The castle halls were quieter than usual that evening. Most nobles were already at the tribute festival, drinking and laughing, unaware that the real game was happening behind the scenes.
I walked beside Seraphine, both of us in plain cloaks that made us look like minor courtiers. Not because anyone would suspect us. But because appearances mattered. People love to be fooled. And the moment they start thinking, "Hey, something's off…", it's already too late.
"So," I muttered, adjusting my cloak, "we let the hero walk past the first trap. And now what? He's smart, careful, suspicious. How do we get him to actually fall for something?"
Seraphine smirked, calm as ever. "We don't give him something he can see. We give him something he can't ignore."
I raised a brow. "I like it."
She leaned in slightly, voice just above a whisper. "The festival. The arena. The guards. All the eyes of the kingdom. He won't expect the trap to be in plain sight. Not where he can watch. Not where he thinks anyone would risk it."
I let that sink in. I liked it. Subtle, dangerous, cruel. Perfect.
We arrived at the control room beneath the arena, a narrow corridor lined with levers, panels, and thin wooden doors leading to trap mechanisms. One wrong pull and half the festival could end in chaos. One wrong pull and we could die too.
"Nice," I said, running my fingers over a lever that controlled a hidden pit. "I like dangerous. Makes life more exciting."
Seraphine didn't flinch. "Exciting is fine. But controlled danger is better."
I laughed softly. "And here I thought life was all about chaos. You're killing me with responsibility."
She rolled her eyes. "Kael, focus."
Fine. Focus.
I leaned against a wall, watching her move. Elegant, precise, lethal in her calmness. The first trap had been a test. This one would be the real proof.
"Timing," she whispered, "is everything. The hero reacts too fast. Too much thought. We can't let him see it coming. We need to make him choose. Risk one thing or another."
I nodded. "And either way, he loses. Love it."
For the next hour, we worked in silence. Not awkward silence, not comfortable silence, but focused silence. Adjusting levers, checking floor panels, ensuring that every trap was subtle enough to go unnoticed, deadly enough to punish mistake.
Finally, we stepped back to observe. The festival was in full swing above us. Laughter, music, cheers. Perfect cover.
Seraphine looked at me and smiled faintly. "Ready?"
I smirked. "Born ready. Let's see him sweat."
Above, the hero moved among the crowds, oblivious—or maybe pretending to be. His presence was too calm, too smooth. I could feel him assessing everything, checking the environment, reading people like they were pages in a book.
I whispered to Seraphine, "This is it. First real test. Watch him."
She leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "He notices patterns too quickly. Watch for his hesitation."
Elias stepped near the arena floor. A crowd gathered, cheering, completely unaware that the pit we'd prepared was only a few feet away, cleverly hidden under what looked like a normal stone floor.
I held my breath.
He paused. Slightly. Observing. Considering. Calculating.
I raised a brow. "Hmm. Suspicious, but not enough. Classic hero mistake."
Seraphine's voice was soft, almost playful. "Do not underestimate him. Even a hero has instincts that work."
I tapped the lever gently, careful not to trigger anything. Let him think he was safe, let him lower his guard.
He stepped forward. One careful step… two… and then…
A stone panel shifted slightly. He froze instantly, eyes scanning, posture tense. Perfect reaction.
I whispered, "Good. That's the hesitation I wanted."
Seraphine nodded, smiling faintly. "Now, the choice."
He glanced around, calculating. Step forward and risk the trap. Step back and reveal his fear to the crowd. Step aside and… nothing seems right.
Classic Kael moment pause and enjoy the chaos.
I smirked, leaning forward. "Decisions, decisions. I do love watching people sweat."
He took a careful step, leaning just enough to test the floor again. My heart raced. Not because I feared him, but because he was reading the game, just like I read it.
Seraphine leaned closer. "He suspects us now. He knows someone set the trap."
"Good," I whispered. "Better. Let him feel the fear first. That's what matters. The suspense."
Above, the nobles continued cheering, oblivious. And the hero… he froze again, crouching slightly, eyes flicking toward the crowd, the shadows, the panels. He knew something was wrong. He wasn't panicking—just thinking. Calculating.
I let out a low chuckle. "You think you're clever, huh? But clever doesn't win games. Timing does."
He paused longer this time. I could see the gears turning in his mind. A misstep could cost him. And yet… he didn't panic. Calm. Observant. Predictable only in his unpredictability.
Seraphine whispered, almost reverently, "This is beautiful. The hero is adapting. And we still control the stage."
I smirked, darkly. "Yes. But only if we stay sharp. One mistake and this ends badly for both of us. For him… and for us."
Elias finally moved forward again, carefully avoiding the first trap. I let out a soft sigh. "So far, so expected. But the real test is coming. Soon."
Seraphine's eyes gleamed faintly. "Soon, indeed."
I couldn't help but grin. Two liars, one hero, and a stage full of people who had no idea what was about to unfold. This was the kind of game I lived for. Subtle, calculated, dangerous—and entirely ours.
The festival continued above, music and laughter masking the tension in the arena. And somewhere beneath the surface, the hero knew something was wrong. He didn't panic yet. But he was watching. Always watching. Calculating. Learning.
And that was perfect.
Because by the time he realized how deadly the trap really was… it would be too late.
End of Chapter 14🛡️