun to question her—no longer content with simply watching from the sidelines. The whispers Bertrand had mentioned were real. The cracks in her carefully constructed fa?ade were becoming impossible to ignore.

  The heavy doors to the council chamber opened with a low groan, and Aurelia stepped inside, her presence immediately commanding the room. The men and women seated around the long, polished oak table glanced up, some with barely concealed expressions of wariness, others with thinly veiled contempt. It was as if they were all too aware that she stood at the edge of something monumental—something that could either elevate her to untold power or drag her into ruin.

  At the far end of the table, Valerian sat, his face impassive, his eyes hidden beneath the shadows of his dark brows. His gaze lingered on her for just a fraction of a second longer than necessary, and Aurelia could feel the shift in the air. There was something in the way he looked at her, something that made her pulse quicken, though she was careful to hide it. She had told herself that she would not allow him to distract her. But the truth was that the seed of doubt he had planted in her mind had already begun to sprout, twisting and turning with every passing moment.

  "Everyone, take your seats," Aurelia said, her voice steady, but there was an edge to it—an authority that none of them dared to challenge. As she moved to her place at the head of the table, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted irrevocably. She was no longer just the one they tolerated. Now, she was a threat.

  The tension in the room was palpable, but Aurelia refused to acknowledge it. She had spent too long building her power to let it slip away now.

  "Let's begin," she said, her gaze sweeping over the gathered councilors. "I trust you all know why we're here today."

  A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, but it was a strained one. No one spoke, not immediately. The silence hung between them, each person uncertain of how to proceed. Finally, one of the elder councilors, Lord Caldor, spoke up.

  "Aurelia," he began, his voice gravelly with age, "we have received reports that certain decisions you’ve made recently are... troubling. The others and I feel it is necessary to address these concerns before they escalate further."

  The words hung in the air like a guillotine, sharp and unforgiving. Aurelia's jaw clenched, but she kept her expression composed. The others in the room were already looking at her, waiting for her response, but her eyes remained fixed on Lord Caldor, calculating, assessing.

  "You speak of the recent diplomatic outreach to the kingdoms in the west?" she asked, her voice measured but piercing. "Or perhaps you refer to the new alliances I’ve made within the trade factions?"

  Caldor shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his hands gripping the armrests of his chair. "It’s not the alliances themselves," he said, his voice growing firmer, "but the methods you’ve used to secure them. There are... whispers. And they are growing louder."

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Aurelia could feel the heat rising in her chest. She knew exactly what this was. It wasn’t a question of diplomacy or trade. No, this was about control. About her power. And they feared that she was getting too close to the one thing they had always controlled—everything.

  "The methods I’ve employed have secured us allies that will benefit this kingdom for generations to come," Aurelia said, her voice sharp now, cutting through the silence like a blade. "But I see that some of you have grown weary of the progress we’ve made."

  Lord Caldor opened his mouth to speak, but before he could respond, another voice interrupted. This time, it was Valerian’s.

  "I think we’re all well aware of the stakes at hand, Aurelia," he said, his tone smooth and calculated, "but I fear there’s more to this than simple politics."

  The room fell silent at his words, and Aurelia turned toward him, her gaze narrowing. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to stir the pot, to plant seeds of doubt and suspicion, to turn the council against her. And yet, despite herself, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of unease. His words had weight to them—more than they should have.

  "And what, pray tell, do you think is truly at stake, Valerian?" Aurelia asked, her voice dangerously calm.

  He met her gaze, his lips curling into a faint smile, though there was little warmth in it. "You, Aurelia," he said softly. "You’re at the center of all this. They’ve been watching you. Watching your every move. And they’re starting to question whether your ambition aligns with the kingdom’s best interests."

  Aurelia’s breath caught in her throat, but she quickly regained control. He was baiting her, trying to get her to react. But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

  "My ambition has always been for the good of the kingdom," she said, her words a little sharper now. "I suggest you remember that, Valerian."

  His smile widened, though there was no joy in it. "I’m sure you do. But ambition has a way of making even the most noble intentions seem... less pure."

  Aurelia stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. The game had changed. What had started as a political maneuver was quickly becoming something far more personal. The walls she had so carefully built between herself and those around her were beginning to crumble. She could no longer hide behind her carefully constructed lies. The truth—however bitter—was beginning to seep out.

  As the meeting continued, the tension in the room only deepened. It was clear that this was no longer a matter of simple politics. This was a war, a battle for control, and the council was slowly dividing into factions, each with its own interests, each pulling in a different direction. And Aurelia, for the first time, was not sure who she could trust.

  The conversation shifted, but the atmosphere was no less charged. Each word spoken now carried weight, and every glance exchanged held hidden meanings. Aurelia could feel the room closing in around her. She was no longer in control, not the way she had been before. The councilors who had once looked to her for guidance were now questioning her at every turn, as though the very foundation she had built was beginning to crumble beneath her.

  Lord Caldor’s voice cut through the air again, but this time it was laced with a cold edge. “It’s not just your methods, Aurelia. It’s the secrecy. You’ve been making decisions without consulting the council, and we are beginning to wonder whether we can continue to support you, given your recent actions.”

  The words stung more than she expected. She knew she had been making moves on her own, but to hear them spoken aloud—to have them questioned in front of everyone—was a blow she hadn’t prepared for. She had always prided herself on being one step ahead, but now it seemed as though her ambition was starting to fracture the unity she had carefully curated.

  "Your position is not as secure as you think," Bertrand’s voice cut in, his calm, measured tone contrasting sharply with the growing tension in the room. “There are those here who still believe in the kingdom’s future under your leadership, but they are beginning to question whether you are the right person to lead us into the next era. You cannot continue like this, Aurelia. It will not end well.”

  Aurelia felt the sharp sting of his words, but she refused to show weakness. She had come too far to back down now, even if the walls around her were starting to close in. She straightened, locking eyes with Bertrand, who had spoken out of turn, his voice carrying a weight of concern.

  "And who else," she asked slowly, "doubts my ability to lead?"

  There was a moment of hesitation, and then Lord Caldor spoke again, his voice dripping with calculated venom. “I believe it’s time we all reassess the direction this kingdom is headed. You’ve surrounded yourself with too many people who have their own interests at heart. People like Valerian, for example. His loyalty has always been questionable.”

  The name hung in the air like a curse. Valerian’s eyes flicked toward Aurelia, his expression unreadable, but she could see the faintest glimmer of something—was it satisfaction? Perhaps it was just the game they were playing. A game where trust was a fragile thing, easily shattered.

  But Aurelia had played this game long enough to know that she was not without her own cards to play. The question was, how far was she willing to go to secure her place at the top?