The boy forced a nod, hiding the storm brewing inside him."Yes… I will trust you," he whispered, though every fiber of his being screamed otherwise.
The king's smile never wavered."Good. In time, you will understand your purpose here."
He motioned toward the hall, and servants appeared from hidden doors, carrying trays of food and water. The boy's stomach clenched at the opulence, but he swallowed hard, forcing himself to accept the hospitality.
Every step he took felt unnatural, every glance at the kneeling crowd a test of his resolve.He noticed subtle inconsistencies—words repeated by multiple people, gestures slightly out of sync, eyes that lingered too long.
"This is not right," he thought."I must learn the truth… without letting them know I suspect it."
As he walked beside the king, the crowd's chants continued, a constant reminder that the world around him was not what it seemed.
And deep in his chest, a small fire of resolve began to burn.