On the day Lara was summoned to the royal palace, Gideon and the twins flanked her like silent sentinels. The palace gates lood high under the golden early afternoon sun, casting short shadows across the cobblestone pathway. Mira trailed behind them, her presence announced with a flutter of skirts and a sugary smile. She insisted she had an appointnt with Princess Ceres—an excuse, but none bothered to challenge her.
The group moved through gilded hallways and marble corridors until they reached the King’s court. Lara’s gaze locked on a familiar silhouette.
"Isn’t that Kasr?" she murmured as she approached the two who had just exited the king’s court.
She looked again—yes, it was him. Kasr stood beside a middle-aged man with silver-white hair, the two of them just exiting the court.
The resemblance was uncanny, but Lara’s sharp senses detected sothing off. The man’s scent was wrong—faintly perfud and foreign—and his posture lacked the regal and commanding aura she had co to associate with Alaric.
"Kasr. You’re here too?"
He paused mid-step and gave her an awkward nod, unsure whether to offer a smile or maintain formality.
"My Lady. We were just leaving," he said, tone stiff with uncertainty.
Lara frowned. When she looked closer, she realized sothing was wrong. The man wasn’t Alaric. He slt different and his deanor was far from Alaric. Then could it be that Alaric impersonated a real person?
"My apologies," she said smoothly. "I thought I recognized soone else."
She turned and lted back into the crowd, seeking her brothers.
"That is Lady Lara Norse," Orion explained quietly to the silver-haired man. "Only daughter of General Odin Norse. And Alaric’s betrothed."
"Alaric’s betrothed..." Kasr repeated. His eyes lingered on Lara’s retreating figure. She walked like a warrior, yet held herself with the grace of royalty. "He’s a damn lucky man."
But a thought flickered through his mind, sharp and unwelco. He leaned closer to Orion and whispered, "Do you think Alaric ca back... for her?"
"Brat," Orion growled. "Don’t go stirring the wind with questions better left unasked. You’ve got your own ss to clean up."
Kasr humd but didn’t argue. Even so, he glanced once more at Lara, a quiet question burning in his eyes.
"Where’s Molavi?" Orion called.
"He’ll et at the inn with my most trusted guard," Kasr replied.
"Two martial artists should be enough. You carry the king’s decree now—his recognition of you as heir to the Dukedom of Greenshire. And his pardon, in light of your service to the people. But tread carefully. I won’t be able to protect you next ti."
"Thank you, Orion."
"Hmph. If you want to thank , help find soone."
...
anwhile, Lara and her brothers were led to the palace’s side hall—a richly adorned chamber reserved for matters of trade and negotiation. Tapestries of past conquests hung along the walls, while sunlight filtered in through high, arched windows.
"Lady Lara," ca a voice laced with charm.
Prince Reuben approached, all polished confidence and princely arrogance. He took Lara’s hand and pressed a kiss to its back. She stiffened, forcing herself not to recoil.
Gideon stepped forward, voice cold but courteous. "Your Highness. We have brought the necessary docuntation for the sale of the Iron Horse patent."
"Hmm, good!" Reuben nodded and looked pleased. "This is for everyone’s best interest."
"Please examine the docunt, Your Highness. We will sell the patent for a thousand gold coins." Gideon announced, keeping his voice respectful even if inside he was boiling mad.
"I will make it hard for you. Anyway, in the future we will be family." Prince Reuben replied confidently.
Gideon’s eyelids twitched. The twins clenched their fists in sync, barely restraining themselves. But Lara remained composed, her expression unreadable.
"Your Highness!" a bright voice called from the doorway.
Mira floated in, eyes wide with false innocence. "Princess Ceres has requested Lady Lara’s presence."
"Hmm." Reuben humd. "I will finalize the transaction with the brothers."
Mira eagerly hooked her arm around Lara’s, pulling her from the room. Lara resisted the touch instinctively and shrugged her off.
"You don’t need to cling to . I can walk on my own."
"Sis," Mira said sweetly, falling into step beside her. "Why do I feel like you resent ? Is it because your parents adopted ? You treated better when we were cousins."
"You know why," Lara replied icily. "Don’t pretend with ."
"What are you talking about, Sis? What did I do?" Mira blinked dramatically. "You an, the fact that I was there to comfort your sick mother when you disappeared for two years?"
"And you knew very well why I disappeared, didn’t you?" Lara asked coldly.
"Sis, I really don’t know what you are talking about. It was my maids who colluded with the human trafficker to kidnap you." Mira stepped ahead and stopped in front of . "Though I was the original target, it wasn’t my fault they took it upon themselves to have you kidnapped instead."
Lara’s gaze bore into Mira’s. Mira had to look up because Lara was taller than her. She regretted it. Lara’s eyes were piercing.
She knew that her eyes were light brown, but at that ti, she could swear that those orbs, usually a calm brown, glowed with an ember-like intensity.
Mira shivered. There was no mistaking the look: vengeance.
She turned abruptly and strode ahead, trying to escape those eyes. Lara chuckled softly and followed her into Princess Ceres’ chambers.
The princess’s boudoir was lavish: velvet drapes, a golden chandelier, and a parlor filled with dainty furniture and exotic flowers.
"You called for , Princess?" Lara asked, treating the princess as her equal.
"Yes. I’m struggling with a dance step, and Mira’s no help," Ceres pouted.
Lara’s brow arched, but she complied, teaching the step with quiet precision. As minutes dragged into hours, her patience wore thin.
"Enough. We’ll continue tomorrow," the princess finally declared, summoning servants who brought in silver trays of pastries and steaming tea.
Princess Ceres and Mira excitedly took their teacups and munched on the pastries.
"What’s wrong, Lady Lara? You don’t like tea?" Princes Ceres asked, her voice laced with sarcasm that did not escape Lara’s notice.
She lifted the tea cup but before she could take a sip, she frowned.
There was sothing with the teacup.
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