Kapitel 8: Meeting The King

The door creaked open, and Cassian stepped inside, his boots thudding against the polished stone floor. His dark eyes landed on Selene, and for a brief moment surprise flashed through his eyes.

But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a frown that deepened the lines around his mouth.

"You clean up nice," he said flatly, his tone neutral as he crossed his arms. "Shame it doesn't change what you are."

Selene raised an eyebrow, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear with deliberate grace. The deep green fabric of her dress hugged her frame, the golden accents catching the flickering light.

"Careful, Captain," she said softly, her lips curving into a smirk. "That almost sounded like a compliment."

"It wasn't," he snapped, closing the distance between them in a few long strides.

Selene didn't flinch, she looked up at him.

Smirked.

He sneered.

Before she could react, his hand closed around her arm, his grip firm but not quite bruising. "Move. The king doesn't like to be kept waiting."

"Gentle," Zariya's voice cut in

She stepped forward, her dark eyes narrowing on Cassian. "She is to meet the king, not be dragged before him like some criminal. Or do you plan to ruin your master's carefully laid plans with your temper?"

Cassian glared at her but loosened his grip slightly. "Stay out of it, serpent," he growled.

"Just reminding you to play nice."

Selene looked between them, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "How sweet," she drawled. "I didn't know you cared. Besides, I am a criminal. A killer to be precise."

"Let's go," Cassian barked, ignoring her comment as he turned toward the door.

---

The Halls of Arcadia Castle of the great Caeltheria was as beautiful as the people say.

The corridors of the palace stretched endlessly, lined with tall, arched windows that let in streams of pale moonlight.

The walls were adorned with cravings, statues of kings and queens frozen in their moments of glory.

Paintings of landscapes and of course the king and his family.

Selene walked between Cassian and Zariya, her sharp gaze taking in every detail. She noted the guards stationed at every corner, their stances rigid, their hands never far from their weapons.

The main door had two guards, they were asleep but the moment they saw Cassian, they stood up straight.

This made Selene scoff.

Pathetic.

"Caeltheria," Zariya said suddenly, her voice breaking the silence. "The heart of the Ironclad Kingdom. Ruled by King Alden, the Long King."

Selene tilted her head slightly, feigning disinterest. "Long King?"

"A title given for his reign," Zariya explained. "Forty years on the throne, longer than any other monarch in recent history. His rule has been... effective."

"Effective," Selene repeated, her tone dry. "That's one way to put it."

"He rebuilt Caeltheria after the Mage Wars," Zariya continued, her voice calm but firm. "This palace, the trade routes, the alliances—all of it is his doing. He is a king who understands strength."

Selene's gaze flicked to the carvings on the walls, her lips curving into a faint smile.

"Strength," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "He murdered everyone else that lived in this vicinity. Be it children. Unborn babies. As long as they were dragons, fae or any magical creature, he killed them all."

Cassian shot her a warning look but said nothing. Selene wasn't wrong, everyone had to move away to the fae kingdom of the south where some magic exist. The rest creatures of the earth, all gone into extinction.

All that was left were humans. Who cannot practice magic.

They reached the grand doors to the throne room, their dark wood inlaid with gold and iron. Two guards stepped forward, pushing the doors open with a low creak.

The throne room was vast and imposing, its high ceilings supported by dark stone columns. At the far end of the room sat a man on a massive iron throne, his figure shrouded in shadows cast by the dim torchlight.

Selene's steps faltered for the briefest moment as she approached, her instincts prickling. The air here felt heavy, oppressive, as though the very walls were watching.

"Bow," Cassian muttered, his voice low and firm.

Selene hesitated, then dropped into a graceful bow, lowering her head but keeping her movements slow, deliberate. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, refusing to lift.

King Alden's voice broke the silence, deep and steady. "Rise."

Selene straightened, but her eyes remained averted, fixed just below his chin.

The throne room was suffocating in its grandeur.

Alden sat back, his sharp, calculating dark eyes assessing her as if she were no more than a tool to be measured and discarded.

The king's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile. "This is the one you chose?" His gaze shifted to Kade, whose expression had turned stone cold. "An assassin who's clearly lost her mind?"

Kade's jaw tightened, his hands clasped behind his back as he met his father's gaze. He said nothing.

"Tell me, Selene Draven," Alden continued, his tone almost amused. "Do you plan to insult your enemies into submission? Or perhaps you'll smother them with your uncouth behavior?"

Selene's fists clenched at her sides, but she remained silent, her face carefully blank. It was the first time she didn't have a retort, the first time she didn't lash back with biting words.

"Nothing to say?" Alden leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing. "Perhaps you've finally realized the depths of your incompetence."

"She knows when to hold her tongue," Kade interjected, his voice smooth but edged with defiance. "A skill many in this court could learn from."

Alden's sharp laugh echoed through the throne room. "Hold her tongue? She hasn't been here long enough to learn that skill, Kade. Look at her." He gestured dismissively toward Selene. "She's unpolished. A stray mutt you've dragged into my court and expect me to trust with something so delicate."

Selene's nails dug into her palms, but she kept her gaze steady.

The gold designs on the floor suddenly looks enticing.

"You expect her to seduce a king?" Alden continued, his tone incredulous. "To infiltrate his court, earn his trust, kill him if needed, and bring back valuable information?" His gaze swept over her, as though weighing her and finding her lacking. "A woman who has likely never used a fork properly, let alone danced in a noble's hall?"

"She will learn," Kade replied, his voice steady but firm.

"She will fail," Alden snapped back. He leaned back in his throne, his hand gripping the armrest as his piercing gaze bore into Kade. "There are better candidates for this mission—women trained for courtly intrigue, women who understand subtlety and grace. She is uncouth. Wild. Broken."

Selene's head tilted slightly, her lips twitching as if to speak, but Kade's voice cut through the tension before she could.

"She is exactly what we need," Kade said.

"Explain," Alden demanded.

"She's unpredictable," Kade said, stepping forward. "No one will expect her, least of all Caelan. He'll be curious, drawn to the mystery. He won't see the dagger until it's at his throat."

Alden studied his son for a moment before shifting his attention back to Selene. His expression hardened further. "Perhaps. But you... you are useless. Whatever potential you might have is buried beneath layers of filth and recklessness."

The words hung in the air like a blade poised to strike.

Selene's chest tightened, the insult hitting deeper than she wanted to admit. But she didn't flinch, didn't react.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Alden waved his hand dismissively. "Take her away. I don't want to see her again until she can prove she's worth the effort."

Selene turned without a word, her movements sharp and controlled as she followed Cassian and Zariya out of the throne room. Her silence was louder than any retort she could have given, but inside, her mind burned with a single, unrelenting thought.

I will prove you wrong.

I will prove all of them wrong and I will have my freedom.

I would be free again. Free to breathe. Free to run. Free to leave.

Patience.