The aftermath of the battle hung heavy in the air as Aric and I made our way back to the castle. The scent of smoke and blood clung to my senses, and the sight of soldiers clearing debris and tending to the wounded in the streets made me realize how close everything had come to spiraling out of control. The sun was dipping low, casting long shadows that stretched over the shattered marketplace.

Aric moved quickly, his face set in a hard mask. He didn’t say anything as we ascended the stone steps and passed through the castle gates. The guards eyed us warily, their faces drawn tight with concern. When we reached the grand hall, two of them pushed open the doors without a word, and Aric marched through, leaving me to follow in his wake.

Inside, the king was waiting, his expression tense. A woman in silver armor stood beside him—her eyes cold and watchful. The room felt different now, charged with an urgency that hadn’t been there before.

Aric dropped to one knee. “Father.”

The king’s eyes flicked from his Aric to me, then back to Aric. “Report.”

Aric rose, his expression grim. “A fallen infiltrated the city. It reached the marketplace before we could intercept. Soldiers engaged, but they were... ineffective.” He hesitated, a muscle in his jaw tightening. “I dispatched it.”

The king’s eyes narrowed. “How did a fallen make it past the outer defenses? Past the guards and the wards?”

“That is what troubles me.” Aric’s voice was steady, but there was a sharp edge beneath the surface. “A fallen should not have gone unnoticed. Our wards are designed to detect any such presence near the city’s perimeter, and they should have responded the moment it breached the boundary.”

The woman in silver armor spoke for the first time, her tone clipped and precise. “Unless someone disabled the wards.”

The king’s gaze hardened. “You suspect sabotage.”

“It is the only explanation that makes sense,” Aric replied, agreeing with her. “The fallen’s presence was not detected until it was already in the heart of the city. Either the wards failed by coincidence—a failure I find unlikely—or they were tampered with.”

I shifted on my feet, the weight of the conversation sinking in. Sabotage? Someone letting a monster like that inside on purpose? The idea made my skin crawl.

The king rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “You say you dispatched it quickly.”

Aric nodded. “It was strong, as most fallen are, but it wasn't nearly as cunning as some of the more dangerous ones I’ve faced. Its attacks were direct, brute force—nothing we haven’t seen before.”

The king’s gaze flicked to me. “And you, Cal Andrews. What did you see?”

The attention from the king’s eyes made my throat tighten. I cleared it awkwardly. “I saw Aric take it down. That’s about it.”

Aric’s eyes flicked to me, and I could see the warning there, like he was telling me to tread carefully. I swallowed hard, realizing this wasn’t just about me anymore—this was about the city’s safety, the kingdom’s security.

“It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before,” I added. “It was... huge, and it had wings. It also looked like it had a purpose. It was like it knew where it was going, and Aric and the soldiers were just obstacles.”

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Aric crossed his arms. “Regardless of what happened, any fallen crossing into the city should have been detected long before it reached the city center. Either someone helped it cross the barrier, or...” He paused, glancing at the woman in silver armor. “Or there’s a new weakness in our defenses that we’ve yet to uncover.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed, and she nodded slightly. “If there is sabotage, we will need to investigate swiftly. The wards must be tested. There could be an insider working against us.”

The king’s face was grim. “I will not tolerate treachery in my city, but we must proceed with caution. Captain Liora,” he said, turning to the woman in armor, “I want you and your men to patrol the perimeter in shifts until we are certain the wards are functioning properly. I will not have another attack like this.”

Liora—so that was her name—bowed. “As you command, Your Majesty.”

The king then turned back to Aric, and his tone softened slightly. “You did well to bring this to my attention so quickly. Now, I need you to go check on the wards. Make sure there is no tampering.”

Aric bowed his head. “Of course.”

The king’s attention returned to me, and his expression was unreadable. “And you, fallen, will continue to remain under Aric’s watch for now. This attack only confirms that your presence is both a threat and an opportunity. If there are forces working to bring fallen into the city, they may also have an interest in you.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. “Me? Why?”

“You’re also a fallen.” The king’s eyes held a glint of something—calculation, perhaps, “And you’re already in the city. All someone would need to do is convince or force you to turn against us and they wouldn’t even have to worry about the wards and defenses.”

I still didn’t like the idea of having my every move watched, but I understood the logic.

Aric stepped forward. “I’ll keep him close, Father.”

The king nodded. “Very well. And Cal... understand this: if you do anything to jeopardize the safety of this kingdom, even unintentionally, I will not hesitate to have you executed.”

I felt the weight of his words settle on me, heavy and final. “I understand.”

“Good.” The king’s expression softened just slightly. “I have a kingdom to protect, and the stakes are high. Trust is earned, not given. Prove yourself, and we will find a place for you here.”

I nodded, trying to ignore the knot forming in my stomach. I had no idea how I was going to prove myself in a place where everything was out to kill me, but one thing was clear—I was going to have to try.

The king dismissed us, and Aric turned on his heel, motioning for me to follow. I kept close as we made our way through the castle halls, the tension between us palpable.

“What now?” I asked, trying to break the silence.

“We test the wards and double the patrols,” Aric replied curtly. “If there is sabotage, we need to find it before another fallen slips through.”

“And me?” I asked, dreading the answer.

“You’re staying by my side,” Aric said firmly. “No more defying my orders. If there are people who want to use you, the safest place is where I can see you.”

I bristled at the thought of being babysat, but after the chaos I’d just witnessed, I knew he had a point. “Fine,” I muttered. “But if something happens again, I want to help.”

Aric paused, looking at me with a mix of frustration and something else—maybe respect, or at least a grudging acknowledgment. “You need training first. You can’t just rely on instinct.”

“Then train me,” I said, crossing my arms. “If I’m stuck here, I might as well learn how to defend myself.”

Aric’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t dismiss the idea outright. “We’ll see. For now, focus on staying alive.”

He turned away, heading toward the armory to gather his gear. I followed, my thoughts a jumble of determination and uncertainty. If sabotage was really involved, then this world was a lot more complicated—and dangerous than I’d thought. But one thing was certain:

I wasn’t going to sit on the sidelines anymore.