A Royal Obligation
Chapter 230: Tensions of Truth

Chapter 230: Tensions of Truth

The atmosphere inside the throne room was thick with tension, the air heavy and silent as each person took their seat around the large circular table.

The grand chamber was lit by tall torches lining the walls and a massive chandelier hanging above, its light reflecting off the polished stone floor.

The room’s regal decor, a mix of gold accents and emerald-green banners bearing the Valeidio crest, only added to the weight of the moment.

King Xavian sat at the head of the table, his posture firm and authoritative, though his eyes carried a somber weight.

To his right sat Theron, his eldest son, leaning slightly forward, his hands clasped in front of him. Lord Cedric occupied the seat beside Theron, his expression hard and unreadable as his fingers drummed lightly on the edge of the table.

Kaelix sat next, his posture deceptively calm but betrayed by the subtle twitch in his jaw and the clench of his fists resting on the armrests of his chair.

Opposite him, the twins Julian and Lucian were seated with Amarok sandwiched between them.

Julian’s foot tapped impatiently under the table, while Lucian leaned back, his arms crossed, a rare frown marring his usually jovial face.

Amarok sat quietly, his fingers curled nervously in his lap as he glanced between the royals, clearly uncomfortable in the tense environment.

For a long moment, no one spoke, the silence broken only by the faint crackle of the torches. Finally, King Xavian cleared his throat, his voice steady as he addressed the room.

"Early this morning, we received a message from Mbuzuoria Kingdom," he began, his tone grave.

At the mention of Mbuzuoria, Kaelix’s head snapped up, his dark eyes narrowing sharply.

"A letter," Xavian continued, "was delivered to us. It claims that the abduction of Eirik was not sanctioned by their kingdom. They’ve placed the blame entirely on their crown prince, Carl."

The king’s voice dripped with disdain as he spoke the name, his hand reaching into his robes to retrieve a folded parchment. He passed it to Lord Cedric, who unfolded it and began reading silently.

Cedric’s sneer deepened as his eyes scanned the letter. "Traitorous bastards," he spat. "They’ll do anything to save their necks, even sacrifice their own crown prince."

Kaelix’s fists clenched tighter, his knuckles turning white. The room seemed to grow heavier with every word Cedric spoke, the tension radiating off Kaelix almost tangible.

King Xavian continued, his tone sharp. "It seems they’ve placed Prince Carl under house arrest. A convenient punishment, given the circumstances."

The silence that followed was shattered by Julian’s voice, sharp and angry. "Are we going to let Mbuzuoria get away with this? It’s obvious they’re playing us for fools!"

Before Xavian could respond, Kaelix’s voice rang out, cold and resolute. "If Valeidio won’t act, Zephyros will."

All eyes turned to him as he leaned forward, his expression dark and unyielding. "I will never allow Mbuzuoria to get away with what they did to my Eirik. None of them will escape justice."

The sheer intensity in his voice sent a ripple of unease through the room. Julian and Lucian exchanged approving glances, while Amarok fidgeted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with the growing hostility.

"Calm yourself, Prince Kaelix," Xavian said firmly, his authoritative tone cutting through the tension. "We have no intention of forgiving Mbuzuoria for what they’ve done. Even if Carl acted alone in Eirik’s abduction, it was their king who sanctioned the assassination attempts on Eirik."

The twins’ heads snapped toward their father in unison, their voices overlapping as they exclaimed, "What?!"

Julian’s eyes were wide with disbelief as he leaned forward. "Eirik faced assassination attempts?"

Lucian’s voice was sharp, almost accusatory. "Why didn’t we know about this, Father?" His gaze shifted between Lord Cedric, Theron, and Kaelix, noting their lack of surprise. "You all knew? Except us?"

Julian’s expression darkened as he added, "Does Mother know about this?"

Amarok, caught in the middle of the twins, looked just as shocked. He shifted uncomfortably, his thoughts a whirlwind of disbelief and concern. He hadn’t even wanted to be here, yet now he found himself embroiled in a situation far more intense than he had anticipated.

"Calm down, Lucian, Julian," Theron interjected, his voice steady but weary. "This is exactly why Eirik asked us to hide it from you. He was worried you’d overreact."

"Overreact?" Lucian’s voice rose, anger flashing in his eyes as he glared at Theron. "And you weren’t worried that someone was trying to kill our younger brother?"

"Maybe all of this could have been avoided if you hadn’t kept it from us!" Julian barked, his fists slamming onto the table.

Lord Cedric’s voice cut through the argument, sharp and commanding. "And what would you have done if you had known? Bark and worry yourselves into a frenzy?!"

The twins froze, their expressions shifting to ones of shame as Cedric’s words sank in. They looked away, chastised, their earlier anger replaced with quiet guilt.

Cedric sighed, his tone softening slightly. "They had no proof then. While the suspected Mbuzuoria, they couldn’t be certain. And your brother didn’t want to burden you or your mother."

King Xavian’s voice carried the finality of authority as he added, "What we didn’t bargain for was Sadiki being the spy."

At the mention of Sadiki, Kaelix closed his eyes for a moment, his jaw tightening as he struggled to maintain his composure.

"So," he finally said, his voice low but firm, "what’s the plan?"

Xavian gestured to Theron. "Theron will brief you."

The king’s gaze shifted to Amarok, who had been silently praying for the meeting to end. His discomfort was clear, and he was doing his best to blend into the background.

"You know what to do, Amarok," Xavian said, his tone carrying an air of expectation.

Amarok’s eyes widened slightly as he sat up straighter, his thoughts racing. The twins and Kaelix exchanged confused glances, their curiosity piqued by the king’s cryptic remark.

"What do you mean?" Julian asked, his gaze flicking between Xavian and Amarok.

But Xavian offered no further explanation, his expression unreadable as he leaned back in his chair.