MELT MY FROZEN HEART
Chapter 53 — Eyes in the Shadows
The marble halls of the palace gleamed under moonlight, but tonight, the shadows whispered louder than ever.
Unseen by most, the queen's silk slippers barely made a sound as she slipped through the hidden corridor behind the garden wall. Her cloak concealed her face, but not her intentions.
The foreigners were waiting.
In the overgrown courtyard, their laughter faded as the queen approached, her presence silencing them with royal authority.
"You're late," one of the diplomats muttered, eyeing her nervously.
The queen pulled down her hood, her eyes sharp and cold. "Watch your tone. You came to my kingdom. And you're here because I allow it."
The diplomat's smile returned, false and oily. "And the prince? He allows this?"
A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "My son is too distracted by his little maid to notice the cracks forming beneath his throne."
The diplomats exchanged satisfied glances.
"We remember the Frost War," another foreigner whispered. "He was young but terrifying… That boy turned our armies into ghosts."
The queen's eyes darkened. "He's not a boy anymore. But even princes bleed… especially when betrayed from within."
The foreigners smirked, their confidence returning as plans took shape in the moonlit garden.
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Meanwhile…
In the main hall, Prince Kimo stood by the arched windows, his expression unreadable as he observed the festivities below. Behind him, guards stood at attention, their armor gleaming, but their orders were anything but ceremonial.
"Eyes on the visitors," Kimo instructed, his voice low, sharp as ice. "Every room they enter. Every lie they breathe. I want to know it all."
The captain of the guard bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."
Kimo's icy blue eyes narrowed toward the distant garden entrance. His instincts prickled—the foreigners smiled too easily, their apologies were too polished. And his mother… she had been far too quiet.
Oki passed by with a tray, pausing as she noticed Kimo's tense stance.
"Worried your guests might steal the silverware?" she teased.
Kimo didn't smile. "I'm more worried they'll steal lives."
Oki's playful expression faded. "They wouldn't dare… not with you here."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "They're fools if they try."
But deep down, Prince Kimo knew—fools or not, betrayal rarely walked through the front gate. It snuck through cracks, hidden behind familiar faces… sometimes even those wearing a crown.
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To be con...