Aeson’s lips quirk into a half-smile, his gaze narrowing ever so slightly. “A few,” he admits, setting his fork down. “Nothing like what Lunara faced during the Dark Wars, of course. Venaris has always been more…reserved. A kingdom that thrives on stability, rather than chaos.” His eyes glint with something that makes me nauseous. “Much like Alcaris. It’s one of the reasons I’ve admired you for so long.”
“Quiet doesn’t always mean safe,” I muse, carefully keeping my tone neutral. “Polaris once thought the same. And yet, Queen Isla and King Asher were nearly destroyed when dark magic seeped through the cracks of their lands. Evil is clever like that. It waits, watching, until no one expects it.”
Aeson lifts a brow, his fingers tapping idly against the rim of his wine glass. “Dark magic has never scared me,” he says, his tone casual. “Nor has it ever been a problem for Venaris.”
The words hang between us, thick with implication.
“Never?” I press, tilting my head slightly. “Not even a whisper of it throughout the years? I find that hard to believe. Even Alcaris carries the scars of those who thought they could wield such energy without consequence.”
His expression remains carefully composed, but there’s something in his stillness—a calculation behind his gaze. “Dark magic is like fire. It only becomes a problem if you allow it to burn you.”
A shiver prickles up my spine, but I keep my face impassive. “An interesting perspective,” I murmur, toying with the stem of my wine glass.
“Indeed.” He smiles, lifting his glass. “To perspectives, then. And to our shared future.”
I clink my flute against his, the sound ringing hollow in my ears. “A better kingdom for our people.”
We resume eating, but my mind is already working through everything he’s said. Before, I allowed myself to only see what I wanted and needed to. I let desperation cloud my instincts. But no more. I thought I was trying to see something that wasn’t there, but it’s those invisible forces I need to remain focused on.
I glance at him, feigning amusement as he recounts a story about Venaris’s economic trade agreements. He’s good at deflection. There’s an ease to him that could almost be disarming. But I’ve played this game far too long not to recognize when someone is controlling the board. At least now that I have all my wits about me again.
I push my plate away slightly, leaning in as if I’m suddenly more interested in him than my meal. “You said Venaris has always been stable,” I say, keeping my voice light. “Has that just been under your reign? What of the kings and queens before you? I feel as though I’ve been fighting my own waragainst the unknown in Alcaris, and I’m curious what battles other kingdoms have faced without anyone else realizing it. Maybe a war long ago fought in shadows or even enemies silenced before they’ve had the chance to become real threats.”
Aeson studies me, amusement flickering across his face. “You wound me, my dear,” he drawls, swirling his wine lazily. “You make it sound as if this castle might have a dungeon full of skeletons waiting to be uncovered.”
I don’t flinch, but I do hold my smile, raising a curious brow. “Does it?”
His grin doesn’t falter, but there’s a glint of something in his expression. A pause, just long enough to make me certain he’s hiding something. Something I’ve already found.
“Of course not,” he says smoothly, sipping his drink. “Our prior rulers have long understood the responsibility of power and wielded it wisely to avoid those sorts of circumstances.”
“That’s all very interesting,” I muse, resting my hand over his.
Aeson’s gaze sharpens. “You’re intrigued by it, are you?”
I match his smile, resting my chin against my knuckles. “I’m intrigued by many things. Power, magic, history, how our world has gotten to where it is.”
His smirk deepens. “I think we’re going to have more in common than I realized.”
At least he’s going to think so. And that comment is precisely why I can’t trust him.
As we finish the meal, silence stretches between us—not uncomfortable but laden with unsaid words. I smile when expected, nod when necessary, but beneath it all, my mind is working.
Aeson thinks I’m softening to him. That I’ve surrenderedto my fate, that I’m interested in what possibilities wait for me here.
As long as I can keep it that way, I’ll be able to uncover the secrets this kingdom clearly has.
Aeson knows more than he’s letting on.
I might not yet have the upper hand, but now that the veil over my emotions has been ripped away, I know a deceitful king when I see one.
Every move I make will need to be well thought out, and I might even need to give Queen Estee a call. If things go wrong, I need someone outside these lands to know that not all is as it seems in Venaris.
Aeson’s gaze lingers on me as we rise from the table, his fingers brushing my cheek as he pulls me too close to his chest. “I hope you’ll come to trust me fully, Sloane,” he says softly. “We could be formidable together.”
I meet his gaze head-on, a slow smile curving my lips. “I suppose time will tell.”
As I leave the dining hall, I can’t help but think…
