“Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.” — Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

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  House Nightray always knew how to party, Queen Lysandra thought wryly, sipping from a goblet of honeyed wine, her eyes drifting over the chaos that was Yuliana Nightray’s fifth birthday celebration.

  The grand dining hall of Nightray Manor was full of chaos and life. Long tables were groaning under the weight of lavish platters of food and overflowing goblets. Members of House Nightray, all of them dressed in their civilian attire, laughed and joked with each other. Children darted in between the tables, some of them shrieking with joy as they chased each other.

  What seems to be the entire village of Evershade was in attendance as well, gathered not just as citizens, but as kin. None of those citizens seemed to be even remotely uncomfortable in the manor of their lord. Some citizens were even happily chatting with him.

  House Nightray had always been that way, as far as Lysandra knew. One of the most influential and powerful noble Houses amongst the Ten Great Houses. And yet, they are as easygoing and casual as can be. Their House members are also all fiercely loyal to each other, and not just to the Crown. They are especially loyal to their lord and his family.

  Watching them now, Lysandra found it difficult to believe that she was currently standing in a hall full of assassins who could probably kill her before she even realised what was going on. If she hadn’t known what House Nightray was capable of, she might even have believed them harmless.

  It had come as a surprise to receive a personal invitation for Yuliana Nightray’s fifth birthday party, hand-delivered by Lord Hamilton just two weeks earlier, when he had arrived at the Imperial Palace for a meeting with Lord Esmund and Edric. According to the servants, however, it was common for members of Alathia’s royal family to attend Nightray gatherings and vice versa.

  The members of the royal family grew up alongside the Nightrays for generations, and were often invited to each other’s milestones and gatherings. Edric himself was a frequent face in Evershade since he was a mere lad. Lysandra had even heard that whenever the late king realised that the Crown Prince was missing, he normally just sent a query to Nightray Manor to check if Edric was there.

  “Yulia asked me if Prince Lucien and Prince Rem could come,” Hamilton had told Lysandra when he had asked if the two princes could attend his daughter’s birthday celebration. “Apart from Yulia, they’ve never met another child before, and I think it might be good for them to get out of the Imperial Palace for a while. Prince Lucien should meet the people sworn to protect the royal family. And it would do Prince Rem some good to be around other children, too. One of my House will be his future guardian someday.”

  Whether it was out of some misplaced guilt or something else, Edric had agreed the moment Lysandra had asked him, but only on the condition that she bring at least two members of the Crownsguard with her.

  Due to the presence of the Crown Prince at Yuliana Nightray’s birthday celebration, House Nightray wasn’t able to invite the Valemire and Rovaryn heirs, even though those two Houses have been allies and shield brethren to House Nightray for centuries. The heads of those two Houses, however, had understood when Hamilton Nightray had explained the situation, and arrangements had been made for a separate playdate for all three heirs as a result.

  Lysandra smiled faintly when her gaze settled on a small cluster of children near the hearth.

  Luca was smiling and laughing like any ordinary boy, even as one of the other Nightray children chased him with a wooden dagger, only for Yulia to jump onto Luca’s back mid-run, and both children collapsed in a fit of giggles. Rem, behind Yulia and Luca, giggled uncertainly, but delighted.

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  For the first time in a long while, Luca was acting like a normal child. Laughing and smiling like any other child his age. And if not for his hair colour and eyes, he could have blended in with the children of House Nightray, having fitted so seamlessly in with them.

  Lysandra felt a pang of guilt even as she watched an older Nightray cousin approach Yulia and Luca, a grin on his face. Luca pouted at him, likely having been teased. Rem’s eyes were wide with awe, looking at his brother and Yulia, and then at the Nightray cousin.

  Yuliana Nightray and House Nightray had done in a few hours what Lysandra had been trying for years, and it doesn’t hurt any less when Lysandra realised that Evershade and Nightray Manor probably felt more like home to Luca than the Imperial Palace ever had.

  “Your Majesty,” Lord Hamilton approached with a respectful bow. He was dressed down like the others, in casual attire that made him look neither like a lord nor one of the most dangerous men in the kingdom. He had a smile on his face when he watched his daughter before turning his attention back towards the queen. “Thank you for coming.”

  Lysandra shook her head. “No. Thank you for inviting me,” she said. Her smile was genuine as she watched the children. Luca was giggling now, shrieking with laughter as Yulia tackled him to the floor again. “It’ll do Luca some good to get out of the palace. Even just for a few hours.”

  Hamilton’s face didn’t change, but his jaw clenched tightly. “…I’ll admit,” he said quietly. “I didn’t expect the king to agree when I first extended the invitation. My relations with Edric have been…strained, for lack of a better word.” Lysandra winced. “I was prepared to have to disappoint my daughter, and even the two princes.”

  “I was surprised, too, when Edric agreed,” Lysandra admitted. She sighed. “Sometimes, I wonder if I ever knew him at all. He’s changed so much ever since he started listening to Minister Varence. And not for the better.” Hamilton’s lips thinned. “I can’t shield Luca anymore. Not from Edric. Not from the things that matter. And if it’s already this bad, when he’s only five…” She trailed off slowly. “I dread to think what it’s going to be like once Luca is older.”

  And that is only if Luca survives that long. Lysandra won’t be surprised if Edric eventually orders for Luca’s assassination.

  Hamilton said nothing for several moments, watching the children shrieking and playing. “I offered to bring Prince Lucien into House Nightray,” he admitted at last, his voice low, much to Lysandra’s surprise. “Let him live here. Under our roof. Raise him like one of our own. And that we might be able to teach him how to control his gift. But Edric… He refused. Wouldn’t hear of it. He’s always been stubborn and hard-headed, even when we were kids. But…”

  Lysandra sighed bitterly. “I understand,” she said. “He always had to be right. Even when it destroys what he loves. Or maybe because it does. Half of his arguments with the late king were almost always because Edric refused to see where His Majesty was coming from. King Alastair believed in peace and diplomacy, but to Edric, that is a sign of weakness.” She shook her head. “All the treaties and alliances that we once had with our neighbours… Nuvelle, Solyara, and all the other countries… It’s all gone up in smoke now. King Alastair would be rolling in his grave if he saw what Edric had done.”

  Hamilton was silent for several seconds. “…Before King Alastair had passed away, he made me promise something,” he said at last, his voice quiet. Lysandra turned towards Hamilton. “He made me swear to remain by Edric’s side. To watch over him. Guide him. Make sure he wouldn’t go astray. Make sure that the wrong voices didn’t influence him. And every single day, I regret not keeping my promise to the king.”

  Hamilton never mentioned names, but Lysandra knew whom he was referring to. Both of them do.

  Finally, Lysandra met Hamilton’s gaze. Not as a queen, but as a frightened and desperate mother. “Lord Hamilton, tell me, can I trust you?” she asked.

  Hamilton blinked. “My loyalty has always been to the Crown,” he said slowly.

  Lysandra hesitated. “Even if…that means going against the king?” she asked slowly, and Hamilton stiffened. “You’re an intelligent and sharp man, Lord Hamilton. You know what I’m asking. If the day ever comes… When Edric’s fear overcomes his common sense… I want you to promise me something.”

  Hamilton nodded, meeting Lysandra’s gaze fearlessly. “Name it,” he said.

  “I’m not asking this as your queen. But as a mother,” Lysandra said. “If anything happens… Whether to me… Or if Edric loses control… And if anything happens… If Luca’s in danger… I need to know that someone will protect him. That someone will keep him safe. Even from the king, if necessary.”

  Lysandra’s voice didn’t waver. She might be the queen now, but once, she was the daughter of a minor noble house, and had even attended the Imperial Officers Academy during her youth. But right now, no diplomacy or strategy could protect her child.

  “I’m not asking you to betray Edric,” Lysandra said softly. “I would never ask you to do that. I just want to make sure that if anything happens… That my child would be safe.”

  Hamilton didn’t hesitate. He laid a fist to his heart. “I swear it to you, Queen Lysandra,” he said formally. “On my honour. And on the honour of House Nightray. I’ll protect Prince Lucien, no matter what.” His eyes softened. “I might be Edric’s guardian, but it doesn’t mean simply protecting him from assassins and criminals. Being the guardian to the king or the heir of the throne means more than that. Sometimes, it means protecting them from themselves if necessary. I’ll make sure Prince Lucien will be safe, no matter what.”

  Lysandra exhaled, a look of relief crossing her features. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  Her gaze turned back to the children.

  Yulia had taken Luca by the wrist, and was now tugging him towards the table where the birthday cake was. It’s the biggest cake that Lysandra had ever seen in her life, and is probably baked by one of House Nightray’s renowned chefs.

  It was easy to see how much House Nightray adored their heiress, and it’s sweet to see.

  “For as long as possible, I want to keep his innocence,” Lysandra whispered. “Luca and Yulia both. Because let’s face it: if anything happens to Luca, Yulia will suffer, too.”

  Hamilton said nothing. Because he knows his daughter. And he knew if anything happened to Luca, Yulia would never forgive it.