The First Move

The palace was restless that night. Whispers of a secret council meeting hummed through the halls, servants moving hurriedly with their eyes averted, while torches burned brighter than usual against the shadowed walls. Mei sat in her chamber, staring out at the moonlit gardens below, her mind a storm of questions.

The king had dismissed her without explanation after their tense encounter, leaving her alone with her thoughts. His words still lingered—*“Your fire. Your heart.”* They had unsettled her more than she cared to admit.

A soft knock at the door broke her reverie.

“Come in,” she said, turning toward the sound.

A young maid entered, her face pale and nervous. She bowed deeply before stepping closer. “Miss Mei, I’ve been sent with a message.”

“A message?” Mei asked, frowning.

The maid glanced around, as if afraid the walls themselves might overhear. “Not from the king. From someone… else.” She slipped a folded piece of parchment into Mei’s hand, then hurried out without another word.

Mei unfolded the note, her heart racing as her eyes scanned the elegant yet hurried handwriting:

“The king is not what he seems. If you wish to understand the truth, meet me in the Moon Pavilion at midnight.”

There was no signature.

She stared at the note, her mind racing. Was this a trap? A test? Or perhaps a rare chance to gain insight into the enigmatic man who now held her life in his hands?

The clock in her chamber ticked loudly as the minutes passed, each one a battle between caution and curiosity. By the time midnight approached, Mei had made her decision. She wrapped herself in a dark cloak and slipped out of her room, her bare feet silent against the cold stone floors.

The palace at night was a labyrinth of flickering shadows and echoing silence. Mei moved carefully, keeping to the hidden paths the servants used, her heart pounding with every step. When she reached the Moon Pavilion—a secluded structure surrounded by a pond of shimmering water—she hesitated.

A figure waited for her beneath the arched roof, cloaked in darkness.

“You came,” the voice said, low and steady.

Mei stepped closer, her fingers tightening around the note in her pocket. “Who are you? What do you want with me?”

The figure stepped into the moonlight, revealing a man with sharp features and a calculating gaze. He wore the uniform of a royal adviser, though his posture was far too relaxed for someone in the king’s court.

“My name is Lin,” he said. “And I want to help you.”

Mei narrowed her eyes. “Help me? Why would a stranger care about my fate?”

Lin’s expression darkened. “Because the king’s obsession with you is more dangerous than you realize. If you stay in his grasp, you may lose far more than your freedom.”

Her breath caught. “What are you saying?”

Lin glanced toward the palace, his voice dropping to a whisper. “The king is hiding something—something that could destroy him, and everyone close to him. If you want to survive, you’ll need to uncover the truth before it’s too late.”

Mei’s heart raced as the weight of his words sank in. The king’s dangerous allure had always hinted at secrets, but now those secrets threatened to pull her into a web of intrigue she might never escape.

And for the first time, she wondered if the greatest danger wasn’t the man himself—but what he was hiding.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***