We gathered around the circular table in my room. Darian and I recounted everything that had transpired in the dungeons before the guards arrived. I told Brock about the two prisoners I questioned and the kinds of questions I asked. I then continued the story, detailing my... discussion with my parents in the throne room.
"So the end goal for these people is to kill Darian?" Bri asked, her voice quiet.
"That's what the man in the dungeons said," I confirmed, my hands clasped tightly on the table.
An uncomfortable silence filled the room, especially from Darian. Honestly, though, I wasn't sure why this came as such a surprise to him. He, of all people, should have known the dangers of coming here in the first place.
"So, why go through all this trouble just to kill one man?" Bri pressed, voicing the question that had been gnawing at me. "Why not just send an assassin? Why did Breya have to die, or Brock get targeted?"
If Darian was the primary target, a direct assassination made more sense. There had to be something deeper, a more complex plot at play. What were they truly scheming?
We'd been dissecting this same question for hours, without a single answer. But now that we knew Darian was the real target, even more perplexing questions surfaced. What was the purpose of eliminating the other heirs if he was the ultimate prize?
No one had a satisfactory answer. It left me feeling utterly helpless, as if we were merely waiting for the next attack. It felt like we were constantly reacting, never initiating. We couldn't just hide and wait for something to happen. We needed to act first.
"There is a strong possibility that they are planning something while we're at Breya's funeral," I said.
Brock nodded in confirmation, agreeing with my concern.
"There will be guards posted everywhere. No one comes and goes without them knowing about it,"
"Yes. But we don't even know who these people are. They could be dressed just as anyone else and we would never know until it's too late," I said.
"Almost every knight in Atalar will be there, Aleah."
I didn't know if Brock was trying to comfort himself or me but I had a feeling none of us believed the funeral would go without a hitch.
YOU ARE READING
Crowned in Crimson Cinders
FantasyAleah has been told all her life that she is worthless and weak by her older sister, Amora. But, when Aleah finds out that she is going to be betrothed to the enemy prince, Darian, she finds out that she has ancient powers dating back hundreds of ye...
