Kai went to sleep thinking about explosions, and not the kind that came from fireballs or collapsing towers. But the kind that happened when two opposing forces refused to back down.

In spell theory, things were much less… complicated. When two equal circle spells of different aspects collided, the result was chaos. There were exceptions of course. When one spell vastly overpowered the other, or when compatibility somehow let them blend. But those were rare. And this wasn’t one of those cases.

Here, both women were equally matched. One was a Viscountess, and the other was a Baroness. Neither bowed to the other, and neither had lost. Which meant that neither was willing to give up. They had warred for decades, locking horns in silence, sabotaging each other in rooms, estates and wherever their powers reached. Even after everything, to think that no one had emerged victorious was quite the feast.

If he tried to side with one, that meant he’d be closing the door on the other completely, and right now, he couldn’t afford to do that. Not when the Assembly was so close.

It was a predicament that he could clearly not solve with strength.

Another thought had crossed his mind—cutting off the barons that supported them one by one. Isolate the roots, and maybe the tree would fall. But even that was wishful thinking. Ten days. That was all the time he had before the Assembly began. Obviously, it was not enough time to unravel years of loyalty of these barons.

He was sure that Francis and the rest of them had already thought of that but had come to the same conclusion.

So Kai knew the only way was for him to solve the feud. Yet, more questions arose. How do you keep two forces, locked in opposition, from destroying each other and everything around them?

He had no answer.

Not when he slept. Not when he woke up.

But the question still clung to him as he dressed, tied the last strap of his cloak, and made his way to the meeting room.

When he stepped inside, the three were already there—Francis, Killian, and Leopold. Sharing bread and spiced eggs over quiet conversation.

Kai looked at the table and raised a brow.

“Did you three sleep here too?”

Francis and Killian stood at once, offering a bow. Leopold, meanwhile, leaned back in his chair, took a leisurely bite of bread. “Mmm, not really. I actually shifted to the estate we’ve got in the capital the moment my father arrived. He doesn’t let me stay there alone. Says I need to earn it.” He rolled his eyes. “Honestly, I get it, but it’s still annoying.”

Kai slid into the seat across from him. “I can understand.”

“Can you? Duke Kellius was like that?”

“No,” Kai replied without missing a beat. “He was more… absent. But I’ve had mentors like that. I’d say it counts.”

Leopold looked like he wanted to press further, but Kai was already turning to Francis.

“Other than Baroness Marren… and Viscountess Vaessa—I’m guessing there are others who haven’t officially picked a side yet. The ones still biding their time.”

Francis gave a small nod. “They are. I’ve sent invitations to all of them. They’ll be at the banquet hosted by Duke Blackwood. Most of them want to hear from you before they make any decisions.”

“They want to know if backing me is worth going against the princes.”

“Exactly,” Francis said. “It’s not about loyalty to them, Lord Arzan—they want insurance. Assurance. Noble words, future promises, security. Things only you can give.”

Leopold nodded, still chewing. “He’s right. Noble words are worth their weight in gold. Especially when they come from a Count with Duke’s blood. Let them hear you, see you actually invested in them, and they’ll sway.” He smirked. “It’s very similar to young nobles talking their way into a maiden’s bedroom.”

Killian let out a short laugh, shaking his head. “That’s a terrifying comparison.”

“But accurate,” Francis muttered.

“Seems like you’ve got experience with that,” Kai said at last.

Leopold flashed a grin. “Some.” But then his smile faded, and he leaned forward, voice turning serious. “But yes—jokes aside, you need to tread carefully. You’ll be the star of the banquet, the one everyone wants to talk to. If you play it wrong, you could lose not just their interest, but your current support too. And that’s risky.”

Kai nodded, appreciating the reminder. He knew that already, but hearing it said aloud helped reinforce how precarious everything truly was.

“I get it,” he said. “I believe I’ve gotten better with politics.” He turned to Francis. “Anyone I need to be extra wary of?”

Francis gave a slight nod. “There are a few. First—Viscount Alburn. He’s been interested for a while but insists that any formal support comes with a marriage alliance. His daughter, Lady Reine, is eighteen and ambitious. We’ve been delaying those talks until after the assembly, but be careful with what you say around him. He’s persistent.”

Kai blinked. “Noted.”

Francis continued, “Then there’s Baron Vilden. He wants an exclusive contract for our golems in exchange for his backing. Heard about them during the beast wave and fief war. You’ll need to be vague but polite, he’ll press you on specifics.”

Kai groaned internally but didn’t show it.

“And that’s not all,” Francis added, reaching for a scroll. “Baroness Virel expects you to show interest in her son’s trade routes. Lord Winson is waiting to see if you’ll openly speak against the second prince, who he hates due to a past incident. And Lady Enya… wants a personal meeting before she commits, likely to assess if you’re charismatic enough to follow.”

The list kept going.

And the more Francis spoke, the more Kai realized that the hardest part of the banquet might not be saying the right things, but remembering who was who, and what promises had been made—or hinted at—to each of them.

None of these nobles thought they were doing him a favor. In their minds, they were risking everything to stand against the Princes. And they expected that risk to be well-compensated.

If he slipped—even once—it could all fall apart.

Francis kept talking through most of the breakfast, taking names, weaving details and strategies together.

Kai listened quietly, storing every name and condition in the back of his mind. He’d review it all again before the banquet.

But it wasn’t just the nobles and banquet logistics weighing on Kai’s mind. He’d been in Hermil for nearly a full day now, and there’d still been no summons from King Sullivan.

Not even a letter.

The silence gnawed at him.

The king had sent a herald months ago, inviting him to meet once he arrived in the capital. That had to count for something. But if he waited too long, it might seem like he was ignoring the crown.

Once breakfast was over, Kai leaned back in his chair and glanced toward Leopold.

“If I wanted to find King Sullivan,” he said casually. “Where do you think he’d be in the castle?”

“What? Planning to kidnap the King now? Hope he’ll whisk you away and spare you from the assembly?”

Kai chuckled. “Obviously not. He sent a letter months back, asking to meet when I came to Hermil. I’m just thinking… I might not get a formal invitation. So maybe I should go to him instead.”

Leopold squinted his eyes, surprised, but only for a second. “Huh. Alright. If it’s the King you’re after, there are really only two places he’s known to spend time. His personal chambers… or his garden. Not the royal one, mind you, the one behind the old chapel around his chambers. He prefers peace, and that’s where he finds it.”

“Got it,” Kai said, keeping that in mind.

“But wait—you’re not just going to fly over to the castle, are you?” Leopold said. “The entire place is laced with guard posts and defensive wards. If you flutter too close, you’ll set off alarms.”

Kai offered him a faint grin. “I know. I’m not stupid. But I have ideas. It won’t be hard.”

Leopold frowned. “Yeah? Just don’t let the nobles give you a title like ‘Skyborn Assassin’ or something. They’d love to twist that narrative if they—”

A sharp knock on the door cut him off. Everyone turned to look.

Killian was the first to move. One hand slid to the hilt of his sword as he stepped toward the door with the quiet grace of a warrior expecting trouble.

“Who’s there?” he asked sharply. “State your purpose.” There was a beat of silence.

Then a familiar voice responded, muffled but composed. “I’m Anya. Maid of Princess Amara. The princess is here to meet Count Arzan.”

Everyone in the room visibly relaxed.

Killian opened the door swiftly, and there they were. Anya, standing with a servant’s poise, and beside her, Princess Amara.

They all stood in respect, giving the proper bows in the presence of royalty, but as Kai raised his eyes to meet hers, he didn’t find the familiar warmth or excitement he’d come to associate with Amara’s gaze.

She looked… afraid.

Her face was pale, her hands tense by her sides. It was as if her heart had shattered and she was still holding the shards in her chest. Kai stepped toward her immediately, concern etching his voice. “Princess Amara… is everything alright? You look—”

“Stressed?” She finished softly. “I am. There’s something weighing on my mind. And…” Her eyes met his, troubled. “It involves you, Count Arzan.”

He stilled. “What is it?”

As soon as Kai said it, Amara’s eyes went to the floor. Kai waited till she took a second to herself, clearly seeing the panic in her face. With a heavy sigh, she reached into her robes and took out a sealed envelope. Her fingers shook when she extended it,

“My mother sent this.”

The moment the words left her mouth, Kai felt the air shift.

He reached out and took the letter without a word, already dreading what it might contain. The seal was intact. A crest designed as a snake biting off an apple—Regina’s mark probably—pressed deep into the wax.

He broke it open, unfolded the parchment and read.

Meet me in my chambers. Find Selwin. He will guide you.

It was all that was written. A part of him expected a threat to be there, a command or something else, but the simple instruction made his chest tighten.

Regina wanted to meet him?

After all she had done—after trying to kill him through Actra, after manipulating his own brother into creating a beast wave and a fief war and using people like pawns on a board—why now? What game was she playing? Did she want to end it in person?

As his mind reeled with possibilities, Amara stepped closer, her voice trembling.

“Count Arzan… are you going to avoid it? Or are you going to meet her?”

Kai looked up at her. Her question rang in his mind like a drum. And then he looked at the letter again.

“I’m going to meet her,” Kai said.

***

Kai had no idea what Regina truly wanted.

They had been fighting for a while now—without ever meeting face to face. But that hadn’t lessened the blows. Every major scheme that had threatened him or his territory could be traced back to her shadow. The poison running through the kingdom’s veins often bore her fingerprints, even if she remained cloaked behind silk curtains and courtly smiles.

Even Amara hadn’t known the reason behind the sudden summons. A private meeting, just days before the Assembly? It stank of a trap. But Kai didn’t fear that.

If anything, he saw it as overdue.

He needed to see her. To assess her with his own eyes. And if Regina tried something… he would end it. No matter her lineage, no matter her titles, no matter what games she played, he wasn’t going to let her do whatever she wanted with him.

Still, he didn’t dwell on her. Not aloud.

Every time her mother’s name came up, Amara tensed like a string being drawn taut, ready to snap. So he let the subject go and instead turned his focus to something else entirely.

“Thank you,” he said simply.

“For what?”

“For helping with the nobles. Francis told me what you’ve done. How you’ve been pushing my name forward in the right circles.” His gaze softened. “Political power or not, you made a difference.”

She shifted a little, clearly unused to praise. “I… only spoke to a few people. It wasn’t—”

“It was,” he cut in gently. “Titles mean little when no one listens. But people listened to you. That counts.”

A soft flush crept onto her cheeks, and she ducked her head to hide it—though the faintest smile tugged at her lips. He didn’t press further. He knew her by now. Amara never took praise well, not because she didn’t deserve it, but because she’d been starved of it her whole life.

She simply had the title of a Princess. It held little value inside the kingdom, but from what Francis had told him before, she’d managed to get a good reputation for him, where the reputation mattered most—in noble circles. Even influential merchants were looking at him in a better light.

That had been extremely useful. It had gotten Kai a few more nobles that shifted their tide, and expressed their willingness to bet on him—all thanks to Amara.

The latter joined the breakfast, where all they talked about was strategy. Leopold wanted to talk more about Regina, but he shot it down.

They moved on to continuing their discussion on the banquet—the event that could shape the tide of the Assembly. There would be nobles and merchants and people on the fence, ready to tip toward whichever side offered the better future, or the better deal.

Kai knew he’d be at the center of it all. Every word, every gesture, would be judged left and right. And he had no intention of letting any of it go to waste.

So, he spent the rest of the day learning.

Names of nobles. Their titles. Their specialties. Their weaknesses and grudges. Who owed who favors. Who had family members in the capital. Who hated each other.

Surprisingly, Amara proved invaluable. Every now and then, she’d chime in—correcting Francis, clarifying a noble’s reputation, or sharing a quiet scandal that helped Kai understand how best to approach them.

It was exhausting work.

Leopold left halfway through, grumbling something about meeting his father. But Kai, Francis, Killian, Anya and Amara remained—pouring through documents, memory, and anecdotes well into the evening.

They skipped lunch. Too much to process. Too much at stake.

By the time the sun began to set, even Amara stood up with a sigh. “I should go,” she said, adjusting the folds of her dress. “It’s not proper for me to stay out this late.”

Kai nodded. But before she left, he asked casually, “Amara… the castle. Do you know where the king’s private garden is? And his chambers?”

She tugged her dress and tilted her head. “I do, but… why do you want to know?”

“Just curious….”

She frowned, clearly unconvinced, but didn’t press further. She simply answered his question and stepped towards the door.

Once she left, and the room finally quieted, Kai reviewed his notes one last time.

Then, when the stars began to rise over Hermil, he pushed mana towards his legs, stepping out of the window and lifting into the sky.

It was time to meet the King. And see what kind of game Sullivan intended to play. And if he got out early, Regina would be the next on his list to visit.

***

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