The Lost Crown.

chapter 9 - Shadows of betrayal.

Chapter 9: Shadows of Betrayal

The night sky above was heavy with clouds, casting a suffocating darkness over the castle grounds. The only sound was the soft rustling of the trees, but to Ishaani, it felt as though the silence was screaming all around her. After what she had just uncovered, nothing would ever be the same.

“I still don’t understand why your identity was hidden,” Arnav said, walking beside her as they moved through a forgotten hallway beneath the library, a hidden passage leading to the royal archives.

“Someone in the palace must have known,” Ishaani replied, her voice cold and distant. “They were powerful enough to erase me from history. But now that we have the scrolls, they’ll know I’ve found out the truth.”

Arnav frowned. “Which means they’ll come for you.”

Ishaani nodded, her jaw set in determination. “Let them try.”

The passage was damp, the walls slick with moisture from years of neglect. Flickering torches barely lit their way, casting long shadows on the stone floors. As they descended deeper into the underbelly of the castle, Ishaani couldn’t shake the growing sense of unease that crawled up her spine. There were secrets down here—dangerous ones.

They reached the royal archives, an old, iron-bound door standing before them like a sentry. Arnav glanced at her, his eyes betraying a flicker of doubt.

“Are you ready for whatever we might find here?”

“I’ve been ready my entire life,” Ishaani said softly. She pushed the door open, its creak echoing through the chamber beyond. Inside, the air was stale, thick with the scent of dust and age. Shelves upon shelves of documents, scrolls, and ledgers stretched into the darkness. The room was a vault of forgotten histories, untouched for decades.

“We need to find any records from the time of my birth,” Ishaani said, moving toward the shelves.

Arnav scanned the labels on the shelves, his fingers brushing over the ancient tomes. "There’s nothing here from the royal family during that time... it’s like it’s all been removed."

Ishaani’s chest tightened. "Someone deliberately erased it. Whoever did this has been planning it for years." She clenched her fists, fury bubbling beneath her calm exterior.

As they searched through the shelves, Ishaani’s attention was drawn to a small, hidden alcove at the back of the room. Something about it felt familiar, as if it was calling to her. She stepped closer, her breath catching when she saw a box—old, but untouched by dust.

Carefully, she opened it and found a set of letters tied together with a faded red ribbon. Her hands trembled as she untied the knot, unfolding the first letter. It was written in an elegant, hurried script.

“Dearest Ishaani,
If you are reading this, it means that you have uncovered the truth about your birth. I regret that I could not protect you from the dangers that surrounded us. There are forces far more dangerous than you can imagine, and they will stop at nothing to ensure you never claim your rightful place. Be careful who you trust, for betrayal often wears the face of a friend. Know this: Your crown is your destiny, but it comes at a great cost. The day will come when you will have to choose between your heart and your duty. I hope you make the right choice.
—Mother”

Ishaani stared at the letter, her mind spinning. Her mother had known all along, but had been powerless to protect her. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them away, her resolve hardening.

“What does it say?” Arnav asked, his voice quiet but urgent.

“It’s from my mother,” Ishaani whispered. “She knew I’d find out someday… but she also knew there were those who would try to stop me.”

Arnav’s eyes darkened. "If there’s a traitor, they could still be close by. We need to be careful."

Just as Ishaani was about to respond, a sound broke the silence—the unmistakable echo of footsteps approaching. Her eyes widened, and she quickly shoved the letter into her pocket.

"Someone’s coming," she hissed, grabbing Arnav’s arm. Together, they ducked into the shadows, hiding behind a large shelf of books.

The door creaked open, and two figures stepped inside, their voices low but tense. Ishaani strained to hear.

"She’s found out," one of the voices said. "We need to move quickly before she gets any closer to the truth."

Ishaani’s blood ran cold. These were no ordinary servants—they were conspirators, and they knew she was onto them.

"Who could they be?" Arnav whispered, his breath warm against her ear.

"I don’t know," Ishaani replied, her heart racing. "But we can’t let them leave here alive."

Arnav’s eyes flickered with determination. "Stay close. We take them by surprise."

Without another word, they slipped silently through the shadows, the tension crackling between them like lightning before a storm. The conspirators were distracted, unaware that their whispered secrets were being overheard.

Ishaani’s pulse quickened as they approached. She reached for the dagger she kept hidden at her waist, her fingers gripping the cold steel. She had no choice—if she wanted to survive, she had to fight.

In one swift motion, Arnav lunged at the first figure, knocking them to the ground with a forceful blow. Ishaani followed suit, her dagger flashing in the dim light as she took down the second figure.

The fight was over in seconds, but the consequences would be far-reaching. As the last conspirator fell, gasping for breath, Ishaani knelt beside him, her voice low and deadly.

"Who sent you?" she demanded.

The man’s eyes flickered with fear, but he managed a twisted smile. "It doesn’t matter," he rasped. "You’ll never make it out alive. The real danger… is already inside."

Before she could press further, the man’s breath stilled. He was gone, but his words hung in the air like a curse.

Ishaani rose to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest. "We’re not safe here. The betrayal goes deeper than we thought."

Arnav wiped the blood from his hands. "We need to leave now, before more come."

But Ishaani couldn’t shake the feeling that their enemies weren’t just lurking in the shadows—they were right under her nose, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.