Chapter 3: The Collision of Worlds
The ballroom doors groaned as the guards at the entrance were replaced by men in civilian clothes, men whose movements were far too precise, whose eyes darted with predatory intent. These were the assassins. The music continued, a frantic, high-pitched waltz, but the guests were becoming agitated.
Elara felt the weight of her secret. The maid’s world of quiet chores and the royal world of blood and gold were colliding. Vane approached her again, his face twisted in annoyance at her lack of service. "I said more wine, girl!" He reached out to grab her, but Kael intervened, gripping Vane’s wrist with a strength that suggested he could shatter bone with a flick.
"She is done serving," Kael said. The room went silent. The assassins shifted. The masquerade was over. The ballroom was no longer a place of celebration; it was a killing floor. Elara looked at her tray, then at the heavy doors. The path to the throne room was blocked by steel and shadow.
