Reborn as the Queen's Captive: The Shadow Courtier System

Lysander held his breath as he knelt on the cold stone floor of Silas’s bedchamber.

The room was completely empty. Silas was currently in the Queen’s private quarters and would not return until dawn. Lysander used a small iron dagger to pry up the loose floorboard he had discovered months ago when the room belonged to a different consort.

He carefully placed the small wooden box into the dark cavity. Inside the box rested the forged letter from the Radiant Court and the glass vial filled with Tears of the Moon.

Lysander slid the floorboard back into place and stood up. He brushed the dust from his knees. A triumphant smile spread across his beautiful face. The trap was set. It was flawless. By tomorrow afternoon Silas would be rotting in the obsidian oubliette and Lysander would reclaim his rightful place at the Queen’s side.

He slipped out of the room and melted into the shadows of the corridor.

The next morning the grand audience chamber was bathed in cold violet light. Queen Ravena sat upon her obsidian throne looking radiant and deeply satisfied.

Lysander stood at the base of the dais his heart hammering with anticipation. He watched as the heavy iron doors swung open. Captain Thorne marched into the hall flanked by four heavily armored guards.

Walking calmly in the center of the formation was Silas.

Lysander studied his rival. Silas did not look like a man who had just been dragged from his bed by the City Guard. He wore a simple black tunic but he carried himself with the absolute authority of a king. His dark eyes swept the room taking in the guards the Queen and finally Lysander.

There was no fear in Silas’s gaze. There was only a cold mechanical calculation. It made the hairs on the back of Lysander’s neck stand up.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion Captain?" Ravena asked her voice echoing through the silent hall. She sounded annoyed that her new favorite toy had been disturbed.

Captain Thorne knelt at the base of the steps and bowed his head. He held up the small wooden box.

"Treason Your Majesty," Thorne declared his voice booming with righteous indignation. "We received an anonymous tip from a servant this morning. I personally searched the new consort’s quarters. Hidden beneath the floorboards we found this box."

Ravena’s silver eyes narrowed. She gestured for a guard to bring the box to her.

Lysander held his breath. This was it. The moment of absolute victory.

Ravena opened the wooden lid. She reached inside and pulled out the folded parchment bearing the wax seal of the Radiant Court. She broke the seal and read the words. The temperature in the room plummeted. The shadows seemed to lengthen and crawl toward the throne.

"A letter from the Radiant Emperor," Ravena whispered her voice dripping with lethal intent. "Offering a mountain of gold for my assassination. And it is addressed to you Silas."

Lysander forced himself to look horrified. "Your Majesty this is unthinkable. To harbor a spy in our very quarters."

Silas did not flinch. He looked up at the Queen his expression perfectly blank.

"It is a fascinating letter Your Majesty," Silas said his voice smooth and perfectly measured. "But I must ask a simple question. If I were plotting to assassinate you why would I hide the evidence under a floorboard while I was sharing your bed? I had ample opportunity last night while you slept. A true assassin would keep his weapon close."

Ravena tilted her head. The lethal tension in the room paused. "A valid point. The letter speaks of poison. But the box is empty."

Lysander froze. His blood ran cold.

"Empty?" Captain Thorne blurted out forgetting his place and standing up. "That is impossible Your Majesty. I saw the vial with my own eyes when I opened the box in his room. It was filled with Tears of the Moon." 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"Are you calling me a liar Captain?" Ravena asked softly.

"No Your Majesty!" Thorne panicked dropping back to his knees. "I swear to you the poison was in the box."

Silas took a slow deliberate step forward.

"Perhaps the captain is telling the truth," Silas said his dark eyes locking onto Thorne. "Perhaps he did find a vial of poison. But a man who discovers a weapon that rare and valuable might be tempted to keep it for himself. Especially a man who met in secret with another consort in the abandoned east wing just last night."

Lysander felt the floor drop out from under him. How did Silas know about the meeting? It was impossible.

"Search him," Ravena commanded pointing a pale finger at Captain Thorne.

The four guards immediately grabbed their commander. Thorne thrashed and shouted but they overpowered him. One of the guards reached into the deep leather pouch attached to Thorne’s belt.

The guard pulled out a glass vial filled with shimmering silver liquid.

Lysander stared at the vial in absolute horror. He had put it in the box. He knew he had. How did it get into Thorne’s pouch?

He looked at Silas. Silas was looking back at him. A faint cold smile touched Silas’s lips. It was the smile of a predator who had just sprung a trap within a trap.

Lysander realized with sickening clarity what had happened. Silas had known about the plot. He had let Thorne find the box. And during the march to the throne room Silas must have used some dark impossible magic to slip the vial from the box into Thorne’s pouch without anyone noticing.

"Lysander gave it to me!" Thorne screamed his face purple with panic. "He orchestrated the whole thing! He forged the letter! He wanted Silas dead!"

Lysander’s survival instincts kicked in. He dropped to his knees and looked up at the Queen with wide tear filled eyes.

"He is lying Your Majesty!" Lysander cried his voice trembling with perfect practiced terror. "He is trying to drag me down with him to save his own skin. I have never seen that poison in my life. I swear it on my soul."

Ravena looked at the weeping golden consort and then down at the screaming captain. Her silver eyes were devoid of mercy.

"Take Captain Thorne to the dungeons," Ravena ordered. "Flay him until he tells you where he acquired the Tears of the Moon. Then take his head."

The guards dragged the screaming captain out of the hall. The heavy iron doors slammed shut cutting off his cries.

Lysander remained on his knees trembling violently. He had survived but he had lost his most powerful ally in the City Guard. He looked up and met Silas’s dark calculating gaze.

Silas had not just defeated him. Silas had used Lysander’s own trap to eliminate the commander of the City Guard creating a massive power vacuum in the military. Silas was playing a game so far above Lysander’s comprehension that it was terrifying.

Lysander lowered his head to the cold stone floor. He needed a new plan. He could not fight Silas alone. He needed to seek out Lady Seraphina or General Draven. He would sell his soul to the highest bidder if it meant seeing Silas bleed.