Chapter 5

The morning sun crept over the horizon, casting a blood-red glow across the landscape. The dawn should have brought hope, a new beginning, but to Seraphina, it felt like the light of a world on the brink of disaster. She stood on the balcony of her chambers, overlooking the vast expanse of Verran, her thoughts heavy with the weight of what she had learned.

The kingdom she had sworn to protect was built on lies. The war she had fought her entire life was nothing but a blood feud ignited by the greed of her ancestors. And now, the only way to save her people was to ally herself with the man she had been raised to hate—a man who, even now, was likely plotting her downfall.

Seraphina clenched the stone railing, the rough texture biting into her palms. She had to be strong, had to keep her emotions in check. This was not the time for doubt or hesitation. The Shadowborn were rising, and if she didn't act, there would be nothing left of Verran or Draven to fight over.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Captain Lyra standing in the doorway, her expression as unreadable as ever.

"Your Highness," Lyra said, her voice steady. "You asked to be informed when Prince Kael's envoy arrived."

Seraphina's heart skipped a beat. Kael's envoy. She had almost forgotten that she had sent word to him, requesting a meeting. It had been a calculated risk, but one she had to take. If they were to stand any chance against the Shadowborn, they would need to work together.

"Thank you, Lyra," Seraphina replied, forcing herself to remain calm. "Where is the envoy now?"

"They've been escorted to the throne room, under heavy guard. Prince Kael did not come himself, but his representative claims to have full authority to speak on his behalf."

Seraphina nodded, her mind racing. Of course Kael wouldn't come himself—not yet. He was too smart, too cautious to walk into the heart of Verran without knowing what awaited him. But his decision to send an envoy meant he was willing to talk, at least for now.

"Very well," she said, turning to leave the balcony. "Let's not keep them waiting."

As she made her way to the throne room, Seraphina's thoughts kept returning to the night before, to Taren's revelations. The truth had shaken her to her core, but it had also steeled her resolve. She would confront Kael with the knowledge she had gained, test his intentions, and determine if there was any chance of a truce.

But she would not let her guard down. Not for a moment.

When Seraphina entered the throne room, she was met with the sight of a lone figure standing before the dais. The man was tall and imposing, dressed in the black and silver of Draven, his face partially hidden by the hood of his cloak. A pair of Verran guards flanked him, their expressions wary.

The man inclined his head in a gesture of respect as Seraphina approached. "Princess Seraphina," he said, his voice deep and smooth. "I bring greetings from Prince Kael of Draven."

"Does he now?" Seraphina replied coolly, taking her seat on the throne. "And what message does your prince wish to convey?"

The envoy lifted his head, revealing a pair of piercing gray eyes that seemed to assess her with unsettling precision. "Prince Kael wishes to discuss terms of a temporary truce, to address the threat that endangers both our kingdoms."

Seraphina studied the man carefully, noting the subtle tension in his posture, the way his gaze flickered ever so slightly when he mentioned the truce. He was a diplomat, skilled in the art of deception, but she could sense the underlying urgency in his words.

"What guarantee do I have that this is not a ploy?" she asked, her tone sharp. "How do I know Kael isn't simply trying to gain the upper hand?"

The envoy's expression didn't waver. "The Shadowborn are not a mere myth, Your Highness. They are a real and immediate danger, one that neither Draven nor Verran can face alone. Prince Kael understands this, and he is willing to set aside our differences for the time being to ensure the survival of our people."

Seraphina's gaze hardened. "And what does he expect in return? Surely he's not offering his cooperation out of the goodness of his heart."

"Of course not," the envoy replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Prince Kael is a pragmatist, not an idealist. He understands that this alliance must be mutually beneficial. He asks for assurances that Verran will not seek to exploit the truce for territorial gain, and in return, Draven will do the same."

A bitter laugh escaped Seraphina's lips. "So we're to trust each other, despite centuries of bloodshed and betrayal? That's quite a tall order."

The envoy's smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "It is not a matter of trust, Your Highness. It is a matter of necessity. The Shadowborn care nothing for our histories, our grievances. They will consume everything in their path if we do not stand together."

Seraphina fell silent, weighing his words. She knew he was right—knew that the Shadowborn posed a threat far greater than any feud between Verran and Draven. But still, the thought of working with Kael, of aligning herself with the man who represented everything she had been taught to hate, was almost unbearable.

Yet what choice did she have?

"Very well," she said at last, her voice firm. "Tell your prince that I am willing to discuss terms of a truce. But he must come here himself. I will not negotiate through intermediaries."

The envoy hesitated, clearly surprised by her demand. "Prince Kael has many responsibilities—"

"If he is serious about this alliance," Seraphina interrupted, "then he will come. I will not treat with shadows and messengers. I want to see him, face to face."

There was a long pause as the envoy considered her words. Finally, he nodded. "I will relay your message to Prince Kael. But be warned, Your Highness—he is not a man who takes kindly to ultimatums."

"Neither am I," Seraphina replied coolly. "And if he truly wishes to stop the Shadowborn, he'll put his pride aside and do what must be done."

The envoy bowed slightly. "As you wish. I will return with his response as soon as possible."

With that, the man turned and left the throne room, his cloak billowing behind him. Seraphina watched him go, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just set in motion. She had demanded Kael come to Verran himself, forcing him to face her on her own terms. It was a bold move, one that could either solidify their alliance or shatter it before it even began.

But Seraphina knew she couldn't afford to play it safe. The stakes were too high, and the clock was ticking. The Shadowborn were rising, and every day that passed brought them closer to the brink of destruction.

She rose from the throne, her heart pounding in her chest. She needed to prepare, to make sure that when Kael arrived, she was ready to meet him not as a princess or a warrior, but as his equal. She would not be intimidated, would not be swayed by his charm or his threats. This was her kingdom, her people's future at stake, and she would do whatever it took to protect them.

Even if it meant making a deal with the devil.The morning sun crept over the horizon, casting a blood-red glow across the landscape. The dawn should have brought hope, a new beginning, but to Seraphina, it felt like the light of a world on the brink of disaster. She stood on the balcony of her chambers, overlooking the vast expanse of Verran, her thoughts heavy with the weight of what she had learned.

The kingdom she had sworn to protect was built on lies. The war she had fought her entire life was nothing but a blood feud ignited by the greed of her ancestors. And now, the only way to save her people was to ally herself with the man she had been raised to hate—a man who, even now, was likely plotting her downfall.

Seraphina clenched the stone railing, the rough texture biting into her palms. She had to be strong, had to keep her emotions in check. This was not the time for doubt or hesitation. The Shadowborn were rising, and if she didn't act, there would be nothing left of Verran or Draven to fight over.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Captain Lyra standing in the doorway, her expression as unreadable as ever.

"Your Highness," Lyra said, her voice steady. "You asked to be informed when Prince Kael's envoy arrived."

Seraphina's heart skipped a beat. Kael's envoy. She had almost forgotten that she had sent word to him, requesting a meeting. It had been a calculated risk, but one she had to take. If they were to stand any chance against the Shadowborn, they would need to work together.

"Thank you, Lyra," Seraphina replied, forcing herself to remain calm. "Where is the envoy now?"

"They've been escorted to the throne room, under heavy guard. Prince Kael did not come himself, but his representative claims to have full authority to speak on his behalf."

Seraphina nodded, her mind racing. Of course Kael wouldn't come himself—not yet. He was too smart, too cautious to walk into the heart of Verran without knowing what awaited him. But his decision to send an envoy meant he was willing to talk, at least for now.

"Very well," she said, turning to leave the balcony. "Let's not keep them waiting."

As she made her way to the throne room, Seraphina's thoughts kept returning to the night before, to Taren's revelations. The truth had shaken her to her core, but it had also steeled her resolve. She would confront Kael with the knowledge she had gained, test his intentions, and determine if there was any chance of a truce.

But she would not let her guard down. Not for a moment.

When Seraphina entered the throne room, she was met with the sight of a lone figure standing before the dais. The man was tall and imposing, dressed in the black and silver of Draven, his face partially hidden by the hood of his cloak. A pair of Verran guards flanked him, their expressions wary.

The man inclined his head in a gesture of respect as Seraphina approached. "Princess Seraphina," he said, his voice deep and smooth. "I bring greetings from Prince Kael of Draven."

"Does he now?" Seraphina replied coolly, taking her seat on the throne. "And what message does your prince wish to convey?"

The envoy lifted his head, revealing a pair of piercing gray eyes that seemed to assess her with unsettling precision. "Prince Kael wishes to discuss terms of a temporary truce, to address the threat that endangers both our kingdoms."

Seraphina studied the man carefully, noting the subtle tension in his posture, the way his gaze flickered ever so slightly when he mentioned the truce. He was a diplomat, skilled in the art of deception, but she could sense the underlying urgency in his words.

"What guarantee do I have that this is not a ploy?" she asked, her tone sharp. "How do I know Kael isn't simply trying to gain the upper hand?"

The envoy's expression didn't waver. "The Shadowborn are not a mere myth, Your Highness. They are a real and immediate danger, one that neither Draven nor Verran can face alone. Prince Kael understands this, and he is willing to set aside our differences for the time being to ensure the survival of our people."

Seraphina's gaze hardened. "And what does he expect in return? Surely he's not offering his cooperation out of the goodness of his heart."

"Of course not," the envoy replied, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Prince Kael is a pragmatist, not an idealist. He understands that this alliance must be mutually beneficial. He asks for assurances that Verran will not seek to exploit the truce for territorial gain, and in return, Draven will do the same."

A bitter laugh escaped Seraphina's lips. "So we're to trust each other, despite centuries of bloodshed and betrayal? That's quite a tall order."

The envoy's smile faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "It is not a matter of trust, Your Highness. It is a matter of necessity. The Shadowborn care nothing for our histories, our grievances. They will consume everything in their path if we do not stand together."

Seraphina fell silent, weighing his words. She knew he was right—knew that the Shadowborn posed a threat far greater than any feud between Verran and Draven. But still, the thought of working with Kael, of aligning herself with the man who represented everything she had been taught to hate, was almost unbearable.

Yet what choice did she have?

"Very well," she said at last, her voice firm. "Tell your prince that I am willing to discuss terms of a truce. But he must come here himself. I will not negotiate through intermediaries."

The envoy hesitated, clearly surprised by her demand. "Prince Kael has many responsibilities—"

"If he is serious about this alliance," Seraphina interrupted, "then he will come. I will not treat with shadows and messengers. I want to see him, face to face."

There was a long pause as the envoy considered her words. Finally, he nodded. "I will relay your message to Prince Kael. But be warned, Your Highness—he is not a man who takes kindly to ultimatums."

"Neither am I," Seraphina replied coolly. "And if he truly wishes to stop the Shadowborn, he'll put his pride aside and do what must be done."

The envoy bowed slightly. "As you wish. I will return with his response as soon as possible."

With that, the man turned and left the throne room, his cloak billowing behind him. Seraphina watched him go, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just set in motion. She had demanded Kael come to Verran himself, forcing him to face her on her own terms. It was a bold move, one that could either solidify their alliance or shatter it before it even began.

But Seraphina knew she couldn't afford to play it safe. The stakes were too high, and the clock was ticking. The Shadowborn were rising, and every day that passed brought them closer to the brink of destruction.

She rose from the throne, her heart pounding in her chest. She needed to prepare, to make sure that when Kael arrived, she was ready to meet him not as a princess or a warrior, but as his equal. She would not be intimidated, would not be swayed by his charm or his threats. This was her kingdom, her people's future at stake, and she would do whatever it took to protect them.

Even if it meant making a deal with the devil.