Caden’s POV
I did not wait for dawn.
The moment Elara was settled back into her chambers—with guards doubled, doors sealed, and Serena posted like a blade outside—I turned and walked straight into the heart of the palace. My boots struck stone with purpose, each step sharpening the fury coiled tight in my chest. The corridors blurred as I moved, servants shrinking back against the walls, eyes wide, sensing the storm before it broke.
“Kitchens,” I snapped at the first guard I passed.
He didn’t ask questions.
The kitchens were never truly quiet, even at night, but when I entered, the room fell into a stunned hush. Fires crackled. Knives paused mid-chop. The smell of bread and herbs hung thick in the air, suddenly suffocating. Dozens of faces turned toward me, pale and afraid.
“Who prepared the drink,” I demanded.
No one answered.
I stepped forward, my voice dropping to something cold and lethal. “The glass beside Elara’s bed. Who poured it.”
A murmur rippled through the room. A cook’s hands began to shake. A maid stared at the floor as if it might swallow her whole.
“I will ask once more,” I said. “And then I will stop asking.”
“It—it was sent up with the evening tray,” a young maid whispered finally. “By order.”
“Whose order,” I pressed.
She swallowed. “From above.”
The room erupted then—whispers clashing, voices overlapping, fear spilling loose. Someone said the word poison. Someone else said bride. Another voice hissed the Queen’s name like a curse.
I turned on my heel and left.
By the time I reached the upper corridors, the palace was already buzzing. Nobles leaned out of doorways. Servants whispered behind hands. Guards shifted uneasily, gripping spears too tightly. The rumor spread faster than fire: someone had tried to poison the Prince’s bride.
And almost everyone knew who they suspected.
I didn’t hesitate.
Arinelle’s chambers stood immaculate as ever, candles burning softly, the air perfumed with something sweet and cloying. She sat near the window when I entered, perfectly composed, as if she had been expecting me.
“Mother,” I said flatly.
She turned, her smile measured. “Caden. You look upset.”
“Did you poison Elara’s drink,” I asked.
The question landed between us like a blade.
Arinelle’s brow lifted slightly. “How dramatic.”
“I am not in the mood,” I said. “Answer me.”
Before she could speak, the door burst open.
Kaela rushed in, eyes red, breath hitching, hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Stop,” she cried. “Stop yelling at her.”
I turned, startled. “Kaela.”
“It was me,” she sobbed. “I did it.”
The room went still.
Arinelle’s gaze snapped to her daughter, sharp and warning, but Kaela didn’t look at her. She looked at me, tears streaking down her cheeks, her voice trembling as words spilled out in a rush.
“I just wanted it to end,” she said. “Everything’s been wrong since she arrived. The palace isn’t normal anymore. You’re not normal anymore. I thought—if she disappeared—”
“Kaela,” I said quietly.
“I didn’t mean to hurt her,” she insisted. “I swear. Just enough to make her leave. To make everything go back to how it was.”
My chest tightened.
The door opened again.
Elara stood there.
Her face was pale, eyes dark with exhaustion, but she held herself upright, stubborn as ever. Serena hovered behind her, tense and watchful.
Kaela froze when she saw her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t know it would get this bad.”
Elara hesitated. Then, to everyone’s shock—including my own—she stepped forward.
“I believe you,” Elara said softly.
I turned on her instantly. “Elara—”
She shook her head, meeting my gaze. “I’m fine. And I don’t want this to become worse than it already is.”
Arinelle watched the exchange with keen interest.
“It doesn’t have to end in punishment,” Elara continued, her voice gentle but firm. “We can resolve this peacefully.”
Kaela broke down completely then, covering her face as she cried. “I didn’t want you dead,” she sobbed. “I just wanted my life back.”
Elara reached out hesitantly and touched Kaela’s arm. The gesture was small, cautious—but it shattered something in the room.
After a long, painful silence, Kaela straightened, wiped her eyes, and nodded. “I’m sorry,” she said again, quieter now. “I’ll stay away from you.”
She left without looking back. I heard quiet weeps, as if my sister was holding herself chin high up until she left out the door, and then broke down immediately.
One by one, the others followed—servants, guards, Serena guiding Elara gently toward the door. Elara paused beside me.
“I’ll be okay,” she said.
I nodded once.
When the door closed behind her, only my mother and I remained.
The quiet was absolute.
I turned slowly to Arinelle.
“That was impressive,” I said. “Using your daughter as a shield.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “A son knows his mother best.”
“You poisoned the drink,” I said. “And you made Kaela believe she did it.”
Arinelle tilted her head. “Belief is a powerful thing.”
“You would have killed her,” I said.
“She lived,” Arinelle replied lightly. “And learned something valuable.”
My voice dropped. “End this. End this nightmare that you turned my life into, and now try to do the same with Elara.”
She stepped closer, eyes gleaming. “No, my son. This has only begun.”
And in that moment, I understood: my greatest enemy was not the palace, nor the crown…
It was the woman who raised me.