There are only two ways an empire—or a kingdom—can fall. The first is through force: siege, conquest, the bloody and brutal inevitability of war. The second is from within. When cracks spread and weak points are struck, the foundation collapses.
Aric had no means to employ the first method. As for the second, the deeper one is embedded within, the easier it is to break it apart. If Aric could enter the king's inner circle, he would gain an undeniable advantage—access to vital information and the chance to bend it to his will. That was the prince's ultimate card.
But Aszer was no fool.
The king's chuckle echoed through the throne room before swelling into a booming laugh that rattled the stone walls.
"You mean to tell me that you, a Valerian prince, would aid me in stealing power from your own sovereign—and you expect me to believe it?"
He laughed again, though Aric stood silently until his calm voice cut through the sound.
