The Distant Palace stood quiet, far from the main palace's chaos.
It belonged to the Second Queen, but right beside it were two smaller palaces—one for Prince Orion and one for Prince Alden.
In the garden, under the shade of trees, the two brothers sat at a black stone chessboard. The scent of flowers drifted in the air, but the tension between them was sharp, mostly one-sided from Prince Alden.
Orion leaned back, eyes closed as usual, moving his pieces with effortless ease without even looking at them. Alden, on the other hand, looked tense, his fingers gripping his pieces a little too hard.
"Ah, dear sis—brother," Orion said smoothly, shifting a knight. "Your king is exposed again. But I suppose one must actually see the board to understand danger. Lack of vision... quite the fatal flaw."
Alden clenched his jaw. He knew Orion wasn't just talking about chess. His mind flashed back to the library—to him.
Kyle Arcutus.
