Chapter 32 – The Weight of a Crown

The throne room of Valcaryth was built to humble any who entered it—vaulted ceilings lined with glimmering crystal veins, an ocean of red carpet flowing down from the golden dais, and an audience of nobles whose whispers felt like daggers in the back.

Kael stood there, cloak torn and armor scorched, yet somehow more imposing than the armored guards flanking the walls. His return from the Bloodfen should have been a triumph, but the air was thick with something heavier than ceremony—politics.

“Kael Ardent,” the King’s voice rolled like distant thunder, each syllable deliberate. “You’ve returned victorious… but there are questions about the methods you used.”

The nobles murmured. Kael could feel their eyes on him—not as a hero, but as a weapon that might turn on them.

“I did what was necessary,” Kael replied, voice calm but carrying an edge that made the more cowardly nobles look away.

The King’s gaze sharpened. “Necessary… or forbidden?”

Kael said nothing. He didn’t need to. They all knew he had tapped into something ancient—something the history books called Erosion. Even without proof, the scorch marks on his armor told a story that would terrify the court.

Then came the moment no one expected. The King rose, stepped down from his throne, and placed a gilded circlet into Kael’s hands.

“Valcaryth has need of someone who can do what others cannot,” the King said. “A Crownless Regent. Rule not from the throne, but from the shadows. Keep our enemies trembling.”

Kael stared at the circlet. It was no coronation—more a chain disguised as an honor. But the weight of it felt inevitable.

From the back of the room, Arienne’s voice cut through the silence.
“Careful, Kael. Crowns are heavier than chains.”

Kael’s lips curled into a faint, humorless smile.
“I’ve carried worse.”

As the court erupted into debate, Kael placed the circlet under his arm and turned toward the gates. He already knew his next move. Being the King’s hidden blade was just the first step… and the real game was only beginning.