Chapter 58: A dangerous game

Chapter 58: A dangerous gameLucas had seen the worst of humanity in the name of glory, conquest, revenge. He knew what war truly was. And he hated it. The future he came from had shown him too many wars, blood-stained politics and endless graves.

His breath left him slow and deliberate. "This is bad... very bad," he thought.

The fragile peace that had given him a chance to rebuild himself, to grow stronger, was now under threat. And if the King had declared war with no solid proof... retaliation was certain. Blood would spill. Borders would shift. And the people, the innocents, they would suffer most.

Lucas looked at Princess Nyx beside him, her silver gown shimmering softly under the fading golden light of the garden. Her eyes were fixed on the ground too. She wasn’t smiling anymore.

They had continued to walk slowly, servants remained a respectful distance behind them.

"I need to get stronger," Lucas thought. Faster than I planned. This changes everything.

Thankfully, he had already strengthened his dantian and his meridians. His foundation was now solid enough to carry the weight of rapid advancement. But that was only one piece of what he needed. Strategy, knowledge, and influence would matter just as much in the storms ahead.

Their slow stroll was broken by hurried footsteps approaching. One of the royal servants bowed quickly before Lucas.

"My Lord Alden," the servant said with a lowered gaze. "The Seer has requested your presence... at once."

Lucas blinked. Again?

His first instinct was to decline, not out of disrespect, but he was deep in conversation with Princess Nyx, and it felt wrong to just leave. He turned toward her, about to say he’d attend to it after their walk.



But before the words left his lips, Nyx raised a hand gently.

"It’s alright," she said. Her voice carried a soft regality. "Go on. She wouldn’t summon you without reason. We can continue our chat later."

Lucas hesitated for a beat, then gave a respectful bow. "Thank you, Your Highness."

Princess Nyx nodded once, her expression calm but thoughtful. She turned back to the path and began walking slowly on her own, her silver robes trailing lightly behind her.

Lucas turned and followed the servant briskly. The Seer again. Why now? What did she want this time? His thoughts churned as they made their way through the winding halls of the palace. The sky above was dimming quickly, nightfall creeping in.

As he walked, something inside him stirred. A growing feeling. Instinct... or maybe intuition. Whatever the Seer wanted, it wasn’t going to be a simple conversation.

Lucas reached the Seer’s chamber and knocked, the seer asked him to enter and he did. The heavy wooden door of the chamber closed behind Lucas with a dull thud, sealing him in the quiet, incense-laced space. The flickering lanterns cast soft shadows across the room’s stone walls, and as always, the air was heavy with a strange mix of warmth and mystery. The scent of herbs lingered, mingling with something hard to place.

The Seer sat on her usual cushion, robed in flowing fabric the color of deep plum, her posture regal and unmoving, like a statue carved from moonlight. Without looking at him, she lifted her hand slowly and gestured toward the cushion across from her.

"Sit," she said.

Lucas obeyed, settling cross-legged onto the thick cushion. As he did, his eyes wandered before he could stop them. He saw again what he had tried not to notice before, her skin, pale and flawless like sculpted jade, glowing faintly in the amber light. Her long hair spilled like ink over her shoulders, framing a face that was both delicate and commanding. He swallowed.

Why is she so... alluring? he thought, frustrated with himself.

The thoughts came unbidden. It wasn’t just her beauty, there was an allure about her presence, her mystery, her power. The mere idea of fucking someone like her stirred something primal in him. But he pushed it down quickly. This wasn’t the time. Nor the place. He forced himself to stay focused.

"There’s something more you should know." The Seer said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Lucas blinked, raising an eyebrow. "I’m listening."

"There’s a war coming," she said, her voice low, calm, but steady.

Lucas nodded. "Princess Nyx told me earlier. She said it’s still being kept within the inner court... the public hasn’t heard anything yet."

The Seer shifted slightly. "They will. Soon."

She paused then, her dark eyes falling to the floor. Her fingers, long and elegant, moved slowly over the rim of the ceramic cup in front of her. Then, lifting her gaze again, she spoke more carefully.

"The one who poisoned Prince Darius..." she began, "is still in the palace."

Lucas stiffened.

"What?" he said sharply, leaning forward. "You’re sure?"

"I am."

The words hit like cold iron.

He narrowed his eyes. "Then why hasn’t the King been informed? You let them go?"

"I didn’t let them go," she corrected, her tone sharp and measured. "I’m letting them stay."



Lucas stared at her, stunned. "You’re... letting them stay? That’s a dangerous gamble. What if they try again? What if they succeed next time?"

The Seer’s eyes glinted, reflecting the flickering lantern light. "That’s why I’m watching."

Lucas ran a hand through his hair, frustration rising. "You’re playing with fire."

"I know," she said quietly.

There was a silence between them.

Then she continued, "If I’d pointed them out... if I’d even hinted at it, they would’ve taken their own life before anyone could lay a hand on them. That kind of agent doesn’t fear death. They would’ve died with the truth sealed behind their lips. That... would’ve helped no one."

Lucas slowly sat back, digesting her words.

"So you let them walk free," he muttered, more to himself than her.

"I didn’t say I trust them," she replied. "But I trust myself to watch them. And you, it seems... are becoming someone worth trusting too."

Lucas exhaled, rubbing his palms together as he considered the risk.

"Then we’ll have to stay alert," he said. "Because if they failed once, they’re bound to strike again... and next time, it might not just be the prince they go after."

The Seer nodded slowly. "Exactly."

Her voice dropped to a murmur, eyes distant, as though she were already watching shadows move behind palace walls.

Lucas sat there, a quiet dread creeping into his chest. His jaw tightened as the Seer’s words echoed in the chamber.

He leaned forward slightly, eyes locked on hers. "You do realize your silence has already caused a war to begin?"

His voice was calm, but beneath it, a storm brewed. "Had the king known the truth, even a glimpse of it, he might have thought differently. Might have hesitated. Might have waited."

The Seer’s expression didn’t shift. She sat unmoving, her gaze unwavering. For a long moment, it seemed like she wasn’t going to respond. Then, she sighed, deeply, almost wearily.

"I know," she said softly. "But hesitation wouldn’t have saved us."

Lucas frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I’m hoping..." she said, eyes drifting to the single candle flickering on the stone table beside them, "that the traitor... slips up before the drums of war truly begin to beat. Before the armies march. Before blood is spilled."

Lucas watched her closely.

"I’ve seen wars sparked by less," she continued, "and I’ve seen truths that do more damage than lies. If I tell the king who it is now... he will rage. His fury will burn through the walls of this palace and into the fields beyond. We are standing in a storm already, Lucas."

Lucas’s hands curled into fists against his knees. "So you’d rather wait? Let chaos take its course? Gamble the lives of thousands?"

"I am not gambling," the Seer said, her voice suddenly sharp. "I am weighing outcomes. I am reading threads too fine for most eyes. You think truth is always the answer, but sometimes, the truth is a blade in the wrong hands."

Lucas rose slightly from his seat, the tension in his body too much to contain. "You talk like this is a game."



She looked at him then, really looked at him. Her dark eyes were full of storms and secrets.

"It’s not a game," she said. "It’s a trap. And someone has already baited it."

He narrowed his gaze. "You know who, don’t you?"

The Seer didn’t blink. She didn’t nod either. But the silence said it all.

Lucas stepped closer. "Then tell me."

"No."

His breath caught.

"Why?" he asked, voice low.

"Because you are not ready," she said, quiet but firm. "And because speaking their name before the time is right will do more harm than good. This enemy... is close. Close to the king. Close enough to whisper into his ears, close enough to influence the court. If I speak now, if I make even one wrong move, they will disappear like smoke. And we may never find them again."

Lucas took a slow step back, anger and dread mingling in his chest. He didn’t like it, didn’t like the shadows, the secrets, the waiting. But she wasn’t wrong. He could feel that.

"You’re playing a dangerous game," he said finally.

The Seer’s lips curled into the faintest, bitter smile. "So are you, Lucas."