The King's Guard

Chapter 56

The palace doors shut behind them with a hollow boom. Guards escorted the Princesses away, leaving Kael’s squad standing in the corridor, smoke and sweat still clinging to their cloaks.

Archon himself strode forward, robes brushing the polished stone. His voice carried sharp authority. “Both Princesses safe. That is what matters.”

Reyna started, “But the market…”

“Not your concern,” Archon cut her off.

Reyna bristled. “Citizens died. Merchants lost everything…”

“Not. Your. Concern.” His tone cracked like a whip, final.

Jared, leaning on the wall with affected nonchalance, muttered, “Told you. We’re pieces on a board, not saints.”

Archon’s eyes flicked to him. “You, in particular, showed initiative in securing Princess Vashti. Well done.”

Jared straightened at once, pride curving his mouth. “An honour to serve. Though I’d hardly call it initiative, just instinct.”

Reyna shot him a glare. “Instinct to grandstand, more like.”

Kyna added under her breath, “Instinct doesn’t cover recklessness.”

Jared smirked but said nothing, basking in Archon’s rare approval.

Kael’s jaw tightened. He opened his mouth, but Reyna’s hand brushed his wrist, a warning.

Archon didn’t linger on the others. “Dismissed. The King will be briefed. Your squad will be mentioned favourably.”

He turned sharply, leaving the smell of ink and smoke in his wake.

Once Archon was gone, silence filled the hall.

Jared was the first to break it, smug. “Well. That’s how it’s done. Praise from Archon himself. Don’t hear that every day.”

Reyna glared. “You nearly froze when the bomb went off.”

“I adapted.” He smirked. “Archon seemed to notice who mattered.”

Kael’s voice was quiet, dangerous. “You’re proud of this?”

Jared turned, feigning surprise. “Of saving royalty? Absolutely.”

“You didn’t save them. We all did. And civilians died.”

Jared tilted his head. “Civilians always die. That’s not our mission.”

Kael’s hand clenched, but Reyna stepped between them. “Not here. Not now.”

Later, in the squad’s quarters, the air was thick with unspoken weight. Kyna placed a wrapped bundle on the table. “Reports from the outer wards. Numbers are higher than the palace will admit. Twenty-three dead. Dozens wounded.”

Reyna’s eyes closed briefly. “Children?”

Kyna nodded once.

Jared exhaled, but not with grief. “Then they’ll build a statue. Martyrs for the Princess. That’s how politics works.”

Kael’s voice cracked. “You sound almost pleased.”

“Not pleased,” Jared corrected, “realistic. We do the job, the crown tells the story. That’s the game.”

Kael stood abruptly, chair scraping back. “Say that again.”

Reyna snapped, “Enough!”

The room fell silent.

Kael left, walking fast, until the noise of the squad faded. He found himself in the courtyard, torches burning low. Darius stood there already, arms folded.

“You wrote the report?” Darius asked.

Kael shook his head. “Reyna did.”

“She kept it clean.” Darius’s eyes narrowed. “But you don’t look clean.”

Kael hesitated. “I killed him.”

Darius nodded once. “And?”

“And I can still see his face.”

“That won’t fade. You think it will. It won’t.”

Kael looked down. “Then what do I do with it?”

Darius’s tone was flat. “Exactly what you did before. Carry it or let it crush you. Those are the only two ways.”

Kael swallowed. “I destroyed the message. It burned. It’s gone.”

“I know.” Darius’s gaze sharpened. “That loss will echo more than the man’s death.”

Kael whispered, “It was all I could do.”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t.”

Back in the barracks, Reyna waited for him. She sat on his bunk, arms folded.

“You vanished.”

“I needed air.”

Her eyes searched him. “And?”

“And Darius says it never leaves. The faces.”

Reyna’s voice softened. “You know much better. He’s right. They don’t. You just learn to live with the noise.”

Kael sat heavily beside her. “Do you?”

“Yes.” She held his gaze. “And so will you.”

Silence stretched. Then Kael said quietly, “Archon praised Jared.”

“Archon sees what he wants to see,” Reyna said. “That doesn’t mean it’s the truth.”

Kyna entered then, carrying a folded cloth. She laid it on the table and unwrapped it. Inside was the satchel salvaged from the blast: burned, torn, but the clasp still bore Stormhaven’s insignia.

Kael stiffened. “That’s not rebel make.”

Kyna nodded grimly. “Exactly. Stormhaven. I told you yesterday. This wasn’t rebels.”

Reyna leaned forward. “We’ll take it to Darius.”

Jared’s voice cut in from the corner, mocking. “Or maybe we don’t. Maybe we remember what Archon said: not our concern.”

Kael’s voice was sharp. “You’d hide this?”

Jared shrugged. “I’d survive. You should try it sometime.”

Kyna’s eyes narrowed. “Stormhaven’s name is on this. If they’re playing both sides, we need to know.”

Reyna said firmly, “Then we show Darius.”

Kael met her eyes. “Together.”

Darius’s chamber smelled of parchment and steel. He looked up as they entered.

Reyna placed the charred satchel on the table. “Recovered from the blast.”

Darius studied it. “Stormhaven.”

Kael said quietly, “Not rebels.”

“No,” Darius agreed. “But that’s not what the King will hear.”

Kyna frowned. “Then what will he hear?”

“That loyal recruits stopped a rebel plot. Nothing more.”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “So we lie.”

“We survive,” Darius corrected. “That’s what this Corps is built on. Shadows. Not truth.”

Reyna pressed, “And if those shadows belong to Stormhaven?”

Darius’s eyes darkened. “Then we watch. And we wait. And when the mask slips, we strike.”

Later, alone again, Kael opened his journal.

> Market attack. Bomb. Masked men. Not rebels. Stormhaven satchel recovered. Archon praised Jared. Darius said wait. Wait. Watch. Strike.

He stared at the words, then added:

> Stormhaven isn’t here for peace.

The courtyard bells tolled late into the night, echoing through the stone halls. Kael lay awake, the sound of fire and screams still burning in his ears.

He whispered to himself, almost a vow.

“I’ll find out who set this in motion. Even if it means tearing the Corps apart.”