𝐈'𝐦 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥 (𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃)

Chapter 50: Discovering the Truth, Reforging a Pact

The lamps were low. Arsen sat at the edge of his bed, tunic unlaced, a stack of military reports abandoned beside him.

I stood by the window, watching the palace guards change shifts. I was tired, very much so, but my spine was straight. Always straight.

"How are you holding on?" I started.

"You mean the assembly?"

"Hmm..." I hummed.

"Well, I've been better, but I'm managing I suppose. You know that this kind of thing is never my forte. It's all very superficial." I could hear the shudder in his voice. "Once you're in there, it's all about maintaining appearances. Using the right spoon, and the right titles, and bowing and arse-licking and all that rubbish. And since I'm the emperor, I have no choice but to play my part, though I wouldn't say I enjoyed it."

I chuckled. "You've done a good job holding on if I may say so myself."

"Thanks," he grumbled.

We fell into comfortable silence for a while before he spoke again.

"You and Princess Belladonna," Arsen said. He wasn't accusing. Just curious. "Three days ago you barely knew her name. Now you take tea with her twice a day. Everyone is talking, even your uncle."

I didn't turn from the window. "We have a mutual understanding," I said. My voice gave nothing away.

Arsen studied me back. "What kind of understanding?"

"The kind that matters." I finally faced him. Moonlight cut across his face, silver and sharp. "Something big is coming, Arsen. My father and his northern legions are already on the move. You need to prepare. Call in the imperial knights—the one most loyal to you. Double the watch on the armory. This time, it won't end with only a court squabble. It will be an all-out war with that bastard, Constantine."

That got his full attention. He stood. "He's been quiet for months. The last report said he was hunting in the borderlands."

"We both know he's not hunting," I said. "Even Leon confirmed that he's been too busy with winning Phoebe back lately."

"Leon? The blonde knight?" He squinted his eyes.

"The one and the same."

"Since when have you two been close enough to share that kind of information?"

"Since I decided that getting him on our side would make my plan easier." I shrugged.

"What did you do exactly to win him over?"

"Nothing much," I lied. I certainly didn't feel like admitting the embarrassing thing I did to gain his favor. "Let's just say that I kind of brainwashed him."

"And you're sure that he's falling for your brainwashing?" He asked skeptically.

"Well, Leon is an upright man, but he's not exactly sharp in the head, so yeah, he's totally falling for it."

He snorted. "Did you just indirectly call him stupid?

"If you want a simpler word, then yes, he's a bit stupid."

"Don't be mean."

"I didn't say it to his face, did I? He's a good person and I'm a bit fond of him, but he's a few cards short of a full deck."

I knew this for a fact, because someone who could be manipulated by a child couldn't be that bright, right?

"I'm not exactly his biggest fan either, but I think he has a big heart," he said stubbornly. Always the righteous one.