The Magic of Arkonia

The city buzzed with tension. The return of the three heirs had not gone unnoticed. Their presence should have reassured the people, but instead, murmurs of uncertainty spread like wildfire. The air carried whispers of doubt, of betrayal, of things left unsaid.

Vaelen, Liora, and Raviel rode through the city streets, their bodies aching from their last battle. Yet, despite the exhaustion, their sharp senses caught onto the wary gazes that followed them.

"They're staring," Liora muttered, her voice edged with irritation.

"They always do," Raviel responded casually, adjusting his cloak. "We're legends, after all."

Liora shot him a glare. "That's not what I meant."

Vaelen remained silent, scanning the crowd. There was a shift in the air. Something had changed while they were gone. He could see it in the way people avoided meeting their eyes. He could hear it in the hushed conversations that fell silent as they passed.

"They fear something," Vaelen finally said.

Liora scoffed. "When do they not?"

But Raviel wasn't smiling anymore. His keen eyes flickered toward a group of nobles whispering near the palace steps. The moment they noticed him looking, they turned away too quickly. Something was definitely wrong.

The Political Undercurrent

Inside the palace, the atmosphere was no different. The Queen's court was busier than usual. Ministers, strategists, and nobles had gathered, their hushed voices carrying urgency.

The Queen sat at the head of the chamber, her expression unreadable. She welcomed the three heirs with a nod but wasted no time on pleasantries.

"You have returned victorious," she said, but her tone lacked warmth. "Yet, war does not wait. While you were gone, the city has grown restless."

Vaelen stepped forward. "What happened?"

The Queen's gaze swept across the room before she spoke. "There have been… complications."

Mistrust had begun to spread regarding the Serpent Clan. Rumors circulated that they had been working in secret with the witches and dragons, acting as hidden messengers between the most powerful factions. It had been a well-kept secret for centuries, but now, with tensions rising, secrets were no longer tolerated.

"The people are uneasy," a council member said. "They wonder why the Serpent Clan has remained hidden for so long. Some even whisper that they have been orchestrating all of this from the shadows."

"They don't trust them," Liora muttered. "Typical."

Vaelen frowned. "And what does the Serpent Clan say for themselves?"

"They remain silent," the Queen replied. "Their leader has yet to make a statement."

Raviel's sharp gaze darkened. "Then they are either hiding something or being cautious."

Before the Queen could respond, a new wave of murmurs spread across the court. The doors opened, and a lone figure stepped in.

A woman cloaked in deep navy, her hood casting a shadow over her face. The room stilled. Then, she lifted her gaze, and the court erupted into hushed whispers.

Veyra had returned.

The Storm of Gossip

For a moment, silence hung in the air. The last time the court had seen her, she had vanished into the unknown. Many had assumed she was dead. Others believed she had abandoned them. And now, here she stood, alive and unchanged—yet somehow different.

Liora narrowed her eyes, tension thick in her posture. "Veyra."

Raviel, who had been leaning against a pillar, stood up straighter, studying her with unreadable eyes.

Vaelen exhaled, his shoulders stiff. "You should have told us you were alive."

Veyra simply offered a small, knowing smile. "Would that have changed anything?"

The Queen, who had remained silent through the whispers, finally spoke. "You have returned."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And what have you found?"

Veyra's gaze flickered across the room, as if measuring every soul present. Then, she answered, "That the world is moving faster than we realize."

Her words, vague yet heavy, left the room unsettled.

The court burst into hushed conversations again. Whispers of where she had been. Whispers of why she had returned now. Some eyed her with suspicion, others with curiosity.

In the midst of it all, only one pair of eyes watched her with something else entirely.

Revyn.

Hidden within the shadows of the grand hall, he observed. She hadn't changed. Not really. Yet, as he watched the way she handled the court, the way she held their attention, he realized something.

She wasn't the girl he had once watched over.

She had become something else.

A Forbidden Warning

Later that night, as the three heirs walked through the palace gardens, trying to piece together the growing unrest, a sudden voice broke through the night.

"You are being deceived."

The three of them turned sharply, weapons at the ready. But there was no one in sight. Only shadows.

Then, a figure stepped forward, cloaked and masked.

"The Queen is not telling you everything," the voice said. "Trust no one."

"Who are you?" Vaelen demanded.

But before any of them could act, the figure vanished into the darkness, leaving only unease in their wake.