The once lively air of celebration had turned into a fortress of dread.
Moments after Prince Darius collapsed, gasping and choking on the poison that ravaged his body.
With a single command, the palace guards were set into motion like a storm unleashed.
"Seal the palace," the King had said coldly, his voice like steel in ice. "No one enters. No one leaves."
Only Lira would be allowed to return in to the castle.
Immediately, heavy bronze doors groaned as they shut across every hallway. Steel bolts clicked into place. Guards flooded the vast royal halls, sweeping into rooms, checking behind every curtain, every corner.
Conversations had died. Servants clutched their trays tighter, nobles clung to their seats, and children were led away by concerned nurses.
The castle that had once glittered with warmth and laughter for the prince's birthday now pulsed with suspicion and fear.
