Lord of Deception

The scent of blood still lingered in the throne room, mixing with the cold air that carried the echoes of Duke Reinhardt's execution. The nobles had already begun to whisper, their eyes darting between the Emperor, Lucian, and Kael—measuring, calculating.

Kael's smirk remained.

So, Castiel wanted to send a message?

Killing Reinhardt was a move meant to intimidate, to force submission. But Kael wasn't a man who bowed to force.

No—he wielded it.

And Castiel, for all his power, had just revealed something crucial.

He was playing defense.

Selene stood by the Emperor's side, composed as ever, but Kael caught the faintest flicker of thought behind her violet eyes. She was adapting, shifting her strategy in real time. He had no doubt she would play the perfect Empress to Castiel—until the moment she no longer had to.

Castiel turned to Kael.

"You've been awfully quiet, Duke Arden." The Emperor's voice was smooth, but there was an edge beneath it. A test.

Kael tilted his head slightly, his smile never fading. "I was simply admiring Your Majesty's… efficiency."

Castiel studied him. "Loyalty must be rewarded. Just as treachery must be punished." His gaze flickered to Lucian, then back. "I trust you agree."

Kael gave a slow nod. "Without question."

He could feel Lucian's hatred burning into him, but he paid it no mind. The fallen hero was nothing more than another piece on the board, and a broken one at that.

For now.

The court session ended soon after, but Kael knew the true game had only begun.

The Empress's Move

Nightfall draped the Imperial Palace in silence, save for the soft crackle of torches lining the marble corridors.

Kael walked with measured steps, the weight of a dozen schemes settling in his mind. Castiel thought he had asserted dominance today, but the reality was far different.

The court had seen a show of strength—but not certainty.

And that doubt was more valuable than any army.

As he neared the Empress's wing, a shadow detached from the wall.

Ilyssia.

She bowed her head slightly. "The Empress is waiting."

Kael gave her a look. "No interruptions."

Ilyssia smirked. "I wouldn't dream of it." Then, she melted back into the shadows.

Kael pushed open the grand doors without knocking.

Inside, Selene stood by the window, bathed in the silver glow of the moon. She had already dismissed her attendants—she had expected him.

"You walk into the Empress's chambers as if they belong to you," she mused, not turning to face him.

Kael smirked. "Don't they?"

Selene chuckled, finally glancing over her shoulder. "Bold."

He stepped closer, stopping just behind her. "You didn't flinch today."

She sighed, her expression unreadable. "I've seen worse."

A lie. He could feel the tension in her—Castiel's unpredictability had shaken her more than she let on.

Kael reached out, gently brushing a strand of silver-blonde hair from her neck. She didn't stop him.

"You played your part well," he murmured.

She turned to him fully then, violet eyes sharp. "I play to win, Kael. I hope you understand that."

His smirk deepened. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

For a moment, silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken truths. Then, Selene exhaled, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

"Do you know why Castiel keeps me?"

Kael leaned in, his voice a whisper against her skin. "Because he fears you more than he desires you."

Her breath hitched, but she held his gaze. "And you?"

Kael's hand traced the curve of her waist, his touch deliberate. "I do not fear what I own."

Something dark flickered in her expression—challenge, amusement, something more dangerous.

"Then prove it," she murmured.

And he did.

To Be Continued…