The Good Crown

Chapter 65

The ceremony began with a heavy stillness, the kind that wraps itself around everything like a thick fog. The royal priest stood before Noah, his voice echoing through the grand hall as he recited the sacred words of the coronation. My eyes darted between Noah and the crowd, the nervous energy building inside me with each passing second.

I could hear the rhythmic rise and fall of the priest's voice, but the words faded into the background. My focus was on the hidden faces among the nobles and academy students. They were scattered throughout the pews, cloaked in fine robes that hid their true intentions. I recognized a few from the town, their eyes burning with purpose.

The king stepped forward, his hands steady as he held the ornate crown meant for his son. The priest's words reached their crescendo, signaling that the moment of Noah's coronation was near. My pulse quickened as I looked at Noah, standing tall, his back straight, his expression one of solemnity and calm. But I knew him well enough to see the flicker of doubt in his eyes.

And then, it happened.

A shattering explosion rang out as the stained-glass windows lining the church walls burst into a thousand colorful fragments. The air filled with the sound of glass raining down, cutting through the tension like a blade. Screams echoed through the church, panic spreading like wildfire as the town folk, hidden among the crowd, rose up with weapons drawn.

The church erupted into chaos.

My heart pounded in my chest as the nobles and students scrambled, pushing each other in frantic attempts to flee. The roar of panic filled the space as more townfolk revealed themselves, charging toward the front of the church with makeshift weapons raised high. Their eyes were locked on the king, their target clear.

Before I could even register what was happening, Noah was by my side. His first instinct wasn't to run or fight—but to protect me. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me close, his body acting as a shield as he scanned the room for an escape. "Stay with me!" he shouted over the chaos, his voice commanding but filled with fear for me.

I could feel the tension in his muscles as he held me close, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Everything was happening too fast. The rebellion we'd anticipated for so long had begun, but not like this. It wasn't supposed to be this violent, this terrifying.

Noah's eyes darkened, glancing toward his father, who stood frozen at the altar, flanked by guards who were already drawing their swords to defend the royal family. But it was clear—there were too many of them. The townfolk had planned this carefully, and they were closing in.

"Get down!" Noah ordered, pushing me behind a pillar as he stepped forward, his eyes locked on the approaching attackers. He reached for a nearby sword one of the royal guards had dropped in the chaos, his grip steady as he prepared to fight.

As the church descended into chaos, my heart pounded harder than ever before. Noah was gripping the sword tightly, poised to defend against the oncoming wave of townfolk. His instinct to protect me, to stand by my side in the middle of this violence, only made what I was about to do even more unbearable.

"Noah..." My voice wavered, trembling with the weight of the betrayal I was about to deliver. His focus shifted toward me, confusion knitting his brow as he watched me step forward.

Before he could ask what I was doing, I reached out, grabbing the sword from his hand. His eyes widened in shock, but he didn't resist as I yanked it away from him. His body tensed, and for a brief moment, we stood there, the world crashing down around us, yet suspended in time—me holding the weapon, him standing defenseless in front of me.

"Daniella, what are you—?" His voice broke off as I raised the sword, directing the tip at him, my hands shaking.

Noah's expression shifted from confusion to disbelief, his blue eyes locking onto mine. His lips parted, but no words came out. The weight of what I had just done, what I was about to do, hung heavy between us. The betrayal in his eyes was like a knife twisting in my gut.