enjoyebooks Chapter 13
Chapter 13
KAEL’S POV
I was speeding toward the Alvada Palace, the wheels of my car rattling over the cobblestone streets. Night had fallen, but the city hummed with activity, buzzing with rumors of the failed assassination. My knuckles were white on the steering wheel, tension radiating through my entire body.
"I have to warn her," I muttered under my breath, jaw clenched so tight it ached. The memory of Liora's conversation with her mother played on repeat in my mind. The evidence was circumstantial, but the implications were too grave to ignore.
When the palace gates appeared ahead, towering and ornate, I stopped and stepped out into the cool night air, I approached the gates with determined strides despite the hammering of my heart.
Two guards watched my approach, their postures stiff, hands resting casually on their weapons.
"State your business," one barked at me, his eyes narrow with suspicion.
I forced myself to breathe evenly. "I need to speak with Lady Celestina. It's urgent."
The guards exchanged a glance before the senior one stepped forward. "The palace is under strict security. No visitors are allowed, especially not uninvited ones. Turn back."
"I'm not leaving until I speak with her," I insisted, planting my feet firmly. "It's a matter of her safety."
His expression remained impassive. "The president's daughter is well-protected. She doesn't need anything from you."
Heat rose to my face. "You don't understand," I said, my voice rising despite my efforts to remain calm. "The governor's family—the Hestrels—they might be connected to the assassination attempt. She needs to know this."
The guards stiffened but held their ground. "If you have information, you can report it to the authorities. Lady Celestina will not be disturbed."
My frustration boiled over. "You're making a mistake!" The words tore from my throat, too loud in the quiet street. "If you don't let me in, you could be putting her life in even greater danger!"
"Enough," the senior guard snapped, his voice cold as steel. "Leave now, or we'll remove you by force."
I watched as the guard disappeared through a small side entrance, presumably to deliver my message. Minutes stretched like hours as I paced before the gate, feeling the suspicious eyes of the remaining guards following my every move.
When the senior guard returned, his face told me everything before he spoke. "Lady Celestina has no interest in speaking with you. Leave immediately."
The rejection hit harder than I expected. "Did you tell her what I said? Did you tell her it's about her safety?"
"I delivered your message. Her response was clear. You're not welcome here."
My hands curled into fists at my sides. "She doesn't understand. I need to explain—"
"You need to leave," he interrupted, his hand moving deliberately to the hilt of his sword. "We won't warn you again."
Desperation clawed at my throat. "Do you think a gate can protect her from what's coming? If the Hestrels are behind this, they won't stop until—"
The guard stepped forward menacingly, and I noticed more palace security approaching from behind him. I had no choice but to retreat.
"Fine," I spat, backing away. "But tell her this—ignoring me won't make the danger disappear."
As I turned back toward my waiting car, defeat weighed heavy on my shoulders. Celestina had rejected my warning, but I wouldn't abandon her to the Hestrels' schemes. I needed proof, something concrete that would force her to listen, to believe me.
And I would find it, even if it meant bringing down my own engagement and the last hope for my family's legacy. Some things were more important than the Veridan name.
Some people were worth the sacrifice.