We stood there, bathed in the fading sunlight of the garden, trying to process Eamon’s words. The palace had become more than just a maze of stone and grandeur; it was now a battleground, and we were standing right in the middle of it.

Jeanna raised a finger, breaking the silence. “So, let me get this straight. We’ve got an emperor who's distracted, a prince who is missing-in-action, and a Master of Magic who shares her body with a power-hungry witch. Did I miss anything?”

Eamon rubbed his temples, looking weary. “It’s worse than it sounds.”

Sabrina’s voice sharpened in disbelief. “Worse than it sounds? How could this possibly get any worse?”

Eamon lowered his voice, eyes flicking nervously toward the garden’s shadows. “There are rumors—whispers, really—that the emperor is sick. Some say he’s been cursed. If that’s true, then whoever controls the magic in this palace will have the upper hand when the power vacuum opens.”

A chill crawled down my spine. The emperor’s illness wasn’t just a family issue—it was a crack in the empire’s foundation. And it felt like Eloida—or perhaps Lyra—was poised to exploit it.

Jeanna crossed her arms. “So, what do we do? We can’t just waltz out of here and pretend none of this is happening.”

Eamon’s gaze flickered toward Jay-Jay, then back to us. “You could leave. I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

Jay-Jay, ever the innocent voice of reason, piped up. “But we can’t just leave the emperor sick. We have to help, right?”

His words, though childlike, held a strange weight. He wasn’t wrong. We’d stumbled into something much bigger than us, and running away felt... wrong. Even dangerous.

Sabrina knelt beside him, ruffling his hair. “We’ll figure this out, okay? We just need to...”

“Not die?” Jeanna interjected with a raised brow.

Sabrina shot her a glare. “I was going to say ‘think,’ but sure, let’s add that to the list.”

Before anyone could respond, the rustling of leaves interrupted us. The conversation died instantly as we turned, suddenly tense and on edge. A figure stepped out from the shadows.

The young man was tall and lean, with sharp features that screamed nobility. His dark hair fell in careless waves, but his eyes were anything but careless. They pierced through us, cold and calculating.

“Quite the conversation you’re having,” he said, his voice smooth but with a dangerous edge.

Eamon stiffened. “What are you doing here, my lord?”

The man smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Relax, Eamon. I’m not here to hurt anyone... yet.”

Jeanna’s eyes narrowed, recognition flickering in her gaze. “Rael? Is that you?”

The man’s smirk widened. “The name is Dominik. And I’ve been watching you for some time. You’ve become... interesting.”

Sabrina, ever composed despite the tension, tilted her head. “You’ve been watching us? We barely met you at the tavern.”

Dominik’s gaze slid to her, and the smirk didn’t waver. “Oh yes, my little performance. You’ve stirred things up in the palace. And I’m not one to let potential threats go unnoticed.”

“Threats?” I asked, my stomach knotting.

Dominik stepped closer, his presence unnervingly commanding. “You’re outsiders. That makes you unpredictable. But unpredictability can be... useful.”

Eamon stepped in front of us, his voice low and steady. “Lord Dominik, don’t—”

“I don’t want your advice, Eamon,” Dominik interrupted sharply, his eyes still locked on us. “The palace is a dangerous place for those who don’t know how to play the game. But you... you might be able to help me.”

Jeanna crossed her arms. “And why would we do that? I’m already confused. Care to explain why Eamon, the duke, is talking so casually to you?”

Eamon sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping slightly. “I was never the true Duke of the North. That title belongs to Dominik. I’ve only acted in his stead while he... handled his own matters.”

"Now that I think about it," Jeanna added, "that tavern was definitely called the Wandering Wolf. So you own it?"

Dominik chuckled softly. “Indeed. The palace intrigue runs deep. But if you don’t work with me, you’ll be caught in the crossfire. And believe me, when things go wrong here, they go very wrong.”

There was something in his tone that sent a shiver down my spine—a veiled threat, or maybe a promise. Either way, Dominik was right about one thing: we were already in too deep. But what choice did we have?

Sabrina glanced at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty. I knew what she was thinking. How could we trust someone who had just revealed they’d been spying on us? But Dominik wasn’t wrong. The palace was a web of deceit, and we were already tangled in it.

Jeanna’s voice cut through the tension. “Let me guess. You want our help to get to the throne?”

Dominik raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “I’m already the Duke of the North. No, I need something more... delicate. I need help keeping certain individuals in check. Ones who... don’t like how I plan to run things.”

“Like Eloida?” I asked carefully.

His smirk deepened. “Exactly. Help me deal with her, and I’ll ensure your safety. Perhaps even reward you.”

Jeanna snorted. “Oh great. More palace intrigue.”

Dominik’s gaze lingered on us a moment longer before he turned to leave, his cloak swirling behind him. “Think about it,” he called over his shoulder. “But don’t take too long. Time is running out.”

As he disappeared into the shadows of the garden, we stood there in the dying light, wondering what we had just been dragged into.

“Does it feel like everyone we meet here has a hidden agenda?” Sabrina muttered, rubbing her temples.

“Welcome to palace life,” Eamon said grimly. “It’s all about survival.”

Jay-Jay tugged on my sleeve, his wide eyes filled with concern. “So... are we helping him?”

I sighed. “I don’t know, Jay-Jay. I really don’t know.”

Sabrina, visibly shaken, muttered softly, “I can’t believe it. Eamon... you really fooled me. You looked just like the Duke. But now that I think about it... Dominik does look the part too.”

Her voice trembled slightly, and I could tell she was grappling with the realization that not everything in this world fits into her romantic ideals. But life, especially here, didn’t always go as planned.