The empire's eastern outposts buzzed with confusion. Commanders received conflicting orders. Supply lines vanished overnight. Nobles turned on each other over forged letters of betrayal.
It had begun—Operation Veil.
At its center stood Princess Alicent Malveris, veiled in black silks, disguised as a courtier from a merchant guild. Her voice was honeyed deception, her movements ghostlike in enemy territory.
Beside her, Kerrin, the Black Thorn Assassin operative, moved through the underworld like a rumor given form. He carried forged documents, blackmail ledgers, and poisoned coins—all weapons deadlier than blades.
> "No battle won by fire ever lasts," Alicent whispered as they infiltrated the city of Nareth'Vael. "But fear... that seeps deep."
She bribed generals with false promises from the Empress. She sowed treason in the ears of ambitious nobles. She spread rumors of the Empress's death and Saelar's divine right.
Kerrin blacked out communication posts and raided cipher vaults. Their sabotage delayed Imperial reinforcements by weeks.
Within days, three border cities declared neutrality. One, House Throsden, outright pledged support to Saelar.
The Veil had turned shadows into a siege engine.