Free Web NovelChapter 105: A Cry Beneath the Crown
Chapter 104: A Cry Beneath the Crown
Lyria’s POV
"All suitor candidates," the footman announced, his voice ringing clear and unwavering through the vast expanse of the Grand Hall, "step forward."
For a moment, no one moved.
Then, as though guided by a single, invisible thread, the men began to advance.
One by one, they stepped from the crowd—boots gliding over polished marble, coats falling into perfect lines, expressions composed beneath the weight of expectation. The soft rustle of fabric and the muted echo of footsteps filled the silence that had settled over the hall.
I watched them from my place in the shadows, my breath measured, my hands folded neatly before me.
Baron Redwick moved with quiet precision, his posture straight, his expression thoughtful behind the glint of his spectacles. Duke Thorncrest followed, all effortless grace and polished charm. Earl Hawthorne stepped forward with a faint stiffness, as though bracing himself for something yet to come.
Lucian came next.
There was a certain ease in the way he carried himself, though I noticed the faint tightening at his jaw, the almost imperceptible narrowing of his eyes as he took his place among the others.
Duke Valenridge sauntered forward as though he had all the time in the world, as though this moment—this ceremony, this gathering of power and expectation—was nothing more than a mild inconvenience in his evening. His gaze drifted lazily across the hall, lingering nowhere and yet, somehow, missing nothing.
For the briefest moment, I thought he might look toward the shadows again.
He did not.
Corvin took his place with that same infuriating confidence, his chin slightly raised, his smile easy and assured. He looked every bit the man who believed himself untouchable.
I forced my gaze away.
One by one, the remaining suitors formed a line before the dais, a display of noble ambition beneath the watchful eyes of the court.
The hall fell into a deeper silence.
Jacinta smiled.
"Esteemed lords and ladies," she began, her voice carrying with effortless clarity, "and honoured guests of the court..."
A murmur of acknowledgment rippled faintly through the crowd before fading once more into attentive silence.
"I extend my deepest gratitude to all who have gathered here this evening," she continued. "And most especially to the distinguished gentlemen who stand before me now."
Her gaze swept across the line of suitors, lingering just long enough on each to give the illusion of personal regard.
"Many among you have travelled great distances," she said, "leaving behind your territories, your duties, and your homes in answer to a calling far greater than any one of us."
She paused, allowing her words to settle.
"The prophecy that has guided our empire for generations."
A soft murmur passed through the hall.
I remained still. I was very certain she had practised this speech in front of the mirrors countless times. And I also knew that she had not written this speech herself. Jacinta wasn’t clever enough to do so after all.
"It is no small thing," Jacinta continued, "to present oneself as a candidate to stand beside the Moon of the Empire. To take on the mantle of the Sun—to shine not alone, but in harmony with a destiny that binds us all."
Her voice softened slightly, touched with what appeared to be sincerity.
"For that alone, each of you is worthy of commendation."
I nearly rolled my eyes.
Instead, I kept my gaze lowered, my expression carefully neutral.
"However," she said, and the single word cut cleanly through the air, "as with all such endeavours, there must be order."
Her tone shifted—firmer now, edged with quiet authority.
"Though you have each been granted the honour of participation, the rules remain unchanged. At the end of every week, one among you must depart."
A faint tension rippled through the line of men.
"Such is the nature of this competition," she continued. "Such is the path toward fulfilling the prophecy."
As she spoke, my attention drifted.
It had not been intentional; I was simply tired of listening to her speak, and my gaze travelled, noticing movement amongst the gathered nobles.
At first, it was nothing more than a flicker at the edge of my awareness—a movement that did not quite align with the rhythm of the room.
It was subtle. But I saw him.
He stood among the nobles, dressed as one of them—fine coat, polished boots, every outward detail in place. And yet... something was off.
It was not merely his posture, though there was a certain rigidity to it.
Nor was it his expression alone, though his eyes held a hardness that did not belong in a room filled with polite smiles and practised civility.
It was everything.
The way he stood.
The way he moved.
The way he looked at the dais—not with admiration, nor expectation, but with something sharper. Something... deliberate.
I frowned slightly.
He did not look like nobility.
Not truly.
I had spent enough time among the workers at the Tallow and Tide—among men who laboured with their hands, who carried their lives in the lines of their palms and the set of their shoulders—to recognise the difference.
This man—he was too rugged. Too grounded. He wore silk, but that did nothing to hide the fact that he didn’t belong here.
My unease deepened.
I glanced briefly around, wondering if anyone else had noticed.
No one had.
The conversation had long since died. All attention remained fixed upon Jacinta, who continued her speech with unwavering poise.
"The history of our empire," she was saying, "is one of resilience and divine favour..."
Her words blurred as I shut them out, no longer listening.
The man moved slowly and carefully.
Each step placed with quiet intention, weaving through the gathered nobles with the ease of one who knew precisely where he was going—and how not to be seen while doing so.
My pulse quickened.
He was drawing closer to the dais.
I should have looked away, but perhaps it was curiosity—I could not. I stared at him instead, watching him, trying to understand exactly what was going on.
He stopped not far from the dais, but close enough that he could walk out to stand directly before the royal family.
As though sensing my gaze, he lifted his head.
And looked directly at me.
My breath caught.
That was not possible. I was hidden. He could not have seen me.
And yet, his eyes found mine with unerring precision. And most shocking of all, he smiled at me.
It wasn’t cruel or mocking. It was kind and soft—and knowing.
And entirely, utterly wrong.
My eyes widened, my fingers tightening slightly against the fabric at my side.
How...?
The question had not yet fully formed in my mind when—
"Baron Oliver Fairmont of Silverbrook," Jacinta’s voice rang out, clear and decisive, "you are hereby dismissed from this competition."
A collective breath swept through the hall.
Shock mingled in the sudden shift of atmosphere.
I barely registered it, because the man moved. And it wasn’t quiet or subtle this time.
"My lords! My ladies!"
He spoke in a loud, booming voice that shook the hall.
The entire room froze. Every head turned toward him.
Gasps echoed, sharp and startled.
"What is the meaning of this?" the Queen demanded, rising abruptly from her seat. "Who do you think you are?"
"Guards," she snapped, her voice cold, "remove this man at once. He dares disrupt a royal ceremony."
But the man did not falter.
Instead, he turned to the nobles gathered, his hands wide at either side of him.
"They have deceived you," he declared, his voice carrying with unwavering force. "For years—decades—perhaps longer."
"The King," the man continued, louder now, "has lied. The royal family has lied. And we—every one of us—have been made to believe a falsehood."
My heart pounded against my ribs.
No one moved yet.
Even the guards hesitated, as though caught between command and disbelief.
The Queen’s expression darkened.
"You will hold your tongue," she said, her voice low and dangerous, "or you will lose it."
The man laughed. It was a bitter sound.
"Like you did to the priestess?" he asked.
My eyes widened at that as murmurs broke out.
"What priestess?"
"What is he talking about?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about," the Queen said. "And we will not tolerate any blasphemy against the royal family." freёwebnovel.com
"Then perhaps you can explain to the people why the King hides his other daughter," the man said, his eyes locked on mine.
