The hours after the guards removed my father's body passed in a haze. Lia had retreated to her chambers, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The weight of what had just happened pressed down on me like an iron shroud. My father was dead-by my hand-and the truth of my mission hung precariously between her and I, fragile and dangerous.

I sat by the window in my quarters, staring out at the darkened gardens below. The moonlight illuminated the paths we had walked together so many times, but tonight, they felt foreign and cold. My dagger lay on the table beside me, cleaned of blood but still heavy with the memory of what it had done.

Lia's words echoed in my mind: No more lies between us. She deserved the truth, but how much of it could I give her? How much could she bear to know?

The knock at my door came softly at first, then louder when I didn't respond. I rose slowly, my movements sluggish as if weighed down by invisible chains. When I opened the door, Lia stood there, her face pale but determined.

"Can we talk?" she asked quietly.

I stepped aside to let her in, closing the door behind her before turning to face her. She didn't sit; instead, she stood in the center of the room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"I need you to tell me everything," she said firmly. "No more half-truths. No more secrets."

I hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. "Alright."

She took a deep breath, her gaze unwavering as she waited for me to begin.

"My father trained me as an assassin," I said finally, forcing the words out despite the lump in my throat. "From the time I was old enough to hold a blade, he taught me how to kill-how to blend in, how to manipulate people, how to survive."

Ophelia's expression softened slightly as she listened, but she didn't interrupt.

"When I was ten," I continued, "he sent me here with one mission: to infiltrate your life and kill you when the time was right."

Her breath caught audibly at my words, but still she said nothing.

"I was supposed to be loyal only to him," I said bitterly. "But somewhere along the way... things changed. I changed."

Lia's brow furrowed slightly as she studied me. "How?"

"You trusted me," I admitted softly. "You treated me like family-like someone who mattered. And for the first time in my life... I didn't want to follow his orders anymore."

Her eyes filled with tears as she stepped closer cautiously. "So why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because I was afraid," I said honestly. "Afraid of what he'd do if he found out-afraid of what you'd think if you knew."

She nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful but still troubled. "And tonight? Why did he come here?"

"He knew I'd failed him," I explained bitterly. "He came to finish what he found I couldn't do-and to punish me for betraying him."

Lia's lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Instead, she reached out hesitantly and placed a trembling hand on my arm-a gesture so simple yet so profound that it shattered what little composure I had left.

"I don't know if I can forgive you," she said softly after a long pause.

"I don't expect you to," I replied weakly.

"But..." She hesitated briefly before continuing more firmly: "I'm glad you saved me."

Later that evening, as Lia and I sat together in silence-her gaze distant and mine fixed on the floor-a knock at the door startled both of us.

"Darling?" Nathaniel's voice called from the hallway. "Are you alright?"

Lia glanced at me briefly before rising to answer him. When she opened the door slightly, Nathaniel stepped inside immediately, his sharp gaze scanning the room before landing on me.

"What happened?" he demanded urgently.

"There was an intruder," Lia explained quickly before I could speak. "Calliope stopped him."

Nathaniel frowned deeply as his eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. "An intruder? Here?"

"Yes," Lia insisted firmly.

His gaze flickered back to me briefly before returning to Lia with a softer expression. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she replied quickly.

Nathaniel nodded slowly but didn't press further-for now.

In the days that followed, Lia and Nathan grew closer than ever-bonded not just by their impending marriage but by shared experiences that neither of them could fully explain to anyone else. Their connection was genuine now-not forced or political-and while part of me felt relieved for Lia's sake... another part felt strangely hollow.

As for myself? My place in Lia's life had shifted irrevocably after that night. She still trusted me enough to keep me close-but there was a distance between us now that hadn't been there before-a barrier built on truths too painful to ignore entirely.

And yet... despite everything that had happened... despite all the lies and betrayals... one thing remained constant: my loyalty to her.

Because somewhere along the way... protecting Lia had become more than just duty-it had become personal.

And now? Now it felt like my entire world was hanging by a thread-one that could snap at any moment if I made the wrong move again.

But for now... all we could do was move forward-together-even if our path was fraught with danger and uncertainty at every turn, such is the life of a royal.