The King's Table wasn't a table—it was a trap.
Carved from obsidian, the chessboard lay inlaid beneath glass. Around it, seven thrones were arranged in a semicircle, the seats of power. I was seated on the Black Queen's throne, as per the invitation. My heart beat with calculated calm. My hands, hidden in my lap, itched for the dagger hidden in my boot.
The others watched me, all boys—older, crueler, sharper than the academy's elites.
And they all wore masks.
The blond boy who welcomed me, seated at the center, was the White King. His smile was charming. But his eyes were empty.
"To stay at this table," he said, "you must prove you deserve your piece."
He dropped a file in front of me.
A photo slid out.
My blood went cold.
It was Vale.
"This," the White King said, "is your test."
---
Ten Minutes Later – Back in the Hall
I stormed into the safehouse, file clutched tightly.
Vale sat on the floor fixing a burnt drone, chewing gum like it was his only job in life.
I threw the file in his lap.
"Tell me the truth."
He looked at the photo—him with another man, exchanging what looked like documents.
He didn't blink. "Ah. So they've labeled me the rat again."
I knelt in front of him, grabbing his wrist. "Is it true?"
He met my gaze evenly. "No. But that's not the point."
I: "Then what is?"
Vale: "The King's Table doesn't care about truth. They care about loyalty. If they ask you to cut me down, it's not because I'm guilty. It's because they want to know if you will."
I let go of him slowly.
Ryker leaned against the door, arms folded. "What are you gonna do?"
I stood. "Play the game."
---
Two Hours Later – Secret Passage, Inner Courtyard
Kael walked beside me, silent.
I broke it first. "You've known about the table all along."
Kael: "My family used to control a seat."
I: "So why didn't you warn me?"
Kael: "Because Alden wanted you to find it on your own. And… because if I told you, it'd mean I chose your side."
I stopped walking. "And you haven't?"
Kael finally looked at me. "I don't know what side I'm on anymore."
---
Midnight – The King's Table
I returned with the file. The King gave me a curious look.
"Well?"
I placed the file back on the board.
"No elimination," I said. "The information was false. Fabricated. Designed to test my obedience, not my discernment."
The others leaned forward. One boy—a masked hacker—clicked his tongue. "She's sharp."
The White King grinned. "So… you refuse?"
I leaned in, smiling coldly. "I don't play dirty unless I'm winning."
He laughed. "You'll be fun."
A soft beep echoed in the chamber.
One of the other boys, masked in black marble, spoke for the first time. "We have an intruder."
The King turned to me. "You brought someone?"
I froze. "No."
But then a screen flickered to life. A dark figure stood in the courtyard above—the camera glitched, then refocused.
Lucian.
Dressed in black, eyes like fire.
He raised a hand… and blew up the camera with a single shot.
The King's smile faded.
"I think your teacher has just declared war."
---
End of Chapter 38