"Interesting."
A faint glint of amusement flashed through the crown prince's eyes as he watched Kailen's movements on the holographic screen.
Reclining into the sofa's embrace, his posture was one of elegant ease—right leg crossed neatly over the left, the faintest smirk playing at his lips.
"Kailen Darkhaven," he murmured. "It seems things will be far more entertaining than I imagined."
An ethereal voice, dark, regal, and eerie, echoed in his mind.
"You don't want him dead?"
The crown prince's smile deepened, though his gaze never left the screen.
"Not yet. There's no thrill in killing someone before the stage is set. Let him grow. Let him rise. I want to see what kind of monster he becomes… before one of us finally falls."
For a moment, silence filled the room—then he spoke again, tone almost wistful.
"In the past, I would've wanted him gone the moment I saw his name. His father was one of the men I hated most.
