CHAPTER 5 — THE HIDDEN HEIR
A violent storm rolled across the capital.
Lightning flashed above the royal palace as every entrance was fortified. No one was allowed in. No one was allowed out.
Inside the council chamber, the black envelope lay open on the table.
"The true heir has not yet been revealed."
Those nine words echoed through everyone's minds.
King Aldric looked at his daughter.
"If Elara is my lost child... then what does this message mean?"
No one answered.
The royal historian carefully unrolled another ancient scroll from the archives.
"There is one possibility."
All eyes turned toward him.
"Twenty-five years ago, before the twins were born, the Queen gave birth once before."
The room fell silent.
Queen Helena lowered her head.
"I was told the baby died before sunrise."
The historian shook his head.
"There was never a burial."
The king's face turned pale.
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying there may have been another child."
Prince Adrian stared at the old records.
Every document concerning that birth had vanished.
Every witness was dead.
Every physician who attended the delivery had disappeared within two years.
Someone had erased the truth.
At that moment, a royal messenger burst into the room.
"Your Majesty!"
"The underground prison..."
"The Chancellor escaped."
The king shot to his feet.
"Impossible!"
The messenger struggled to catch his breath.
"The guards were found unconscious."
"There was no sign of forced entry."
Prince Adrian immediately understood.
"He had help inside the palace."
Which meant the Order of the Black Crown still had loyal members hiding among the servants, guards, or even the royal advisers.
No one could be trusted.
That evening, Elara wandered alone through the palace gardens.
She still felt like a stranger.
Only yesterday she had believed herself to be an orphan living in the forest.
Now everyone called her "Princess."
Yet she remembered almost nothing from her childhood.
As she stood beside an old fountain, a soft voice spoke behind her.
"You still remember the lullaby, don't you?"
She turned.
An elderly gardener stood there, carrying a lantern.
"I don't know who you are," Elara replied.
The old man smiled sadly.
"You used to chase butterflies here."
"You were only four."
Before she could ask another question, he handed her a small wooden flute.
"I've kept this for twenty-one years."
Elara accepted it.
Carved into the wood was the same royal crest as the pendant around her neck.
When she placed the flute against her lips and blew gently, a clear melody floated through the night.
Suddenly...
A section of ivy-covered wall beside the garden trembled.
Ancient stones slowly slid apart.
A hidden doorway appeared.
Prince Adrian, who had been searching for Elara, arrived just in time to witness it.
"What is this place?" he whispered.
The old gardener smiled.
"The secret passage only members of the royal family can open."
Then his expression changed.
"Hurry."
"Someone else is coming."
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From somewhere inside the darkness beneath the palace...
They heard footsteps.
