That night, Kieran didn't take the Second Lady to their chambers.
He led her somewhere else.
Down corridors no one remembered, through passageways that reeked of dust and secrets, until the palace walls turned rough, ancient. The air shifted, thicker, colder, like the place itself had forgotten how to breathe. Somewhere deep beneath the earth, in a chamber that shouldn't exist, a dull red glow pulsed like a heartbeat.
The room stank of old blood and incense.
And waiting at its center, cloaked in robes darker than midnight, was the figure.
Back turned. Silent. Still.
Kieran, proud and ruthless Prince Regent, bowed. Deep. His voice cracked slightly as he spoke.
"Master. The plan continues. But… there's something wrong. I feel it. Like something's watching. Like something's coming."
The Master didn't turn immediately.
But when he did, the air dropped ten degrees.
His face was lined with time, yes but those eyes. Too young. Too alive. Too hungry. The kind of eyes that didn't blink when people screamed.
He smiled.
"Of course something's coming," he said. His voice was smoke wrapped in velvet, curling through the air like a noose. "You built your kingdom on borrowed time, my student. Did you think there would be no reckoning?"
Kieran swallowed hard.
"I—"
"Silence." A flick of the Master's sleeve, and the shadows shifted. Twitched. Something was in the corners. Breathing.
"You fear disruption?" the Master asked. "Good. It means the real game is beginning."
He stepped forward, boots making no sound. "I'll come to the palace. Tomorrow. I'll see this... disquiet for myself."
Then, almost as an afterthought, a slow smirk.
"Ah, and congratulations. I hear your Third Concubine is with child."
Kieran stiffened. He hadn't told a soul.
"Thank you, Master."
The Master's smile widened, too many teeth.
"You may go."
The Second Lady, pale and silent, dared not meet his eyes as they left.
Meanwhile, back in the palace
Liana scrubbed a pot like she wanted to scrub someone's face off.
Around her, the kitchen buzzed. Gossip, fire, footsteps. Normal life. But in her mind?
Rage.
Cold. Focused. Bladed.
Two gone. Two fewer at his side. Kieran won't even see it coming.
She paused. Her reflection rippled in the pot's surface not soft. Not scared. Not a maid.
A storm.
"He took everything from me," she whispered. "The crown. My name. My family. Now it's my turn."
Her eyes flicked up.
Revenge isn't a burden. It's a gift. And I plan to wrap it in silk and hand it to him, piece by piece.
The next morning, the palace hummed with quiet footsteps and distant chatter. Liana carefully balanced a tray of warm snacks meant for Lord Wei soft steamed buns, honey glazed nuts, and floral tea, the aroma calming her nerves just a little.
As she turned the corridor near the eastern wing, her focus broke when someone suddenly stepped into her path.
"Ah—!" she gasped.
The tray jolted, and a few buns tumbled off, landing on the floor with a soft thud. Her heart skipped. The man she'd bumped into an elderly gentleman in plain, slightly travel worn robes, took a graceful step back, steadying himself with a wooden cane.
"I'm so sorry," she said quickly, bowing slightly. "I didn't see you coming."
"No harm, child," the old man replied, his tone kind and calm, as if he'd been expecting the encounter. His eyes are old but bright, studied her gently. Not judging, not intruding. Just… observing.
Liana glanced up, still a little flustered. "May I ask who you are? I don't think I've seen you in the palace before."
"I've only just arrived," he said. "I'm here to request an audience with His Highness, Lord Kieran."
"Oh. I see," she said, pausing. "You're very close. I can send someone to escort you to the main hall."
He gave a soft smile. "That would be appreciated."
She turned to a nearby maid who had just appeared from another corridor. "Please assist this elder to the great hall. Inform the guards that he's here to meet His Highness."
The maid replied. "Yes, Meng."
The old man gave Liana a long, unreadable look, kind but piercing, as if he saw something she hadn't realized was even showing. Then, without a word, he let the maid guide him away, walking at an unhurried pace.
Liana watched them go for just a second, her expression unreadable. Then she looked down at the tray and wrinkled her nose.
"Well. Can't take these to him," she muttered, eyeing the fallen buns.
And with that, she turned and made her way back towards the kitchen.
By the time Liana reached Lord Wei's quarters again. She carried a fresh tray, the buns still warm and the tea perfectly steeped.
She knocked gently at the door.
"Come in," came the reply his voice, calm as ever.
Liana entered quietly, her eyes lowered out of habit. But the moment she stepped inside, her gaze flicked upward… and paused.
There, standing by the window, was a woman she had never seen before. Her presence was striking dressed in soft lavender silks that shimmered slightly with each breath, hair pinned with delicate jade combs. Her features were delicate, elegant almost regal.
Liana blinked.
So he already has a wife…?
She felt a strange twist in her chest.
Then why flirt? Why play games? What a scum.
She didn't let it show on her face. Instead, she lowered the tray onto the nearby table with perfect poise.
Lord Wei glanced at the woman. "Hm. That's all for now. I'll inform you when it's time."
The woman gave a slight bow graceful, composed and walked past Liana without sparing her a glance. Her perfume lingered faintly in the air, floral and refined.
Liana watched her go silently, pretending not to care.
Lord Wei turned his attention to Liana then, his gaze flicking to the tray. "You're late," he said casually.
"A small mishap," she replied coolly. "But the tea is still hot."
He raised a brow slightly. "Mishap?"
She didn't elaborate. Instead, she poured the tea, placing a cup in front of him. As he reached for it, she spoke lightly, almost offhanded.
"She's quite beautiful," Liana said.
Wei paused. Then a slow smirk tugged at his lips. "Jealous?"
She met his eyes without flinching. "Disappointed."
His smirk faltered just slightly.
But she said nothing more, turning away to straighten the tray with elegant precision, leaving him to sip his tea in silence.
---
So, who's the villain of this story?Liana aka Meng?Lord Wei?Lord Kieran?The Mysterious Master?Or… all of them?