Serynthia Royal Palace – Crisis Council Room
Kaelir had faced kings, dictators, and warlords.
But nothing was as soul-crushing as the high nobles of the Serynthian court screaming over each other in a room lined with silk and lies.
"She cannot return!"
"She's a national scandal!"
"She lied to the crown!"
"She birthed the crown," Kaelir snapped.
Silence fell.
The head of the High Tribunal, Lord Tyros, cleared his throat. "Your Highness… we are simply concerned about optics. The monarchy cannot afford instability—"
"She saved my son," Kaelir interrupted, his voice like iron. "While the royal guard stood frozen. She bled, and fought, and survived things none of you cowards could imagine."
A long pause.
"Even so," Lord Tyros said carefully, "there are… calls for her arrest. Treason, fraud, endangering the heirs—"
Kaelir's fists clenched. "If anyone touches her, I will dismantle this council stone by stone."
Another silence.
Then a single voice broke it.
"She's listening."
Every head turned.
Alina stood in the doorway, back straight, eyes sharp, dressed not like a victim—but like a queen returned from exile.
"Continue your trial," she said coolly. "I'm curious how many of you can lie to my face with the same ease you did behind my back."
---
Ten Minutes Later – Private Chambers
Alina sat on the edge of the palace lounge, rubbing the bridge of her nose.
Kaelir stood across from her, jacket discarded, blood still visible beneath the fresh bandage on his shoulder.
"I didn't need you to defend me in there," she said.
"I wasn't," Kaelir replied. "I was defending my sons."
Alina's mouth twitched. "Convenient how that overlaps with me."
A pause.
Then:
"I hated you," she said quietly.
Kaelir swallowed.
"Not for what you did. For what you didn't."
He sat beside her.
"I hated me too."
The confession landed heavy in the space between them.
"I used to scream your name in my head," Alina whispered. "During the nights they threatened me. When your mother locked me in the west wing for days. When no one came. I thought you would. I waited."
"I didn't know," Kaelir said. "I swear."
"But you didn't ask," she snapped. "You were supposed to be mine, Kaelir. My ally. My safe place. But I became your public trophy and private inconvenience."
His throat tightened.
"I was weak," he said.
"No," she corrected. "You were royal. There's a difference."
They sat in silence for a long moment.
Then Kaelir whispered:
"Do you still hate me?"
Alina stared straight ahead.
"No," she said softly. "And that scares me more."
---
Meanwhile — In the Lower Wards of Serynthia
A video began circulating online.
Footage from the toy store.
Alina, leaping into action. Disarming the man. Shielding her sons. Kaelir, bleeding and still pulling Auron behind him.