CHAPTER 6 — "THE ENEMY DIDN'T COME TO DESTROY THE KINGDOM... THEY CAME TO STEAL THE PRINCESS."
Within three days, thousands of enemy soldiers surrounded the capital.
But something felt wrong.
They didn't attack.
They waited.
Then a black carriage approached beneath a white flag.
Inside sat an elderly woman wearing silver robes.
She smiled the moment she saw Elina.
"So..."
"You've finally removed the helmet."
King Aldren immediately recognized her.
His face turned pale.
"No..."
"It can't be..."
Richard stepped protectively in front of Elina.
"Who are you?"
The woman laughed softly.
"My name is Seraphine."
"I taught your queen everything she knew."
Elina frowned.
"You knew my mother?"
"I knew far more than that."
The old woman slowly raised her hand.
Every candle in the throne room extinguished at once.
Darkness swallowed the chamber.
Only Seraphine's glowing silver eyes remained visible.
"You've spent your whole life believing your gift was a curse."
"It isn't."
"It was created."
Silence.
The king whispered,
"Don't listen to her."
But Seraphine ignored him.
"Long before you were born..."
"There existed an ancient order known as the Keepers of Truth."
"They believed lies were the greatest evil in human history."
"They created children capable of exposing every deception with a single glance."
"Your mother belonged to that order."
Elina's breathing became shallow.
"No..."
"My mother was a queen."
Seraphine smiled sadly.
"No..."
"She was their last guardian."
"And now..."
She pointed directly at Elina.
"You are the last one alive."
Outside, thousands of enemy soldiers suddenly knelt.
Not before the king.
Not before Richard.
Before Elina.
Then Seraphine whispered the words that changed everything.
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"We didn't come to conquer your kingdom."
"We came to take our Queen home."
